(Crown) Crown, a global leader in the oilseed processing industry, introduces a game-changing Renewable Diesel Pretreatment System that doubles hydrotreater catalyst life, yields the industry’s highest output of pretreated product, and guarantees product quality specifications, regardless of feedstock. By maximizing contaminant removal,
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) New biodiesel process technologies continue to emerge, promising optimization of production through greater efficiencies and lower costs. -- Crown Iron Works: ... The global Minnesota-based firm has built 50 biodiesel plants around the world. Like
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Iowa State University is working on fast pyrolysis, and Robert Brown, Director of the university’s Bioeconomy Institute looks at how their work is making us rethink thermochemical processing. By looking at autothermal pyrolysis, and more, Brown
(Air Liquide) Air Liquide is partnering with ArcelorMittal in the first industrial scale demonstration plant to capture carbon gas from the steelmaking process and recycle it into chemicals, specifically advanced bioethanol*. In this project, Air Liquide Engineering & Construction will provide a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Over 10 years (2007–2017), three Bioenergy Research Centers produced multiple breakthroughs in the form of deepened understanding of sustainable biomass production practices, targeted re-engineering of biomass feedstocks, development of new methods for deconstructing feedstocks, and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) For some time it’s been widely thought amongst the Digestsceni that there's a need to ‘demonstrate to market actors and policy makers how existing bioenergy chains can be made more fuel flexible, efficient and cost
by Emily Scot (Berkeley Lab) As the need for energy security grows, scientists are investigating nonfood biomass sources that can be used to create valuable biofuels and bioproducts. Among these sources is municipal solid waste (MSW) — in other words, trash
(Valmet) Valmet will deliver biomass pretreatment system to PRAJ Industries for their second-generation bio refinery project which is under execution in India. The delivery is planned for the year 2020. The order was included in Valmet’s orders received of the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As frustrated as you may get with your pet sometimes, we aren’t talking about upcycling dogs and cats here, but PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic that is typically landfilled. One group at NREL and ORNL are working
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the U.S. Department of Energy has selected 35 projects totaling $73 million for bioenergy research and development support. Funded through the DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, these projects will help reduce
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Global Algae Innovations is working on a trifecta of goals: 1) to develop improved strains and cultivation methods to increase the algal biofuel intermediate yield by at least 70% AND 2) to develop new drying and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Product, processes and partnerships are what it’s all about in India right now with the country’s latest bioenergy policies and growing activity in the bioeconomy. Pramod Chaudhari, Executive Chairman at Praj Industries gave this illuminating presentation at
(Designed 2 Scale Challenge) Algae-based feedstocks have shown tremendous potential in providing a safe, secure and locally available source of drop-in liquid fuels for the transportation sector. These feedstocks have the potential to not compete with conventional food crops and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) MetGen are pioneers in industrial enzymes for lignocellulosic biomass and are trying to empower industries to get the most out of biomass with their enzymatic technologies. Alex Michine, CEO of MetGen gave this enlightening overview of MetGen’s
(Greasezilla) You may be flushing a valuable resource down the metaphorical drain when disposing of grease trap waste. Yes, the big bad wolf of commercial plumbing that the industry has struggled to combat over the past two decades may be hiding
(Neste) The aim is to proceed to an industrial scale trial during 2019. By 2030, Neste targets to process more than one million tons of plastic waste annually by 2030. Neste is already the world's largest producer of renewable diesel
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Axens Solutions is covering the entire project development cycle and working on things like BioTfuel and Vegan which are renewable diesel and jet fuels, Futurol, a cellulosic ethanol using biomass enzymatic fermentation, Atol made from
(Oil and Gas 360/New Energy Blue) NewEnergyBlue acquired exclusive rights to Inbicon bio-conversion technology throughout the Americas and will first employ it to turn North Dakota wheat straw into a high-value, carbon-neutral automotive fuel. The technology license was purchased from Ørsted, a Danish
by Holly Ober (Univesity of California Riverside News) Researchers combine supercomputing with nano-imaging to reveal how to efficiently break down plant biomass and transform it into transportation fuels -- ... In order to access the energy-rich sugars found in the plant
(Neste) Following up from the EUR 1.4 billion investment to expand its renewable products production capacity in Singapore, Neste today held a foundation stone ceremony to officially mark the extension of the new production line. The construction started at the beginning
(Green Car Congress) Commercially viable cellulosic ethanol plants has proven devilishly difficult to bring to fruition. The primary outlier from the list of efforts that have shut down over the past few years is POET/DSM’s Project Liberty (earlier post). In an
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Praj had a humble beginning as a supplier of ethanol plants, and today is a global company with a bouquet of sustainable solutions for bioenergy, high purity water, critical process equipment, breweries and industrial wastewater treatment. Dr.
