by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) A new report from the Milken Institute, “Turning Plants Into Products: Delivering on the Potential of Industrial Biotechnology,” examines the challenges facing the industrial biotechnology sector and identifies market and policy based responses. In particular, the report
by Philip Brasher (Des Moines Register) Imagine filling up the car on a fuel that isn't made from oil but doesn't have the drawbacks of corn ethanol, including its lower energy content and ability to damage older cars or gas
(Rentech) Province of Ontario selects Rentech’s newly-announced Olympiad Project in the Township of White River for proposed supply of up to 1.1 million cubic metres/year of wood fibre to produce renewable RenJet®, a certified low-carbon jet fuel Up to C$200 million funding
(The University of Kansas) ...A University of Kansas-led research team has received a $5.6 million grant to develop clean technologies to convert biomass into chemicals that could ultimately replace the petroleum-based chemicals currently used in many household items. Bala Subramaniam, director
Projects will help develop sustainable, renewable biofuels in the U.S. As part of the Obama Administration's comprehensive plan to address rising gas prices, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced a total of $47 million
by Ariel Schwartz (Fast Company/EIN News) Remember a few years ago when everyone decided that using algae as a biofuel feedstock would be the best thing ever? Well, progress on that front is moving so slowly that companies have realized that
by Alexey G. Sergeev and John F. Hartwig (Science) Selective hydrogenolysis of the aromatic carbon-oxygen (C-O) bonds in aryl ethers is an unsolved synthetic problem important for the generation of fuels and chemical feedstocks from biomass and for the liquefaction
by andypar (Envirogy) ...In light of all this, however, it appears British Columbia has found a way to turn their devastating Pine Beetle crisis into a source of Green Energy. ...Biofuel production uses organic materials to produce fuel to be used in transportation
by Paul Studebaker (Sustainable Planet) ...It’s too soon to talk about grain-based ethanol in the past tense, but maybe not by much. While ethanol has a place as a bio-based octane enhancer and consequently, as a means to extend oil
by Steen Riisgaard (Huffington Post Green) ...More complicated types of biomass -- corn cobs, wood chips, waste paper -- are far more difficult to turn into energy. But this type of biomass--known as "cellulosic biomass" -- is plentiful and renewable.
by Bryan Sims (Biorefining Magazine) A team of researchers at State University of New York (SUNY) College of Environmental Science and Forestry are experimenting with different strains of microorganisms to efficiently ferment sugars, extracted from woody biomass, into biobutanol and
(Amyris) Amyris, Inc., announced the completion of the first industrial-scale facility for the production of Biofene™, Amyris’s renewable farnesene. The production facility is located in Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil at a facility owned by Biomin do Brasil Nutricão Animal Ltda., a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Biofuels investing is not for the faint of heart – even high-flyers like Gevo, up more than 33 percent since its debut earlier this year, have been volatile – and a number of small-cap advanced
(ManufacturingChemist.com) Researchers at Glyndwr University looking at the commercial potential of high-sugar perennial rye-grass as feedstock for the production of bio-ethanol and other chemicals will also consider the fibre’s potential for pharmaceutical applications. High-sugar perennial rye-grass has the potential to
(SustainableBusiness.com) Biobutanol company Cobalt Technologies and American Process Inc. (API), a developer of lignocellulosic sugar production technologies, announced an agreement to build the world's first industrial-scale cellulosic biorefinery to produce biobutanol. Additionally, the companies agreed to jointly market a GreenPower+TMBiobutanol solution
by Jamie Ashcroft (Proactive Investors) Shares in D1 Oils shot up over 40 percent today as it revealed an exciting crude Jatropha oil (CJO) trial with German engineering firm Siemens (ETR:SIE). In the trial Siemens will use D1’s CJO biodiesel
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New Zealand, LanzaTech is partnering with China’s LCY Chemical Corporation to identify key bio-based chemicals to produce for global fuels and chemicals markets. Mr Lee says LCY plans to investigate alternative bio-C2 to C5
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) “Coming out of graduate school at MIT in the late 1990s,” Biofuel Energy CEO Scott Pearce recalls, “everyone was flooding into technology companies, dot coms, and I went back into the boring energy space. I
