Abstract: A method for producing biofuels is provided that includes dewatering intact algal cells to make an algal biomass, extracting neutral lipids from the algal biomass, and esterifying the neutral lipids with a catalyst in the presence of an alcohol. The method also includes separating a water soluble fraction comprising glycerin from a water insoluble fraction comprising fuel esters and distilling the fuel esters under vacuum to obtain a C16 or shorter fuel esters fraction, a C16 or longer fuel ester fraction, and a residue comprising carotenoids and omega-3 fatty acids. The method further includes hydrodeoxygenating at least one of (i) the C16 or shorter fuel esters to obtain a jet fuel blend stock and (ii) the C16 or longer fuel esters to obtain a diesel blend stock. The method further includes supplying the hydrogenation and deoxygenation processes with hydrogen produced from reformed light hydrocarbons or an algae culture.

Abstract: Fuel pellets which include substantial amounts of agricultural biomass having a relatively low lignin content are provided. The fuel pellets have a low ash content, good pellet durability (e.g., as determined by their pellet durability index) and heating values comparable to conventional hardwood fuel pellets. The fuel pellet may be formed by pelleting a mixture comprising agricultural biomass which includes whole corn, corn cobs, corn stover, wheat, wheat middlings, wheat straw, soy beans, soy bean hulls, soy cotyledon fiber, alfalfa, dried distillers grain, oats, oat straw, sugar beet pulp and/or sunflower hulls. Other suitable agricultural biomass materials which may be used to form the fuel pellets include co-products from corn milling processes (e.g. corn gluten feed, white fiber), oat hulls, rice hulls, rapeseed meal, rapeseed fractions, bagasse, ground barley, cottonseed hulls, whole cottonseed, ground milo, oatmeal, oat flour, rye, broken rice and empty palm fruit bundles.