(Department of Energy) The INL (Idaho National Laboratory) Bioenergy Program's mission is to support DOE in achieving their vision by developing processes and technologies through applied science and engineering that remove the barriers associated with accessing a sustainable, efficient feedstock supply. INL
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Digest’s new “Stocks Worth Tracking” Multi-Slide Guide Series highlights hot companies that are making strides in the bioeconomy. Today’s “Stock Worth Tracking” is Novozymes. Novozymes has had 17 years of innovation driven growth with a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) POET has been turning one big idea after another into biofuel and renewable alternative product solutions for thirty years. They have grown from a single, humble refinery in Scotland, South Dakota, to one of the world’s
by Luke Upton (BioMarket Insights) ... So we are happy to report a major update to an alliance between three major companies focused on advancing cellulosic biofuels, and speak exclusively to one of its key figures, Fernando Sanchez-Riera, Vice President Research
(European Science Communication Institute/Phys.org) A New Mobile Refinery Is Travelling Across The West Of Ireland To Turn Grass Into Sustainable Materials -- Along the windy west coast of Ireland a biorefinery on wheels is turning grass into a series of different
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) IndianOil has a 33,000-plus work-force, extensive refining, distribution & marketing infrastructure and advanced R&D facilities. In the country’s pursuit of alternative sources of energy, IndianOil is focusing on CNG (compressed natural gas), Autogas (LPG), ethanol blended
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sandia National Laboratories shares a famous acronym with Saturday Night Live but the work they have done is key to the future of the bioeconomy, having delivered essential science and technology to resolve the nation’s most
by Jonathan Ellis (Argus Leader) Sioux Falls-based Poet has asked a federal judge to confirm a multi-million dollar arbitration award it received from a company that it claims botched an ethanol production system at a plant in Iowa. A panel of three
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Praj Industries is an end-to-end solutions provider in the ethanol arena from concept to commissioning and feedstock handling to effluent treatment. They have technology and engineering solutions for biofuels, biochemicals and water. Dr. Pramod Kumbhar, Chief Technology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) International Energy Agencyis an autonomous organization that works to ensure reliable, affordable and clean energy for its 30 member countries and beyond. Professor Mark Brown, Director of Forest Industries Research Centre – USC, IEA Bioenergy Exco Rep for
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sweetwater Energy has developed a unique and patented technology for producing low-cost sugars and clean lignin fiber from multiple non-food plant materials to help meet the modern world’s increasing demand for biochemicals, bioplastics and biofuels. Jack Baron,
(Netzwerk Biotreibstoffe) It (January 2019 PyNe43 Newsletter) contains contributions on Electrocatalytic upgrading to stabilize pyrolysis oil Progress towards commercialization at pilot and demonstration scale Pyrolysis of forestry and fishery residue for rural applications. Overview on catalysts to upgrade pyrolysis oils.
