by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Accelergy uses advanced catalysts and state-of-the-art process technologies to transform natural gas, biomass, and/or coal into clean specialty products and transportation fuels. Accelergy’s Hydroconversion to X (where X = solvents, lubricants, performance fluids, or fuels)
by Phil McKenna (Green Biz) The fate of the world’s oceans may rest inside a stainless steel tank not quite the size of a small beer keg. Inside, genetically modified bacteria turn corn syrup into a churning mass of polymers that
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Which microbes achieve a better, faster, cheaper transformation of the world around us? ... Down there in the mud, too small to be seen with the naked eye, are some of your new best friends.
(Liquid Light/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Liquid Light announced it has signed a technology development agreement with The Coca-Cola Co. The objective of the agreement is to accelerate the development of Liquid Light’s technology which can make mono-ethylene glycol (MEG) from carbon dioxide. Liquid
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Newlight Technologies has signed a 20-year take-or-pay off-take agreement with Vinmar International for 1 billion pounds of AirCarbon PHA. Critical to the deal? Newlight’s catalyst aims to transform the economics of PHA-based plastics, solving
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Drop-in Hydrocarbon fuels made directly by plants? Here. we look at the science and risks of turning an “ability” into an “industrial reality”. It’s common knowledge that terrestrial plants (and many aquatic species) use carbon dioxide,
by Kelly Taylor (Chronicle Herald) ... Still, ethanol does have some advantages, including lower net greenhouse gas emissions due to its recycling of carbon-dioxide emitted by today’s plants (or factories), as opposed to oil, which is releasing the CO2 of plants
by Osaretin Omorodion* (Advanced Biofuels USA) During late March 2015, the US Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) offered what amounted to a seminar for the public consisting of a series of presentations from industry professionals and researchers
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) New targets, new markets, new tech, new methods, new outcomes.LanzaTech, Genomatica, Amyris and Brazil’s CTBE share in-depth presentations from the 37th Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals. 100 of the most fascinating slides you’ll
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Massachusetts, news arrives from Joule that the company’s CO2-recycled ethanol meets US and European fuel specifications. No one is dying of surprise that they would do so, but getting Joule fuels registered for commercial
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Massachusetts, the remarkable journey of Joule Unlimited towards commercial-scale continued to add exciting chapters with the news that the company has closed on $40 million in private equity and venture debt financing, supporting
by Lynn Yarris (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Berkeley Lab Researchers Perform Solar-powered Green Chemistry with Captured CO2 -- A potentially game-changing breakthrough in artificial photosynthesis has been achieved with the development of a system that can capture carbon dioxide emissions before
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) An effort is underway in the UK to classify, within the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation, “novel low carbon fuels” made by companies such as LanzaTech, Joule, Solar Jet, Velocys, Sunfire, Pyreco and others. -- In the
by Richard E. Engler, Ph.D. (Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. and The Acta Group) When I meet people from bioeconomy companies, I ask them about their products’ status under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The most common answers I receive are:
(TopSpeed.com) According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, carbon dioxide levels are at an 800,000-year high, but what if we could pluck CO2 particles out of thin air to use as a raw material for a carbon-neutral fuel? It’s
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Why not use the materials we don’t need, to produce the fuels we do need? ... (R)educe, re-use, recycle. Use what’s already there. And there’s nothing more powerful in the Imperial Department of Re-Use than sustainable agricultural
(Algae Industry Magazine) Fort Myers, Florida-based Algenol has joined the U.S. Secretary of Energy, Ernest Moniz, and the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Penny Pritzker, on a business development mission to China. Other influential companies including GE, Southern Company, Honeywell, Praxair,
(U.S. Department of Energy) This Funding Opportunity Announcement is focused on developing transformational technologies for CO2 capture and purification at the lab-scale, TRL 3-4, through bench-scale, TRL 5, for pulverized-coal and Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle power plants, and transfer and
by Elizabeth Cooney (Harvard Medical School/Wyss Institute) Harvard scientists have created a system that could speed adoption of solar-generated fuels as a power source ... Now scientists from a team spanning Harvard University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard Medical School and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, a new UC Berkeley study shows that if biomass electricity production is combined with carbon capture and sequestration in the western United States, by 2050 power generators could reduce emissions up to 145
