by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Flexible electric circuits and solar panels? Advanced biofuels? New concretes and steel-like materials? New medical implants and sutures? Drug delivery vehicles? Cosmetics? Lightweight armor? That’s just a sample of the potential apps for nanocellulose and
by Isabel Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Colorado, ZeaChem has signed a Collaboration Agreement with Leaf Resources. The agreement covers ZeaChem’s evaluation of the Leaf Glycell process for the production of fermentable sugars at ZeaChem’s demonstration plant at Boardman, Oregon. The trials will
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Maverick Synfuels is about converting low value feedstocks into petroleum replacing chemicals and fuels. What makes Maverick unique is our Spoke and Hub deployment model. First we focus on small-scale modular gas to methanol
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Broadening the sources and uses for cellulosic ethanol. As we reported yesterday (October 6, 2014) in the Digest, DuPont and Procter & Gamble, announced a collaboration to use cellulosic ethanol in North American Tide laundry detergent,
(SynBioBeta/BusinessWire) Proterro, the only biofeedstock company that makes sucrose instead of extracting it from crops or deconstructing cellulosic materials, is featured in a series of 2014 SynBioBeta industry reports. “The importance of sugar as an industrial feedstock will grow as industrial
by Sabina Zawadzki (Reuters) * Three of four advanced biofuel plants use Novozymes enzymes * Biomass conversion could transform Novozymes in future * Biofuel sector in continuing U.S. regulatory battle When Denmark's Novozymes first wondered in 2000 how its mass-produced enzymes could be used
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) 10 leaders, 10 enterprises, 10 paths to scale — what’s really key to making algae a commercial crop for feed, fuel and pharma, soon? This week at the Algae Biomass Summit, a pair of key sessions
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Producing enzymes and yeasts on site, as part of the complete biomass-to-fuels manufacturing process. ... In recent years — the region around Straubing turned to biotech to access the high returns in high tech for its
(Proterro/BusinessWire) Biofeedstock company Proterro and Bunge Global Innovation, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of global agribusiness and food company Bunge Limited (Bunge), will conduct a pilot study of Proterro’s sucrose-production technology in Brazil. Under a joint development agreement, a pilot plant
by Antonio Maria Bonomi, Paulo Barbosa and Susan van Dyk (IEA Bioenergy Task 39 Newsletter #37) Brazil was the leader in biofuels production and exports until the USA became the world’s largest biofuel producer in 2006 and the leading exporter of biofuels
by David Patterson (Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development) A nearly 900 page literature review regarding forest fuel reduction, isolation or modification treatments that can be used to reduce the risk of wildfire spread; including opportunities to use the biomass generated
(Dyadic International Inc./Biomass Magazine) Dyadic International Inc., a global biotechnology company whose patented and proprietary technologies are used to develop, manufacture and sell enzymes and other proteins for the bioenergy, bio-based chemical, biopharmaceutical and industrial enzyme industries, recently announced that
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) All that food waste, all that potential value. What’s being done about all that material heading from the garbage pail to the landfill? Turns out, the State of Hawaii and BioTork are doing a lot.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... SkyNRG is undertaking its first major feedstock project in South Africa, featuring a nicotine-free energy tobacco crop that’s developed by Sunchem under the name of Solaris. Which is an excellent reminder of how much activity
by Sean Nealon (UCR Today) RIVERSIDE, Calif. (www.ucr.edu) — A University of California, Riverside Bourns College of Engineering professor is one of the authors of a paper recently published in Science that outlines ways companies can commercialize and profit from what
(University of Twente) Catalyst developed at University of Twente helps achieve European 2020 objective Oil produced from biomass - such as wood chips or plant residues - seldom has the same quality and energy content as ‘classical’ crude oil. A new,
by Tim Sklar (Biofuels Digest) Anyone that has followed the evolution of processes that are used to make fuels out of waste recognizes that the permutations and combinations of processes that can be used has become mind-boggling, as the pathways
by Anna Simet (Ethanol Producer Magazine) BioCycle plans to make use of agricultural scrap and waste materials and other biomass sources as manufacturing precursors, via a $5 million bioprocessing facility that is currently in final financing stages. According to President and
By Kazuaki Nagata ( The Japan times)...While the technology itself is not new, Japanese scientists say they believe oil from aquatic algae could become an important raw material as biomass technology improves and the world looks for oil sources other than
(Edeniq/BusinessWire) Edeniq, Inc. (“Edeniq”), a cellulosic sugar producer, announced it has signed a letter of intent with Global Bio-chem Technology Group Company Limited (“Global Bio-chem,” HKG:0809) to develop and commercialize processes to convert corn stover to industrial sugars for use in the
by Seth Palmer (Phys.Org) Cocoa farmers this year will lose an estimated 30 to 40 percent of their crop to pests and disease, and with chocolate prices having risen globally by roughly two-thirds in the past decade, concern is growing
