Energy – Advanced BioFuels USA

Wells Fargo Crashes and Burns with New RINs Analysis

by Geoff Cooper (Renewable Fuels Association) Earlier this week, equity analysts at Wells Fargo released a note to investors on the subject of the Renewable Fuel Standard and its compliance credit (RIN) market mechanism. We wouldn’t typically respond to an investment bank research note, but we felt compelled to reply to

June 18, 2021 Read Full Article

Greenhouse Gas Data Deep Dive Reaches New Level of ‘Reasonable and True’

by Lauren Quinn (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) … For corn ethanol, most greenhouse gas emissions can be mapped to the fuel’s production, transportation, and combustion, but a large portion of the greenhouse gas calculation can be traced right back to the farm. Because of privacy concerns, however, scientists can’t access individual

June 18, 2021 Read Full Article

Using CO2 & Renewable Electricity to Improve Biorefineries: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to CO2 Utilization

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) NREL is working on decarbonization of fuels and chemicals production by looking at the integration of CO2 utilization into two existing conceptual biorefinery designs, the brutal reality of CO2 reduction, market trends, decreasing the cost of renewable electricity and utilizing CO2 to improve biorefinery carbon

June 18, 2021 Read Full Article

Avoiding the Coming Apocalypse: NREL’s Vision for Strategic Piloting and Enabling the Deployment of Bioenergy Technologies

by David J. Robichaud, Robert M. Baldwin, and Thomas D. Foust (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) … Developing technologies are moving well beyond the traditional gasification/pyrolysis and biochemical pathways to include electrons to molecules, catalytic upgrading, electrolytic carbon capture and utilization, cell-free biology, and the list continues. Yet for all the

June 17, 2021 Read Full Article

At Scale Feedstock Blending Optimization: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Waste-To-Energy

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What if we could build a biorefinery in every state and divert all 76 million dry T/y of organic wastes into transportation biofuels…forever? That’s what Pacific Northwest National Lab hopes will happen someday as they work on accelerating the adoption of promising conversion technologies. READ

June 14, 2021 Read Full Article

Single Gene Boosts Climate Resilience, Yield and Carbon Capture in Crops

(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have discovered a single gene that simultaneously boosts plant growth and tolerance for stresses such as drought and salt, all while tackling the root cause of climate change by enabling plants to pull more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. As climate

June 11, 2021 Read Full Article

Department of Energy Seeks Public Feedback on Removing Barriers to Participation in Funding Programs DEADLINE August 6, 2021

(Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is releasing a request for information (RFI) to understand the current barriers and actions needed to make its funding opportunities and innovation and entrepreneurship activities more inclusive, just, and equitable, in line with the Administration’s climate goals. DOE is committed to developing

June 10, 2021 Read Full Article

Visit the Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts Process Development Unit (ABPDU) in 3D Tour

The Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts Process Development Unit (ABPDU) is a bioprocess scale-up facility at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory that enables early-stage advanced biofuels and bioproducts to successfully scale from the lab to commercial relevance. A new 3D virtual walkthrough of the ABPDU allows visitors from anywhere in the world to

June 9, 2021 Read Full Article

Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) from Liquefaction

by John Holladay and Zia Haq (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and U.S. DOE, Bioenergy Technologies Office) In November 2020, PNNL facilitated an international workshop on HTL for SAF production. Present an overview of findings • Quick overview of HTL • Details from the workshop – research opportunities • Examples of

June 8, 2021 Read Full Article

US Energy Secretary Launches Call to Slash Green Hydrogen Costs by 80% RFI DEADLINE: July 7, 2021

by Edith Hancock (PV Tech) The US Department of Energy (DOE) aims to bring the cost of making clean hydrogen down 80% in 10 years as part of a wider call for new developments in the energy sector. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm called the target “ambitious yet achievable” on Monday (7

June 8, 2021 Read Full Article

Biochemical Conversion and Lignin Utilization: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Spero Renewables

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Can you really convert 50% of lignin carbon into bio-phenols? Spero Renewables is working on exactly that and making polymers and chemicals from lignin bio-phenols. Spero even enables biofuel cost reduction of $1-2 gallons gasoline equivalent. Get the details on the tech behind it, how

June 8, 2021 Read Full Article

Novel Composite Catalyst Holds Promise for Cost-Effective Ethanol-to-Jet-Fuel Conversion

(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) … The well-established, cost-competitive ethanol market provides an opportunity to shift the composition of jet fuel and other fuel products away from petroleum. The Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office is focused on developing industrially viable fuels using renewable biomass,

