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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) First comes the techno-economic assessment, then comes the deployment, as perhaps someone once said, or should have. For the road to bioeconomy passes through the graces of a successful evalutation of the inputs anf the outputs and the costs and values thereof. Those thoughtful assessors
Alcohol/Ethanol/Isobutanol
October 9, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the U.S. Department of Energy has selected 35 projects totaling $73 million for bioenergy research and development support. Funded through the DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, these projects will help reduce the price of drop-in biofuels, lower the cost of biopower,
October 2, 2019
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by Vicky Just (University of Bath/Phys.org) Synthetic fuels, made using carbon captured from the air, farm waste or biomass, could help the transport sector reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and meet “net-zero” greenhouse gas emission goals. A policy briefing by the Royal Society, published on 16 September, set out the
October 1, 2019
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(Michelin) The BioButterfly project launched by Michelin in 2012 has just achieved another milestone: the construction of France’s first industrial demonstrator capable of producing butadiene from ethanol. The goal is to replace the oil-based raw materials used in the company’s tires with bio-sourced molecules. — The BioButterfly project has just
September 27, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In the Digest’s Sometimes We Wonder department, we see a glut in US ethanol markets and ethanol production, but we see no effort to dehydrate ethanol to make fuel ethylene. As the final installment in our look this week at Carbon Re-Use, we’ll look at this alternative for
August 26, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Vertimass’s catalytic conversion is so cool it can convert ethanol into fungible blend stocks in one step without added hydrogen. Their technology produces hydrocarbon fuels and chemicals from biomass – taking biomass through existing biofuels facilities and adding the Vertimass bolt-on catalytic conversion, it comes out
August 26, 2019
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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … (T)oday we explore 9 of those constellations building around Sustainable Aviation Fuels. Some of them are young protostars in the earliest stage of stellar evolution, while others are like the Earth’s sun, a main-sequence mid-size star, and a few are superstars like, well,
August 26, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Organisms are interesting creatures and genetic tools and biochemical pathway knowledge is changing the way we look at them. Brian Davison, Chief Scientist for Biotechnology at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, gave this knowledge-filled presentation on how to leverage organisms for biofuels and bioproducts, consolidated bioprocessing, barriers
August 22, 2019
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by Ron Cascone and Steven Slome (Nexant/Biofuels Digest) The term “fatty acid methyl ester” or FAME has been synonymous with biodiesel for the better part of the last two decades that have seen its widespread promotion and use. This has been due to the historical low price of methanol, and the
August 14, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuhttp://radar.weather.gov/radar_lite.php?product=NCR&rid=LWX&loop=yesels Digest) Gevo produces and sells low-carbon, renewable, high-performance fuel products. From ethanol to isobutanol, jet fuel, isooctane, oxygenate blendstocks, and more, Gevo is on a mission to replace fossil based products and decarbonize products for large markets. Tim Cesarek, Executive VP and COO of Gevo gave this
August 8, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Today’s top story talks about the value of hydrogen so what better Multi-Slide Guide than SBI BioEnergy and their renewable fuel process including their new venture of what they call bio-hydrogen using a proprietary catalytic technology. Simply put, they turn bioethanol into green hydrogen via their
July 23, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … There’s the technically tougher path, which is to split ethanol and make CO2 and hydrogen. The point source, high-grade CO2 has value. The bio-based hydrogen has even more value than the ethanol. Conceptually, the recipe is simple. Take ethanol, add water, apply energy, and split
July 23, 2019
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(University of Arkansas) Jingyi Chen, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Arkansas, worked with scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory to develop a highly efficient catalyst for generating electrical energy from ethanol. Ethanol is an easy-to-store liquid fuel that can be produced from
July 3, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The U.S. Department of Energy and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have created a tiered screening process that efficiently evaluates blendstocks and includes a comprehensive blendstock evaluation process. Dan Gaspar from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory offered this illuminating presentation on the Top 10 bioblendstocks to optimize spark
June 20, 2019
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by Tom DiChristopher (CNBC) -LanzaTech sells technology that transforms carbon pollution into ethanol, a renewable fuel and feedstock for chemicals. -Founded in 2005, the start-up is now aiming to produce sustainable jet fuel and chemicals that can be used in consumer goods. -The company ranks No. 15 on CNBC’s 2019 Disruptor