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Digest has heard from California that Calysta has successfully produced lactic acid – a key building block for industrial bioplastics – from methane at lab scale for NatureWorks. NatureWorks is one of the world’s largest makers
(Georgia Tech/Biomass Magazine) When making cellulosic ethanol from plants, one problem is what to do with a woody agricultural waste product called lignin. The old adage in the pulp industry has been that one can make anything from lignin except
by Tim Portz (Biomass Magazine) Enerkem President and CEO Vincent Chornet and his team have driven Enerkem along a commercialization pathway for the past 10 years. As Enerkem’s first commercial-scale deployment in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, enters its commissioning phase, its technology
(Neol) Neol Biosolutions (Neol) a 50:50 joint venture between the Neuron Bio Group and Repsol has been granted the patent in USA for its technology MicroBiOil 1®. This technology makes possible to obtain oils from crude glycerine via a biotechnological process for
by Milsa Vijayadharan* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Developments of OBN west coast partners was the focus of the latest presentation by OBIC Bioproducts Network. The presentation is a part of the bioproducts commercialization webinar series. The webinar was conducted on May
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... A week before the FEW, Enerkem Inc. celebrated the inauguration of its 10 MMgy facility in Edmonton, Alberta. Commissioning is nearly completed, reported Tim Cesarek, senior vice president of business development. The thermochemical process
by Amanda Peterka (E&E reporter/Greenwire) The United States may be losing a major opportunity to be a global leader in the growing market for green chemicals because of its overwhelming policy tilt toward biofuels, industry experts say. There are big profit
(American Council On Renewable Energy) Today (June 2, 2014), the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) announced that it has submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) which sought stakeholder input regarding the biofuel pathways that the DOE's Bioenergy Technologies
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Major step towards stable commercial supply chain for 100% renewable plastic bottling; big step forward for Gevo’s Silsbee operations in paraxylene, jet fuel and iso-octane. From Colorado, news has arrived that Gevo is now selling paraxyleme
by Michael Carus, Lara Dammer, Andreas Hermann and Roland Essel (nova-Institute) nova-paper #4 “Proposals for a Reform of the Renewable Energy Directive to a Renewable Energy and Materials Directive (REMD)” presents a reform proposal that aims at creating a level
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Inbicon technology planned as centerpiece of low-carbon, high-profit platform: “Patriot will lead the way.” In Illinois, Patriot Renewable Fuels announced that Leifmark has been hired to create a custom Project Definition, the first stage of a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The migration from first-gen to next-gen biofuels is becoming less ‘Invisible’ — and the new landscape is not, by anyone’s estimation, an ‘Ordinary World’. If Aemetis’ latest earnings hadn’t rocked your world quite enough, here
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In Kansas, INVISTA and LanzaTech signed a research and development agreement focused on the development of gas-fermentation process technology for the production of industrial chemicals from carbon dioxide and hydrogen gas (CO2 and H2) feedstocks. According
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, depnding on which analyst you follow. With price targets ranging from $4 to $18 — and warnings from one end over delays at
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) On ABLC's opening morning, we have some of the top slides -an inside look from Inbicon, Ensyn, GranBio, Sapphire Energy, LanzaTech - hot topics such as product portfolios, refinery integration, policy cliffs, the use of
(Proterro/Biomass Magazine) “Proterro has reached its Q1 sugar-production pilot milestones,” CEO Kef Kasdin recently reported at the Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference. Updating attendees on Proterro’s progress in developing an affordable, clean sugar feedstock for biofuels and biobased chemicals, Kasdin said, “While
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) On Friday April 18, 2014, American Process shipped its second commercial ethanol cargo and sold the first cellulosic ethanol RINs from its Alpena Biorefinery. These are the first cellulosic ethanol RINs generated since the beginning of
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) In the meetings, hallways and conference sessions at Biofuels Digest’s Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference near Washington, DC, the following issues, rumblings, lessons and congratulations abounded. Criticism of the Obama administration and its lack of enthusiastic
(Axens/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Axens, Total and IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN) have launched Atol, an innovative technology for bioethylene production through dehydration of bioethanol. Atol is a technology for the profitable production of polymer grade bio-ethylene by dehydration of 1G and 2G-renewable
by Milsa Vijayadharan* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Luxresearch conducted a webinar on March 4th 2014 about new opportunities for downstream producers due to the growing production of bio-based chemical Intermediates. The basic science of bio-based material and chemicals has advanced.
(Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft) No more oil – renewable raw materials are the future. This motto not only applies to biodiesel, but also to isobutene, a basic product used in the chemical industry. In a pilot plant researchers now want to obtain this
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In California, Amyris and Kuraray announced the expansion and extension of their ongoing collaboration in high performance polymers using Biofene, Amyris’s brand of renewable farnesene. Amyris and Kuraray launched the collaboration in 2011 with an initial
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... This week, Blue Sun Energy, ARA, and Chevron Lummus Global achieved a key development milestone with their 100 barrel/day (4,200 gallon/per day) demonstration-scale Biofuels ISOCONVERSION facility in St. Joseph, Mo. Less than a year after
by Tom Bryan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Still seeking commercial-scale opportunities, Lignol continues to collaborate with companies that are eager to buy high-purity lignin in bulk. Is this abundant byproduct of pulp and paper milling and biorefining poised for new and
(Valmet Corp./Biomass Magazine) Fortum, UPM and Valmet have joined forces to develop a new, winning technology to produce advanced high value lignocellulosic fuels, such as transportation fuels or higher value bio-liquids. The idea is to develop catalytic pyrolysis technology for
(Biomass Magazine) Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have developed a process that uses gamma valerolactone (GVL) to deconstruct plants and produce sugars that can be chemically or biologically upgraded into biofuels. The team is expected to begin scaling up
(Centre for Research and Innovation in the Bio-Economy/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Centre for Research and Innovation in the Bio-Economy is partnering with GreenField Specialty Alcohols to test and develop a technology that, if successful, will lead to significant economic and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Reminiscent of 2009′s Summer of Algae, when those technologies were coming out of the woodwork, we appear to be in the Hydrogen Spring. Every time we write about them, more pop up, like a Prairie
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Sweetwater Energy and Proterro, two companies using widely different approaches, aim for low-cost sugar that may give today’s corn ethanol plants a glide path into advanced ethanol production. They're in different stages, but share
(Neste Oil Corporation) Neste Oil, the world's largest producer of premium-quality renewable fuels, has joined forces with DONG Energy, one of the leading energy groups in Northern Europe, to develop an integrated process to produce renewable diesel and aviation fuel
(University of Texas at Austin/Biodiesel Magazine) Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin’s Cockrell School of Engineering have developed a new source of renewable energy, a biofuel, from genetically engineered yeast cells and ordinary table sugar. This yeast produces oils and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Algae has been touted as the ultimate platform for fuels, chemicals, nutraceuticals, proteins — even cancer therapies. There’s been a rate of progress that would impress any devotee of Moore’s Law — and a series of
(Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of New York) Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the State will commit $3 million to the Eastman Business Park (EBP) Bioscience Manufacturing Center in Rochester which will begin construction later this year. The construction
by Al Costa (Biofuels Digest/Alkol) ... So, the idea I’m spreading here is that we should produce ethanol from many sources? No, that is only PART of the idea. And a small one, in fact. The larger part of the idea
by Milsa Vijayadharan* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Most of the oil that we drill out of the ground was formed by algae and other sea-borne flora that piled up at the bottom of the ocean over the course of millions of
(Wageningen University/Biomass Magazine) Chemical building blocks from lignocellulosic feedstock form a huge potential for the production of bioplastics. More specifically, they have potential for biodegradable plastic polylactic acid (PLA). The building block for PLA - lactic acid - is currently
(UPM/GlobeNewsWire) UPM participated together with a coalition of technology innovators and green NGOs to a project which results were published today. Europe has a significant untapped potential for converting wastes from farming, forestry, industry and households to advanced low-carbon biofuels,
by Stefan Nicola (Bloomberg) AlgaEnergy SA, part-owned by Spain’s Iberdrola SA (IBE) and Repsol SA (REP), is in talks with potential partners to set up a plant in Mexico to supply the American markets with biomass made from algae. Chief Executive