June 7, 2021 Read Full Article

On-Site Hydrogen Production Technology Accelerates to Market

by Susan Bauer (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) California hydrogen fueling stations could soon benefit from lower cost approach — A new technology that generates hydrogen from conventional natural gas, or renewable natural gas made from biomass, could be the next big thing to advance California’s Hydrogen Highway, fuel cell vehicles and

June 7, 2021 Read Full Article

Climate Policy Is Moving Again and a Voice for Algae Is More Important than Ever

(Algae Biomass Organization) The Biden Administration is weaving climate policy into almost every facet of the government, and at ABO we are working closely with the White House, Congress and federal agencies to ensure that the microalgae and seaweed industry can play its part. A robust algae industry has the potential to employ

June 4, 2021 Read Full Article

Fuels and Products from Waste: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Organic Waste Conversion

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Wet waste, municipal sludge residuals, animal manure, food waste, inedible fats/oils/greases – all things we used to throw away, but now can be converted into valuable bioproducts. Check out this illuminating slide guide on BETO’s strategy on organic waste, the problems it solves, converting these

June 4, 2021 Read Full Article

Denmark, Norway, and the United States to Lead Zero-Emission Shipping Mission

(U.S. Department of Energy) The governments of Denmark, Norway, and the United States, along with the Global Maritime Forum and the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, today announced that they will lead a new Zero-Emission Shipping Mission as part of Mission Innovation. The Mission aims to accelerate international public-private

June 3, 2021 Read Full Article

Biodiesel from Stillage Fiber: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Xylome

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) At the recent BETO peer review, Xylome shared this illuminating slide guide on making biodiesel precursors from dissolved organics and corn fiber present in grain ethanol stillage by engineering hyper-lipogenic strains of L. starkeyi to express and secrete cellulases and xylanases. See how they demonstrate

June 3, 2021 Read Full Article

California Math Shows Internal Combustion Beating Electric on Emissions

by Tom Quimby (CCJ) … Data released recently by CARB indicate that low carbon fuels, like renewable diesel and biodiesel, are actually rendering the best reductions in transportation-related sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. While federal and state policies continue to lavish praise and plenty of funds on all-electric technologies, biodiesel

June 2, 2021 Read Full Article

EERE FY22 Budget Webinar — June 3, 2021 — ONLINE

Join EERE’s Acting Assistant Secretary Kelly Speakes-Backman and the Deputy Assistant Secretaries (DAS) for EERE’s three technology pillars—Energy Efficiency, Renewable Power, and Sustainable Transportation—and Operations for an FY 22 budget webinar on Thursday, June 3, at 2:00 p.m. ET. To lead in the transition to a 100% clean energy economy,

June 2, 2021 Read Full Article

Agricultural Feedstock Costs Drive RIN Prices to All-Time Highs

by Sean Hill and Matthew French (U.S. Department of Energy Energy Information Administration) The prices of renewable identification number (RIN) credits—the compliance mechanism used for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)—sharply increased through April of this year, and they are now higher than at any

June 2, 2021 Read Full Article

Microalgal Biofuel Intermediates Production: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Algal Biomass

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) MicroBio Engineering, Heliae, Sandia National Labs and Cal Poly shared how they developed the capability for over 3,700 gal/ac-yrof biofuel intermediates through microalgal strain improvement, mixotrophic approaches and novel conversion technology, demonstrated annual productivity of improved strains, and more. READ MORE

June 2, 2021 Read Full Article

WANTED: Unpublished and Underused Bioenergy Technology Data

(U.S. Department of Energy) Do you know of existing bioenergy technology data that aren’t Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, or Reusable (FAIR)? Could these data help accelerate the bioeconomy? The Accelerating Bioenergy Technology Advancement Through FAIR Data Delivery project is working to identify, acquire, and develop data and documentation, and publish presently unavailable or inaccessible bioenergy technology data that

June 1, 2021 Read Full Article

MBL Begins First Test of Tropical Seaweed Farming for Biofuels Production

by Diana Kenney (University of Chicago Marine Biological Laboratory) A team of researchers led by Loretta Roberson, associate scientist at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, has installed the first seaweed farm in Puerto Rico and U.S. tropical waters. The research array furthers the design and development of a system for

June 1, 2021 Read Full Article

Biden’s Budget Pledges $36B for Climate, Nearly Doubling Federal Spending on It

(Our Daily Planet) The Biden administration released its detailed budget proposal on Friday and it contained $36 billion in total for climate, a huge increase in climate-related spending. According to the budget justification, the increase of more than $14 billion compared over current spending invests “in resilience and clean energy, enhancing U.S. competitiveness, and

