Feedstock – Advanced BioFuels USA

New University and Government Reports Set the Record Straight on Ethanol’s GHG Benefits

(Renewable Fuels Association) Two new academic studies released this week provide further evidence that grain-based ethanol is significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and call into question the reliability of recent “land use change” analyses based on flawed satellite imagery-based methodologies. These studies add to a large body of existing literature that

July 17, 2019 Read Full Article

Whole-Tree Harvesting Could Boost Biomass Production

by Kelley Christensen (Michigan Technological University) … Forest biomass is expected to be one of the key energy sources, but many people have wondered how to feed biofuel plants the materials they need without destroying forest resources. Whole-tree aspen logging promotes renewable biomass energy from tops and branches, parts of the tree

July 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Press Release: Implications of Imported Used Cooking Oil as Biodiesel Feedstock

(National Non-Food Crops Centre) Increasing imports of UCO to the EU for use as biodiesel feedstock could have unintended and significant environmental consequences. — NNFCC release a new report on the ‘Implications of Imported Used Cooking Oil as Biodiesel Feedstock’. The report discusses how UK biofuels policy: Is driving the growing use of

July 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Carbon-Negative Fuels Come Clearer, Closer with Oberon’s Leap to Demo Scale

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From California comes news that Oberon Fuels has been officially awarded a grant for $2,876,139 from the California Energy Commission (CEC) for a first-of-its-kind, multi-phase project to produce the first renewable dimethyl ether (rDME), with what could arguably be the most carbon-negative transport fuel ever produced

July 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Solving the Puzzle Surrounding Algae for Biofuels

by Asanga Padmaperuma (U.S. Department of Energy Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) PNNL team develops new model for analyzing biocrude yield and economics Scientists have made significant strides in transforming algae to biocrude using a process called hydrothermal liquefaction, or HTL. Still, the long road from laboratories to fuel tanks harbors a few

July 10, 2019 Read Full Article

NACSAA Pushes Science-Based Decision Making, Other Principles, in Bonn

(Solutions from the Land) Science-based decision making and putting farmers at the center of all discussions were among the guiding principles touted by representatives of NACSAA and many of its member organizations in a workshop held by United Nation’s facilitators in Bonn, Germany, on the development of an agricultural work program

July 9, 2019 Read Full Article

Left out to Dry: A More Efficient Way to Harvest Algae Biomass

(University of Tsukuba/EurekAlert!) University of Tsukuba researchers developed a new, highly efficient system for removing water from algae biomass with reusable nanostructured graphene, which can greatly increase the yield of ecofriendly biofuels, pharmaceuticals, and fertilizers — A team at the University of Tsukuba introduced a new procedure of harvesting energy and organic

July 9, 2019 Read Full Article

Iowa State University Is Home to a New Bioenergy Crops Research Farm

(Iowa State University Extension and Outreach) Iowa and Midwest agriculture has started to change in recent years. One visible change is the interest to grow crops for biofuel and bioproducts (referred to as “energy crops”). Fossil fuel usage contributes to the growing problem with greenhouse gases. Alternative energy options from plant

July 5, 2019 Read Full Article

Carinata Cover Cropping: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Agrisoma

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Agrisoma Biosciences, Inc. has the world’s largest collection of Carinata and an extensive modern crop improvement program that allows them to select high yielding varieties ideally suited for production across a broad range of geographies. Agrisoma has commercialized Carinata in North and South America, working with

July 5, 2019 Read Full Article

SoCalGas Partners Develop RNG and Hydrogen Conversion Technology

by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) … Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas), in collaboration with a number of partners, held a public exhibition of projects to help California achieve greenhouse-gas (GHG) emission reductions. The California utility held the event at the San Diego State University Center for Energy Sustainability in Brawley, Calif.