May 17, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) IndianOil has a 33,000-plus work-force, extensive refining, distribution & marketing infrastructure and advanced R&D facilities. In the country’s pursuit of alternative sources of energy, IndianOil is focusing on CNG (compressed natural gas), Autogas (LPG), ethanol blended petrol, bio-diesel, and Hydrogen energy. Dr SSV Ramakumar, Director (R&D),
May 15, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Vertimass technology converts renewable ethanol into gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel blend stocks and high value chemicals. They recently had $2 million scale-up and $500k catalyst optimization awards by DOE BioEnergy Technology Office (BETO) accelerating commercialization. Charles E. Wyman, PhD,President and CEO, Vertimass, gave this illuminating overview
May 14, 2019
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by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Beyond Enerkem, a few companies around the world are looking to feedstocks outside of corn to produce cellulosic ethanol. — A few well-known ethanol producers are developing cellulosic pathways that use feedstocks other than elements of corn. … Waste Gas LanzaTech, a U.S.-based carbon capture and
May 14, 2019
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(Vertimass/Cision/PR Newswire) Vertimass’ ethanol to renewable chemicals offers ethanol producers alternative product capability — The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) has approved the addition of four new renewable chemicals to the list of those eligible under its first-in-the-nation renewable chemical production tax credit program. Vertimass technology allows the sustainable production of the
April 2, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Port of Seattle Commissioner Fred Felleman noted: “Secretary Mabus advised us to set a goal. If it’s good enough for the Navy, it’s good enough for SeaTac airport, and we’ve established a partnership with 13 airlines with a goal of moving to 10 percent renewable
March 12, 2019
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by Robert F. Service (Science Magazine) Methanol—a colorless liquid that can be made from agricultural waste—has long been touted as a green alternative to fossil fuels. But it’s toxic and only has half the energy as the same volume of gasoline. Now, researchers report they’ve created a potentially cheap way to
February 20, 2019
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by Edith Hancock (The Drinks Business) As demand for low alcohol drinks, beer in particular, has risen over the past 12 months, AB InBev’s European headquarters has struck a deal with a biofuel plant in Belgium in order to convert leftover alcohol from the brewing process into fuel. Each week the
February 19, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of February 8th. In today’s Digest, flax fiber skis, biobased turf for 2020 Olympics, Gevo’s isoprene, Veja vegan leather, castor oil jacket membrane — these and
February 8, 2019
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by Elaine Burridge (CheManagerInternational) US clean technology company Gevo has developed a catalytic process that converts waste alcohols into renewable isoprene. The company Gevo expects the isoprene produced by its proprietary process will be able to compete head-to-head on price with natural and petroleum-based chemical equivalents, while also reducing CO2 emissions.
February 6, 2019
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(GEVO/Globe Newswire) Potentially price competitive with petroleum-based isoprene, made with 100% renewable carbon — Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEVO), a leading renewable fuels and chemicals manufacturer, announced today that it has developed a proprietary, breakthrough catalytic process that transforms low-cost commercially available, or even waste by-product, renewable alcohols into renewable isoprene that would
January 29, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Byogy Renewables is producing full replacement renewable fuels for all modes of transport, including heavy transport sectors. Kevin R. Weiss, President/Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Byogy gave this illuminating presentation on the upgrading of ethanol to advanced full replacement fuels at ABLC Global 2018 in
December 18, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) We have word bubbling up simultaneously from Pennsylvania and Colorado that Gevo and Renmatix inked a joint development agreement to evaluate the commercial feasibility of creating renewable jet fuel by integrating Renmatix’s Plantrose Process with Gevo’s GIFT technology and alcohol to jet process. The key word
December 7, 2018
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(FuelCellsWorks) The U.S. Department of Energy announced $98 million in funding for 40 new projects as part of OPEN 2018, the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy’s (ARPA‑E) latest open funding opportunity. These funds will support some of America’s top energy innovators’ R&D projects as they seek to develop technologies to transform the
November 22, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Impossible Foods took the #1 spot in the 2018 “40 Hottest Technologies in the Advanced Bioeconomy” rankings, published today in The Digest, the world’s most widely-read bioeconomy daily. The announcement was made live at the Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference (ABLC Global), which is meeting
November 9, 2018
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by Jack Laurenson (Kiyv Post) Biomass as a replacement for Russian gas in heating is one grassroots initiative that has become an emerging business, earning real profits for investors. For example, the biogas outlet in Velyky Krupil, Kyiv Oblast, provides electricity for a local milk farm. The European Bank for Reconstruction