June 1, 2021 Read Full Article

Economical Cell-free Isobutanol Production: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Invizyne Technologies

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Biomass derived sugars can be used by engineered microbes to make fuels and chemicals – but Invizyne is looking at alternative methods to improve cellulosic utilization and conversion. Check out their BETO presentation highlighting their tech that uses only enzymes (cell-free) instead of the whole

June 1, 2021 Read Full Article

Biofuel Blendstocks: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Naphthenic Biofuel-Diesel

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Biofuel blendstocks is what it’s all about for Dimitris Assanis from SUNY and Ofei Mante from RTI International. Check out their BETO presentation on bioblendstock oils rich in naphthenes produced using catalytic fast pyrolysis and hydrotreating pathway and evaluated for the first time as a

May 28, 2021 Read Full Article

Jeanne McCaherty’s Testimony to MN House Conference Committee on the Future Fuels Act

(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) … Jeanne McCaherty, CEO of Guardian Energy and board member of MN Bio-Fuels, testified in support of the Future Fuels Act to the Minnesota House Conference Committee. Here’s her testimony in full: … Specifically, we have discussed strategies that can harness the power of our region’s rich agricultural,

May 27, 2021 Read Full Article

United States Announced as Chair of Multilateral Biofuture Platform during Biofuture Summit II

(Biofuture Platform/PR Newswire) – Policy Blueprint was also unveiled to urgently accelerate the growth of the global bioeconomy; – The IEA’s Net Zero by 2050 report published last week has highlighted the critical role that sustainable bioenergy will play in the clean energy transition — The United States is in line to

May 26, 2021 Read Full Article

DOE Announces $14.5 Million to Combat Plastics Waste and Pollution DEADLINE June 28, 2021

(U.S. DOE) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced an investment of up to $14.5 million for research and development to cut waste and reduce the energy used to recycle single-use plastics like plastic bags, wraps, and films. This funding directed toward plastics recycling technologies advances the DOE’s work to address

May 25, 2021 Read Full Article

Miscanthus Energy Crop Improvements: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Next-Gen Miscanthus

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Perennial grass miscanthus as an energy crop has advanced into high biomass yielding varieties and NC State University is working with Novozymes, Iogen and Oak Ridge National Lab on evaluating new miscanthus varieties and improving sustainability within the overall miscanthus biomass supply chain. READ MORE

May 24, 2021 Read Full Article

Scientists Uncover Surprising Behavior of a Fatty Acid Enzyme with Potential Biofuel Applications

by Jennifer Huber (Stanford University/SLAC) Derived from microscopic algae, the rare, light-driven enzyme converts fatty acids into starting ingredients for solvents and fuels. — Although many organisms capture and respond to sunlight, it’s rare to find enzymes – proteins that promote chemical reactions in living things – that are driven by

May 21, 2021 Read Full Article

Puerto Rico Testing Seaweed Farm for Biofuels

(Algae Planet) A team of researchers led by Loretta Roberson of the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Mass, has installed the first seaweed farm in Puerto Rico and U.S. tropical waters. The research array furthers the design and development of a system for offshore cultivation of tropical seaweeds to support large-scale production of

May 21, 2021 Read Full Article

Biofuels Industry Wary of Tech-Neutral Tax Credit Absent CI Model Changes

by Patrick Newkumet (OPIS) Alternative low-carbon fuel producers would receive tax credits for reaching net-zero emissions under a U.S. Senate bill introduced last month, but biofuel industry stakeholders are concerned they will find it difficult to reach that target by 2030 unless the government revises its count of the carbon intensity

May 21, 2021 Read Full Article

Is Sorghum the Solution?: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Cellulosic Bioenergy Crops

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Everyone wants to reduce the price of biofuels – and a team from Texas A&M, USDA, AgriLife Research, Mississippi State University and others are working on improving the economics and environmental sustainability of biomass sorghum and energycane production in the southeast U.S. Find out how,

May 21, 2021 Read Full Article

Enhancing Land Surface Models to Grow Perennial Bioenergy Crops

(U.S. Department of Energy/EurekAlert!) High-yield miscanthus and switchgrass are promising alternatives to traditional annual crops for biofuels. — … To understand the effects of this trend, scientists must accurately represent biofuel crops in land surface models. Using observations from biofuel plants in the Midwestern United States, researchers simulated two biofuel

May 20, 2021 Read Full Article

What Has Productivity 4X as Dense as Corn?: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Advanced Algal Systems