July 2, 2019 Read Full Article

A Community-Based Approach for Enriching Microalgae that Grow under High Concentration of CO2

by Hualong Wang, Fru Azinwi Nche-Fambo, Zhigang Yu, Feng Chen (ResearchGate/HY-TEK Bio) Certain species of microalgae are capable of growing under high concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2), and these microalgae have potential to be used for sequestering CO2 released as industrial pollutants using phototrophic carbon fixation system. While some CO2-tolerant algal species have been identified

July 1, 2019 Read Full Article

European Research Project Claims Breakthrough in Production of Renewable Jet Fuels from Sunlight

(GreenAir Online) A project funded by the EU and Switzerland claims to have made a breakthrough in producing renewable jet kerosene from sunlight, water and CO2. The SUN-to-LIQUID project follows on from an earlier project, SOLAR-JET, that developed the technology to achieve the first-ever production of solar jet fuel in a

June 28, 2019 Read Full Article

Integrated Landscape Management Reduces Biomass Production Costs By 20%

by J.Richard Hess (Idaho National Laboratory/U.S. Department of Energy) A new techno-economic analysis by Idaho National Laboratory (INL) demonstrated that, by using integrated landscape management (ILM) techniques, bioenergy stakeholders could produce biomass at costs 20% lower than previous assumptions.1 The efficiencies gained using ILM practices could generate a new revenue

June 26, 2019 Read Full Article

Hawaii’s Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot!: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Tropical Feedstocks

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The University of Hawai’i is on top of the latest research on Hawaii’s tropical agriculture, its hot zone and tropical feedstocks for the bioeconomy. Peter Matlock, Strategic Advisor for Aviation Fuels and Special Projects for Joint BioEnergy Institute and who is developing the Institute for Tropical

June 24, 2019 Read Full Article

NACSAA Delegates to Global Climate Talks Stress Climate Smart Agriculture in Face of Severe Weather Events

(Solutions from the Land) North American Climate Smart Agriculture (NACSAA) leaders are once again on the global stage, talking this week with representatives from nations around the world meeting in Bonn, Germany, promoting the role of farmers, ranchers and woodland owners in addressing climate change challenges. NACSAA Chairman Fred Yoder, Steering

June 19, 2019 Read Full Article

Amazing Algaculture: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to MicroBio Engineering

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) MicroBio Engineering works on facility designs, algae equipment, R&D, engineering consulting, techno-economic analyses, LCAs and wastewater treatment. Their focus on algaculture, specifically microalgae cultivation, is what the focus of this presentation is on. John Benemann, CEO and Tryg Lundquist, CTO, both of MicroBio Engineering, gave this

June 18, 2019 Read Full Article

Potential to Decarbonize Long Distance Transport: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Drop-in Biofuels

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) IEA Bioenergy Task 39, with the help of the National Renewable Energy Lab and University of British Columbia, has been working facilitating the commercialization of conventional and advanced liquid biofuels from biomass drop-in biofuels for quite some time. They are looking at various technologies for drop-in

June 14, 2019 Read Full Article

Researchers Create Microorganism for Algae Biomass to Produce Biofuel and Biochemical

(AZO CleanTech) … (T)he collaborative research team of POSTECH and Seoul National University created a new microorganism, which they christened as Vibrio sp. dhg. In their research, they effectively showed that Vibrio sp. dhg can be a capable microbial platform for the biorefinery of brown macro-algae which can substitute starch-crop biomass. Their

June 13, 2019 Read Full Article

The New Plan to Remove a Trillion Tons of Carbon Dioxide from the Atmosphere: Bury It.

by Laura Reiley (Washington Post) It sounds like an idea plucked from science fiction, but the reality is that trees and plants already do it. — … Boston-based Indigo AG, now wants to transform farming practices so that agriculture becomes quite the opposite of what it is today — a major source

June 13, 2019 Read Full Article

Finnish Researcher Looks to Blue-Green Algae for Biodiesel Production

(Yle Uutiset News) Someday, the process could help reduce or eliminate the reliance on fossil fuels, according to the researcher. — One day, it may be possible to fuel vehicles with biodiesel made with blue-green algae, according to doctoral student Mikael Jämsä, who researches molecular plant biology at the University of Turku. Jämsä