October 22, 2018
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by Neil Lancefield (Perth Now) The first commercial flight powered partly by a new form of biofuel converted from alcohol has been completed. Virgin Atlantic’s Boeing 747 aircraft landed at London Gatwick with a fuel blend containing 5.0 per cent biofuel made from industrial waste gases converted into ethanol. Sir Richard Branson, the
October 5, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From California comes the happy news that Sylavatex CEO Virginia Klausmeier is expecting a new child in a couple of weeks, and that the significant scale-up taking place in that department is paired with the news that Sylvatex and Trucent have succeeded in a scale up
October 2, 2018
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by Adrian Schofield (Aviation Daily/Aviation Week) Virgin Australia has just completed a major biofuel trial at Australia’s Brisbane Airport, and the carrier is planning further tests in the near future. Along with its partner organizations, Virgin arranged to have a biofuel blend supplied through Brisbane Airport’s aircraft refueling infrastructure. The carrier
September 14, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Gevo is a renewable technology, chemical products, and next-generation biofuels company. Gevo has developed proprietary technology that uses a combination of synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, chemistry and chemical engineering to focus primarily on the production of isobutanol, as well as related products from renewable feedstocks. Gevo’s
August 31, 2018
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(Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuel Initiative) … Feedstocks: The companies are pursuing various feedstock categories, including algae, cellulosics, lipids, sugars, oilseeds, tall oil residue, and sugars. Most of the companies were only pursuing one feedstock category, with only a couple continuing to explore multiple feedstocks or planning to migrate from food-based to
August 6, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Vertimass technology was originated at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where scientists discovered novel catalysts that convert a wide range of alcohols into various hydrocarbon blend stocks which can be used in existing gasoline, diesel and jet engines without modifications. COO John Hannon gave this illuminating overview
(European Technology and Innovation Platform-Bioenergy) On 13 June 2018 the SET-Plan Steering Group approved the Implementation Plan of SET-Plan Action 8: Bioenergy and Renewable Fuels for Sustainable Transport. The plan was prepared by a working group, co chaired by industrial experts from ETIP Bioenergy, over 9 months. It details the European
July 18, 2018
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by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) … “We’re hoping to provide alternatives to the sale of ethanol into the fuels market,” said Ron Cascone, principal with Nexant, Inc. “The theme of what I’m doing here is to show that there are options for converting ethanol to chemicals and materials that compete with the petroleum based
June 15, 2018
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(U.S. Department of Energy/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory/EurekAlert!) ASTM International updates standard for alcohol-to-jet synthetic paraffinic kerosene based on fuel produced by PNNL partner LanzaTech — ASTM International recently revised ASTM D7566 Annex A5 — the Standard Specification for Aviation Turbine Fuel Containing Synthesized Hydrocarbons — to add ethanol as an approved feedstock
June 12, 2018
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by Luca Zullo (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Greenyug) With existing capabilities, chemical coproducts represent a low-hanging fruit for the industry. Ethanol, in fact, is a better feedstock for some chemicals than oil-based sources. … The chemical industry predates the oil industry, but it is the development of industrial organic chemistry, made possible by
May 30, 2018
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(Yle) In order to avoid unwanted attention from industrial spies, the biofuel – which could replace gasoline and diesel – was developed in secret. — A professor at Turku’s Åbo Akademi and Sweden’s Umeå University says he has managed to develop a fuel based entirely on biomass with the same properties as
May 29, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) SAF development in Europe. An update on EU policy and initiatives by SkyNRG’s Oskar Meijerink at ABLC in Washington, DC on March 1, 2018. READ MORE
May 17, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ABLC 2018 wrapped up with the ABLC Wolfpack including James Iademarco from Strategic Avalanche, David Dodds with Dodds & Associates, Ron Cascone from NEXANT, independent consultant Paul Bryan, and Joel Stone from ConVergince. While they didn’t howl at the moon, they were voracious, vicious wolves analyzing 8 major projects with
April 24, 2018
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by Tim Albrecht (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The ethanol industry has polished its coproduction of distillers grains. Now, a handful of companies have found different uses for DDGS, or ethanol itself, that can provide new value-added coproducts for the industry. Ethanol is flexible and can be used to make chemicals for products