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Why algae? With biofuel yield 8-13 times larger than corn, well, why not! We took key slides from the 100+ slide deck from this year’s U.S. DOE BETO presentation on the latest goings ons with algae, program goals, portfolio and projects, progress, future plans, and

May 20, 2021 Read Full Article

Velocys Provides Update on US, UK Biorefinery Rrojects

by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Velocys provided an update on its proposed commercial-scale U.K. and U.S. biorefinery projects in its 2020 financial report, released on May 17. The company also discussed an agreement that could allow its technology to be deployed in Japan. U.K.-based Velocys has designed, developed and now licenses

May 19, 2021 Read Full Article

Directed Funding Opportunity for Biomass Compositional Analysis DEADLINE: June 18, 2021

(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) is offering directed funding assistance for industry and universities interested in leveraging NREL’s unique biomass compositional analysis capabilities. Eligibility All U.S. companies and universities are eligible to apply for this directed funding opportunity (DFO). Foreign companies

May 19, 2021 Read Full Article

2021 Project Peer Review—Presentation Database

(U.S. Department of Energy) The Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) hosted its 2021 Project Peer Review virtually on March 8‒12, 2021; March 15‒16, 2021; and March 22‒26, 2021. Presentations for all sessions can be found in the searchable database below. For more information, including a complete schedule, view the 2021 Project Peer Review Agenda.

May 19, 2021 Read Full Article

Switching to Switchgrass: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Next-Gen Feedstocks in Midwest

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Bioenergy switchgrass feedstock – can it be the next-generation feedstock we’ve been looking for in the Midwest? University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is looking at perennial bioenergy feedstock production on marginal croplands across geographic locations in the Midwest. What did they find? What had the highest-yield?

May 19, 2021 Read Full Article

Getting the Most from Sustainable Aviation Fuel

by Lloyd Ritter (Green Capitol LLC/Biofuels Digest) The aviation industry is currently responsible for less than 3% of total global carbon emissions, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). But with air travel expected to increase by more than 60 percent (compared to pre-pandemic 2019 levels) by mid-century,[1] emissions will continue rising

May 19, 2021 Read Full Article

Environmental Concerns Propel Research Into Marine Biofuels

(CaymanMamaNews/Globe Newswire/National Renewable Energy Laboratory) A global effort to reduce sulfur and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships has researchers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and other Department of Energy facilities investigating the potential use of marine biofuels. “Biofuels turned out to be very good options because they

May 17, 2021 Read Full Article

Webinar: What’s New with the Algae Technology Education Consortium — May 20, 2021 — ONLINE

Join the U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office’s Algae Technology Educational Consortium (ATEC) for an informative webinar on May 20, 2021, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET. Ira Levine, professor at the University of Southern Maine and president and board chair of the Algae Foundation, will provide a

May 17, 2021 Read Full Article

Granholm Discusses DOE’s View of Biofuels during Budget Hearing

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm briefly discussed how biofuels will into the U.S. Department of Energy’s priorities under the Biden administration during a House Committee on Appropriations hearing on May 6. The hearing was held by the Subcommittee on Energy Water Development and Related Agencies to

May 17, 2021 Read Full Article

U.S. Department of Energy Invests $35 Million to Dramatically Reduce Carbon Footprint of Biofuel Production

(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today (May 14, 2021) announced $35 million in funding that will help slash carbon emissions and scale up the volume and efficiency of renewable biofuel. The 15 awarded research projects are housed at colleges, universities, and labs across nine states and

May 17, 2021 Read Full Article

Next-Gen Logistics and Blending: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Biomass Feedstock Logistics Systems

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This U.S. Department of Energy BETO project’s biomass blend concept will allow biorefineries to utilize a much larger proportion of the land within their procurement radius, thereby enabling larger scale, more economically feasible facilities to be constructed and operated. Find out their approach, impact, progress

May 17, 2021 Read Full Article

AEO2022 Petroleum, Natural Gas, and Biofuels Working Group — May 25, 2021 — ONLINE

You are invited to attend the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Annual Energy Outlook 2022 (AEO2022) Petroleum, Natural Gas, and Biofuels Working Group Meeting. During this meeting, we will seek your feedback on AEO2021 outcomes and we will discuss updates planned for the upcoming AEO2022. Please note that any information shared

May 14, 2021 Read Full Article

Biofuels Potential Impact at Scale: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Long lines and gas shortages on the East Coast due to the Colonial Pipeline cyberattack is making the U.S. Department of Energy’s Co-Optima work more important than ever. Check out this deep dive on what they do within Co-Optima to identify the value of performance