by Bob Dinneen (Renewable Fuels Association/Biofuels Digest) ...This faux debate is as important to future ethanol producers as it is to existing ethanol producers. And those looking to capitalize on starch-based ethanol’s public relations struggles need to be cognizant
by Bryan Sims (Biorefining Magazine) The U.S. DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory and industrial processing firm Nalco Co. struck a licensing agreement for a novel electrodeionization technology that can be integrated into biorefineries to convert biomass into fuels and chemicals. According to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The hottest companies in bioenergy all know it – the name of the game is low-cost sugars, or affordable syngas that competes with natural gas. For those who don’t make or use syngas and need
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Butamax has received another patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) number 7,910,342 entitled “FERMENTIVE PRODUCTION OF ISOBUTANOL USING HIGHLY ACTIVE KETOL-ACID REDUCTOISOMERASE ENZYMES.” The patent was awarded to protect a key step
by Cindy Zimmerman (DomesticFuel.com) ...Prairie Gold (PGI) of Bloomington, and GTL Resources USA of Itasca, Illinois have agreed to collaborate on the construction of a zein protein production plant. Zein is a high valued co-product that can be produced from
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...(T)he company (Amyris) entered into a manufacturing agreement with Paraíso Bioenergia S.A., a renewable energy company producing sugar, ethanol and electricity headquartered in São Paulo State, Brazil. Under the agreement, Amyris will construct fermentation and
(Dyadic International) Dyadic International, Inc., a global biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development, manufacture and sale of enzyme and protein products for the bioenergy, industrial enzyme and biopharmaceutical industries, announced today the introduction of its most advanced biofuels enzyme, AlternaFuel®
Please consider submitting an abstract to the session on Bio-Based Alternative Fuels at the annual AICHE meeting that is coming up on October 16-21, 2011, at the Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis, MN. The session is: 23B03 Developments in Biobased Alternative Fuels. Sponsor: Sustainable Biorefineries Co-Sponsor(s): Catalysis
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Good news: Advances in processing technology In the past year, we’ve seen costs coming down across the line. Last spring, new cellulosic ethanol enzyme collections appeared from the likes of Novozymes and Genencor, with the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Amongst the various projects that received support under the 2009 Recovery Act were an algal R&D consortium called the NAABB, and a drop-in biofuels R&D consortium called the NABC, of the National Advanced Biofuels Consortium. ...Within
(DuPont) DuPont is uniquely positioned to deliver clean technology opportunities, including both advanced biomaterials and biofuels, DuPont Applied BioSciences President Craig F. Binetti told attendees at the Jeffries 11th Annual Clean Technology Conference. “We are meeting the growing demand for reducing dependence
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) DOE’s Biomass Program Lead Engineer warns that, when it comes to biofuels, “it’s the economy, stupid”. In Georgia, DOE Biomass Program Lead Engineer Brian Duff, keynoting the BioPro Expo in Atlanta, said that “dependence on
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...“I’m not saying that any of the companies, including us, should not be pursuing fuels. The markets are huge and the molecules work. But the country has got all its priorities screwed up. Here
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Australia, CAAFI executive director Rich Altman and Dr. Susan Pond of the US Studies Center at the University of Sydney, ... provided an overview of the Alternative Aviation Fuels Forum at the Australian International
(Morningstar Business Wire/Phytonix) Asheville, NC-based Phytonix Corporation now owns the exclusive worldwide licensing rights for a cutting-edge technology to create an environmentally friendly fuel that replaces gasoline. It also has partnered with a top European University laboratory to create the biosafe bacteria
(Ohio State University Extension) Waste is a terrible thing to waste. That’s the mantra guiding an OhioState University researcher and a bioenergy entrepreneur in the development of a brand-new, renewable source of polyurethane foam that’s expected to create up to 30 jobs in Mansfield, Ohio,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Solazyme announced today the execution of both a joint development agreement and a letter of intent with Dow Chemical, to use Solazyme’s algal oils in next generation, bio-based dielectric insulating fluids key to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) But this week in the little burgh of Boardman, Oregon (population 3,300), which happens to sit adjacent to the second-largest inland port in the western United States (the port of Morrow, on the Columbia