(University of New Castle) Australia’s $63 billion* agriculture sector stands to benefit from a revolutionary fuel technology that will convert multiple agricultural waste streams into valuable biofuel and green chemical products for the first time. In partnership with the University of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) For some time, as the advanced bioeconomy has continued its pivot to deployment-scale diesel and jet fuels, there has been quite a bit of scrutiny and skepticism over the sourcing of enough sustainable feedstock to supply
by Ben Messenger (Waste Management World) BTA International GmbH, a specialist for the wet-mechanical pre-treatment and subsequent digestion of organic waste containing impurities, have completed a major waste to gas facility in Varennes, Quebec. ... The biogas is used to fuel the boilers
by Lesley Stahl (60 Minutes/CBS News) Marshall Medoff unveils to 60 Minutes his innovative method of turning plant life into fuel and other useful products -- ... What (Craig)Masterman helped implement was Medoff's novel idea of using these large blue machines called
by Jonathan Hines (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Humans have found uses for woody plants since time immemorial—tools, shelter, firewood. Today, scientists are working to add more major uses to the list: renewable, cost-competitive biofuel and value-added materials. Turning trees and waste
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ChemCatBio is a research and development consortium dedicated to identifying and overcoming catalysis challenges for biomass conversion processes. Led by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories, we work with industry to rapidly transition R&D discoveries
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) The South Carolina Biomass Council held an award ceremony Nov. 15 on the grounds of its 2018 Biomass Project of the Year Award recipient, Green Energy Biofuel, in Warrenville, South Carolina. Green Energy Biofuel won the
by Benson Rioba (Inter Press Service) Water hyacinth is a weed and if not controlled on Lake Victoria, experts are concerned that the lake’s water levels might drop by 60 percent. -- Currently 30 square kilometres of Lake Victoria, which stretches to
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... By The Digest’s estimates, there’s been close to two billion dollars in investments in renewable diesel lately. And the capacity just keeps growing. Between World Energy, Zymergen, Phillips 66 and REG, Diamond Green Diesel, Fulcrum, Red
by Mikkel Pates (AgWeek) New Energy Blue LLC is about five months away from finishing engineering and permitting on a $150 million plant project that would turn wheat and corn field residue into ethanol for high-end renewable markets. If everything goes
by Jesse Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) ... The industry has been unable to produce the volumes called for under the advanced and cellulosic categories due to a variety of reasons – including the pace of technology, falling petroleum
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant aims to enable the transition to a sustainable bio-based economy through development, scale-up and custom manufacturing of bio-based product and processes. Hendrik Waegeman, Head of Business Development at BBEU gave this illuminating overview of the
by Chris Abrams (Biodiesel Magazine/Imerys Filtration) Imerys personnel have spent much of 2018 talking about new and diverse feedstocks for biodiesel production, and how to help biodiesel manufacturers incorporate them into their existing processes. Here is an overview of that discussion. ... We
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) IEA Bioenergy Task 33 is a working group of international experts with the aim to promote the commercialization of efficient, economical and environmentally preferable thermal biomass gasification processes. Judit Sandquist gave this illuminating overview of the
(Hindustan Times) Though this is a demonstration project, ICT scientists say its capacity can be increased to treat the entire Barapullah drain water. -- In a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country, wastewater from drains will be used to produce biofuel. Science and technology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Idaho, researchers at Idaho National Laboratory have have cut the modeled cost of harvesting, storing, transporting, and preprocessing biomass from $149.58/dry ton to $82.86/dry ton. As INL’s Kevin Kenney explained, “when applying least-cost formulation and blending
(Philadelphia Energy Solutions) RNG Energy Solutions (RNG Energy) and Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refining and Marketing LLC (PES) announced today that they have completed and executed several contracts including a long-term renewable natural gas sales agreement and site lease agreement to build
by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) ... Biogas – Turning Hog Waste into Resources -- Biogas technologies turn organic wastes, including manure, into energy and compost. When manure is turned into biogas, the smells, poor health effects, and methane
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In November we reported that POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels achieved a major breakthrough in cellulosic biofuels production at its Project LIBERTY plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa. The company has solved the critical challenge in pretreatment, overcoming what has been