May 13, 2021 Read Full Article

Bustos Talks Biofuels and Climate with Secretary of Energy

by Rhiannon Branch (Brownfield Ag News) US Representative from Illinois Cheri Bustos (D-17) continues to advocate for biofuels and the positive role they play in climate change mitigation. During a House Appropriations Energy and Water Subcommittee hearing last week, Bustos asked Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm how the Biden administration will

May 12, 2021 Read Full Article

Accelerating Biofuels Depolyment: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Co-Optima’s Bioblendstocks

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) With all the talk lately of gas prices and shortages due to the Texas freeze earlier this year, it’s good to see lots of research and innovation coming with better bioblendstocks for our vehicles. Check out this illuminating slide guide from the 2021 BETO Project

May 12, 2021 Read Full Article

Department of Energy Selects Four Projects to Move Co-Optimized Biofuels and Combustion Engines Closer to Market

(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the selection of four projects totaling $1 million to conduct cutting-edge applied research and development concerning the interaction between promising biofuels and combustion engines. The projects will leverage a range of National Laboratory capabilities as part of the Co-Optimization of

May 10, 2021 Read Full Article

The Co-Optima FY20 Year in Review Spotlights Recent Engine and Fuel Innovations.

(U.S. Department of Energy) A report released this week highlights the most significant breakthroughs of the last year in the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines (Co-Optima) initiative, with details on findings that could translate into significant greenhouse gas and tailpipe emissions reductions. The collaborative research undertaking has brought

May 10, 2021 Read Full Article

American Coalition for Ethanol Commends Scientists For Evidence Ethanol Must Be Part Of The Climate Solution

(American Coalition for Ethanol/GrainNet) American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) welcomed more scientifically credible evidence provided by Department of Energy Argonne National Lab scientists that explicitly states, “Corn ethanol plays an important role in enhancing energy security and the rural economy while contributing to decarbonizing the transportation sector in the USA.” The new study

May 10, 2021 Read Full Article

Interested in Becoming a BETO Project Reviewer?

(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) relies on subject matter experts to review applications for federal funding opportunities and active projects. BETO is looking for skill sets including, but not limited to: Chemical Engineering Process Engineering Process Scale-up Chemical production Petrochemical Refining Thermochemical

May 10, 2021 Read Full Article

Vilsack Promotes Aviation Biofuels

by Matthew Choi (Politico’s Morning Energy) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack advocated for the potential for biofuels “to make air traffic more sustainable and decrease the overall carbon footprint of travel and commerce,” echoing remarks made by Granholm during her appearance on the Hill. “The marketplace is massive,” Vilsack told Growth

May 7, 2021 Read Full Article

Research & Communications for Building Trust in Sustainably-Sourced Biomass

by Keith L. Kline (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Many challenges remain to build public confidence in the role of biomass in sustainable, climate-smart, circular economies. How can we best – •Effectively communicate research to broad audiences? •Build trust in science and understanding of how the scientific process works? •Appropriately communicate

May 7, 2021 Read Full Article

RFA: New Analysis from DOE Researchers Confirms Ethanol’s Low-Carbon Benefits

(Renewable Fuels Association) The carbon footprint of corn ethanol shrunk by 23% between 2005 and 2019 as farmers and ethanol producers adopted new technologies and improved efficiency, according to a new analysis published in the academic journal Biofuels Bioproducts and Biorefining by scientists at the Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory. By 2019,

May 6, 2021 Read Full Article

U.S. EPA to Hand over Biofuel Exemption Documents to GAO Probe

by Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is handing over to the Government Accountability Office information on oil refiners that petitioned for exemptions to biofuel blending mandates, in an effort to help the government watchdog investigate the exemption program. The move shows the Biden administration’s willingness to help scrutinize

May 6, 2021 Read Full Article

“Dominating” Fungus Could Provide Solution to Producing More Biofuels and Valuable Chemicals

(University of York) he discovery of a novel enzyme that releases a valuable chemical from agricultural waste could provide an important breakthrough in the upscaling of renewable fuels and chemicals, a new study shows. … Researchers – led by the University of York – have discovered an enzyme in a fungus

May 6, 2021 Read Full Article

Growing America’s Energy Future: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Bioenergy

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) BETO leadership representatives shared this illuminating slide guide during Earth Week recently discussing plastics recycling initiatives, waste-to-energy efforts, engaging farmers as clean energy partners, carbon dioxide utilization, advancements in marine and aviation biofuels, and more. READ MORE During Earth Week BETO leadership detailed the Office mission and