June 12, 2019 Read Full Article

Cactus Biofuel: Mexico’s ‘Green Gold

(CNN) Since 2015, Michoacan-based clean energy company Nopalimex has used prickly pear cactus to make biofuel for vehicles: Mexico’s “Green Gold.” WATCH VIDEO

June 10, 2019 Read Full Article

Exploitation Alternatives of Olive Mill Wastewater: Production of Value-Added Compounds Useful for Industry and Agriculture

by Pablo M. Ahmed; Pablo M. Fernández; Lucía I. C. de Figueroa; Hipólito F. Pajot (Biofuel Research Journal) Countries producing olive oil generate a considerable amount of olive mill wastewater (OMWW), one of the most harmful agro-industrial effluents with a powerful polluting capacity. In fact, owing to its high pollution load, this

June 10, 2019 Read Full Article

The Policy Enabling Environment for Climate Smart Agriculture: A Case Study of California

by Josette Lewis and Jessica Rudnick (Frontiers Media) Climate smart agriculture (CSA) provides a framework for balancing multiple dimensions of agriculture and food systems in an era of climate change: addressing agricultural contributions to global greenhouse gas emissions, vulnerabilities to climate change impacts, and the relationship between agricultural productivity, incomes and

June 7, 2019 Read Full Article

University of North Florida Researcher Awarded USDA Grant to Study Plant-Based Alternative Fuel Sources

(Univeristy of North Florida) Switchgrass—a Productive Native Species—Could Possibly Fuel Vehicles into the Future — Dr. Mike Aspinwall, an assistant professor of biology at the University of North Florida, was just awarded nearly half a million dollars from the USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture to study switchgrass as a viable

June 7, 2019 Read Full Article

Algal Genomics: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Joint Genome Institute

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Joint Genome Institute’s mission is to advance genomics in support of the U.S. Department of Energy missions related to clean energy generation and environmental characterization and cleanup. Supported by the DOE Office of Science, the JGI unites the expertise at Berkeley Lab, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory,

June 4, 2019 Read Full Article

Meaningful Solutions for a Changing Climate Require Proactive Partnerships

(Solutions from the Land) One of Solution from the Land’s (SfL) primary missions over the past decade has been to help and inspire agricultural and forestry sector leaders to become powerful voices in the broader discussion of climate change, including adaptation and mitigation. Towards this end, SfL has been building state,

June 4, 2019 Read Full Article

Ag Leaders Shaping Global Climate Strategies… Who Would Have Thought?

(Solutions from the Land) Solutions from the Land takes great pride in supporting the North American Climate Smart Action Alliance (NACSAA) as it continues its important work in putting farmers, ranchers and foresters in a central position to develop the steps needed to adapt to changing climate conditions, sequester carbon,

June 4, 2019 Read Full Article

Farming Seaweed to Make Biofuel

(AZO Cleantech) Seaweed can be broadly termed as marine macroalgae, and belongs to one of the many groups of multicellular red, green and brown algae. Seaweed is widely used to produce vitamin supplements, cosmetics, plastics and animal feed in many parts of the world. The importance of seaweed has skyrocketed ever

June 4, 2019 Read Full Article

Solving Feedstock Challenges Today

(Department of Energy) The INL (Idaho National Laboratory) Bioenergy Program’s mission is to support DOE in achieving their vision by developing processes and technologies through applied science and engineering that remove the barriers associated with accessing a sustainable, efficient feedstock supply. INL is the nation’s leading laboratory for bioenergy feedstock research.