by Jessie Stolark (Energy and Environmental Study Institute) On Wednesday July 25, the House Energy & Commerce Committee held a hearing to educate members on the complexities of the compliance markets for biofuels, as Environment and Economy Subcommittee Rep. Shimkus (R-IL),
by DollyKumari and RadhikaSingh (Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews) ... Lignocellulosic waste is becoming popular as a feedstock for biofuel production. The can be converted into usable form for biofuel production by using a suitable pretreatment method. Different pretreatment methods have
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Cellana uses the most productive plants on earth—marine microalgae—to photosynthetically produce its ReNew line of Omega-3 EPA and DHA oils, animal feed, and biofuel feedstocks. Cellana’s patented ALDUO system, a series of photobioreactors coupled with open
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What is the Feedstock Conversion Interface Consortium and why does it exist? The Why is simple. #1 issue plaguing High and Low Temperature IBR projects is consistent operability of preprocessing and primary deconstruction. In response, researchers have joined
by Dave Songer (Bio-Based World News) “The milestones and professional growth I've achieved in this role are above and beyond what I could have accomplished in academia within the same time frame.” Fiberight is a UK- and US-based small and medium-sized enterprise
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Slow to start and with fewer gallons than targeted through the Renewable Fuel Standard, cellulosic ethanol is showing signs of steady growth. -- Cellulosic ethanol production has been gaining momentum in the past five years,
by Philip T. Pienkos (R&D Magazine) ... This time, the leading force was not the DOE (U.S. Department of Energy), but the investment community acting in the belief that the power of modern biotechnology could be brought to bear against the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In these top 20 projects, we usually say that we are using waste, but really we are converting something from a state of waste to a state of value — and that’s not just good for
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Clariant’s sunliquid technology for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into sugars, followed by fermentation to cellulosic ethanol, is flexible to be used to convert different feedstocks on a regional basis, for example corn stover in North
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Fulcrum BioEnergy has developed a “game-changing process for converting municipal solid waste that would otherwise be landfilled, into renewable transportation fuels including syncrude, jet fuel and diesel”. The company recently broke ground on its first commercial
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Sweetwater Energy and Europe’s largest wood pellet producer, the Tallinn, Estonia-based AS Graanul Invest, said that they will build a commercial-scale integrated biorefinery that will produce clean cellulosic sugars and highly pure lignin from 50,000
(EconoTimes/Aemetis) Pre-treatment Unit Passes First Production Tests Required to Supply BP Singapore Under Three-year Agreement -- Aemetis, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMTX) announced today that its Universal Biofuels subsidiary completed the production of high quality distilled biodiesel from lower quality, high Free Fatty Acid (FFA) waste
(Algae Industry Magazine/Science Trends) enguang Zhou writes in Sciencetrends.com about work recently published in the journal Bioresource Technology regarding why Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL) of microalgae — a bio-oil technology which does not require dewatering and drying of algal biomass — up to now, has rarely
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) hosted the 2017 Project Peer Review on March 6–9, 2017, in Denver, Colorado. During the event, approximately 192 projects in BETO’s research, development, and demonstration portfolio were
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) To develop and optimize a hybrid separation method to recover high-value methoxyphenols to improve the process economics and environmental impact for the production of advanced biofuels from catalytic pyrolysis, integrated with hydroprocessing. That’s the ambitious R&D
by Brian Goodall (First Garden City Consulting/Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) ... (I)n the case of microalgae the oil has to coaxed out of the whole plant (typically single cells) using chemical or physical means to break open the cells and
by Alison Goss Eng (U.S. Department of Energy) ... One approach is through using domestic biomass resources, such as agricultural and forestry residues, grasses, and municipal solid waste. But, how do these biological materials make it from the field or forest to
by Amy Mayer (Harvest Public Media/NetNebraska) Advanced biofuels have been touted as the next step beyond the corn-based ethanol that’s the bulk of the country’s renewable fuel for cars and trucks. But cellulosic ethanol is harder to make and companies have
(Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium/Ethanol Producer Magazine) To accelerate innovation and adoption of new practices and technologies to determine the root cause of biomass handling failures and designing solutions, the Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium is overseeing a directed funding opportunity (DFO) call. Interested industrial
