by George Heagney (Stuff) A research and development centre producing the “ingredients” for plastic alternatives and environmentally friendly products has started work in Rangitīkei. GreenChem chief executive Kevin Snowdon opened its new facility in Marton on Friday, where they have a pressure cooker machine that breaks wood down to lignin. Lignin
Forestry/Wood/Residues/Waste
June 5, 2023
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(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) hosted the 2023 Project Peer Review on April 3-7, 2023, in Denver, CO. During this in-person event, more than 280 projects in BETO’s research, development, and demonstration portfolios presented their progress and accomplishments to the public and were reviewed by more
June 2, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In this presentation, Aemetis CEO Eric McAfee took the ABLC 2023 stage in Washington DC to outline the company’s milestones, technology, financial estimates, policy asks, its portfolio of Carbon Zero One projects, and the company’s expansion in RNG, advanced fuels and more. McAfee also picked
June 2, 2023
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(IEA Bioenergy) The IEA Bioenergy Annual Report 2022 includes the summary of a special feature article ‘Material and Energy Valorization of Waste as Part of a Circular Model’ prepared by Task 36 (full article available here). The Annual Report also features a report from the Executive Committee and a detailed progress report
May 31, 2023
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(SkyNRG) SkyNRG’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel Market Outlook update comes amid ReFuelEU agreement, advancement of UK mandate discussions and tax credits in the U.S. being implemented. Landmark legislation on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the EU, the U.S. and the UK will increase demand and supply of SAF. Blending mandates and
May 31, 2023
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(Ontario Natural Resources and Forestry) Province announces close to $20 million for new Forest Biomass Program –The Government of Ontario is strengthening the economy and promoting innovation in the forest sector with the creation of a new, $19.6 million Forest Biomass Program. This application-based program will help develop untapped economic
May 31, 2023
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(German Biomass Research Centre (DBFZ)) What is the optimal role of limited biomass in the national energy transition and what are the priority target markets for bioenergy sources? These questions were addressed by a team of researchers from the German Biomass Research Centre (DBFZ) and the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research
May 31, 2023
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(Expander Energy/PR Newswire) Expander Energy Inc. and IMG Industries have formed a partnership to establish Expander Technologies Inc., a clean technology company based in Penticton, B.C. Expander Technologies Inc. (ETI) will manufacture Expander Energy’s biomass gasifiers under license. These gasifiers have an innovative patented design that produces clean, tar-free synthesis gas (“syn-gas”)
May 30, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Axens offers today the largest portfolio to do so; providing efficient, reliable and flexible technologies to convert biomass into high quality and low-carbon alternative products for the transportation sector as well as the chemical industry.. Axens Americas CTO Olivier Le Coz presented these slides at ABLC
May 30, 2023
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(Ashton University) Aston University biofuel experts provide advice on Ukraine’s recovery; Professor Patricia Thornley and Dr Vesna Najdanovic were invited to Royal Society conference; Outcomes will be presented to policymakers at Ukraine Recovery Conference in June. Two Aston University scientists have provided expert advice on how the UK’s wealth of
May 29, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Takachar is on a mission to fight climate change by transforming massive amounts of waste biomass into marketable products around the world. Takachar has developed and patented the design of small-scale, low-cost, portable equipment to convert waste biomass into solid fuel, fertilizer, and other specialty
May 29, 2023
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by Christopher Surgenor (CleanAir Online) An academic analysis of 12 roadmaps for decarbonising the global aviation industry finds they place a heavy reliance on biogenic fuels in the medium-term and synthetic e-kerosene in the longer term but largely omit a number of fundamental problems with sustainable aviation fuels, says a
May 26, 2023
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by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A startup advanced biofuel company is including first-generation corn ethanol plants in its commercialization strategy. Its vision includes regional crop conversion and enabling today’s biorefineries to process woody biomass. Comstock Fuels proposes marrying corn ethanol production to cellulosic biofuels from wood—and not just
May 24, 2023
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(IEA Bioenergy) At the online event ’Opportunities of bioenergy and biofuels in developing economies‘, organized on 22 and 23 May by the IEA Bioenergy Technology Collaboration Programme (IEA Bioenergy) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), more than 500 participants from around the world joined to discuss what can
May 24, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Mote makes uniquely integrated gasification plants to produce hydrogen and CO2 from wood waste, in an environment of underway huge demand for fossil-free, cost-competitive hydrogen, rapid development of CCUS, the emergence of voluntary Carbon Markets, and widespread international Net Zero commitments. Mote says it has
May 24, 2023
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(Reformed Energy) Garbage and other waste streams to be used to produce clean jet fuel, diesel fuel, electrical power. — Reformed Energy Inc., a Texas corporation, today announced that it has completed the acquisition of certain intellectual property for a unique plasma gasification technology essential to the development of its
May 23, 2023
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(Frontier) • Charm Industrial will remove 112,000 tons of CO₂ between 2024 and 2030 on behalf of Frontier buyers. Biomass Carbon Removal and Storage (BiCRS) could support gigatons of CO₂ removal per year, offering a promising path to permanent carbon removal at scale. Frontier has facilitated purchases on behalf of
May 23, 2023
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( S&P Global Commodity Insights)Huge market potential for advanced feedstocks to meet the gap in supply needed to meet forecast demand of low CI fuels. Decarbonization efforts worldwide are boosting demand for transportation fuels with a low carbon intensity (CI). The current focus is on cutting greenhouse gas emissions in