This remains here for historical purposes. See updated and expanded version: https://advancedbiofuelsusa.info/advanced-biofuels-usa-publishes-updated-whats-the-difference-between-biodiesel-and-renewable-green-diesel/ editor's note: We have observed confusion in conversations about biodiesel and renewable diesel. Just as many people ask for a "Kleenex" when they have a cold, many people say
by Michael Kanellos (GreenTechMedia) Enzymes will take off once the cellulosic economy gets moving, says Alan Shaw. ...Codexis meanwhile, has seen its stock go to $10.56, or $2.50 below the IPO price. CEO Alan Shaw, however, says that one has to
by Thomas Saidak (Biofuels Digest) In New York, DuPont Applied BioSciences President Craig F. Binetti, speaking at the Jeffries 11th Annual Clean Technology Conference, talked about Dupont’s intentions regarding biotechnology and biofuels. Dupont currently estimates the biofuels industry worldwide will
by Robert Sanders (UC Berkley News Center) University of California, Berkeley, chemists have engineered bacteria to churn out a gasoline-like biofuel at about 10 times the rate of competing microbes, a breakthrough that could soon provide an affordable and “green”
(Red Orbit) Gaining new insight into how efficiently the microbes in large bioreactors produce methane from brewery waste, Cornell scientists hope to use their new knowledge to shape these microbial communities to produce liquid biofuels and other useful products. The scientists
(Chron/AP) A Houston company that has assumed ownership of a former ethanol plant in southern Idaho intends to develop and diversify the site for production of natural gas, alternative fuels and a key product used in beverages and personal care
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) "The conclusions from the Aquatic Species Program are not correct,” says Algenol CEO Paul Woods, taking issue with the 1980’s assessment that photobioreactors cannot be a cost effective means for biofuel creation. He
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Is there enough energy, food, fiber and feed for all? Advances in industrial fermentation – a/k/a an incredulous “you’re making what? from what? using what? – will be the key to answering that question. The stars of this drama
by Heather Lammers (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) The scenario for your business dream plays out like this. You have an idea to make a fuel from biomass using a biochemical conversion processes. You and your investors have completed bench-scale
by Robert Rapier (R Squared/Consumer Energy Report) ...When I am asked to comment on a press release, I try to be cautious with my opinions until I have peeled the onion a bit. There are technologies with real potential, and
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) DuPont Applied BioSciences President Craig Binetti told attendees of a recent clean technology conference that DuPont expects the biofuels industry worldwide to grow by $25 billion in the next five years and it plans
(Amyris, Inc.) Amyris, Inc., announced that it has completed multiple runs of its fermentation process using Amyris engineered yeast to produce Biofene™, Amyris renewable farnesene, in 100,000 and 200,000 liter capacity fermentors. These runs were completed through contract manufacturing operations
(Joule) Peer-reviewed article addresses the advances made by Joule to achieve direct, continuous conversion of solar energy to renewable diesel at 15,000 gallons/acre/year Joule Unlimited, Inc., pioneer of Liquid Fuel from the Sun™, today supported the high-productivity potential of its production process
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As the pulp and paper industry reels from the internet’s impact, biofuels and renewable chemicals are offering value-adds, waste remediation, and new markets In Florida, the affable Rod Young, perhaps the most pre-eminent analyst and forecaster
(Green Car Congress) A team from the Key Laboratory of Renewable Energy and Gas Hydrate, Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences reports on a pilot-scale biomass-gasification-reforming system with optimized catalyst to produce synthesis gas for liquid fuel
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) KL Energy Corp. is preparing to validate its modified process technology to turn sugarcane bagasse into ethanol. As the bitter winter turns to spring in the tiny town of Upton, Wyo., located on the northern
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...From the low points like the closure of the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Aquatic Species Program to highs like 2009′s “Summer of Algae”, aquatic organisms from cyanobacteria to macroalgae have maintained a hold