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory is the only federal laboratory dedicated to the research, development, commercialization, and deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. NREL — home to the National Bioenergy Center — advances
(Nigerian Tribune) ... YEJIDE GBENGA-OGUNDARE reports that to stop the overdependence on petroleum products, the South-west is set to be the site of a project that is novel to Africa; processing of liquid fuel (biofuel) from waste plastic materials. ... In the last
(Department of Energy/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office is proud to announce the establishment of the Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium—a research and development consortium dedicated to identifying and overcoming technical uncertainty in research and development of robust biomass supply,
(Associated Press/U.S. News and World Report) Researchers in Kansas and China are using mathematical modeling to improve the process of converting wheat straw into pellets for the production of ethanol. Wheat straw, the plant residue left after wheat harvest, is abundant in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In South Dakota, POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels achieved a major breakthrough in cellulosic biofuels production at its Project LIBERTY plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa. The company has solved the critical challenge in pretreatment, overcoming what has been the No.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Novozymes is a world leader in biological solutions. Together with customers, partners and the global community, the company supplies innovations to the world’s leading companies across 40 markets. Our solutions improve the sustainability performance of our
(Phys.Org/U.S. Department of Energy) ...However, weather conditions could greatly affect crop yields. In this study, researchers examined the effect of weather on biofuel production by comparing switchgrass and corn stover harvested after a year of major drought and after 2
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The most visible advanced industrial fermentation target for a number of years has been cellulosic ethanol, but the targets are diversifying and cellulosics themselves are shifting gears from process to feedstocks. There’s a fervent ferment
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) MetGen, Sweetwater Energy say “there’s gold in them thar side-streams” -- For all of your questions about the advanced bioeconomy there’s just the one answer and that is “lignin”. Why don’t we see more biobased
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Within the ChemCatBio set of core catalysis projects lies Fast Pyrolysis and Upgrading, which has as its goal “to develop cost competitive biofuels through catalytic stabilization and deoxygenation of Fast Pyrolysis Bio-oil. The near-term DOE goal
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Interest in cellulosic ethanol from corn fiber is piqued, as technology providers improve on their processes, increasing revenue stream possibilities for producers. -- Some producers and technology developers in the ethanol industry say cellulosic ethanol
(Phys.Org/Purdue University) Gen3Bio Inc., a Purdue Foundry-affiliated company, is developing a unique process that could more effectively and affordably transform microalgae into bio-based chemicals to maximize the value of biofeedstock and reduce landfill waste.... Okamoto (Kelvin Okamoto, founder of Gen3Bio) earned his
(Alliance Bio-Products, Inc./AccessWire) The Company's Production of Pure Lignin Provides a Viable Opportunity to Further Reduce the Production Costs of Cellulosic Ethanol While Adding an Additional Revenue Stream -- Alliance Bio-Products, Inc. ("ABP"), a subsidiary of Alliance BioEnergy Plus, Inc. (OTCQB: ALLM), today
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Anellotech’s Bio-TCat process is designed to produce cost-competitive renewable aromatic (BTX) chemicals (benzene, toluene and xylenes) from non-food biomass for use in making plastics such as polyester, nylon, polycarbonate, polystyrene, or for renewable transportation
by Silke Schmidt (University of Wisconsin-Madison News) Technologies for converting non-edible biomass into chemicals and fuels traditionally made from petroleum exist aplenty. But when it comes to attracting commercial interest, these technologies compete financially with a petroleum-based production pipeline that
(Commercial Alternative Aviation Fuel Initiative) CAAFI’s R&D team continued the Seminars on Alternatives to Petroleum (SOAP)-Jet webinar series on March 24th. This webinar series is intended to provide a forum for members of the alternative jet fuel R&D community to
by Abdul-Sattar Nizami (King Abdulaziz University, Center of Excellence in Environmental Studies (CEES)) (RenewableEnergyFocus.com) The conservation of biomass is essential for ensuring a continuous and quality supply of feedstock for biofuel facilities around the year. However, the conservation of biomass
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) Developments in cellulosic ethanol technology are creating opportunities for American ethanol producers. Miloud Araba, head of Enogen® technical services at Syngenta, says cellulosic innovation could enable dry grind ethanol producers to meet the increasing Renewable Fuel Standard
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Clariant’s sunliquid technology for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into sugars, followed by fermentation to cellulosic ethanol, is flexible to be used to convert different feedstocks on a regional basis, for example corn stover in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) According to this presentation deck from NREL’s Melvin Tucker, “to produce high concentration sugar and reactive lignin streams at high yields and low costs from biomass to meet BETO’s 2017 ($5/GGE) and 2022 ($3/GGE) Goals and Targets,