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Mexico’s BioFields pours in $65 million to commercialize next-gen algae-to-fuels venture -- In Florida, Algenol, a pioneer in turning CO2 emissions into fuels, announced that it has closed on a new $25 million investment from BioFields, a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Oil prices continue to show incredible volatility. $106 in June, $50 today. Which biofuels ventures have the pro-formas to make money in a tough market? The Digest investigates. ... Avello Bioenergy Cost: $57.50 per barrel (gasoline, diesel) Stage: Preparing for
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Bunnies, liposuction fat, Prince Charles’ leftover wine, day-old whale, the human poo bus, fire ants dipped in hexane, old beer, raging fireballs, vibrating blobs, dope, and even the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Take your pick and,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Aviation biofuels on the rise, in the skies” tops the trend list; drop-in and cellulosic ethanol projects; M&A and cap raises, and action from strategic investors and customers dominate the headlines this year. You might know
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Oberon Fuels is launching DME (dimethyl ether) in North America as a clean-burning, alternative to diesel. Using various, domestic feedstocks such as food and green waste and natural gas, Oberon has developed a modular, small-scale
by Matt Carr (Biomass Magazine/Algae Biomass Organization) ... To control carbon dioxide (CO2), the agency (Environmental Protection Agency) places a significant emphasis on burying emissions underground (carbon capture and sequestration or CCS), but I believe it should equally encourage the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Take CO2, add water and an energy source: voila, Fuels & Chemicals from Microbial Dairies. We revisit 3 top practitioners of the art and one outlier, and their progress. ... There are a number of technologies based on
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) 14 perspectives on policy, technologies and geographies of compelling interest in the new year -- At ABLC Next this year in San Francisco — naturally, the focus is on “what’s next” in technology, finance, deployment
(Audi) New Audi activity in the development of CO2-neutral fuels; Pilot plant for e-diesel production opened in Dresden; Audi partnership with Climeworks and sunfire Audi is active in the development of CO2-neutral, synthetic fuels. The latest project is a pilot plant in Dresden
by Andrew Hard (Digital Trends) ... Now Audi has announced the development of “e-diesel,” a CO2-neutral fuel made from sustainable raw materials like air, water, and electricity. Like e-gas, e-diesel is created by combining hydrogen and CO2. Using a method called air capturing
by Martin LaMonica (Xconomy) The list of advanced biofuel companies that failed to live up to their ambitions is long and discouraging. Joule Unlimited, though, appears to be making progress despite the headwinds of skeptical investors and, more recently, falling oil
by Michael Kanellos (Forbes) ... But give biofuel execs credit: they learn from the past. Much of the activity centers around developing fuels and chemicals out of waste products and virtually everyone is adopting strategies to minimize the capital requirements
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sapphire Energy’s new multi-market product approach Joule’s breakthrough photosynthetic efficiency Cellana – multi-products for algae, just like petroleum READ MORE
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Illinois, LanzaTech and a research team from the IOC-DBT Center for Advanced Bio-Energy Research (an entity co-funded by India’s Department of Biotechnology and Indian Oil Corporation Limited) announced the development of a new process
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Let me get this straight. The EPA says that emissions from petroleum are bad. Landfilling carbon is really bad. Climate change is really, really bad. Recycling is good. So far, understood. But now the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... To Aemetis, a route to improved margins that will also help the environment. Here’s how. News arrives from Aemetis, via its latest SEC filings, that the company has “entered into an agreement with Denmark-based Union
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The state of R&D so far. 4 NAABB advances have brought the cost of algae biocrude oil down to $7.50 per gallon. 3 roadblocks remain between today’s cost and $3.00. In our two-part series, we look first
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A new agricultural outlook report published by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations predicts that the consumption and production of biofuels will increase
by Sam A. Rushing (Advanced Cryogenics, Ltd./Biofuels Digest) ... The problem with CO2 sequestration and carbon reduction schemes is the lack of economic return for many purely sequestration projects, unless government funding or subsidies are guaranteed. Then, the challenge is to
(Navigant Research) Viewed as a game changer in the race to commercialize advanced biofuels, aviation and marine biofuels represent a very significant opportunity for emerging producers in the advanced biofuels industry. Demand for advanced biofuels produced from sustainable, non-food feedstocks
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Could a liquid fuel technology emerge that connects solar PV to the efficiency of electric engines — but, this time with long driving range and near-instant refueling instead of laborious recharging? And, could the liquid fuel
by Karin Kloosterman (Israel21c.org) An Israeli professor is poised to ramp up production of an exciting alternative to polluting jet fuels and natural gas. An Israeli research team from Ben-Gurion University has developed something that seems like fuel for the futuristic
by Jenna Iacurci (Nature World News) Algenol, an up-and-coming company that specializes in algae-based biofuels, has developed and perfected its revolutionary technology, likely securing its spot as the next generation's leader in renewable energy. In collaborating with University of Toronto scientists,