May 22, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The world is shifting to lower carbon ethanol, driven by sustainability goals. But exactly how will we get there – what technology will we use, at what cost, when will we deploy and where? To answer these questions and more, we were joined by Praj
May 22, 2023
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by Mauricio Villegas (Koch Modular Process Systems/Biofuels Digest) … When we consider the decarbonization of industrial processes, various methods exist to achieve this goal, including substituting non-petroleum feedstocks, recycling petroleum-based feedstocks, and CO2 capture. Below, we will explore three approaches applied today and the various innovators in decarbonization technologies. Substitution of Non-Petroleum
May 22, 2023
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(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) has launched a new, comprehensive webpage dedicated to one of its priority subprograms, Renewable Carbon Resources (RCR), which helps develop RCR technologies and creates strategies for bioenergy and bioproducts production. RCR supports applied research and pilot-scale projects for the production, harvesting/collection, supply
May 19, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Industry leaders in biofuels project development and delivery, Advisian is Worley’s global consulting business, solving critical challenges in infrastructure, environmental, sustainability, energy, and chemicals sectors. We bring technical expertise to every stage of your biofuels project. From concept and execution to asset management. Omar Hamid
May 11, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) You may know iogen as the cellulosic ethanol tech and biofuel company, but did you know they are now deploying low-carbon hydrogen? Check out this slide guide from ABLC in Washington DC from CEO Brian Foody on net zero fuels and biomass-based fuels, which ones
May 9, 2023
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(Biofuels Digest) Waste carbon, where is it going go? Few say “vent it in the sky” any more, some day stuff it down a cavern. Recently, more and more people talk about storing carbon in the soil, and restoring the soil. The how, and when and why of carbon and soil
May 4, 2023
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by Charles Forsberg and Bruce E. Dale (Hydrocarbon Processing) Hydrocarbon liquid fuels are central to the U.S. economy, delivering almost half the country’s energy to the residential, commercial, industrial and transportation sectors. … The U.S. Energy Information Agency’s (EIA’s) long-term projections show no major changes in U.S. liquid fuels hydrocarbon
May 3, 2023
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by Alan Sherrard (Bioenergy International) A provisional deal, reached in the late hours of April 25, 2023, between the European Parliament and Council negotiators on RefuelEU Aviation rules, sets the minimum share of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to be made available at EU airports, to cut emissions and ensure the
May 2, 2023
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(Gas Processing News) Maire Tecnimont S.p.A. announces that its Sustainable Technology Solutions subsidiary NextChem, after having completed the methanation advanced basic engineering study announced in July 2022 for the Salamandre project in the Normandy region, has been awarded a new contract by Storengy to carry out a further advanced basic engineering
May 2, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Billion Ton 23 update is coming. BETO needs a comprehensive biomass resource assessment that is end-use agnostic — for example, MSW and microalgae numbers in BT16 do not represent current BETO Analysis. There is a need to add conventional ag and forestry resources, oilseed
April 27, 2023
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(Fibenol) Due to their abundance worldwide, lignocellulosic residues have an enormous potential to substitute petrochemicals with bio-based alternatives. However, efficient cellulose degradation into sugars has long been an obstacle to the wider spread of lignocellulosic biorefineries. Now, the tide seems to be changing. Based on significant advancements over the past 5
April 26, 2023
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(Preem AB/Biobased Diesel Daily) Pyrocell’s pyrolysis-oil production has received sustainability certification in accordance with the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification system, Pyrocell’s joint owner Preem AB announced April 20. The fact that the pyrolysis oil is now ISCC-certified means that it can be sold on export markets outside of Sweden. “It
April 25, 2023
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by Zia Abdullah (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) The National Renewable Energy Laboratory supports the U.S. DOE Bioenergy Technologies Office with fundamental and applied research, development, and deployment (RD&D) designed to advance technologies to produce biobased energy, fuels, chemicals and products from initial conception to demonstration stages. NREL’s program is organized
April 21, 2023
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by Kevin O’Neil (SAF Magazine/ Honeywell) The demand for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) continues to grow as governments around the world set targets to reduce carbon emissions associated with air travel. As a result, the aviation sector and fuel producers are challenged to dramatically increase SAF production over the coming
April 21, 2023
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(Solutions from the Land) … Farmers, ranchers and foresters in the 21st century are being called upon to address hunger, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, sequester carbon, navigate and mitigate climate change, build soil health, clean up water sources, and produce clean energy while delivering food, feed, fiber, and fuel, and maintaining
April 21, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What’s up with the Wonder from Down Under? Licella’s Cat-HTR decarbonization platform could help customers meet their net-zero carbon commitments. How do they use water as the agent of change and turn biomass and mixed plastics into low CI biocrude? What is their multi-year path
April 21, 2023
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(World Bio Market Insights) … Biofuels and biomaterials are keystone climate mitigation technologies. A 2023 study estimated that if all plastics today were replaced with biobased ones, greenhouse gas emissions savings could equal 369 megatonnes, or around 1% of global emissions. However, the carbon-reducing capacity of bio-based goods cannot be taken for granted.