(Scrivener Publishing) The most comprehensive and up-to-date treatment of all the possible aspects for biofeedstock processing and the production of energy from biofeedstocks. Audience Chemical engineers, petroleum engineers, process engineers, students in chemical engineering, biotechnology, petroleum engineering, agricultural biotechnology, applied microbiology, environmental
(BBI International/Ethanol Producer Magazine) D3MAX has announced the completion and shipment of its pilot plant employing the patented D3MAX cellulosic ethanol technology. The pilot facility will be installed at ACE Ethanol LLC, in Stanley, Wisconsin, in late February. Installation is
(POET) POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels will build an on-site enzyme manufacturing (OSM) facility in Emmetsburg, Iowa, pending state and local approvals. The facility will be integrated into the Project Liberty technology package, replicable in future facilities. For Project Liberty, the OSM
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As the project team behind this presentation explains, there’s trouble right here in River City when it comes to accessing good market and technical data on making hydrocarbons from a biochemical process. Process and economic data
by Chen, Xiaowen; Kuhn, Erik; Jennings, Edward W.; Nelson, Robert; Tao, Ling; Zhang, Min; Tucker, Melvin P. (Energy & Environmental Science) Distilling and purifying ethanol and other products from second generation lignocellulosic biorefineries adds significant capital and operating costs to biofuel
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, researchers at the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) / Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have developed four new technologies available for license: Streamlined Saccharification from Lignocellulosic Biomass, 2015-143 Translation Control Tool for Plans, 2013-166 Determining Ligninases
by Phusadee Arunmas (Bangkok Post) Ethanol makers have agreed to buy 10,000 tonnes of cassava root a day from farmers at 1.9 baht a kilogramme in a bid to raise farm income and stabilise fresh cassava prices. ... Massive supply of fresh cassava
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... “Advanced Biofuels Process Demonstration Unit.” It’s run out of the Berkeley Lab, and is the technology center behind the technology centers, if you will, of companies such as Kiverdi, Sylvatex, Perfect Day, Lygos, Microvi,
by Mahmood Ebadian (Biofuels Digest/Biomass Supply Chain Consulting Ltd.) The procurement of low-cost feedstock has been the focus of the pioneering bio-conversion technology developers in commercializing their first industrial-scale projects. Low-cost feedstock is critical in such projects as most of the
(U.S. Department of Energy) The results of the U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office's (BETO's) Cellulosic Sugar and Lignin Production Capabilities Request for Information (RFI) are now available on the RFI responses web page. This new web page is a
by Ann Bailey (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Innovation in stover utilization targets feed, sugars and coproduct credits, building markets beyond cellulosic ethanol use. -- Building a robust biomass supply chain for the future will require multiple end users. Innovative companies are
by Michael Hirtzer (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday proposed tweaks to its Renewable Fuel Standard that would allow biofuels to be processed at more than one location and would allow cellulosic ethanol to be made from poplar and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This season, The Digest is hosting the Strategic Intent webinar series, looking at the plans, progress and future milestones of strategic stakeholders in the Advanced Bioeconomy. In this slide deck, we looked at Solvay and Stora Enso and their direct investments,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) “Shaping the future of bioenergy and renewable chemicals,” that’s the lofty technological goal which MetGen has set for itself. The company has made a name for itself via participation as a preferred enzyme developer in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Amidst all the discussion this week of deal-making in cellulosic and sugar-based fuels — the likes of Tesoro-Virent and Lufthansa-Gevo — we were intrigued by this slide deck on a pathway to low-cost cellulosic sugars and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Belgium, the BIOFOREVER consortium of 14 European companies emerged from stealth with the news that they have started their demonstration project for the conversion of woody biomass to value adding chemical building blocks. BIOFOREVER intends
by Lorenz Bauer and Gerald Kutney (Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) ... In this report, we are focused on bioenergy and biofuels (and not bioproducts) that are moving from the lab to initial commercial demonstrations and that potentially solve significant barriers
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Is it just cost that bedevils industrial biotechnology in bringing fuels technologies to scale. Not just, says BETO program director Jonathan Male, who adds that a DOE “Tiger Team” indentified many other factors: What about these? Use