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In April, International Flavors & Fragrances and Amyris announced a collaboration to develop and commercialize a specific set of renewable fragrance ingredients. Under the terms of the multi-year agreement, IFF and Amyris will jointly develop
by Heather Lammers (National Renewable Energy Laboratory/Renewable Energy World Magazine) Thanks to newer and faster supercomputers, today's computer simulations are opening hidden vistas to researchers in all areas of science. These powerful machines are used for everything from understanding how proteins work
By Emily Unglesbee (DTN/The Progressive Farmer) ... Biosynthetic Technologies, a synthetic oil manufacturer that uses bio-based ingredients, has produced synthetic motor oil made from Monsanto's Vistive Gold high-oleic soybeans. The company just finished a successful test of the soybean-based motor
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Photobioreactor is a key innovation in Proterro’s patented sugar-making process now deployed at the company’s pilot plant in Orlando, Florida In New Jersey, the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a notice of allowance
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Massacusetts, Lux Research reports its forecast that bio-based material and chemical (BBMC) technologies “have reached an inflection point with companies scaling to commercial production levels and growing revenues”, according to Lux Research. The leading growth
by Brent Erickson (Biotechnology Industry Organization/Biofuels Digest) ... The true good news is that the Senate conferees prevailed in getting $881 million in mandatory funding over the next ten years to renewable energy and biofuels initiatives and extending incentives for the
(Global Bioenergies) Global Bioenergies announces the signature of a collaboration with the German car-manufacturer Audi on the development of isobutene-derived isooctane, a high performance biofuel for gasoline engines. Global Bioenergies, a NYSE Alternext Paris listed company (ALGBE), is a pioneer in the development
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Australia-based Leaf Energy Ltd. recently announced it has received a preliminary report from Andritz AG outlining the results of a pilot-scale trial of Leaf Energy’s Glycell Process, a glycerol pretreatment process, at the Andritz
by Dale Hildebrant (Minnesota Farm Guide) Tuesday, Jan. 28, marked the beginning of a five-city tour for the steering committee of BeetsAll Biofuel in their search for a site for the first industrial beet plant site. The committee’s first stop was
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Neol Biosolutions, a 50/50 joint venture between the Neuron Bio Group and Repsol, has patented the microorganism Neoleum, which the company says is able to produce oils from waste at a faster rate than oil-bearing
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Beta Renewables, Abengoa, Enerkem, Proterro among the winners for Project of the Year — as residues and waste are keys to the big wins. For Fuel of the Year, Renewable Chemical of the Year, Product
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The technology is there. Demand for alternative fuels, chemicals and materials is there. Feedstock is expensive. In so many of the signature developments announced around the world this year, there’s been an EU technology in
(Democrat & Chronicle) Sweetwater Energy Inc. has won a $2.5 million award from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to pay for five facilities in New York state to produce sugar from various types of waste plant material, including agricultural
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New York, Sweetwater Energy and Pacific Ethanol announced a project to supply customized industrial sugars for the production of cellulosic ethanol. The agreement supports the construction of a cellulosic biorefinery, contingent upon Sweetwater Energy
(Sapphire Energy/PR NewsWire) Agreement to Co-Process Algae Crude Oil with Conventional Crude Oil and Complete Fuel Certifications Sapphire Energy, Inc., one of the world leaders in algae-based Green Crude oil production, and Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX), an integrated energy manufacturing and logistics
(ICIS/PR NewsWire) New Routes in Sustainable Chemistry Aim to Deliver Broader Supplies of Affordable Bioplastics ICIS Innovation Awards -- At today's ICIS Innovation Awards in London, winners Renmatix and Virent announced a strategic collaboration to convert affordable cellulosic sugars to renewable chemicals and
(Biofuels International) The paper industry in Old Town, Maine, US has been stuck in gradual decline for some years now. However, one company - Old Town Fuel and Fiber (OTFF) - is said to be 'on the cusp' of a
(Lux Research/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Lower feedstock prices can drive down prices of fermentable cellulosic sugar to 26 cents per kilogram (kg), down from 32 to 36 cents per kg, competitive with sugars from corn or sugarcane, according to Lux Research.