by David Dodge and Duncan Kinney (Beacon News) Algae is a pretty important organism. It’s used in food, fertilizer and sewage treatment. Oh, and algae can also eat raw industrial smokestack emissions for breakfast to create pond biofuels. Steve Martin was so
(National Algae Association) The National Algae Association is pleased to announce that one of its algae incubator program companies, Natural Algae Production, LLC of Louisiana, has broken ground on a new 10 acre algae farm. NAA believes hundreds of commercial
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... From Massachusetts, word arrived from Joule this week that the EPA has favorably reviewed the company’s Microbial Commercial Activity Notice for Joule’s first commercial ethanol-producing catalyst. This clears the catalyst for commercial use at the
by Chris Luvardi (herald-review.com) Archer Daniels Midland Co. passed through a public hearing process Wednesday with limited concern voiced about its proposal to drill a second injection well in Decatur to store carbon dioxide deep underground. The hearing at the Decatur Public
(American Council On Renewable Energy) Today (June 2, 2014), the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) announced that it has submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) which sought stakeholder input regarding the biofuel pathways that the DOE's Bioenergy Technologies
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) EPA comes down hard on CO2, with proposed rule calling for deep emission cuts, but opts for highly-flexible, state-by-state approach. Carbon Capture and Use not deemed a key strategy, but algae advocates aim to change
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Think algae biofuels are real and near? Or, think it’s a promotional scheme for attracting finance for nutraceuticals and academic bridges-to-nowhere? The barriers might be more, or less, daunting than you think. Let’s look at
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The migration from first-gen to next-gen biofuels is becoming less ‘Invisible’ — and the new landscape is not, by anyone’s estimation, an ‘Ordinary World’. If Aemetis’ latest earnings hadn’t rocked your world quite enough, here
(Joule) Marking another step towards commercial readiness of CO2-neutral fuels, Joule today announced that its Sunflow®-D and Sunflow®-J products meet the standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) for diesel and jet fuel, respectively. Joule products achieve all accepted standards for fuel
by Mary-Russell Roberson (News Observer) Bruce Dannenberg is a big fan of cyanobacteria – the ancient lineage of organisms you may remember from high school as blue-green algae. Turns out cyanobacteria aren’t algae after all; hence the name change. But
by Daniel Parry (U.S. Naval Research Laboratory/Renewable Energy World) Navy researchers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), Materials Science and Technology Division, demonstrate proof-of-concept of novel NRL technologies developed for the recovery of carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen (H2)
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In Kansas, INVISTA and LanzaTech signed a research and development agreement focused on the development of gas-fermentation process technology for the production of industrial chemicals from carbon dioxide and hydrogen gas (CO2 and H2) feedstocks. According
by Will Dunham (Reuters Africa) ... The scientists said their process turns carbon monoxide gas into liquid ethanol with the help of an electrode made of a form of copper. They said the new technique may be more environmentally friendly and efficient
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) On ABLC's opening morning, we have some of the top slides -an inside look from Inbicon, Ensyn, GranBio, Sapphire Energy, LanzaTech - hot topics such as product portfolios, refinery integration, policy cliffs, the use of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Hydrocarbon fuel from seawater and nothing else? Is it possible? Not only possible, but demonstrated as a process, and tested in a model plane. How does it rate on the Hooey scale? The Digest investigates. In
by Olli Ernvall (Technical Research Centre of Finland/Renewable Energy World) Algae are organisms useful in many ways in the transition towards a bio-economy. Even in a cool climate as in Finland, algae might be used to produce biochemicals and biofuels, besides
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Both companies produce advanced biofuels for the American domestic market. Both utilize advanced technologies deployed at commercial-scale in the past 24 months. Both are publicly-traded stocks. Both were founded in 2006-07, after the Energy Policy
(Algae Industry Magazine) This American Land travels to Shenandoah, Iowa, to take a look at BioProcess Algae’s novel technology for recycling CO2 from corn ethanol production into algae production. WATCH VIDEO and Duke Power VIDEO
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Sweetwater Energy and Proterro, two companies using widely different approaches, aim for low-cost sugar that may give today’s corn ethanol plants a glide path into advanced ethanol production. They're in different stages, but share
by Anne Trafton (MIT News) MIT chemists have devised a way to trap carbon dioxide and transform it into useful organic compounds, using a simple metal complex. More work is needed to understand and optimize the reaction, but one day this
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Reduce carbon? Rid the world of excess CO2? Not so fast, buster. A new generation of technologies has come along that capture, re-purpose and monetize CO2 emissions. Will they realize their promise? As Liquid Light steps out of
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