April 20, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, an ASTM International Sub-Committee has voted in favor of revising specification D7566 (Standard Specification for Aviation Turbine Fuel Containing Synthesized Hydrocarbons) to include ethanol in addition to isobutanol; and increase the approved blend levels from 30% to 50% — that is, the percentage of
April 9, 2018
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(Renewables Now) California-based biofuel firm Byogy Renewables Inc on Thursday said an approval by ASTM of a new specification will allow ethanol to be used as a feedstock to produce renewable jet fuel. According to the company, the new ASTM specification for the first time provides a direct link between the
April 4, 2018
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(Byogy Renewables/PR Newswire) California biofuel company Byogy Renewables welcomes last week’s ASTM Alcohol To Jet (ATJ) ethanol based specification ballot measure approval, putting Byogy on track as a leader to produce one of the world’s first “full replacement” renewable jet fuels. The ASTM emerging fuels division voted in favor of a new
March 30, 2018
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(Vertimass/PR Newswire) Vertimass’ ethanol to renewable fuels and chemicals offers exceptional corn growth potential — The National Corn Growers Association named Vertimass LLC as one of six awardees of the “Consider Corn Challenge: New Uses for Field Corn as Feedstock for Making Sustainable Chemicals” Competition. This prestigious recognition was announced at
March 9, 2018
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Sunfire’s key technology is the Solid Oxide Power Core – a stack of high-temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs). SOFCs convert chemical energy from a gaseous fuel into electricity and heat. Unlike conventional fuel cells, Sunfire fuel cells can also be operated with different hydrocarbons, such as natural gas, bio
(GreenAir Online) Engine manufacturer GE Aviation has started jet engine combustor testing using unblended renewable alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) fuel produced by Gevo. The testing is part of the FAA’s Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions and Noise Program (CLEEN) and is specifically designed to enable greater displacement of petroleum-based jet fuel by bio-based alternative products.
February 5, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … The clearest intersecting theme is bio-methanol. Let’s see why. For one, Södra has much more going on than Silva, and we reported on a major development in December when we related that Södra will invest more than $12.5 million in the production of biomethanol, a
January 25, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Byogy has developed a catalytic platform that converts any source of ethanol, butanol, mixed alcohols, or related olefins, into full replacement, and cost competitive biofuels including gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. Byogy’s jet fuel is not an additive, but instead, a full replacement standalone fuel, and
January 10, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A mere “The Year in Rewind” as we sail into 2018? Not the good ship Digest! Instead, we dust off our crystal ball and offer our predictions for the year ahead. As the sunset of 2017 gives way to the dawn of 2018, once again roll
January 3, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Vertimass technology was originated at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where scientists discovered novel catalysts that convert a wide range of alcohols into various hydrocarbon blend stocks which can be used in existing gasoline, diesel and jet engines without modifications. CEO Charles Wyman gave this illuminating overview
December 26, 2017
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(GEVO) Testing Being Performed as Part of FAA’s CLEEN Program to Promote the Use of Bio-Based Jet Fuels — Gevo, Inc.(NASDAQ:GEVO), announced today (December 11, 2017) that GE Aviation had commenced jet engine combustor component testing with a jet fuel comprised 100% of Gevo’s renewable alcohol-to-jet fuel (ATJ) . The testing
December 14, 2017
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(Biofuels International) An innovative gene editing technique could allow algae to produce ‘vast’ quantities of renewable fuels, new research claims. The method, developed by scientists at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, could lead to cheap ways of producing fuels, medicine, and products to be used in the cosmetics, food and
December 14, 2017
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(Business Insider/PR Newswire/Greenbelt Resources) Greenbelt Resources Corporation (OTC: GRCO) has agreed to perform feedstock testing with Central Coast Wine Services (CCWS) to test various streams of wastes generated in the winemaking process. The wastes will be tested for potential use as feedstock for PRECO, Greenbelt’s “Paso Robles ECOsystem” project, a local
October 25, 2017
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By Michael Eggleston* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Flying in Formation: Since the first test flight almost 10 years ago, there have been over 40,000 commercial flights supported by four international airports supplying SAFs. Michael Gill, Executive Director of the cross-industry Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) says that analysis has shown that
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Somewhere in the files of the Department of Energy it is called the Chemical Catalysis for Bioenergy Consortium. Inside the halls of National Labs, they call it ChemCatBio. … They’re on a mission to bring forward commercial bioenergy applications two times faster and at half the cost If