April 20, 2023
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by Keith Schneider (Circle of Blue) … Despite pushback from environmental groups concerned about increased water pollution from a new tide of farm wastes, developers across the country see opportunities to build ambitious renewable energy projects to convert crops and agricultural wastes to low-carbon energy. In effect, the Biden administration
April 19, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Enerkem is the first company in the world to produce renewable methanol and ethanol from non-recyclable, non-compostable municipal solid waste at full commercial scale. The company’s solution replaces the use of fossil sources like petroleum and natural gas to produce sustainable transportation fuels and chemicals
April 19, 2023
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(Steeper Energy) Steeper Energy (Steeper) is pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Invest Alberta Corporation (Invest Alberta) to commercialize Steeper’s proprietary Hydrofaction® technology within Alberta, aligning with Alberta’s broader goal of becoming Canada’s cleantech leader. Steeper’s Hydrofaction® technology is a proprietary form of Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL) which
April 18, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … TerraStar Energy and Emerging Fuels Technology have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to license EFT’s Fischer-Tropsch and Maxx Jet/Maxx Diesel proprietary technology to build a fleet of FLEXplants; small-scale, modular renewable diesel facilities. Small ball Recently the Due Diligence Wolfpack has been high on the subject of smaller-scale projects —
April 18, 2023
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by Pete Danko (Portland Business Journal) Red Rock Biofuel failed on a $300 million loan, leaving the project just outside the town of Lakeview incomplete and moribund. Work on the $300M project had stopped and it was put up for auction. READ MORE Auction reset in $300M Red Rock Biofuels
April 17, 2023
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by Joseph Glauber and Charlotte Hebebrand (International Food Policy Research Institute/Daily Star) … Despite the recurring food versus fuel debate and criticism expressed during previous price spikes, biofuel policies have grown in popularity. That growth will likely continue. The International Energy Agency projects that from 2022-2027 biofuel demand will increase by
April 14, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In France, Axens has acquired a stake in the BioTJet project, which will build and operate the largest European SAF production unit using the Fischer-Tropsch process, relying on the BioTfueL technology. This unit will be built in France and will be started up by 2027. BioTfueL is
April 13, 2023
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(xFuel/Biofuels International) … With new technology emerging, we have different feedstock options coming on board. We are beginning to see waste take centre stage as feedstock of choice. One example is lignocellulosic waste -or plant based waste. It is an abundant feedstock which can be sustainably sourced and is globally
April 13, 2023
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by Chris Hubbuch (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded a University of Wisconsin–Madison based research center another five years of funding to develop sustainable alternatives to gasoline, diesel and other hydrocarbon fuels as well as products currently made from petroleum. The extension will allow scientists
April 12, 2023
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by Brian Westenhaus (OilPrice.com) • Scientists have found a way to break down the tough lignin in plant material using anaerobic fungi. This breakthrough provides a new path for accessing valuable plant fibers that can be used to produce biofuels and chemicals. The discovery could greatly benefit the biofuels industry
April 12, 2023
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by Michael Shepard (Bioenergy International) … The opportunity lies in the kitchens of the nearly four billion people who cook some or all of their food with smoky fires burning wood, charcoal, or dung. The costs of this problem are well documented—in terms of unconscionable levels of disease and death, deforestation,
April 11, 2023
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by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) has launched an initiative that aims to help industry and universities leverage the Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium’s capabilities to help solve real-world problems that the bioenergy and bioproduct industries are facing. BETO in March issued a Cooperative Research
April 10, 2023
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(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers have identified specific proteins and amino acids that could control bioenergy plants’ ability to identify beneficial microbes that can enhance plant growth and storage of carbon in soils. These proteins, called LysM receptor-like kinases, regulate signaling between plants and microbes, a process
April 5, 2023
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(Blue Biofuels) Blue Biofuels announced today the achievement of full conversion of cellulose into soluble sugars from our king grass feedstock with our newly designed larger pilot reactor. We were able to process our king grass at a rate that is 100 times greater than that of the prototype system. This
April 5, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) DOE’s execution of its multi-year strategy, bioenergy as an essential part of the comprehensive transportation decarbonization strategy, heavy investment in the scale-up of biorefineries, aggressive biofuel targets and increasing the number of viable commercial SAF pathways were highlights of the presentation at ABLC 2023 by
April 5, 2023
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by Ron Kotrba (Biobased Diesel Daily) Members of the European Parliament and the Swedish Presidency of the Council informally agreed March 30 to raise the share of renewables in the EU’s final energy consumption to 42.5 percent by 2030, under the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive (REDIII). The European Parliament
April 4, 2023
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This week’s Biomass Magazine podcast features Brandi Colander, Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer, Enviva. Interviewed by Anna Simet, editor of Biomass Magazine. LISTEN
April 3, 2023
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(United Airlines) United today announced its $15 million investment in carbon capture technology company Svante, who provides materials and technology as part of the value chain that has the potential to convert CO2 removed from the atmosphere and from industrial emission sources into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This is the latest announced investment from
March 31, 2023
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by Dan Brown (DG Fuels) Company’s first SAF facility would create more than 6,000 jobs in the Southeast Region — DG Fuels, an emerging leader in cellulosic drop-in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), announced it is evaluating a 3,000-acre site in St. James Parish as the potential location of a new low-emission fuel
March 28, 2023
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(Redazione ANSA) Energy Minister says Italy committed to meeting energy neutrality goals — It is “unreasonable” for Europe not to include biofuels in a deal to allow the sale of vehicles that burn fuels made from renewable energy past 2035, Environment and Energy Security Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said on Saturday.