June 3, 2019 Read Full Article

Nordic Microalgae Cleans Wastewater and Produces Biodiesel

(Umea University/Phys.Org) Lorenza Ferro demonstrates the potential of Nordic microalgae for simultaneous production of biomass and municipal sewage treatment in our Nordic climate. She has also studied how microalgae and bacteria work together and how this impacts the composition of microbial communities in open algae cultures. … Algae biomass is considered

June 3, 2019 Read Full Article

Argonne Releases Updated Computer Model to Help Bioenergy Developers Conserve Water

(Argonne National Laboratory) Critical updates to WATER tool help the bioenergy industry manage resources. — The U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory recently released an updated version of an online computer model meant to help bioenergy developers preserve critical resources. The model, called Water Analysis Tool for Energy Resources or WATER, has users from more

June 2, 2019 Read Full Article

Expanding US Cropland Emits Same as 36 New Power Plants

by Jon Cartwright (Physics World) Between 2008 and 2012 expansion of cropland in the US released carbon each year equivalent to the running of 36 coal-fired power plants, according to scientists in the US. “Folks can easily see and understand how tropical deforestation removes carbon from the landscape and emits it to the

May 29, 2019 Read Full Article

Students Study Possible Use of Lake Algae for Biofuel

(University of Wisconsin-Stout) Could the algae on Lake Menomin make biofuel? That is the question some University of Wisconsin-Stout students looked at as part of their research for capstone projects. Jerica Hall, a senior studying mechanical engineering, talked about the findings she and fellow students Isaac Audette, senior, manufacturing engineering, St. Paul; Colin

May 28, 2019 Read Full Article

Food, Water, Energy: An Eternal Golden Braid of Value and Sustainability

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Jonathan Trent, late of the OMEGA algae projects, has authored a column on the topic of “putting existing technologies into ecosystems, to increase food productivity and profitability, while conserving water and energy and decreasing environmental impact.” He calls this UpCycle Systems, or UCS to those who

May 28, 2019 Read Full Article

Research Afoot at Shoolini University to Produce Biodiesel From Biowaste

(Shoolini University/PR Newswire) Depleting levels of fossil fuels and air pollution are a major concern for environmentalists around the world and a lot of emphasis is being put on biofuels and renewable resources. Biodiesel seems to be just the right solution for meeting the energy requirements of the future. In their

May 28, 2019 Read Full Article

Six MSU Researchers Receive Prestigious NSF Early Career Awards

(Michigan State University) … Daniel Ducat, assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, received $1,033,970 from NSF’s Division of Systems and Synthetic Biology to investigate the fundamental interactions that underpin resilient microbial partnerships and may be key to solving some of the earth’s biggest resource challenges. Ducat’s team will

May 28, 2019 Read Full Article

Algae and Synthetic Ecology: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to New Mexico Consortium

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) New Mexico Consortium is non-profit corporation formed by 3 NM universities to facilitate research collaborations for universities, industry & Los Alamos Laboratory. They are looking to algae as a solution where cell factories could produce energy in a carbon neutral way with a primary focus on

May 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Innovative Foundation in Iowa

by Debi Durham (Iowa Economic Development Authority) … Iowa is home to three public universities – the University of Iowa, Iowa State University (ISU) and the University of Northern Iowa – that are world-renowned for dynamic research capabilities in plant, animal and human biosciences. This network leverages more than $1 billion

May 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Microalgae: The Green Mines for Fueling the Future and Mitigating Heavy Metals

by Neha Arora (Science Trends) … Biofuels, particularly bioethanol and biodiesel, have been touted as one of the most propitious and greener alternatives since the beginning of the millennium. In this regard, algal-derived biofuels have the potential to become the savior of our dwindling fossil fuel reserves. … The energy-rich compounds,

May 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Development of Novel Processes for the Aqueous Extraction of Natural Rubber from Taraxacum kok‐saghyz (TK)

by David A Ramirez‐Cadavid, Katrina Cornish, Upul Hathwaik, Robert Kozak, Colleen McMahan and Frederick C Michel Jr. (Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology) Taraxacum kok‐saghyz (TK) is a rubber‐producing plant being developed as a commercial alternative source of natural rubber (NR). The objective of this study was to investigate processes to extract

May 21, 2019 Read Full Article

California Energy Commission Awards Nearly $11M to Support Biofuels, Renewable Gas and Microgrids