October 5, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Vertimass gained its intermediate technology validation with the US DOE’s Bioenergy Technology Office, which verified performance against negotiated milestones, provided progress on scale-up, and reviewed Vertimass’ estimated cost for their transformative catalytic technology. BETO verification effectively opens the door for Vertimass to move
August 23, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy has set a goal to “Select and develop at least one route for catalytic upgrading of sugars/related intermediates and/or biologically derived intermediates into fuel blendstockswith conversion performance than can achieve a MFSP of $3/GGE by 2022 with >25% (GGE basis)
August 7, 2017
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And No Extra Hydrogen: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to One-Step, High-Yield, Drop-In Biofuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Vertimass’ John Hannon gave this illuminating overview of one-step, high-yield production of drop-in fuels without added hydrogen, at the 2017 DOE Project Peer Review sessions. READ MORE
June 22, 2017
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Biomass Magazine) The Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials recently released a report reviewing its 2016 activities and highlighting its increased impact and presence in the global renewable fuels industry. The report shows the organization launched a new set of advisory services last year, revised and approved
June 8, 2017
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by Debbie Sniderman (Ethanol Producer Magazine) KnipBio, a Massachusetts-based biotechnology company, has developed a series of microbes that converts low-cost feedstocks into premium, nutritious, single-cell proteins that are an alternative to fishmeal in aquaculture. Its fermentation process yields a protein flour that is laden with immunity-boosting, pigment-enhancing carotenoids to produce healthier,
June 2, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Alcohol-to-jet. Several are working on it – Byogy, for example, and Vertimass, Virent and LanzaTech. But Gevo has been working through the rigorous ASTM process for six years, which includes extensive engine testing and data analysis by all of the major original equipment manufacturers to establish
June 2, 2017
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by Jin-Suk Lee and Kyu-Young Kang (IEA Bioenergy Task 39) Since Korea imports over 95% of its energy demand, thus energy security has always been an important driver in the national agenda. In addition, CO2 mitigation has become another important driver as a globally significant issue. The Korea Ministry of Environment (KMOE)
May 9, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Digest’s Complete March Madness webinars – 700+ slides available for your on-demand review. — The Digest’s March Madness series – 20 webinars covering the hottest topics as selected by Digest readers – featuring dozens of industry experts and more than 700 slides – are
May 5, 2017
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(Commercial Alternative Aviation Fuels Initiative) The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently released the aviation biofuels report, “Potential Avenues for Significant Biofuels Penetration in the U.S. Aviation Market.” The report finds that it is possible to displace 30 percent of projected domestic jet fuel demand with biofuels by 2030. This
May 5, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This week, we hosted a webinar what is universally agreed to be the single largest new application of advanced industrial biotechnology — this is the Big Kahuna, or sustainable aviation fuel. Sustainability is critical to airlines, and manufacturers are in close collaboration. Alternatives are not abundant: an electric
April 28, 2017
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(Vertimass, LLC) One of four advanced biofuels and bioproducts technology companies invited to present — Vertimass LLC is proud to announce that it is one of four companies selected to present at the “Pitch for a Green Future” session at the “Bioeconomy 2017: Domestic Resources for a Vibrant Future” conference
April 20, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Byogy has developed a catalytic platform that converts any source of ethanol, butanol, mixed alcohols, or related olefins, into full replacement, and cost competitive biofuels including gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. Byogy’s jet fuel is not an additive, but instead, a full replacement standalone fuel,
March 22, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) So there’s this gap, say researchers at Utrecht University in their report on aviation biofuels, between the emission goals that airlines have set themselves (call this, carbon-neutral growth), and what is going to be achieved through operational efficiency. Totaling 232 million tonnes of CO2 over
February 27, 2017
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by Yuthan Praiwan (Bangkok Post) … At the same time, BCPG’s parent firm state-majority-owned oil refiner BCP is conducting a feasibility study for a new investment project, worth 3 billion baht. President Chaiwat Kovavisarach, said that the new project entails a speciality product made from ethanol and biodiesel. “I can only
February 23, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The program objective seen in these slides is to take a technology from Technical Readiness Level 2 to TRL 3/4 — a technology that directly upgrades ethanol to a drop-in hydrocarbon fuel at a high yield. Among the investors here are three of the technology
February 22, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … (S)omething less than $200 million has been so far positively and affordably earmarked by lenders to revolutionize the entire supply chain of US air transportation fuels. Which is to say, you can just about get better terms for money from loansharkers to bet on the