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) M&G Chemicals announced its decision to construct a second-generation biorefinery in China to convert 1 million metric tons of biomass into ethanol and bioglycols. The project in the Fuyang region in Anhui Province is
(Battelle/Biomass Magazine) Battelle engineers and scientists have developed a mobile device that transforms unwanted biomass materials such as wood chips or agricultural waste into valuable bio-oil using catalytic pyrolysis. As currently configured, the Battelle-funded unit converts 1 ton of pine
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) At the frontier of exotic temperature and pressures, even everyday materials like water begin to act strangely in ways that can drive energy transformation. New work in nanocatalysts may make those frontiers more accessible, and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The new technologies that come along have to provide pressure, temperature and feedstock at their own cost. So it’s the cost of those three elements, competing against the cost of locating, drilling and pumping. In
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Seeking low-carbon fuels, even negative carbon? Or, looking for a low-cost, cellulosic renewable fuel? Or, in search of a capital-light, bolt-on technology to drive better economics for first-yen ethanol plants? Well, what about all three,
by Frank Esposito (Plastics News) Less than a year after opening its plant in Indonesia, Elevance Renewable Sciences Inc. has announced plans to open another bioplastics feedstock plant in Natchez, Miss., by 2016. Current customer interest in the firm's Inherent-brand biofeedstocks –
by Elizabeth Dohms (Chippewa Herald) A draft developer’s agreement between Stanley and a biomass company out of New York has been approved by the city council and is expected to bring more jobs to the area. Pending the finalization of paperwork,
(Fraunhofer) Crude oil is getting scarce. This is why researchers are seeking to substitute petroleum-based products – like plastics – with sustainable raw materials. Waste wood, divided into lignin and cellulose, could serve as a raw material. A pilot plant
(Amyris/MarketWatch) Leading Airline in Brazil Seeks to Use Amyris's Sugarcane-Derived Jet Fuel Following Industry Validation and Regulatory Approvals Amyris, Inc. AMRS -0.04% , a leading renewable fuels and chemicals company, and GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. (bm&fbovespa:GOLL4)GOL -0.54% , the largest low-cost and low-fare airline in
by Scott Mowrey (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A primer outlines the inherent challenges for biofuel production using biomass Raw cellulose from plant biomass is composed of six classes of materials with varying percentages and widely different physical and chemical properties: cellulose, hemicelluloses
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New York, Sweetwater Energy announced a 50/50 joint venture with Naturally Scientific, Inc. to produce sugar from waste carbon dioxide. The new technology converts carbon dioxide taken directly from the emissions of industries such as
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... “This year, the voters went global in picking four companies out of the top 10 founded outside the United States,” said Biofuels Digest editor and publisher Jim Lane. “Feedstocks and intermediates dfid particularly well this
by Tim Worledge and Jeff Barber (Platts) The US is at risk of economic slowdown and energy shortages unless it makes sufficient investments in biofuels, Bruce Dale, a professor of chemical engineering and a biofuel specialist at Michigan State University, said Thursday. In
(Proterro) The biofeedstock company also validates low fabrication cost and completes preliminary design, layout, and cost estimate for demonstration-scale plant. – Proterro, Inc., the only biofeedstock company that actually makes sucrose instead of extracting it from crops or deconstructing cellulosic materials, has
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Long-term, there are numerous opportunities for developing the right kind of renewable feedstocks based on careful development of agricultural markets and gaining grower adoption. But anyone who has been through the wringer in trying to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Canada, the Biofuels Development Consortium held their 2013 Fall Symposium a little early this year in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada on August 27–28, its first meeting outside the U.S. Sarnia is known for their petroleum industry
(UPI.com) Algae-derived biofuels can reduce the life cycle of carbon dioxide emissions by at least 50 percent compared to petroleum fuels, a U.S. university study found. The peer-review study -- the first to analyze real-world data from an existing algae-to-energy demonstration
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) After taking a leading role in the global first generation wave of ethanol production, here come the Brazilians — with some hot North American technologies in tow — to take on next-generation biofuels and chemicals.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Midori reports they have broken through on a 100-year quest for low-cost cellulosic sugars. And found a way to turn your cotton tees into sugars, too. About a year ago, a little-known company called Midori Renewables