(Dyadic) Dyadic International, Inc., a global biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development, manufacture and sale of enzyme and protein products and solutions for the bioenergy, industrial enzyme and biopharmaceutical industries, announced today that it has been issued U.S. Patent
by Nathalie Weinstein (Daily Journal of Commerce Oregon) Research into sugar-based biofuels requires sugar not sold at a grocery store. Corvallis start-up Trillium FiberFuels for the last five years has been developing cellulosic ethanol technology that uses xylose, a sugar contained in biomass. Trillium
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Highlights from the road show, according to our Digest spies. The company (Gevo) is touting that it will cost $40-45 million for each conversion of an existing ethanol facility to the production of biobutanol. The
(University of Tennessee) Facilities expected to advance biobased research for energy, fuels, chemicals and materials The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture has opened a comprehensive research facility to accommodate faculty and industry initiatives through the new Center for Renewable Carbon
(Chemrec) The European Union has approved the SEK 500 million (€55 million, $75 million) R&D grant awarded by the Swedish Energy Agency towards the industrial scale demonstration biofuels plant based on Chemrec’s gasification technology at the Domsjö Fabriker biorefinery in
by Susan Taylor (Reuters) A tiny Canadian startup company that is preparing to open a biodiesel plant in Toronto this spring says it will produce clean fuel, animal feed and human food all from the modest flax seed. Privately held Energy
by Andrew Benedict-Nelson (Ultimate Clear Lake) Four inventors in the Clear Lake area are among a team receiving a U.S. patent for a new way of producing ethanol on an industrial scale. According to the patent, the inventors unexpectedly discovered
(Virent) BIRD Energy Grant Will Support Virent's Conversion of HCL CleanTech's Pine Tree Sugars Into Hydrocarbon Fuels and Products That can be Sustainable, Cost-effective, and Compatible With Existing Infrastructure Virent Energy Systems Inc. and HCL CleanTech announced today that they have been
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...For our 2010 batch of predictions, we give ourselves 6 marks out of 10. We gave ourselves 1 full mark for predicting the spread of Low Carbon Fuel Standard activity, the boom in renewable chemicals, a
by Fiona Harvey (Financial Times) ...Green Biologics, an unlisted company, has signed deals with two Chinese biochemical businesses – Guangxi Jinyuan Biochemical and Lianyungang Union of Chemicals. Under the deals – expected to be worth about £10m ($15m) over the next five
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The USDA’s Sarah Biddleman speaks in terms of “standing up a biofuels industry” like a pop-up children’s book, in that all the pieces have to rise up, in the right way, all at once. ... Is the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...But a new generation of companies has come along with new ideas about how to develop scale in a world of empty wallets. You might have heard of them as Amyris, Solazyme, LS9, Gevo, Joule
(Agrivida) Agrivida, Inc. announced a collaboration with Syngenta Ventures to develop advanced crop technology that will provide low-cost sugars for a variety of industrial applications. Under the terms of the agreement, Syngenta licenses to Agrivida access to crop technology and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...ZeaChem CEO Jim Imbler and Elevance’s Andy Shafer gave updates on their progress towards commercialization. Elevance, of course, has been at it a while longer, and is generally exclusively focused on chemicals, while ZeaChem has some
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...This week in Honolulu, Chris Tindal of the US Navy joined advanced biofuels CEOs Jason Pyle of Sapphire Energy and Jonathan Wolfson of Solazyme at BIO’s Pacific Rim Summit, to discuss the scope and scale
(Novasep) Joint project will offer a cost-effective, environmentally friendly process to produce betaine, an animal feed ingredient in short supply Novasep Process, the bioprocess division of Novasep, a leading supplier of manufacturing solutions to the life sciences industry, and Danisco, a world
(University of Arkansas) A University of Arkansas researcher and his colleagues have created the first methane-producing microorganism that can metabolize complex carbon structures, which could lead to microbial recycling of waste products and their transformation into natural gas. Daniel J. Lessner, assistant
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Honolulu, much of the leadership of the advanced biofuels and renewables chemicals industries have gathered this week at BIO’s Pacific Rim Summit. ...(W)hat are the key trends? Here are 11 that the Digest spotted. 1.