(Green Car Congress) The California Energy Commission approved nearly $11 million for clean energy demonstration projects, including biofuels, renewable gas, and microgrids. The Energy Commission approved a $2-million grant to Technology & Investment Solutions to demonstrate a more sustainable and cost-effective process of creating biomethane from food waste at an existing anaerobic

May 17, 2019 Read Full Article

Breakthrough Technique for Studying Gene Expression Takes Root in Plants

(U.S. Department of Energy/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory/EurekAlert!) Berkeley Lab scientists adapt open-source genetic analysis method for use in plant cells for the first time — An open-source RNA analysis platform has been successfully used on plant cells for the first time – a breakthrough that could herald a new era of fundamental

May 17, 2019 Read Full Article

Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center Leads the Drive toward a Renewable Future

(University of Wisconsin-Madison) … Transportation, heating and the plastics and chemicals we use every day all rely on petroleum products, but our insatiable appetite for fossil fuels will have catastrophic consequences for the health of the planet if left unchecked. That’s why engineers at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), which

May 14, 2019 Read Full Article

Biomethane Business Is Booming – From Waste to Watts and Wonder Chemicals

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … First, let’s make sure we aren’t confusing biogas with biomethane. Biogas is mostly methane and carbon dioxide but that doesn’t mean it’s biomethane. You see, biogas is produced from organic matter breaking down in the absence of oxygen, but biomethane is biogas that has been upgraded

May 14, 2019 Read Full Article

Feedstock Flexibility

by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Beyond Enerkem, a few companies around the world are looking to feedstocks outside of corn to produce cellulosic ethanol. — A few well-known ethanol producers are developing cellulosic pathways that use feedstocks other than elements of corn. … Waste Gas LanzaTech, a U.S.-based carbon capture and

May 14, 2019 Read Full Article

DE-FOA-0002029: FY19 Bioenergy Technologies Office Multi-Topic Funding Opportunity Announcement DEADLINE: June 3, 2019

(U.S. Department of Energy) This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) will provide funding to address the highest priority R&D areas within biofuel technologies, bioproducts, and biopower. It includes Areas of Interest (AOIs) from all five BETO programs: Feedstock Supply and Logistics; Advanced Algal Systems; Conversion; Advanced Development and Optimization; and Sustainability and

May 10, 2019 Read Full Article

The Secrets of Secretion: Isolating Eucalyptus Genes for Oils, Biofuel

(Michigan Technological University/Science Codex) What is the genetic basis for eucalyptus trees to produce that fragrant oil many of us associate with trips to the spa? Carsten Külheim, associate professor in Michigan Technological University’s School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, has spent the past 10 years of his career studying eucalyptus.

May 10, 2019 Read Full Article

Experts Secure £200,000 from the Department for Transport for Research into Greener Travel

(Loughborough University) Loughborough University has been awarded £200,000 for two projects which aim to make the transport sector more environmentally friendly. Dr Jin Xuan, a Senior Lecturer in Low Carbon Processes, Dr Tanja Radu, a Lecturer in Water Engineering, and Dr Jonathan Wagner, a Lecturer in Chemical Engineering, successfully bid for the grant which

May 9, 2019 Read Full Article

Greening the Gas Grid: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Netherland Enterprise Agency

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Netherland Enterprise Agency is a government agency which operates under the auspices of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy. The Netherland Enterprise Agency stimulates entrepreneurs in sustainable, agricultural, innovative and international business. It aims to improve opportunities for entrepreneurs, strengthen their position and help

May 9, 2019 Read Full Article

The Plan to Grab the World’s Carbon with Supercharged Plants

by Emily Dreyfuss (Wired) … Plant biologist Joanne Chory thinks plants can do more. She has studied the genetics of plants at the Salk Institute in San Diego for more than 30 years, and she and the rest of the five-person Harnessing Plants Initiative team are convinced that photosynthesis itself can