(Ontario Federation of Agriculture/Farming Sources) A value chain consortium presented their final report to local corn producers on a business case for sustaining a commercially viable cellulosic sugar plant in southwestern Ontario to support the future production of green chemicals. The
by Paul Tullis (The New York Times) ...But big drawbacks have prevented the wholesale adoption of trash-to-gas technology in the United States: incineration is polluting, and the capital costs of new plants are enormous. Gasification systems can expend a tremendous
by Herman Wang (Platts/The Barrel) It’s hard to get excited over a producer making a scant 2 barrels/day of crude. But in the case of Sapphire Energy, those barrels represent the beginnings of a potential revolution that it says could upend how
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Upstream, downstream, processing, policy, finance – opportunities and challenges abound in the bioeconomy – but which challenges are the most intractable and daunting of them all? In today’s part 2, #5 through #1. 5. The blend
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A technology developed for Europe finds it is in demand again, as technologists address the growing mountains of palm waste and its special opportunities and challenges. ...So, if we turn to foreign shores for bioenergy and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Using just CO2, sunlight and water – and some math right off Einsteins’ blackboard — researchers come up with a potential game-changing technology for making renewable fuels. The National Science Foundation’s division of Emerging Frontiers in
by Jim Lane (BioInvest Digest) ...KiOR’s fallen into the penalty box this week — it’s stock falling from a high of nearly $5 just a week ago — now disappearing into the sub-$3 range as the company missed production
(U.S. Department of Energy) During remarks at the Energy Department’s Biomass 2013 annual conference, Secretary Moniz today highlighted the important role biofuels play in the Administration’s Climate Action Plan to increase our energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation
(AZOCleanTech) A collaboration between Rochester Institute of Technology’s Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences and Sweetwater Energy Inc. will give students experience with the Rochester-based company that has a sweet and sustainable niche. Sweetwater Energy provides its industry partners with
(Inventure/PR NewsWire) Inventure International (Pte) Limited, holding company of renewable process technology leader Inventure Renewables Inc., recently closed a $7.2 million round of financing that the company will use to establish a plant for the conversion of biomass into mixed industrial sugars,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Advanced biofuels – mirage or reality? In January we wrote: “When these 12 projects open for business (or not) in 2013, you’ll know for sure.” So, what do we know? ... We identified 12 “Bellwether projects” in
(JustMeans.com/Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable Technology) Promising biofuels research at a Wisconsin biotech company and a partner university is getting a boost from a $224,967 National Science Foundation grant. C5.6 Technologies of Middleton, Wis., and the Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable Technology (WIST)
(US Department of Energy) Following last week's rollout of President Obama's plan to cut carbon pollution, the Energy Department today announced four research and development projects to bring next generation biofuels on line faster and drive down the cost of
by Susanne REtka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Bruce Dale urges careful thought about energy and agriculture. A 1-ton-per-day pilot facility on the campus of Michigan State University geared up this spring to produce pretreated biomass for feed trials. It’s part of
by Chris Hanson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) American Process applies forestry products know-how to cellulosic conversion. Though a relative newcomer to the ethanol world, Georgia-based American Process Inc. is no stranger in the forest products industry. The company has demonstrated its consulting
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Beyond biomass, beyond fossil fuels, beyond light itself. And now, the direct production of drop-in biofuel blendstocks. All available from a microbial “cow”. This week in California, a research team from Shota Atsumi’s lab at the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In an exclusive Digest interview, Shell’s VP for Alternative Energy, Matthew Tipper, reveals the company’s thinking about RFS2, their increasing re-focus on North America and the EU. Plus, Shell’s ambition to “build, own and operate”