March 27, 2023
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by Amanda Stephenson (The Canadian Press/Brandon Sun) The Canada Infrastructure Bank is making its first investment in low-carbon fuels, committing $277 million to a biofuels facility under construction in Varennes, Que. The facility — known as Varennes Carbon Recycling — has a total price tag of $1.2 billion and is
March 27, 2023
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by Mark Pilling (Flight Global) Over the past six months, an Airbus Defence & Space A400M tactical transport, NH Industries NH90 multirole helicopter and a Eurofighter Typhoon have become the latest military aircraft to undertake test flights with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). They join a growing list of defence assets demonstrating the
March 21, 2023
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by Subhayan Chakraborty (Business Standard) Move will see China, Russia, others collaborate with India on emerging fuel tech, energy modelling, and transition goals — In India, while the list of alternative fuel resources includes agriculture and forest residue, municipal solid waste, and cow dung, the government’s main target is ethanol Nations
March 20, 2023
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(Transport Energy Strategies) UPM has been at the forefront of innovating in the advanced biofuels space. Hear from Marko Janhunen, Chair of the EU’s Advanced Biofuels Coalition on policy advancements, challenges and where this evolving industry may be heading. Marko Janhunen, Director, Public Affairs, UPM “I think it’s been fantastic
March 20, 2023
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by Sonia Fernandez (University of California – Santa Barbara/Phys.Org) It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it. In this case, the “job” is the breakdown of lignin, the structural biopolymer that gives stems, bark and branches their signature woodiness. One of the most abundant terrestrial polymers on Earth,
March 17, 2023
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(Alléo Energy/Business Wire) Alléo Energy today announced a significant milestone in the production of renewable fuels. Alléo’s first commercial facility has produced renewable diesel made entirely from wood waste. This fuel has been independently tested by Intertek Testing Laboratories and is certified as D975 compliant. This diesel was produced from a
March 17, 2023
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by Erin Voegele (SAF Magazine) U.S.-based wood pellet producer Enviva Inc. announced on March 1 it has signed a new take-or-pay off-take contract with an unnamed U.S.-based bioenergy facility to provide feedstock for the production of biofuels, including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Enviva announced the contract as part its fourth quarter
March 10, 2023
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by Esmarie Iannucci (Mining Weekly) The Japanese government, through its Green Innovation Fund, has committed A$2.35-billion to establish the Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain (HESC) project, in Victoria. The HESC project was piloted in January of last year, and achieved a world first by demonstrating that clean liquid hydrogen can be extracted from a mix of Latrobe Valley coal and biomass,
March 10, 2023
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(Strategic Biofuels/Business Wire) Strategic Biofuels Seeks to Further Bolster Louisiana Green Fuels Project Via US DOE Title XVII Loan Guarantee Program. The company has been invited to submit a Part II application to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Title XVII Innovative Clean Energy Loan Guarantee Program for up to $1.6
March 9, 2023
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by John McGarrity (Fastmarkets/Biofuels International) Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is at a turning point. Aviation has long been considered one of the hardest industries to decarbonise and unlike the automotive industry, we are still years away from being able to use electricity or hydrogen to solely power passenger aircraft. In the
March 6, 2023
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by M Ramesh (The Hindue Business Line) The Rs 50-crore 1 tonne-per-day plant in Mirzapur district of Uttar Pradesh is expected to begin production on August 15 — On March 3, Aranayak Fuel and Power will break ground on its Rs 50-crore, 1 tonne-per-day, biomass-based green hydrogen plant in Mirzapur district
March 2, 2023
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by Dimitar Alimaskoski (BIO.News) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) held the 99th Agricultural Outlook Forum last week, where many speakers highlighted the potential of biotechnology and bio-based products. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack opened the event by promoting climate-smart agriculture, sustainable aviation fuel, and other bio-based products for people and the planet. USDA’s $3
March 1, 2023
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(Johnson Matthey) Johnson Matthey and BP announced Feb. 20 that their codeveloped, award-winning Fischer Tropsch (FT) CANS™ technology has been selected by Strategic Biofuels for its Louisiana Green Fuels project. The technology has been licensed to Strategic Biofuels for its renewable diesel project in Caldwell Parish, Louisiana. Located on a 327-acre
February 28, 2023
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by Danny Halpin (The Independent) The Royal Society said a portfolio of alternative fuels will be required to meet current passenger demand and achieve net zero. — Replacing jet fuel with biomass would require the UK to give up 50% of its agricultural land to sustain current passenger levels, according to
February 28, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The USDA Western Regional Research Center has ~350 people, ~45 in bioproducts & biofuels. It’s part of the Agricultural Research Service, the ARS is the in-house research arm of the USDA. They partner with companies and industry groups to take bioproducts to market. According to
February 27, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) USDA’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service offers loan guarantees, grants, and technical assistance support of the bioeconomy and access to capital for Commercialization of emerging technologies; Production of biofuels and renewable chemicals and manufacturing of biobased products; Service, supply, and marketing industries; Infrastructure; and, USDA’s BioPreferred® program
February 23, 2023
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(Aemetis) Visit Highlights Aemetis Leadership on Circular Bioeconomy, Supporting Climate Change Mitigation Through Use of Agricultural Waste to Manufacture Negative Carbon Intensity Gas & Biofuels — Aemetis, Inc.(NASDAQ: AMTX), a renewable natural gas and renewable fuels company focused on negative carbon intensity products, announced today that it hosted California Department
February 22, 2023
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(IEA Bioenergy) IEA Bioenergy held its biannual workshop on 17 October 2022 in Vienna, in conjunction with its Executive Committee meeting (ExCo90). The workshop on ‘Technology advances in liquid biofuels and renewable gas’ was held in hybrid form and was organised in collaboration with the Austrian Ministry BMK and BEST. After