May 4, 2019 Read Full Article

Government, National Labs, Academia, and Industry Convene at the 2019 BETO Peer Review! Presentations Now Available

(U.S. Department of Energy) From March 4–8, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, hosted the 2019 Project Peer Review in Denver, Colorado. This was the largest Peer Review in BETO history—almost 600 people attended the event! Bioenergy researchers

May 3, 2019 Read Full Article

DE-FOA-0002029: FY19 Bioenergy Technologies Office Multi-Topic Funding Opportunity Announcement

(U.S. Department of Energy) This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) will provide funding to address the highest priority R&D areas within biofuel technologies, bioproducts, and biopower. It includes Areas of Interest (AOIs) from all five BETO programs: Feedstock Supply and Logistics; Advanced Algal Systems; Conversion; Advanced Development and Optimization; and Sustainability and

May 3, 2019 Read Full Article

Algal Biofuel: The Long Road to Commercial Viability

by Chris Lo (Power Technology) The green technology sector has fallen out of love with algae as a feedstock for biofuel production, but there is hope yet for algae-derived fuel in the long-term. What are the recent advances that are refining the production processes that could see algal biofuel compete with

April 30, 2019 Read Full Article

Biomass Quality Challenges: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Idaho National Laboratory

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) INL is part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s complex of national laboratories. The laboratory performs work in each of the strategic goal areas of DOE: energy, national security, science and environment. INL is the nation’s leading center for nuclear energy research and development. Chenlin Li,

April 30, 2019 Read Full Article

Power of Biology for Algae Biofuels: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Synthetic Genomics

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Synthetic Genomics is a San Diego biotechnology company harnessing the power of living cells — nature’s most efficient machines — to create transformative medicines and bio-based products. Their teams of data and biological engineers have developed the leading set of synthetic biology capabilities, tools, and intellectual property

April 29, 2019 Read Full Article

DFDS Invests in Biofuels Developer MASH Energy

(DFDS/MASH Energy/Globe Newswire) DFDS is investing in the start-up company MASH Energy ApS that produces biofuel from agricultural waste, currently from the by-products of nut processing in Tanzania and India. The biofuel is CO2 neutral and can be used in ships. In addition, the residual product is an effective fertiliser and will

April 26, 2019 Read Full Article

Study of Sorghum-Munching Aphids Earns NSF Award

(University of Nebraska-Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources) … University of Nebraska–Lincoln entomologist Joe Louis is investigating ways to help sorghum naturally resist sugarcane aphids, the crop’s most damaging pest in the United States. Louis earned a five-year, $1.5 million Faculty Early Career Development Program award from the National Science Foundation to

April 26, 2019 Read Full Article

(A)lgae + (B)iomass = (C)onstructive: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Sandia National Labs

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sandia National Laboratories shares a famous acronym with Saturday Night Live but the work they have done is key to the future of the bioeconomy, having delivered essential science and technology to resolve the nation’s most challenging security issues for over 60 years. One piece of

April 26, 2019 Read Full Article

Sustainable Way to Increase Seed Oil Yield in Crops

(Science Daily/Nanyang Technological University) Scientists have developed a sustainable way to demonstrate a new genetic modification that can increase the yield of natural oil in seeds by up to 15% in laboratory conditions. — The new method can be applied to crops such as canola, soybean and sunflower, which are in a

April 24, 2019 Read Full Article

Earth Day 2019 – A Look at Carbon Negative and Carbon Capture Technologies, Advancements, and Possibilities

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … What was a nationwide celebration and peaceful demonstrations for environmental reform in the U.S. by some estimated 20 million Americans, Earth Day events have now expanded to over 193 countries and more than a billion people every year. … The top 5 CO2 producing countries in the

April 23, 2019 Read Full Article

India’s Ethanol Scenario: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Praj

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Praj Americas, Inc.,subsidiary of Praj industries ltd, is a unique technology and engineering company in the ethanol arena in the Americas. What started off as an entrepreneurial venture three decades ago, the parent company, Praj Industries, is today a leader in India in the field of