(WebWire) Airbus together with TAM Airlines and a group of specialist companies are working to establish a bio-kerosene jet-fuel processing plant in Brazil, aiming to gradually substitute fossil fuel in aviation with biofuel. On November 22nd a major milestone was accomplished
(PR NewsWire) NYU-Poly Chemist Uses Yeast, Plant Oils to Produce Super-Durable Recyclable Plastic. Next Step: Transforming It into Biofuel Dr. Richard Gross, professor of chemical and biological science at Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU-Poly), has developed a method for
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Ed Dineen is taking over the reigns at LS9 from Bill Haywood, who led the company from 2008, and from a #25 ranking to #4 in this year’s 50 Hottest Companies in Bioenergy. Salutes to Bill,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Shockers in the 50 Hottest Companies in Bioenergy Our picks for most underrated company? American Process at #97 and Fiberight at #85 got short shrift from the voters this year, and Targeted Growth has an outstanding story
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, renewable fuels and chemicals developer Amyris took the #1 spot in the 2010-11 “50 Hottest Companies in Bioenergy” rankings, published today in Biofuels Digest, the online daily bioenergy news service. Solazyme (#2), POET (#3), LS9
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Growing biofuels mandates will require 220 “world-scale” cellulosic biofuels plants to be operational in the U.S. by 2020, according to Phil New, CEO of BP Biofuels. The head of the oil giant’s biofuels division
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...High-tech companies such as Amyris, Solazyme, LS9, KL Energy, and many others have been moving aggressively to establish partnerships that will allow them to access Brazil’s low-cost, at-scale sugars. Are the lands of sun and rain
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Massachusetts, a team of researchers from University of Massachusetts Amherst reported in Science that they have developed a new process to produce key chemical intermediates from pyrolytic bio-oils. According to the researchers, “the new process
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New Zealand, LanzaTech announced that its cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with PNNL has been given final approval by the DOE. The first phase of the CRADA work will focus on converting some of
(Earthtimes/PRNewsWire) LPP Combustion, LLC, a Columbia, Maryland-based innovator in liquid fuel technology, has successfully demonstrated clean and green generation of renewable electric power using both bio-ethanol and bio-diesel. LPP Combustion has developed a
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) Since June of this year, Greg Bafalis has been CEO of Aurora Algae, formerly Aurora Biofuels, overseeing the Company’s strategy, operations, and high-level relationships. ...Aurora was founded in 2006 by three gentlemen from U.C. Berkeley.
(Gevo) First Isobutanol to Receive Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Registration as a Fuel Additive Gevo, Inc., a privately held renewable chemicals and advanced biofuels company, announced November 11, 2010, that it received notification that its isobutanol had successfully cleared registration with the U.S.
by Al Fin (OilPrice.com) STA UK is gearing up to build 10 new waste plastic to diesel plants in the UK. The first plant is to be built in Port Laoighise, Ireland. The process utilises pyrolysis (heating in absence of oxygen)
(Butamax) This PowerPoint presentation describes the development of Butamax as a company, a joint venture between Dupont and BP. It also diagrams the process of biobutanol production and explores their analysis that isobutanol production combines economic manufacture with high value
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Previewing the bolt-on biobutanol technology that Butamax is expecting to commercialize with corn as a feedstock by 2012, and sugarcane by 2013-14, Potter confirmed that the company is in discussions for “conversions…that’s with an s”
(BioBusiness Alliance) The BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota announces the release of Minnesota’s Forest Biomass Value Chain: A System Dynamics Analysis. The paper is the result of a yearlong project involving over 100 experts in the forestry community to develop a
(Origin Oil) Research breakthrough points to a highly scalable and renewable source of hydrogen OriginOil, Inc., the developer of a breakthrough technology to transform algae, the most promising source of renewable oil, into a true competitor to petroleum, today announced that it
by Laura MacInnis (Reuters) BP is focusing its biofuel efforts on Brazilian sugar cane and U.S. energy grasses, holding off on investments in the rest of the world for the moment, a senior executive of the global energy group said on
(Stockhouse) Dynamic Fuels Producing World's Leading Fuels From Non-Food Fats, Greases Operations are underway at the new Dynamic Fuels plant, which is successfully converting animal fats and greases into high quality renewable fuels, officials from Syntroleum Corporation and Tyson Foods, Inc.