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) World’s #1 chemical company to produce renewable Butanediol using Genomatica’s process. The Digest has a one-on-one with Genomatica CEO Christophe Schilling to explore the deal in-depth. In Germany, BASF announced that it plans to begin production
by RP Siegel (Industry Market Trends Green & Clean Journal/ThomasNet.com) Four years ago, American LeMans kicked off its first green racing season. The program, which requires teams to use alternative fuels such as ethanol blends (E10 or E85), clean diesel, or isobutanol
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Gevo Inc. provided updated information on it Luverne, Minn., plant and patent dispute with Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC as part of its recent first quarter 2013 financial announcement. During a call to discuss the first
by Carlin Rosengarten (Fueling Growth) Nearly 30 years ago, Paul Woods invented the Direct to Ethanol technology that his company, Algenol Biofuels, utilizes today to produce ethanol from blue-green algae at its state-of-the-art commercial development campus in Fort Myers, Fla. Algenol’s
(SEKAB) SEKAB E-Technology welcomes SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden’s (SP) engagement in the Biorefinery Demo Plant in Örnsköldsvik, previously known as the Ethanol Pilot. SP and SEKAB have signed an agreement, which ensures continued operations of the demonstration plant.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Norway, Norwegian Finance Minister Sigbjørn Johnsen officially inaugurated the Borregaard biorefinery demonstration plant in Sarpsborg, which will produce green chemicals and sugars based on biomass from wood and agricultural and forestry waste. ... The aim is
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) With a fresh investment from Brazil’s GranBio, American Process Inc. is poised to develop its first commercial-scale cellulosic biorefineries in both the U.S. and Brazil. API CEO Theodora Retsina, said the companies hope
(Los Alamos National Laboratory/Biodiesel Magazine) ...Los Alamos scientists and collaborators from The University of Guelph in Canada published an article in the scientific journal Nature Chemistry this week that could offer a big step on the path to renewable energy. The April journal
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...It used to be that the outskirts of Honolulu had the dual scent of diesel and pineapple processing — but now, all you really smell is the diesel. Sugarcane and pineapple are every year less
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Advanced Biofuels Corp. has bought a legacy 7 MMgy ethanol plant in Moses Lake, Wash., with plans to retrofit existing systems and install new pretreatment process equipment, converting the facility into a 6
(US Department of Energy) The National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory, and Argonne National Laboratory have released a joint study on biochemical biorefinery sizing. “Investigation of biochemical biorefinery sizing and environmental sustainability impacts for conventional
by Douglas L. Faulkner with contributions from Jacques Beaudry-Losique (Biofuels Digest) ...We believe it is time for bioenergy industry leaders to take the initiative and chalk up a new comprehensive game plan, reflecting the new reality of leaner federal funding. ... Our first
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Pilot-scale biorefineries for drop-in military diesel, jet fuel the focus of the DOE’s latest grant round. In Washington, the US Department of Energy announced up to $17.7 million in grants to four pilot-scale biorefinery projects aimed
by Pavel Molchanov (Raymond James and Associates/Biofuels Digest) ...There is no question that there have been growing pains along the way, more than we would have hoped, but the industry continues along its trajectory towards scale. We expect 2013 to be a
(Cobalt/PRNewswire) Strategic Partnership Opens Pathway to $40 Billion Butadiene Market Cobalt Technologies, a leading developer of next generation bio-based chemicals, today announced a strategic relationship with two prominent Asian chemical companies for the development of a complete biomass-to-butadiene solution, to be
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The end-goal? High-value oils. Low-cost sugars become shock troops in the war for sustainability. In New York, we’ve learned that Sweetwater Energy will announce a project today to provide Naturally Scientific with customized industrial sugars over
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Sweetwater Energy announed that BioGasol completed delivery of its first commercial biomass pretreatment system. The cellulosic sugar producer will use the unit, a Carbofrac 10, in its demonstration facility to produce pretreated biomass for use in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Italy, Versalis and Genomatica announced the establishment of a technology joint venture for bio-based butadiene from non-food biomass. The resulting process will be licensed across Europe, Asia and Africa by the newly-created joint venture. Versalis —