April 18, 2019 Read Full Article

Where Will All the Feedstock Come From?

by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) As a new wave of large-scale biomass-based diesel projects develops, experts suggest market forces are ready to deliver the necessary fats, oils and greases. — …Many of these new biomass-based diesel projects intend to produce renewable diesel at a much larger scale than even the largest biodiesel

April 17, 2019 Read Full Article

Beyond Beef with No Cow, Sunflower Crop Waste for Phone Cases and Binders, BASF’s Bioactives from Rambutan Tree, Repurposing Wastewater Algae, Nouryon’s Biopolymer for Hair Care, and More: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of April 17th

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of April 17th. In today’s Digest, beyond beef with no cow, sunflower crop waste for phone cases and binders, BASF’s bioactives from rambutan tree, repurposing wastewater algae,

April 17, 2019 Read Full Article

This Sustainable Biofuel Company Is Also a Beauty Company

by Eillie Anzilotti (Fast Company) … Bob and Kelly King founded Pacific Biodiesel in Hawaii in 1995 in response to a concerning issue: the volume of used cooking oil that was being dumped into a landfill in Maui. Bob, who at the time owned the company that ran the landfill’s generators, proposed recycling the used

April 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Queensland’s Quest for a Circular Bioeconomy

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) …Today we look at Queensland, Australia – the innovators, the leaders, the investors. In the last few days, a Queensland oil refinery said it is making biofuel from old tires and hopes to commercialize it soon to help take care of a huge tire waste issue in

April 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Ethanol Industry Gets Welcome News: USDA Study Shows It’s More Environmentally Friendly than Gasoline

(The Messenger) … The United States Department of Agriculture has just released the findings of a USDA study about the environmental impact of the corn-ethanol industry. The conclusions are superb news — ethanol has significant greenhouse gas benefits when compared to gasoline. The most important conclusion of an extensive research project,

April 9, 2019 Read Full Article

Technology Turns Municipal Wastewater Algae into Specialty Chemicals for Biofuels, Bioplastics

(Purdue University/Phys.org) Gen3Bio has designed mobile 15-gallon enzymolysis pilot plants to be placed in wastewater treatment facilities to transform algae into specialty bio-based chemicals, such as biofuels or bioplastics. — A startup is advancing a unique way to transform algae used to purify municipal wastewater into specialty bio-based chemicals such as

April 8, 2019 Read Full Article

FastOx Gasification: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Sierra Energy

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sierra Energyhas a proprietary process of engineering organisms (yeast) using renewably-sourced carbon from plants (sugarcane) to make sustainable, custom molecules. They use their technology to create products that support biopharmaceutical drug discovery and production, from cosmetic emollients and fragrances, to fuels, solvents, lubricants, and nutraceuticals. Mike

April 5, 2019 Read Full Article

Ohio Stakeholders Validate Utility of SfL’s 21st Century Land Management Model

(Solutions from the Land) Smart Agriculture: Solutions from the Land (OSA:SfL), A Call to Action for Ohio’s Food System and Agricultural Economy,” Solutions from the Land‘s (SfL) integrated, land management model was validated by a diverse range of stakeholders from around the state who forged consensus on a mid-century vision and action

April 3, 2019 Read Full Article

Algae-Derived Solar Fuel

(Algae Industry Magazine) Susan Kraemer writes in solarpaces.org that to use solar thermal energy to convert farmed algae to fuel, the solar fuels research team at Australian National University (ANU), led by John Pye together with Mahesh Venkataraman, proposed a new process, detailed in their paper Modelling of a 50 MWth On-Sun Reactor

April 3, 2019 Read Full Article

Air Pollution Caused by Corn Production Increases Mortality Rate in US

(University of Minnesota/EurekAlert!) New paper presents how researchers have estimated for the first time the health damages caused by corn production — A new study establishes that environmental damage caused by corn production results in 4,300 premature deaths annually in the United States, representing a monetized cost of $39 billion. The paper,