(ActMedia) The EBRD is supporting the development of the Romanian rapeseed industry along its value chain, including oilseed crushing, refining and production of edible oil and biodiesel, with a €80 million syndicated financing package to Expur S.A., a local oilseed
(Verenium) Verenium Corporation, a pioneer in the development and commercialization of high-performance enzyme solutions, today announced that Purifine(R) PLC, the Company's novel enzyme specifically developed for the edible oil industry, has received all necessary Chinese government authorizations for sale as
(Yahoo! Finance/PR Newswire) U.S. Rep. Connie Mack and Lee County Commissioners Tammy Hall and Ray Judah join in celebrating new advanced research labs and integrated biorefinery that will diversify local economy and create clean energy jobs Algenol Biofuels Inc. celebrated the opening
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producers Magazine) Recent activities in the cellulosic ethanol industry have shown that while financing continues to be a major hurdle, technological advancements continue to be made and companies are beginning to construct their first commercial-scale facilities. BlueFire
by Ernest Scheyder (Reuters) ...Dow, the largest U.S. chemical producer, consumes about 1 million barrels of oil and natural gas equivalents per day. The company is also doing research on several different kinds of alternative, cleaner energy, including algae and
(Biofuels International) A producer of hydrocarbons from renewable resources, Global Bioenergies has reached a key milestone in the development of its process for the transformation of renewable resources into gaseous isobutene. According to Marc Delcourt, the co-founder and CEO of Evry,
by Mark Edwards (Algae Industry Magazine) ...The 2010 Algae World Europe Industry Survey was conducted in association with the Centre for Management Technology and 2nd Algae World Europe 2010 Conference in Brussels. The 2010 Algae World Survey follows the 2009
(Avantium) Avantium announced October 14, 2010, that it has started with the construction of a pilot plant at the Chemelot site (Geleen, the Netherlands). The pilot plant will produce YXY building blocks for making green materials and fuels. Avantium has developed a novel and
(The Andersons) Supply Agreement Reached between The Andersons Marathon Ethanol and Continental Carbonic Products, Inc. The Andersons Marathon Ethanol LLC (TAME), a partnership between The Andersons, Inc. and Marathon Petroleum Company LP, a wholly owned subsidiary of Marathon Oil Corporation, announced October 6,
by Hilary Kramer (Forbes) ...One Renaissance man in the thick of the green chemical and biofuel revolution is David Milroy. I knew Australian-born Milroy from his days as the trailblazer in the global telecom and broadband revolution of the mid-
(IBTimes/Green Energy UK) More and more of the millions of flowers grown in Dutch greenhouses each year are receiving carbon dioxide from carbon capture and storage systems. As the leading European bioethanol producer, Abengoa Bioenergía is contributing to this shift
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) If moving genes around on a chromosome is your idea of a good time, meet Dr. Stephen Mayfield, Director of the San Diego Center for Algae Biotechnology. ...Steve is now the John Dove Isaacs Professor
by David Lonardo & Benjamin Lazarus (American World Services Corporation/Biofuels Digest) ...The country of Thailand, already one of the world’s leading agri-food exporters, believes it can attract investment in the advanced biofuel sector by providing a solution to this problem.
(Glycos Biotechnologies) Breakthrough Further Expands Industrial Biochemical Company’s Diversified Feedstock Platform Strategy Glycos Biotechnologies, Inc. (GlycosBio), an emerging biochemical company pioneering metabolic engineering and microbiology innovations for the production of sustainable biochemicals, today announced it has created the first ever microbial
(BBI International) BBI International, a leader in globally recognized bioenergy events and trade magazines, has launched a new magazine and international conference. Biorefining magazine and the aligned International Biorefining Conference & Trade Show will provide a new communications avenue for
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Blue Marble’s effervescent CEO Kelly Ogilvie, well known on the renewables circuit for his high-energy presentations over the years, took us through the math. “Over the past 18 months,” he said, “while we have been developing
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) LanzaTech announced that it has produced 2,3-Butanediol (2,3-BD), a key building block used to make polymers, plastics and hydrocarbon fuels, using the company's waste steel gas fermentation technology. LanzaTech is a story about a company transforming
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New York, biobutanol and renewable chemical developer Gevo, ranked #13 in the 2009-10 “50 Hottest Companies in Bioenergy” by Biofuels Digest readers and international selectors, filed its S-1 registration statement with the SEC for
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) ... “I’ve always wanted to work on things that are really important, at least to the company where I’m working and, ideally, beyond that. I don’t mind how big the challenge is or how hard
(Brighter Energy) Gevo, the biobutanol technology developer based in Colorado, looks set to acquire an ethanol production plant in southwest Minnesota to use as a base to commercialize its process. The company has signed definitive agreements to acquire the Agri-Energy ethanol facility
(LS9) Production Capabilities Successfully Demonstrated at Pilot Scale. LS9, Inc., the Renewable Petroleum Company(TM), today announced in Science magazine a major scientific breakthrough that will significantly lower the cost of producing "drop-in" hydrocarbon fuels that are low-carbon, sustainable and compatible with
by Jonathan Williams (Algae Industry Magazine) ...(O)one of the major roadblocks on the road to a hydrogen economy is the cost to produce hydrogen. If hydrogen is to become a viable fuel source, it will need to be produced cheaply.