February 21, 2017
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by Kerry Reals (Runway Girl Network) … But despite widespread concerns, Kevin Weiss, the chief executive of Byogy Renewables – the developer of an alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) fuel process for the aviation industry – tells RGN he is optimistic that the Trump administration will “embrace” clean energy companies, as long as they
January 23, 2017
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by Joe Petrie (AviationPros.com) At Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac), Alaska Airlines is forging ahead with plans to implement a biofuel supply for its commercial jets. … Carol Sim, director of environmental affairs for Alaska Airlines, said the company’s move to new fuel began about seven years ago when a
December 30, 2016
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) LanzaTech’s gas fermentation platform disrupts the current highly centralized global energy system by enabling the regional production of low-cost energy from local wastes and residues, including gases as varied as industrial flue gas, gasified biomass wastes and residues, biogas, and high-CO2 stranded natural gas. The
December 30, 2016
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(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the Energy Department (DOE) announced the selection of six projects for up to $12.9 million in federal funding, entitled, “Project Definition for Pilot- and Demonstration-Scale Manufacturing of Biofuels, Bioproducts, and Biopower.” These projects, required to share the cost at a minimum of 50%, will develop
December 28, 2016
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by Bernard Cooker (Chemical Processing Solutions/Biofuels Digest) This is a review of the biomass-fed chemical process projects to renewable chemicals which were published in Chemical Engineering Progress (CEP) and Chemical and Engineering News (C&EN) from 1/1/16 to 10/31/16, including activity in bioplastics, biopolymers and biochemicals. It is based on a spreadsheet
December 8, 2016
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Greenyug is a privately held technology development company with a mission to research, develop and commercialize production of commodity chemicals, specialty chemicals, polymers and fuels derived from renewable sources. The laboratory facility is based in Santa Barbara and the scale-up and process development facility is
December 6, 2016
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) If you were reading BBC’s coverage of the aviation biofuels space yesterday, you would have seen the provocative headline: Wood fuel plan to cut plane CO2 branded as ‘pipe dream’ Then would have looked in vain for the quoted reference to “pipe dream”…because there wasn’t
August 31, 2016
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by Lorenz Bauer (Lee Enterprises Consulting, Inc./Biofuels Digest) What’s up with C5 and C6 sugars? Given that a significant portion of the several billion dollars spent on renewable fuels spending involves these molecules, it is not surprising that progress is fast and furious. This note provides an overview and snapshot
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From Australia comes the news that the country’s former Federal Resources and Energy Minister, Martin Ferguson, is now the chairman of the advisory board for Byogy Renewables, the California-based alcohol-to-jet fuel pioneer that has been working towards an Australia-based first commercial project. Now, many people
July 5, 2016
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … In California, Greenyug said it will build an industrial-scale ethyl acetate manufacturing facility adjacent to Archer Daniels Midland Company’s wet mill corn processing facilities in Columbus, Nebraska. Greenyug has formed a subsidiary, Prairie Catalytic that will own and operate the facility. The partners have
June 21, 2016
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Fuel cells are important technology. You may remember them from the space program. They show up in the drama of Apollo 13, for example. Many car companies have investigated their potential — but here’s a breakthrough that appears to address the major infrastructure and environmental
June 16, 2016
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by Committee on Propulsion and Energy Systems to Reduce Commercial Aviation Carbon Emissions; Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board; Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences; National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (National Academies Press) The primary human activities that release carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere are the combustion of fossil
June 1, 2016
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(IEA Implementing Agreement for Renewable Energy Technology Deployment) The integration of advanced (2nd generation / 2G) biofuel plants with conventional (1st generation / 1G) biofuel plants can lead to significant synergies and cost savings, especially for bioethanol plants. For biodiesel, conversion of fossil refineries to advanced biofuel production is another
May 20, 2016
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by Mahmood Ebadian (Biomass and Bioenergy Research Group/Biomass Supply Chain Consulting Ltd./Biofuels Digest) …With specialization occurring in feedstock engineering, these new business entities will be well-positioned to produce multiple products including both intermediate and final bio-products. In other words, they will be multi-product firms that exploit the economics of scope
May 11, 2016