February 20, 2023
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by Steven Smith, Jan Minx, Greg Nemet and Oliver Geden (Carbon Brief) Taking CO2 out of the air – a practice known as carbon dioxide removal (CDR) – is increasingly recognised as a crucial part of achieving climate goals, alongside rapidly reducing emissions. Yet, some basic questions remain unanswered: How much
February 20, 2023
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by Greg Potter and Glenn Farris (Lipiferm Scientific andFarris Advisory Services/Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) On September 12, 2022, President Joe Biden issued an Executive Order to Advance Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation to support solutions in health, climate change, energy, food security, agriculture, supply chain resilience, and national and economic security. This
February 20, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … This week we looked at the world of Cellulosic and Multi-Technology Biorefineries — markets, players, technologies, policy and more. Digest editor Jim Lane presented this State of the Sector presentation as part of the ABLC CONNECT program. READ MORE WATCH Presentation
February 16, 2023
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(Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative) · Regional Projects: Accelerating SAF Project and Supply Chain Development through Rural Business Development Grants and Bioeconomy Development Presentation PDF Opportunity Zones Webinar Recording Todd Campbell (Clean Economy Works) Jordan Solomon (Ecostrat) READ MORE BDO Zone Ratings: An economic development tool to attract, de-risk accelerate new
February 15, 2023
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(U.S. Department of Agriculture) The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service today announced it will offer $41 million through the 2023 Wood Innovations Grant and 2023 Community Wood Grant programs to spark innovation and create new markets for wood products and renewable wood energy. Made possible in part by President Biden’s Bipartisan
February 13, 2023
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by Craig Bettenhausen (Chemical & Engineering News) After decades of false starts, cellulosic ethanol may arrive just as the chemical and fuel industries clamor for a low-carbon feedstock — Cellulosic ethanol has been 5 years away for decades. It’s a trope, but it’s been true as plant after plant trying to
February 13, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) All the developed and even now developing nations are working hard on Net Zero ambitions and timelines now — India has a goal to reduce 1 billion tons of carbon emissions by 2030 and drop the carbon intensity to 45% en route to Net Zero
February 10, 2023
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(Enviva/Business Wire) Enviva Inc. (NYSE: EVA), the world’s leading producer of sustainably sourced woody biomass, along with the U.S. Industrial Pellet Association (USIPA), welcome a recent study, titled “Impacts of the US southeast wood pellet industry on local forest carbon stocks.” The study has been peer-reviewed and published in a leading
February 9, 2023
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(Nippon Paper Group) Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Toru Nozawa; hereinafter “Nippon Paper”), Sumitomo Corporation (Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, President and CEO: Masayuki Hyodo) and Green Earth Institute Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Tomohito Ihara; hereinafter “GEI”), agreed to begin trilateral consideration
February 7, 2023
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by Chris Hubbuch (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison are working to develop plant-based fuels that are a key piece of the nation’s blueprint for decarbonizing transportation. … That will require sustainable alternatives to gasoline, diesel and other liquid fuels, said Tim Donohue, director of
February 7, 2023
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(Bioenergy International) A precondition to deliver emissions reductions through the use of woody biomass requires procuring it without depleting the carbon stocks of source forests. New peer-reviewed research confirms this key provision is being met by biomass producers in the US Southeast, which is the world’s leading region for wood pellet
February 6, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … A seismic shift in the economy of this size needs a community to foster project development, spur R&D and tech transfer, highlight advances in policy, bring capital and tech together, highlight growth in manufacturing and job-creation, and bring all the stakeholders to one place, at
February 3, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium is led by DOE as a collaborative effort among researchers from 9 National Labs. It’s Key Ideas? That biomass feedstock properties are variable and different from other commodities; and, that empirical approaches to address these issues have been unsuccessful. The FCIC
February 1, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It’s been 18 years since the Werpy and Petersen paper, Top Value Added Chemicals from Biomass —a screening for Potential Candidates from Sugars and Synthesis Gas that sent a lot of people in search of succinic acid, and about 12 years since industry CEOs started
January 31, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) New sustainability standards no longer focus solely on bio-based carbon content. The focus has shifted to reducing greenhouse gases (GHGs) and overall carbon footprint –in which biomaterials have a role to play. The transition towards climate neutrality and circular economy will have a profound impact
January 26, 2023
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(Hydrogen Central) Yosemite Clean Energy to receive $1 million from state of California for forest biomass to hydrogen projects. — Yosemite Clean Energy (“Yosemite”) was selected to receive two $500,000 Forest Biomass to Carbon-Negative Biofuels grants from the California Department of Conservation (“DOC”). The DOC grant program is a vote of confidence
January 25, 2023
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by Christian Rakos (World Bioenergy Association/Biomass Magazine) The Green Deal has led the world in addressing the climate emergency, but with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it has also become a race to help solve a generational energy crisis. … Breaking the EU’s reliance on often-imported fossil fuels will require,
January 23, 2023
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(Roll Call) Aviation accounts for 10 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions — a figure expected to triple by 2050 … Trucking industry representatives have raised concerns that a larger reliance on SAF will take away key feedstocks from biodiesel, an alternative fuel that’s already been used for years. Biodiesel
January 23, 2023
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by Anna Simet (Biomass Magazine) The RFS Power Coalition has been pursuing inclusion of biomass-based power in the federal Renewable Fuel Standard for longer than a decade. … Despite a provision in the 2007 statute that that nonliquid fuels—renewable electricity from biomass or renewable natural gas (RNG), for example—could be deemed