May 6, 2021 Read Full Article

RFA to USDA: Ethanol Fuels Climate-Smart Agriculture, Energizes Rural Communities

(Renewable Fuels Association) In separate comment letters submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Renewable Fuels Association explained how expanded ethanol production and use can support the administration’s “climate-smart” agriculture goals and encouraged USDA to use the Rural Energy Pilot Program to support research into the use of ethanol for

April 30, 2021 Read Full Article

Ethanol Center Working on Converting Municipal Waste to Biofuel

(Advantage News) The NCERC at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is leading the way in converting municipal solid waste to biofuel through two proposals submitted for funding. The NCERC has received funding from a grant proposal that was submitted to SIUE’s Transitional and Exploratory Projects grant program by Jie Dong, NCERC’s fermentation scientist

April 27, 2021 Read Full Article

Governor Vetoes Proposal Requiring Enhanced Ethanol Labeling at Indiana Fuel Pumps

by Dan Carden (NWI.com) Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb has vetoed legislation that would have required fuel blends containing between 10% and 15% ethanol, also known as E15, be prominently labeled on Indiana fuel pumps. Senate Enrolled Act 303 proposed mandating a label be placed next to the selection button on

April 27, 2021 Read Full Article

Scientists Uncover Structure of Light-Driven Enzyme with Potential Biofuel Applications

U.S. Department of Eneryg/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory) Although many organisms capture and respond to sunlight, enzymes – proteins that catalyze biochemical reactions – are rarely driven by light. Scientists have identified only three types of natural photoenzymes so far. The newest one, discovered in 2017, is fatty acid photodecarboxylase (FAP). Derived

April 27, 2021 Read Full Article

The BDO Zone Investment Coalition Announces $1 Billion of Deployable Capital for Biobased Projects Located in BDO Zones

(BDO Zone Investment Coalition) The BDO Zone Investment Coalition today announces the mobilization of $1BB of capital for deployment into biobased infrastructure and manufacturing plants located in Bioeconomy Development Opportunity (BDO) Zones. The BDO Zone Investment Coalition is a group of leading, independent biobased investors, capital markets, and associations that finance or promote the

April 22, 2021 Read Full Article

Unveiling Signatures of Feedstock Variability — April 29, 2021 — ONLINE

In this webinar, two FCIC (Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium) researchers will discuss insights gleaned through multiscale characterization on sources of variability, compositional, and structural attributes that impact the biomass value chain. Drs. Allison Ray from Idaho National Laboratory and Bryon Donohoe from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory will discuss the FCIC

April 21, 2021 Read Full Article

UH Hilo Researches Whether Sugarcane Can Make Jet Fuel

(University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo) A groundbreaking study investigating the growth of selected varieties of sugarcane to convert into high-performance jet fuel is underway at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management (CAFNRM). Utilizing advanced technologies in agronomics and bioeconomy, the researchers are ultimately looking to

April 21, 2021 Read Full Article

Bio-advantaged Fuel Blendstocks: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Co-optimization of Fuels & Engines

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Co-optima focuses on improved efficiency, performance and reduced pollution from ground transportation. Anthe George from Sandia National Labs shared this illuminating slide guide on the latest data and research from the U.S. Department of Energy Co-Optima team that is addressing those goals by evaluating fuels,

April 16, 2021 Read Full Article

Earth Day 2021 Series Day 16: How Can Renewable Fuels Enhance Environmental Justice? How about Cleaner Air and Lower Fuel Costs for Regular Cars for Many Years to Come?

by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) First proposed in 2015, Advanced Biofuels USA’s proposal for a “Disappearing” Non-Renewable-Carbon User Fee begins: “If we’re serious about reducing climate change-causing greenhouse gases and reducing non-renewable liquid and gas use, we need serious actions.” And those actions should serve low income, high pollution

April 16, 2021 Read Full Article

DOE Scholars Program

(U.S. Department of Energy) The DOE Scholars Program is designed to attract talented undergraduate and graduate students, and recent graduates to opportunities that are carefully designed to help prepare and motivate participants toward the full range of entry and mid-level research, technical and professional positions within U.S. Department of Energy

April 13, 2021 Read Full Article

BETO’s Bioenergy Data Workshop: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Bioenergy Data

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The U.S. Department of Energy’s EnergyEfficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) just released the workshop summary report from the virtual event they hosted last summer that discussed how to collect and valorize underused bioenergy datasets and associated knowledge, with the goal of