(US Department of Energy) California Institute of Technology to lead team in partnership with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and other California institutions As part of a broad effort to achieve breakthrough innovations in energy production, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel
by Jim Lane (Biotech Digest) This past April, ARPA-E announced a new grant round, and the largest single award in the round, $6 million, went to a group led by OPX Biotechnologies, in partnership with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and
(AltAssets.com) Europe-focused private equity firm Oakfield Capital Partners has completed an investment in Coryton Advanced Fuels (CAF) to acquire the assets of biofuel company Coryton Fuels Technology Unit (FTU) from embattled petroleum company BP. UK-based company FTU was established in 2000
(Bloomberg/AP) Industrial gas supplier Praxair Inc. said Tuesday it is buying carbon dioxide from Osage Bio Energy for use in food freezing and processing and drink applications....It is buying carbon dioxide that is produced by fermentation that converts barley to
(BIOeCON) Petrobras and BIOeCON announced their partnership in the joint development of a novel process for enhanced conversion of biomass, as found in agricultural wastes such as sugarcane bagasse, into chemicals that can be used to produce green plastics, or further
(International Fuel Technology) International Fuel Technology, Inc. announced that East Midlands Trains will continue using DiesoLiFTTM 10 in its light rail, diesel multiple unit (DMU) operations. East Midlands Trains recently completed one of the largest in-service field demonstrations ever run utilizing
(Iowa State University) ...Fast pyrolysis quickly heats biomass (such as corn stalks and leaves) in the absence of oxygen to produce a liquid product known as bio-oil that can be used to manufacture fuels and chemicals and a solid product
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...OriginOil ... has announced a hydrogen harvesting system, while an early-stage company based in Iowa, Avello Bioenergy, has developed a technology for fast pyrolysis oils that “improves, collects and separates bio-oil into various liquid fractions,” making
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ...“Iowa is rapidly becoming the development capital of the nation for the replacement of petroleum-based chemicals with bio-based chemicals,” according to a press release from the Iowa Department of Economic Development. Currently, the state has
by Tyler Ames (Chief Science & Technology Officer, Butamax) Butamax, a product of a joint research program between DuPont and BP, is working to commercialize biobutanol. Biobutanol can be made from several feedstocks, has excellent fuel properties, and is compatible with
by Dan Burciaga (President & CEO, TRI) Burciaga discusses TRI's proprietary steam reforming gasification system, and its applicability to the production of biofuels, biochemicals, and renewable power. TRI's biorefineries are feedstock-flexible, controlled to maximize thermal efficiency, scalable, and potentially self-powered. The
(ISU) A new green, bio-based method for producing a much-used fuel additive and industrial chemical that is currently made from petroleum products has been developed by an Iowa State University researcher. Thomas Bobik, professor of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, invented a
(Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News) VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and Deinove are joining forces to progress research efforts in biofuels and green chemistry. Deinove is focused on exploiting the natural properties of Deinococcus bacteria for the production of biofuels
(World Economic Forum) Biorefineries have a major role to play in tackling climate change, according to the World Economic Forum report The Future of Industrial Biorefineries launched today(June 29, 2010). The report, produced in collaboration with Royal DSM N.V., Novozymes, DuPont
(BioMCN) June 25, 2010, the Queen’s Commissioner of the Province of Groningen, Sir Max van den Berg, together with Rob Voncken, CEO of BioMCN, has officially opened the largest second generation biofuel plant in the world. With a production capacity of 250
(ZeaChem) Company to Demonstrate Integration of Processes at Boardman Biorefinery ZeaChem Inc., a developer of biorefineries for the conversion of renewable biomass into sustainable fuels and chemicals, today announced the successful production of ethanol at a capacity that can be scaled
(DSM) At the 7th annual World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology, taking place this week in Washington D.C. (United States), DSM and Roquette will elaborate on a recent technical breakthrough and proprietary process for the manufacture of bio-based succinic acid that will
by Jim Lane (Biotech Digest) ...Amyris had its technological foundation nine years ago in the Keasling lab at Berkeley, when Jay Keasling and his team of post-docs pioneered a methodology to produce isopentenyl pyrophosphate, at rates with commercial potential, from
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Amyris Biotechnologies unveiled this week a stunning series of partnerships and investments from Proctor & Gamble, Total, Soliance, Cosan and M&G Finanziaria for the production and off-take of biomass-based chemicals and fuels. The