January 20, 2023
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by Katie Carnahan and Michelle Goff (Idaho National Laboratory/Biofuels Digest) … The upgraded Biomass Feedstock National User Facility (BFNUF) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) addresses many of the challenges facing the U.S. bioenergy industry. The research conducted at the facility supports advanced feedstock supply logistics, post-harvest quality management, material handling,
January 20, 2023
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(World Bio Market Insights) With big oil moving into biofuels, Shell is one to watch. — … From another angle, biofuels are an already-lucrative global commodity attracting attention from some of the biggest corporate entities in the world: oil majors. The oil companies say renewable fuels are central to their long-term
January 19, 2023
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(Canadian Biomass Magazine/Verdane) Even if the world succeeds in dramatically cutting its collective CO2 emissions, there is an urgent need to remove billions of tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere. Verdane, the European specialist growth equity investor, has therefore joined forces with Södra, a globally leading forest industry group, and Equinor,
January 19, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The SAF Grand Challenge is vast. It sets out to achieve a minimum 50% reduction in lifecycle GHG emissions compared to conventional aviation fuel, increase SAF output to 3 billion gallons per year by 2030, achieve SAF output of 35 billion gallons per year by
January 19, 2023
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(Raven SR/PR Newswire) Announcement marks one of Raven SR’s first agreements in aviation industry for SAF; Agreement to support 10-year supply deal; SAF to be produced from non-combustion conversion of waste to synthetic fuel — Raven SR Inc. (Raven SR), a renewable fuels company, today announced it has sign a memorandum
January 18, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Mote makes uniquely integrated gasification plants to produce hydrogen and CO2 from wood waste, in an environment of underway huge demand for fossil-free, cost-competitive hydrogen, rapid development of CCUS, the emergence of voluntary Carbon Markets, and widespread international Net Zero commitments. Mote says it has
January 18, 2023
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(Equinor/bnamericas) This is a machine translation of the press release originally published in Portuguese. A partnership between Equinor and the National Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) will enable the start of research for the production of bio-hydrocarbons (or drop-in biofuels), such as green diesel and aviation biokerosene,
January 13, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Aviation has committed to achievingnet-zero emissions by 2050. Aviation accounts for 2-3 % of global carbon emissions – growing to >20% by 2050 if action not taken. Non-CO2 effects have an approximately 3 times higher climate impact than CO2 emissions alone. Accordingly, SAF has been
January 13, 2023
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(Mote) How climate technology startup Mote will drive decarbonization — … Our company has developed the best solution for the billions of tons of wood waste generated in the world every year. Our proprietary non-combustion thermochemical process turns wood waste into hydrogen fuel and CO2 for permanent geologic storage. Wood waste (or
January 12, 2023
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(World Bio Market Insights) Interest in biofuels survived the fossil fuel bonanza of 2022 but there’s still a long road to viability — The importance of energy to domestic and international politics became more visible than ever before between 2020 and 2022. The post-lockdown surge in global energy demand meant generators
January 11, 2023
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(Comstock Mining/Globe Newswire) Technology Unlocks Massive New Feedstock Model to Neutralize America’s Transportation Emissions — Comstock Inc. (NYSE: LODE) (“Comstock” and the “Company”) today announced the demonstration of breakthrough cellulosic fuels pathways to produce renewable diesel, marine, sustainable aviation fuel (“SAF”) and gasoline from woody biomass at dramatically improved yield, efficiency,
January 11, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Life Cycle Associates is an independent business and environmental consulting firm specializing in life cycle analysis of fuel production pathways. The company completes life cycle analysis, model development, process design, analysis of policy implications, regulatory support and much more. Lifecycle Associates founder Stefan Unnasch presented
January 10, 2023
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by Ted Sickinger (The Oregonian/OregonLive) A much-hyped but yet-to-be-completed aviation biofuels refinery in southern Oregon appears to be headed for foreclosure after backers failed to make principal and interest payments on some $300 million in debt. Red Rock Biofuels launched efforts nearly a decade ago to build the cutting-edge facility in
January 9, 2023
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(Okayama University/News Wise) Researchers from Okayama University have developed a novel mechanical compression method to squeeze maximum benefits from plant biomass — This process of compressing woody and herbaceous biomass generates pellets with good combustion performance and squeezed liquid extracts with water-soluble lignin that shows superior antiviral properties … However,
January 9, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This week on ABLC Connect we looked at the policies, projects, players, raw materials and end–use demand for SAF — from field to wing, we have the current projects under construction, the Value Stack, a supply forecast, and the latest on the SAF Grand Challenge,
January 9, 2023
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Where does forestry fit into the RFS and with the biofuels industry, asks Lee Enterprises Consulting’s Larry Sullivan in this enlightening tour of the past, present and future of forest-based feedstocks. Sullivan goes back to the Forest and Agricultural Sector Optimization Model or FASOM followed
January 6, 2023
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(Radio New Zealand) … Scion, a Rotorua-based research institute, hopes to end the country’s reliance on imported fossil fuels by establishing a bio-energy industry here. Integrated bio-energy portfolio leader Paul Bennett said his team had already made significant progress. “We’re looking at ways of converting [organic materials] into useful energy products, whether they’re
January 5, 2023
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by Jaime Llinares Taboada (OPIS) … In Spain, energy major Cepsa recently announced a €3 billion ($3.15 billion) investment to build a 2 gigawatt (GW) hydrogen production hub and a program for testing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on more than 220 commercial flights. I spoke with Cepsa’s commercial and clean energies
January 4, 2023