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Russia, ETB Catalytic Technologies has received $0.6 million from ZAVKOM and Skolkovo Fund as a series A investment to build a pilot plant for the production of 1,3-butadiene from ethanol, The investors received 22% of ETB CaT LLC. Why butadiene? Butadiene is a feedstock
April 12, 2016
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Yesterday, we held a well-attended webinar on “Drop-In Fuels” Here below is the first slide deck presented on the day. We’ll have the remainder of slides tomorrow. The recorded version can be accessed here. READ MORE
March 31, 2016
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by Kapil Lokare (Lee Enterprises/Ethanol Producer Magazine) … Jet Fuel Potential — Another large-scale market attracts developers in alcohol-to-jet fuel blends. For example, a Boeing 747 consumes approximately 1 gallon of fuel per second. Over the course of a 10-hour flight, it burns about 36,000 gallons, or approximately 5 gallons per mile. Multitude
February 22, 2016
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, the Digest has released the 30 Hottest Biobased Molecules for 2016, as voted by the Digest’s global readership. The Readers were surveyed over December and January, and rated more than 100 individual molecules “of little interest now”, “some interest now, maybe more later,”
January 14, 2016
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Alcohol-to-jet. Several are working on it – Byogy, for example, and Vertimass, Virent and LanzaTech. But Gevo has been working through the rigorous ASTM process for six years, which includes extensive engine testing and data analysis by all of the major original equipment manufacturers to
December 17, 2015
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As ASTM technical balloting is underway and as experts sift through and request revised submissions of technical data, insiders are pointing to an early 2016 approval for Gevo’s renewable alcohol-to-jet fuel. In Washington, CAAFI Executive Director Steve Csonka declared a “high confidence level” in the
December 17, 2015
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(PR NewsWire) The Port of Seattle, Alaska Airlines [NYSE: ALK] and Boeing [NYSE: BA] are partnering to move toward a significant environmental goal: powering all flights by all airlines at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport with sustainable aviation biofuel. Sea-Tac is the first U.S. airport to lay out a long-term roadmap to
December 16, 2015
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by Tina Hilding (Washington State University News) Washington State University researchers have developed a catalyst that easily converts bio-based ethanol to a widely used industrial chemical, paving the way for more environmentally friendly, bio-based plastics and products. The researchers have published a paper online describing the catalyst in the Journal
December 15, 2015
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) …Are high prices good for renewable fuels? The hard data actually goes the other way. The Digest investigates. … What we can see from the following chart is confirmation that fracking and other enhanced oil recovery techniques have uncovered a vast supply of fossil-based hydrocarbons
December 7, 2015
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Minnesota Awards $26 Million to Fund Sweetwater’s Biochemical Facility — In Minnesota, Sweetwater Energy has received commitment for $26 million in long-term loans from the state of Minnesota to construct a biochemical production facility near Mountain Iron in northeastern Minnesota. The $53M facility will use
November 9, 2015
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(Green Car Congress) Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have discovered that the reactions underlying the transformation of ethanol into higher-grade hydrocarbons unfolds in a different manner than previously thought. The research, supported by DOE’s BioEnergy Technologies Office (BETO), has implications for the energy efficiency and cost of catalytic
November 6, 2015
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by Katie Fletcher (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. Department of Defense has yet to purchase alternative fuels beyond testing and demonstration purposes, but intentions remain. — In July, the U.S. Government Accountability Office published a report observing U.S. Department of Defense investments in alternative fuels. Its purpose was to review the
November 3, 2015
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Vertimass completed its DOE technology validation that verifies the benchmark performance, initial process design and preliminary cost information for a new award of $2 million by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technology Office. This achievement allows Vertimass to move fully forward with
November 2, 2015
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by Yana Palagacheva (ICIS News) … After successfully establishing its alternative ethanol production route, Abengoa is now seeking to diversify its portfolio with its bio-alcohols project, particularly bio-butanol. “We have quite a wide branch of final products and right now we want to come within the bio-chemical sector through the butanol project,”
October 22, 2015
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by Dr Kapil S Lokare (Biofuels Digest/Emerging Technologies Division of Lee Enterprises Consulting, Inc.) … Globally it has been recognized that there is an urgent need to create paradigm shifting disruptive technology that would help sustain individual economies – with the goal to sustain life on earth. Events such as the 1973-oil
October 15, 2015