(American Science and Technology) New Patent Will Increase the Incentives to Use Renewable Resources for Chemical Production -- American Science and Technology (AST), an emerging technology company, has been awarded a patent for a system and method for the extraction of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Cornerstone Resources develops and deploys waste management processing technologies that re-purpose a broad spectrum of organic wastes. Cornerstone adds that it’s BurCell system is a disruptive vacuum aided thermal decomposition process which converts pre-sorted MSW and other feedstocks
by Irshad Ahmed (Lee Enterprises) ... I believe cellulosic ethanol is here to stay for the long haul and it is finally exhibiting real potential to establish a critical-mass commercial base alongside the corn-ethanol industry. Its commercial success will come from the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Genera Energy “leads the nation in the commercialization of integrated biomass supply chain solutions for the biofuels, biopower and biochemicals markets.” Initially formed in 2008, Genera works with leading technology providers and strategic investors to develop
(U.S. Department of Energy) The Energy Department today announced up to $15 million for three projects aimed at reducing the production costs of algae-based biofuels and bioproducts through improvements in algal biomass yields. These projects will develop highly productive algal
(Phys.Org) Plant cell walls, which constitute the bulk of plant biomass, are diverse, complex, and dynamic in their structural composition and integrity. Cell walls are innately resistant to deconstruction by biological or chemical catalysts. This property is often referred to
(Alliance Bioenergy +) Alliance BioEnergy Plus, Inc. (OTCQB:ALLM) (the "Company"), is pleased to announce that it has received an LOI from Smart Business International Trading, S.A.S (Smart Business) of Bogata, Columbia for the purchase of an initial sub-license to install
by Zoltan Kish (Lee Enterprises/Biofuels Digest) ... The primary challenge of clean energy production is the heterogeneous nature of waste and biomass, which creates a widely varying chemical constituency of the energy products generated from these processes. Feedstocks can be converted to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Kansas, ICM said it is is currently in discussion with a short list of those interested in being selected as an early adopter of its Gen 1.5 technology, and they anticipate construction of the
(Alliance BioEnergy Plus, Inc./Globe Newswire) Alliance BioEnergy Plus, Inc. (OTCQB:ALLM) (the "Company"), is pleased to announce that with the senior science officers of a large U.S. ethanol producer present, the CTS process produced fermentable sugars from Distillers Grain (DDG) as
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s (EERE’s) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) Feedstock Supply and Logistics Program is responsible for developing technologies to support Advanced Feedstock Supply Systems (AFSS) that
by Elizabeth E. Hood and Lorenz Bauer (Lee Enterprises Consulting, Inc./Biofuels Digest) ... Biofuels can be produced by a number of processes, broadly categorized as biochemical and chemical. Biochemical processes utilize proteins called enzymes (biological catalysts). Chemical processes utilize chemical catalysts and/or
by David Biello (Scientific American) ... Burning cellulosic ethanol as a fuel could result in just 10 percent of the CO2 emissions produced by burning gasoline. One big secret to making it all work is the advanced biofuel refinery's location right next
by Krista Eastman (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Less input, more output. That’s the achievement of a new biomass pretreatment method that could help improve the economics of cellulosic biofuels, the second-generation biofuels made from grasses, wood, and the inedible
by Mahmood Ebadian (Biomass and Bioenergy Research Group/Biomass Supply Chain Consulting Ltd./Biofuels Digest) ...With specialization occurring in feedstock engineering, these new business entities will be well-positioned to produce multiple products including both intermediate and final bio-products. In other words, they
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Out of the unlikely bioeconomy hub of West Palm Beach, Florida, Alliance BioEnergy Plus has revealed what it describes as the “successful completion of its yearlong efforts to optimize its patented CTS technology to extract
by Rosalie Marion Bliss (US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service) ... Now, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists have advanced a process to produce crude liquid fuel called “bio-oil” from agricultural waste. The bio-oil is produced by a process called
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... (W)hen you compare them to homogenized, uniform, high-yield, purpose-grown energy crops. residues may be queer, but they are here. Not only available, but reliable, you can count on the fact that they will not
(AZO CleanTech) A few years ago, petroleum-based products, including gasoline, were not available at affordable prices, unlike the case today. However, the prices are likely to return to the same level in the coming years. Due to this impending scenario, researchers
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Last year, we reported that Research & Markets projected the “Nanocellulose Market by Type (Cellulose nanocrystals, Cellulose nanofibrils, cellulose nanocomposites, and others) to reach $250 Million by 2019, signifying annualized CAGR of 19% between 2014 and 2019. Heft growth