April 2, 2019 Read Full Article

Scion Welcomes Climate Policy Report

(Scion Research) Crown research institute Scion congratulates the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment on his report Farms, forests and fossil fuels: The next great landscape transformation released today. Scion CEO Dr Julian Elder says the report’s proposal to take a “landscape approach” to managing our country’s climate and environmental issues is

April 2, 2019 Read Full Article

Algae R&D Featured in Interagency Framework for Advancing the Bioeconomy

(Algae Biomass Organization) This month the federal Biomass Research and Development (BR&D) Board unveiled a multi-agency strategy to accelerate innovative biomass technologies for affordable biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower. Algae cultivation is prominently featured among the suite of technologies the effort is harnessing. The B&RD Board is an interagency collaborative which is

March 29, 2019 Read Full Article

CO2CRC to Investigate Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reducation in Steel Manufacturing

(CO2CRC) CO2CRC has been awarded funding to conduct important research into reducing greenhouse gas emissions in steel production. The year-long study has been made possible by a grant from the NSW Department of Planning and Environment (Coal Innovation NSW Fund). The project will explore pathways for reducing greenhouse gas emissions

March 28, 2019 Read Full Article

Apoptosis in Algae Could Have Implications for Biofuels Production

(Biofuels International) A new study has shown the first evidence of programmed cell death, or apoptosis, in algae, which could have wide-reaching implications for the production of biofuels. Results of the research carried out by University of Alberta (UAlberta) microbiologists were published in a paper titled ‘Phaeobacter inhibens induces apoptosis-like programmed cell

March 27, 2019 Read Full Article

Scientists Develop High-CO2-Tolerant Microalgae

(Algae Industry Magazine/Chinese Academy of Sciences) … However, the high concentration of carbon dioxide in flue gases generally inhibits the growth of industrial microalgae. Therefore, reducing the so-called “CO2 poisoning effect,” i.e., improving tolerance to high levels of CO2, has become a priority in the development of super microalgae for carbon fixation.

March 27, 2019 Read Full Article

TerViva Raises $20 Million in Series D to Drive Product Development and Market Expansion

(TerViva/MarketWatch/PR NewsWire) Led by Ag Family Offices and Climate-Smart Investors, Funding Round Brings Ag-Tech Firm to $40 Million Raised for High-Yielding, Sustainable Plant Protein Product Development — TerViva, an agriculture technology firm commercializing resilient pongamia trees that produce as much as ten times the beans per acre as soy for the supply

March 27, 2019 Read Full Article

Increased Biofuel Production from Unicellular Algae

(Algae Industry Magazine) A new study may provide knowledge for increased biofuel production from unicellular algae. When starved for nutrients such as nitrogen, algae accumulate copious amounts of energy-rich lipids, which can be harvested and used as biofuel. Algae-based biofuel has the potential to serve as a sustainable replacement for fossil fuels.

March 23, 2019 Read Full Article

Disruptive Technologies: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Praj Industries

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Praj Industries is an end-to-end solutions provider in the ethanol arena from concept to commissioning and feedstock handling to effluent treatment. They have technology and engineering solutions for biofuels, biochemicals and water. Dr. Pramod Kumbhar, Chief Technology Officer at Praj Industries offers this illuminating overview of

March 22, 2019 Read Full Article

Methane to Chemicals: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to iMicrobes

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Industrial Microbesupgrades methane to various multi-carbon chemicals using synthetic biology. Noah Helman, CSO and Co-Founder of iMicrobes gave this illuminating overview of methane as a feedstock, the breakthrough in active MMO in E.coli that has allowed easier methane to methanol conversion, and more at ABLC Global 2018 in

March 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Princeton’s Algal Library Explores Genes for Photosynthesis

(Algae Industry Magazine) A team led by Princeton University researchers has constructed a public algae “library” to help researchers find out what each gene does during photosynthesis. Using the library, the team identified 303 genes associated with photosynthesis, including 21 newly discovered genes with high potential to provide new insights