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(US Department of Energy) The Energy Department today announced two additional projects selected to receive up to $4 million to develop next-generation biofuels that will help reduce the cost of producing gasoline, diesel, and jet fuels from biomass. These projects—in addition to five projects previously selected in October 2014 under the
August 27, 2015
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by Jesse Sokolow (Frequent Business Traveler) Alaska Airlines announced a new partnership with Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance, or NARA, that is aimed at furthering the production and use of alternative jet fuel made from leftover tree limbs and branches after a forest harvest. Alaska says it plans to conduct a
August 25, 2015
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by Jon C. Ogg (24/7 Wall Street) … The EPA is now seeking public input to inform future steps by the agency regarding emissions from the commercial airline sector. While the effort is new, this has been coming for years. One of the potential beneficiaries will be the biofuels makers. Still,
June 30, 2015
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by Cindy Zimmerman (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Expanding export markets for U.S. ethanol was the focus last month as a group of industry representatives to Mexico and Japan on trade missions coordinated through a partnership between the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), U.S. Grains Council and Growth Energy. … The group met
June 19, 2015
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(American Council on Renewable Energy) ACORE Brings Together Biofuel Industry to Publish Comments Addressing RFS Rules — Industry leaders and ACORE members take up issues with co-location requirements under the RFS which impede advanced biofuels development. Today, the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) has submitted a white paper to the U.S.
May 18, 2015
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by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Biobased chemicals are two steps closer to the tipping point when the growing demand for sustainable products opens huge global markets for renewables. Last fall, DuPont announced a deal to sell its cellulosic ethanol to Proctor and Gamble to be used in laundry
May 14, 2015
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Alaska Airlines ups the ante in the search for sustainable, affordable jet fuels. In Colorado, Gevo and Alaska Airlines announced a strategic alliance to purchase Gevo’s renewable jet fuel and fly the first-ever commercial flight on alcohol-to-jet fuel (ATJ). The demonstration flight is expected to occur
May 8, 2015
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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: “TSCA doesn’t apply because our product is not toxic,” “TSCA
April 27, 2015
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(The Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group/The Oil Price Information Network) (The Oil Price Information Network (OPIS) spoke with BRAG’s Richard E. Engler, Ph.D., Senior Policy Advisor with B&C, regarding the application of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to oils made from algae feedstocks and other non-traditional bio-materials. The
April 16, 2015
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by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Specialty chemical manufacturer Croda Inc. is planning to break ground in April on a $170 million upgrade to its Atlas Point manufacturing site in Delaware. When completed in about two years, the company will begin converting between 10 million and 14 million gallons
March 30, 2015
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Great Scott! New molecules, new feedstocks, new technologies, and reaching scale — the best of the best. At ABLC 2015, the focus on innovation included a complete program on aviaiton — and numerous producers elsewhere on the program are producing aviation biofuels as a party
March 30, 2015
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by Bekezela Phakathi (Business Day Live) The Western Cape government is investigating alternative uses for cheap, low-quality wine, such as converting it into biofuel for tractors and generators as part of efforts to curb alcohol abuse. But such a move could face resistance from producers. … The conversion of wine
March 5, 2015
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … In the world of aviation biofuels, the bands and the bunting are rolling out less frequently. But mostly, because the sector has moved out of a noise-filled early R&D phase and is heading towards deployment. Someday, aviation biofuels will be as routine as topping off
February 20, 2015
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(Croda) Croda International Plc, manufacturers of speciality chemical ingredients that enhance everyday consumer and industrial products, today announced its plans to make a significant investment at its Atlas Point manufacturing site in Delaware, North America that will enable the site to produce 100% sustainable non-ionic surfactants. Derived exclusively from plant
December 31, 2014
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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 the dairy model, or “milking mode”, where the
December 5, 2014
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(Vertimass) “Green” Catalyst Technology Will be Commercialized Into Stocks Compatible With Current Transportation Fuel Infrastructure Vertimass LLC announced today the company has received a grant of up to $2 million from the U.S. Department of Energy. The grant was awarded to aid the organization in its mission to commercialize “green”
December 3, 2014
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