by Brooks Hays (UPI) Researchers say their breakthrough can be scaled for industrial biomass processing. -- A team of researchers in Japan have developed a relatively simple pretreatment strategy to boost the efficiency of biorefinery systems. In the pretreatment process the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, ARA completed the delivery of over 150,000 gallons of 100% drop-in jet and diesel fuel to fulfill its DLA/US Navy certification fuel contract, two months ahead of schedule. For the first time ever,
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a conditional commitment for a $70 million loan guarantee to help build a cellulosic biorefinery in central Georgia. USDA is providing the loan guarantee conditional commitment, an important milestone in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Clariant’s sunliquid technology for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into sugars, followed by fermentation to cellulosic ethanol, is flexible to be used to convert different feedstocks on a regional basis, for example corn stover in North
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) For every ton of corn, wheat, and rice harvested today, an equal amount of biomass is left behind on the fields. Within this biomass — of which nearly 2 billion tons are produced each year
by Michelle Ma (University of Washington Today) Groves of poplar trees could one day fuel our vehicles and be the source of chemicals that we use in our daily lives. A five-year, $40 million study is laying the foundation for
(Edeniq) California Energy Commission provided funding for biofuels technology breakthrough -- – Edeniq, a biorefining and cellulosic technology company, completed a major upgrade of its cellulosic sugar and ethanol pilot facility. The company designed and operated new, proprietary equipment for feedstock
by Mark Harris (The Guardian) In Las Cruces, New Mexico, a pilot project is using heat-loving algae to clean wastewater and generate energy --- ... “Galdieria sulphuraria is one of the most interesting microorganisms on the planet,” says Peter Lammers, a
by PJ Griekspoor (Agri-View) St. Joseph, Mo., pilot plant completes tests of making cellulosic ethanol that also yields value-added co-products -- The prospects for profitable cellulosic ethanol just got a little brighter with the completion of two successful 1,000-hour performance runs for
by Jan Overney (Phys.Org) To cut the cost of biofuels, their production-process can be enhanced to include additional valuable biochemical compounds. A recent experimental study focuses on one source of biomass: residues from Brazilian palm oil production. ... One way to make
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) JBEI has opened up the licensing door for some of their signature ionic liquid pre-treatment technologies: Long Alkyl Chain Alcohols as Co-solvent, Precipitant, and Extraction Medium in Ionic Liquid Pretreatment (2013-105), a cost-effective and efficient process to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Tennessee, Genera Energy has launched its first mobile agriculture app, Biomass, developed to serve as a tool for planning, selecting and calculating biofuel crop needs, for use with Android and Apple smart devices. The
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It’s been around for a generation or so — fast pyrolysis, that is. Though in the original low-tech incarnation — known as “cooking fire” — pyrolysis has been around since the dawn of man. But
by Bruce Dorminey (Renewable Energy World) As the world’s fastest growing temperate tree species, poplar can add a dozen feet annually and reach maturity in as few as four years. One of its hybrids, populus x generosa, has the widest
(Genomatica/Biomass Magazine) Genomatica announced significant progress in harnessing cellulosic biomass for commercial production of high-quality chemicals rather than just fuels. ... Genomatica has developed clear guidance for biomass pretreatment technology developers to enable their technologies to work better with commercial bioprocesses for
(US Department of Agriculture/Ohio State University) The long term goal of this project is to commercialize an integrated anaerobic digestion system (iADs) that promises cost competitive bioenergy and biofuels production from lignocellulosic biomass. The specific objectives of this proposal are
by Danilo Gusmão de Quadros* (Advanced Biofuels USA) This reports on part of a trip to Wisconsin to visit the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), University of Wisconsin (UW), a dairy farm that uses biogas production and the World
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What’s the latest with such projects such as Frontline BioEnergy, Myriant, POET-DSM, INEOS Bio, Sapphire Energy, Abengoa, Haldor Topsoe, UOP. ZeaChem, Mercurius, and American Process, among others? In Washington this June 25th, the Department of Energy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Another step towards commercial scale, aimed at “secure supply” of cellulose-lignin solids for Renmatix’ Georgia facility Renmatix announced that it has acquired existing assets of the former Mascoma corporation’s 56,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Rome,
(US Department of Energy) Visit the 2015 Project Peer Review Web page to download individual project and plenary presentations from BETO’s 2015 Project Peer Review. The peer review process provided BETO with feedback about the management of each of its technology
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