April 13, 2021 Read Full Article

Co-Optima Capstone Webinar Series — Last Thursday of the Month — ONLINE

The Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines (Co-Optima) initiative is accelerating the introduction of efficient, clean, affordable, and scalable high-performance vehicle fuels and engines. The Co-Optima Capstone Webinar Series highlights key takeaways from the breakthrough initiative. Webinar sessions share topline findings, potential near- and long-term impacts, research methodology, challenges, and possible

April 8, 2021 Read Full Article

Webinar: Scale-up of Biotechnologies — April 16, 2021 — ONLINE

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) will host a webinar on Friday, April 16, 2021 from 3–4 p.m. ET. The webinar will focus on BETO’s planned biotechnologies scale-up strategy and will be of interest to those who may apply to Topic Area 1 of the FY21 BETO Scale-up and Conversion

April 8, 2021 Read Full Article

U.S. Department of Energy Announces $61 Million for Biofuels Research to Reduce Transportation Emissions DEADLINE: April 30, 2021

(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced more than $61 million for technologies and processes that produce low-cost, low-carbon biofuels. Biofuels are made up of renewable resources and can power heavy-duty vehicles that are difficult to electrify with current technologies—including airplanes and ships—to help accelerate America’s path to

April 8, 2021 Read Full Article

Data Collection Project to Help Farmers Address Greenhouse Gas Emissions

by Leslie Reed (University of Nebraska–Lincoln/Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute/Nebraska Today) University of Nebraska–Lincoln researchers affiliated with the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute have received a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to better quantify carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions connected with corn production

April 8, 2021 Read Full Article

How Green Are Electric Vehicles? In Short: Very Green. But Plug-in Cars Still Have Environmental Effects.

by Hiroko Tabuchi and Brad Plumer (New York Times) Here’s a guide to the main issues and how they might be addressed. — … But a lot depends on how much coal is being burned to charge up those plug-in vehicles. And electric grids still need to get much, much

April 5, 2021 Read Full Article

Transitioning to a Sustainable Bioeconomy with Algae Biofuels and Biomaterials – Policy Directions for 2021 and Beyond

(Algae Biomass Organization) … Algae, encompassing photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic aquatic organisms including microalgae and seaweeds (macroalgae), create a highly versatile and tunable platform for the development of fuels and products. In most cases, large scale algae production can be done on marginal land, including the underdeveloped coastal area around the

April 1, 2021 Read Full Article

EIA Releases First Biofuels Capacity and Feedstocks Update

by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. Energy Information Administration on March 31 issued the first edition of its monthly Biofuels Capacity and Feedstocks Update, reporting that 20.431 billion gallons of operable U.S. biofuel production capacity was in place as of January. More than 24.657 billion pounds of feedstock was used

April 1, 2021 Read Full Article

Biocrude Passes the 2,000-hour Catalyst Stability Test

by Karyn Hede (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Sewage and food waste biocrude conversion process reaches major milestone — A large-scale demonstration converting biocrude to renewable diesel fuel has passed a significant test, operating for more than 2,000 hours continuously without losing effectiveness. Scientists and engineers led by the U.S. Department

March 26, 2021 Read Full Article

U.S. Energy Information Administration to Release New Monthly Biofuels Data

(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) announced today that it will release expanded monthly biofuels data through a new report—the Monthly Biofuels Capacity and Feedstocks Update. On March 31, 2021, EIA plans to publish the first edition of this report, which will contain January 2021 data. EIA will

March 26, 2021 Read Full Article

Next-Generation Tech for Biofuels: Refining Smart Transfer Chutes Solves a Pervasive Problem in the Biofuel Refinery Industry—Potentially Making Biofuels More Affordable

by Laura Mullane (Los Alamos National Laboratory) Helping to strengthen the economic viability of biorefineries in the production of alternative fuels derived from biomass is critical to decreasing the use of fossil fuels and mitigating carbon dioxide emissions. To that end, a collaboration between Los Alamos National Laboratory and Jenike &

March 24, 2021 Read Full Article

Researchers Are Turning Kitchen Waste into Biofuels

by Steven Ashby (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) … As part of advancing sustainable energy solutions, scientists at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory are converting food waste into clean, renewable fuel that could power our planes, trains and automobiles. … In their recent efforts, researchers successfully converted food waste from

March 24, 2021 Read Full Article

Daily on Energy: Gas Companies, Ttilities, and Labor Unions Push Biden to Support ‘Clean’ Hydrogen

by Josh Siegel and Abby Smith (Washington Examiner) … Natural gas companies, utilities, and labor unions are joining forces to lobby the Biden administration to invest in developing hydrogen as it pursues a historic federal clean energy spending program. The Clean Hydrogen Future Coalition, which launched today with a letter to President