by Dominique Vidalon(Reuters) Total, Amyris to build biomass-based fuels partnership. French oil group Total said on Wednesday it will buy a stake of around 17 percent in US. biofuels producer Amyris to expand its reach in renewable fuels and chemicals. ..."Total and
(CSIR India/The Economic Times) ...The Central Salt Marine Chemicals and Research Institute (CSMCRI) located in Bhavnagar district of the state has hit upon a process by which biodegradable polymers can be developed at almost zero-cost using one of the byproducts
(EERE) ZeaChem, Inc. held a groundbreaking ceremony on June 2 for a new cellulosic ethanol biorefinery in Boardman, Oregon. Cellulosic ethanol is ethanol produced from non-edible biomass sources, such as agricultural residues, trees, or grasses. The demonstration-scale facility will produce 250,000
by Shigeru Sato (Bloomberg Business Week) Toyota Motor Corp.’s research and development unit, Hitachi Ltd. and more than 40 other Japanese companies and institutions have joined a national study into algae’s potential for producing biofuel and chemicals. ...Japan abandoned a $132
(LS9) Renewable Petroleum(TM) technology efficiently converts renewable raw materials into low-carbon fuels and chemicals. LS9, the Renewable Petroleum Company(TM), today announced that it has won the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) highest environmental honor for its revolutionary Renewable Petroleum(TM) technology that
(Agra-net.com) Ethanol demand by the chemical industry in Brazil is forecast to reach 2 bln litres in 2011, according to Antonio Padua Rodrigues, the technical director of Unica. This compares with 1.5-1.8 bln in 2010. READ MORE
(Alpha Galileo) Producing alternative fuels to petrol, such as biodiesel, is not exempt of generating waste. This is the case of glycerine, which is generated in huge amounts when obtaining biodiesel from vegetable fats. Researchers from the Universitat Jaume I
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Bottom line – if you make the ethanol blender credit go away, but stand behind the mandate and Shift the spending towards investment tax credits and loan guarantees, it is possible to do the following: 1.
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) All biofuels producers- from biobutanol to renewable diesel plus cellulosic ethanol and more-must work together to promote the biofuel industry interests, said Michael McAdams. The president of the Advanced Biofuels Association gave the keynote
(MarketWire) Agreement to Focus on the International Commercialization and Implementation of Waste to Energy Technology Novo Energies Corporation, an alternative energy company, announced June 4, 2010, that it has entered into a Technology Co-Operation Agreement ("Agreement") with Novo Energies International, Ltd. ("NEI"). NEI, an independently-owned
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Digest readers who closely analyze the Advanced Biofuels Tracking Database will have noticed that, commencing in 2012, biobutanol is scheduled to grow rapidly from pilot stage today to more than 500 million gallons in production by
(Chemrec) On the northern coast of the Netherlands a few driven entrepreneurs transformed a closed down methanol factory into the world’s largest second generation biofuels production unit in less than three years. By changing the feedstock into crude glycerine and applying
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) (S)ubscriber voting begins for the 30 Most Transformative Technologies of 2010. In all, 149 companies were nominated in 19 categories. Categories are: (Micro) Algae, cyanobacteria, lemna, and plankton platforms (20) (Macro) Algae technologies (5) Biobutanol technologies (4) Biodiesel systems (2) Cellulosic ethanol
by Doug Dudgeon, Ph.D. (The Harris Group) The biorefinery concept has been touted of late as a new concept to invigorate the established pulp and paper industry. A biorefinery converts biomass to physical products, commonly thought of as fuels and/or chemicals, and
(Biofuels International) The Brazilian Innovation Agency, FINEP (Research and Projects Financing), and Brazil’s National Development Bank (BNDES) have entered into a new partnership to promote bioethanol development, establishing a programme which will provide up to $540 million (€438.9 million) in
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Founded in 1802, DuPont was primarily an explosives company. Today, among the many other areas it does work in, the company is accelerating research and development and investments in the alternative energy sector. "Generating
by Mark Bünger (RenewableEnergyWorld.com) ...To date, most biofuels and biomaterials developers have focused on lab- and demo-scale studies to improve performance and reduce cost so they can compete with petroleum products, and those goals are coming within sight. But in order
by Emily Wilkins (TheStateNews.com) ...The process to produce the alternative fuel — called isobutanol — involves using molecular biology on a bacterium called Ralstonia eutropha, allowing it to use hydrogen to produce liquid fuels, said R. Marc Worden, an MSU
by Mary Nichols (California Air Resources Board, Sustainable Industries) When California Gov. Schwarzenegger cut the ribbon at the opening of the world’s first bio-butanol plant earlier this year, he credited California’s climate action law Assembly Bill 32. ... In the case of
.jpg)