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by Loukia Papadopoulos (Interesting Engineering) A new study is finding that pine needles from discarded Christmas trees could be used to produce renewable fuels and value-added chemicals using only water as a solvent, according to a press release by the University of Sheffield published on Thursday. In the U.K. alone, an estimated seven
January 4, 2023
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by Alex Baumhardt (News from the States) … More than half of the respondents support collecting wood debris left in forests from logging and converting it into biofuels, such as biodiesel for cars and trucks, or for electricity. But about 30% said they did not know enough about biofuels and the
January 4, 2023
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(Irish Bioenergy Association) The Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) is disappointed and concerned that the Climate Action Plan published yesterday (December 21, 2022) does not adequately recognise the immediate and broad role of bioenergy in achieving Ireland’s ambitious climate action targets. The plan risks ‘putting all our eggs in one basket’ on
January 4, 2023
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(Environmental Protection Agency/Federal Register) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the public comment period for the draft document titled, “Biofuels and the Environment: Third Triennial Report to Congress (External Review Draft).” The document was prepared by EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) and Office of Air and Radiation
January 4, 2023
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by Katie Schroeder (Ethanol Producer Magazine) In recent years, many ethanol producers have started migrating toward a more diversified biorefining model as they adapt to changing markets and changing times. The enzymes industry has not only kept pace with this evolution, but helped create it, enabling producers to maximize output,
January 3, 2023
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by Marc Hamy & Nancy Gillis (Green Biz/First Movers Coalition) It will take long-term, coordinated action from airlines, aircraft manufacturers, fuel producers, airports and governments for zero-emissions flight to really take off. — … On Nov. 27, a small piece of aviation history was made: Rolls-Royce conducted the world’s first test
January 3, 2023
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(The Meghalayan Bureau) The IIT Guwahati scientists have shown the efficacy of a new type of endoglucanase called RfGH5_4 in breaking down lignocellulosic and hemicellulosic biomass for the eventual conversion to bioethanol fuel. Researchers of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati have studied the efficacy of a specific bacterial endoglucanase
January 2, 2023
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Siddhartha Pal (Praj Industries/Biofuels Digest) Various sources of lignocellulosic biomass, such as forestry waste and agricultural feedstocks, are available all over the world. The Lignocellulosic biomass consists of three major components: cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Cellulose and hemicellulose form a network in which lignin acts as a glue making the cell
January 2, 2023
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by John Laurenson (MarketPlace) Sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, is airplane fuel made from renewable sources like reused cooking oil. Nearly half a million flights have used this fuel mixed with regular petroleum-based kerosene — almost all of them in Europe. Now, the French say they have produced the second generation of this fuel, made from plant
December 30, 2022
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(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced its intent to issue two funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) in early 2023. These potential FOAs, “Reducing Agricultural Carbon Intensity and Protecting Algal Crops (RACIPAC)” and the “2023 Conversion R&D” will enable the sustainable use of domestic biomass
December 26, 2022
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) These slides were presented by Digest editor Jim Lane for the December 22 episode of ABLC CONNECT, and focused on the Drivers, Margins, Project List. Value Stack, Mandates, Policies, Tax Credits, Supply Crunch, and Hot Projects Of The Sector. READ MORE WATCH PRESENTATION Renewable Diesel
December 26, 2022
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … In the Digest this week we reported that CHS says 9 million more acres of soybeans are needed to supply the soybean and renewable diesel plants under construction. CHS says it would force farmers to move away from corn and towards soybeans to meet that demand.
December 26, 2022
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(Bioenergy Europe) The preliminary results of a recent study show that the utilisation of forest residues for bioenergy will have a positive climate effect until 2050. The report takes into account the fact that these residues would otherwise be left in the forests and would decay. Taking into consideration decay
December 23, 2022
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(Eni) Versalis, Eni’s chemical company, has acquired the technology to produce enzymes for second-generation ethanol from DSM, a global, purpose-led company in Health, Nutrition & Bioscience. The agreement has a strategic value for Versalis as it integrates with proprietary Proesa® technology, applied at the Crescentino plant for the production of sustainable
December 20, 2022
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by Erik F. Ringle (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Backed by U.S. Department of Energy Funding, New R&D Could Help Seed a Uniquely Caribbean Bioeconomy — … Kruger (National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) researcher Jacob Kruger) may be unable to eliminate the pair of waste problems himself, but as the NREL principal
December 19, 2022
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(Emirites News Agency) BEEAH Group, the Middle East’s sustainability pioneer, Chinook Sciences, UK’s innovator in waste to fuel technologies, and Air Water, a Japanese conglomerate with businesses relating to natural resources and industrial gas production, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to produce fuel cell grade hydrogen from waste wood
December 19, 2022
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by Kent Goeking (Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) Biochar is the charcoal-like carbon product obtained when biomass is heated in an oxygen deficient environment, i.e. pyrolysis. Biochar is well known for its agriculture amendment value for increasing crop yields, and as a form of activated carbon in water filtration and toxin remediation
December 19, 2022
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(A.P. Moller-Maersk) As part of its strategy to decarbonize customers’ supply chains, A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) has entered a green* methanol Letter of Intent with U.S. based SunGas Renewables, Inc., a spin-out of GTI Energy, and a leader in providing technology and equipment systems for large-scale production of renewable
December 16, 2022