March 23, 2021 Read Full Article

New Clean Energy Process Converts Methane to Hydrogen with Zero Carbon Dioxide Emissions

by Lynne Roeder (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Novel bimetallic catalyst also yields valuable solid carbon co-products for manufacturing industries — … Researchers from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and West Virginia University (WVU), in collaboration with industry partners Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) and C4-MCP, have developed a process that converts methane—the primary

March 22, 2021 Read Full Article

TeselaGen Partners with Berkeley Lab’s Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts Process Development Unit to Accelerate the Bioeconomy

(Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts Process Development Unit (ABPDU)/CISION) Collaboration deploys the TeselaGen AI-enabled operating system to close the gap between promising research and large-scale fermentation-based production of renewable bioproducts — TeselaGen Biotechnology and the Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts Process Development Unit (ABPDU) of the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (Berkeley Lab) announced today a partnership to advance

March 22, 2021 Read Full Article

Lawmakers Introduce Comprehensive CO2 Infrastructure Bill

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Sens. Chris Coons, D-Del., and Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Reps. Marc Veasey, D-Texas, and David McKinley, R-W.V., on March 17 introduced the Storing CO2 and Lowering Emissions (SCALE) Act, a comprehensive CO2 infrastructure package. The bill aims to support the buildout of infrastructure to transport

March 18, 2021 Read Full Article

DOE Backs Projects to Produce Hydrogen from Coal, Biomass

by Darrell Proctor (PowerMag.com) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the agency has awarded $2 million to four research and development (R&D) projects aimed at advancing clean-hydrogen production technologies. The DOE’s awards on March 15 are part of a push by the Biden administration in its fight against climate change.

March 18, 2021 Read Full Article

The Geopolitics of Critical Minerals Supply Chains

by Jane Nakano (Center for Strategic & International Studies) As clean energy technology becomes the latest frontier for geoeconomic rivalry, the security of supply chains for rare earths and critical minerals—essential materials for clean energy—has become a global strategic issue. The fragility of global supply chains revealed by Covid-19 and

March 17, 2021 Read Full Article

Aemetis Discusses Plans for Renewable Diesel, Cellulosic Ethanol

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) … McAfee (Eric McAfee, CEO of Aemetis Inc.) provided an update of the many improvement projects underway at the Keyes plant that will reduce the carbon intensity (CI) of the fuel it produces, including the use of renewable natural gas (RNG), a membrane dehydration unit,

March 16, 2021 Read Full Article

U.S. DOE Job Office to Help Fossil Fuel Workers Find Clean Energy Jobs

by Alexander Richter (Think Geoenergy) A new job office within the U.S. Department of Energy is to support fossil fuel workers find jobs in the clean energy sector, particularly in geothermal energy. — With continued announcements on a clean energy drive in the U.S. following the start of the Biden Administration,

March 16, 2021 Read Full Article

Climate Change: Jet Fuel from Waste ‘Dramatically Lowers’ Emissions

by Matt McGrath (BBC) A new approach to making jet fuel from food waste has the potential to massively reduce carbon emissions from flying, scientists say. — Currently, most of the food scraps that are used for energy around the world are converted into methane gas. But researchers in the

March 16, 2021 Read Full Article

The Green Secrets of Goat Poop – Smarter Materials, Better Medicines, and Sustainable Biofuels

(Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory/SciTechDaily) Microbes found in the goat gut microbiome could help humans convert plant material into valuable, eco-friendly commodities. Converting the tough fibers and complex sugars in plants into biofuels and other products could be humanity’s ticket to smarter materials, better medicines, and a petroleum-free, sustainable future. But harnessing

March 16, 2021 Read Full Article

Characteristics of the Soil in Biofuel Crop Fields Affect Its Potential to Store Carbon

(NewsWise) Microbiome and soil chemistry at long-term bioenergy research sites challenge the idea that switchgrass increases carbon accrual in surface soils on marginal lands. — In this study, researchers characterized the influence of crop and site on fungal and bacterial community structure, potential enzyme activity, soil carbon chemistry, and total

March 16, 2021 Read Full Article

WEBINAR: Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines Past, Present and Future: What Did We Learn and Where Do We Go Next? — September 30, 2021 — ONLINE

Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines Capstone Webinar Series: How Can Co-Optimized Fuels and SI Engines Enhance Efficiency while Reducing Carbon Emissions of LD Passenger Vehicles? While electric cars are coming off the assembly line in ever-growing numbers, vehicles with internal combustion engines using fuels produced mainly from petroleum will continue