by Amanda Peterka (Governors Biofuel Coalition) Cellulosic biofuels can become profitable for farmers and help displace oil, but they must use already-available agricultural land, according to a study released by a nonprofit yesterday. Commissioned by the Council for Agricultural Science and
by James Hataway (UGA Research) ... Li Tan was examining some of the sugars, proteins and polymers that make up plant cell walls, which provide the structural support and protection that allow plants to grow. Yet his samples contained a mixture of
by James Hataway (University of Georgia) Excess carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere created by the widespread burning of fossil fuels is the major driving force of global climate change, and researchers the world over are looking for new ways
by Chris Hanson (Biomass Magazine) Southern Research Institute won a $925,000 energy award from the U.S. DOE to develop a mild liquefaction process to convert biomass to petroleum refinery-ready bio-oils. “We hope the project will advance liquefaction by demonstrating cost-effective biomass
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Today in part II, we look at a new set of technologies coming along that are redefining our ideas about scale and cost. ... A barrier to long term deployment? The $11 per gallon average capital
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Although no commercial-scale cellulosic biofuels facilities are operating in the United States at present, at least ten projects exceeding 20 million gallons per year are expected to begin operations by 2014. Tristan R. Brown and Robert
(Southern Research Institute) Research could encourage blending of bio-oils into refinery streams for producing renewable diesel and gasoline Durham, North Carolina — Southern Research Institute today announced it has entered into a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Dept. of Energy to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Texas, KiOR announced the initial shipments of cellulosic diesel from its first commercial-scale facility in Columbus, Mississippi. KiOR’s facility uses pine wood chips previously feeding a shut down paper mill at Columbus and produces gasoline
(Tucson News/Sapphire Energy) Sapphire Achieves Major Milestone with Continuous Green Crude Oil Production Sapphire Energy, Inc., a leader in algae-based Green Crude oil production, today announced it has entered into a commercial agreement with Tesoro Refining and Marketing Company, LLC, a
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) In early March, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany announced the successful commissioning of the second stage of its bioliq pilot plant. The achievement was made in cooperation with technology partner Air Liquide Global
(Domtar) Plymouth Mill to produce bio-material with wide range of industrial applications as petro-chemical alternative - the first of its kind in over quarter century Domtar Corporation (NYSE: UFS) (TSX: UFS) today announced that it has successfully installed a commercial-scale lignin separation
(SEKAB/Davy Process Technology) Davy Process Technology Limited (Davy), a Johnson Matthey company, andSEKAB, a leading player in the field of the ethanol based chemicals and biofuels, today announced at World Biofuels Markets that they are embarking on a collaboration to
(Direvo) Direvo Industrial Biotechnology GmbH (Direvo) today announced that it reached an important milestone in developing a consolidated bioprocess for lactic acid production from lignocellulose. Up until now, there has not been any known consolidated bioprocess for producing lactic acid from
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Fast pyrolysis developer plans to rapidly expand green benzene and toluene production in 2013 for downstream product development purposes. Opens new pilot plant, R&D facility in New York; green BTX platform ready to emerge. ...In
by Bill Hagstrand (Crain's Cleveland Business) Do you know your trashcan probably contains materials that can be converted into crude oil? Or that a couple of trailblazing companies in Northeast Ohio are creating energy from discarded plastics and old rubber
by Kristi Pihl (Tri-City Herald) A pilot project to produce biofuel using agricultural and organic municipal waste has reached levels that makes the process commercially viable, researchers say. The project, paid for by the Department of Energy, is within six months of
by Ed Ulch (The Gazette) ... World Grain stated in its February issue that “Grain-based food companies had record stock performance in 2012.” Big oil companies are touting high food prices to stir the public and create resistance to renewable fuels
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A 32-page report by Lux Research picks winners and losers in 2012 among alternative fuel developers. The state of the market report, which is provided only to clients, also predicts that many companies will
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What is fibre fuel, how does it displace petroleum via supercritical technology, and what does the plant look like? ... For those less familiar with New Zealand’s energy brands, Z Energy (“pronounced “Zed”) is the company
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