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(LanzaJet/PR Newswire) Soperton, GA Facility will be First Ethanol Alcohol-to-Jet Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production Facility in the World — LanzaJet, a leading sustainable fuels technology company and sustainable fuels producer, today joined government officials, industry leaders, and investors to celebrate a major constructiond milestone at the LanzaJet Freedom Pines Fuels facility
December 14, 2022
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by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In the UK, 15 new projects from across South Africa have been announced as the second cohort of projects for Climate Finance Accelerator (CFA) South Africa support, following a call for proposals that attracted 166 applications. The chosen projects come from the energy, transportation, AFOLU (Agriculture, Forestry
December 2, 2022
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Chemicals, catalysis, additives.Clariant shared how they are working on advancing biofuels globally and here offers extensive detail on their sunliquid technology to decarbonize transportation, now operating at commercial scale in Romania. A fully integrated and carbon negative process, sunliquid is a platform for sustainable biobased
December 2, 2022
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(Sustainable Aviation) Policy support, in the form of a price support mechanism, is needed to deliver sufficient SAF facilities to meet this target through UK production; announced UK plants would only meet around half of the target New analysis shows that the UK has the necessary Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) feedstocks
December 1, 2022
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(Bioenergy Insight) University of Maine researchers have devised a roadmap to recruit more women into the forestry industry, and particularly the bioenergy sector. The team, led by Abigayl “Abby” Novak, a master’s student in forest resources at the BioEnergy Lab of the School of Forest Resources (SFR), found that attracting and
December 1, 2022
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(Bioenergy Insight) Denmark’s first plant to produce hydrogen by catalytic pyrolysis of biogas is due to be ready in three years. The technology can convert carbon – captured via photosynthesis – into solid form and simultaneously produce hydrogen very energy-efficiently Carbon capture and storage are necessary if the world is
December 1, 2022
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(Bioenergy Insight) Commissioners in Madison County, North Carolina, US, voted unanimously on 16 November to establish a moratorium on biomass facilities in the area, reported WLOS. Clear Sky Madison president Jim Tibbetts said county leaders decided after speaking with community residents that they needed to have biomass rules written into the
December 1, 2022
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(ArcelorMittal Exploitation minière Canada s.e.n.c. /CISION) ArcelorMittal Mining Canada G.P. (“ArcelorMittal”) has won an EnviroLys Award in the ICI+ Green Project category for introducing the use of pyrolytic oil at its Port-Cartier plant. The EnviroLys Awards recognize private expertise in the green economy, entrepreneurship and innovation of companies in the environmental services industry.
November 30, 2022
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ChemCatBio’s mission is to accelerate the catalyst and process development cycle for bioenergy applications – but how? What’s the potential impact of a billion-ton bioeconomy? What are the catalysis challenges in the conversion of biomass and waste feedstocks and how can we overcome them? NREL’s
November 30, 2022
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(Airbus/Biobased Diesel Daily) Airbus has signed agreements with Xiamen Airlines, Zhejiang Loong Airlines and Colorful Guizhou Airlines to promote the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for commercial flights in China. The partnership was announced earlier this month during an Airbus press conference at the 14th China International Aviation & Aerospace
November 29, 2022
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Since 2006, the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI) has sought to enhance energy security and environmental sustainability for aviation through the use of alternative jet fuels. CAAFI is a coalition of airlines, aircraft and engine manufacturers, energy producers, researchers, international participants and U.S. government
November 24, 2022
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by Willie Vogt (Farm Progress/American Agriculturist) … During that visit, the ag journalists got a look at experimentation being done on different kinds of fuels for use in developing countries where diesel might not be readily available. I learned about using sheep fat to power tractors, and turning timber or charcoal into
November 23, 2022
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(U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service) Project funding may be used to establish, reopen, retrofit, expand, or improve a sawmill or other wood-processing facility in close proximity to federal or Indian lands that need ecosystem restoration and will generate byproducts. The emphasis is on areas of unnaturally severe high fire or
November 23, 2022
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(Climte Now) with George Peridas, Jonathan Kusel, and Joshuah Stolaroff — In the international carbon offset market, the average price of removing one tonne of CO2 from the atmosphere is still below $15 USD, nowhere near enough to cover the costs of carbon capture and storage (CCS). As Dr. Sheila Olmstead (University
November 22, 2022
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) BTG Bioliquids technology enables customers to turn biomass residues into a renewable fuel: fast pyrolysis bio-oil (FPBO). FPBO can be used to replace crude oil, so that more fossil resources can stay untouched.Managing Director Gerard Muggen presented these slides at ABLC Next 2022. READ MORE
November 22, 2022
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by Tammy Klein and Nicholas Ball (Transport Energy Strategies) As the world seeks to decarbonize quickly, we are seeing an increase in technologies producing sustainable and cost-effective, low-carbon fuels for marine, road and aviation. Nicholas Ball, the CEO and Co-Founder of XFuel joins us to talk about his company’s quest
November 21, 2022
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(Topsoe/Biofuels Digest) To achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the Clean Skies for Tomorrow Coalition has set a target of 10% SAF adoption by 2030. For fuel producers, that means creating enough supply to meet future demand, and for the aviation industry, it means taking the leap and making real, tangible change.
November 21, 2022
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A New EPA Proposal Is Reigniting a Debate about What Counts as ‘Renewable’
by John McCracken (Grist) The agency wants more ethanol, biogas, and wood pellet power in the nation’s fuel mix. But is that actually a good thing? The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed new standards for how much of the nation’s fuel supply should come from renewable sources. The proposal, released last month,