by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Did you know that adding plant substrate to some algae strains (not all!) can result in improved biomass and/or lipid production? That’s what Amanda Barry from Sandia National Labs reported in this slide guide on
(Science Daily/University of Montreal) Millions of liters of primary municipal wastewater can be treated sustainably using fast-growing willow trees while also producing renewable bioenergy and 'green' chemicals, researchers find. -- Every year in Canada, six trillion litres of municipal wastewater are
(Mitsui O.S.K. Lines) -Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto) today (June 22, 2021) announced that the company will launch research and development (R&D) on adoption of a large-scale liquefied carbon dioxide (CO2) carrier to complete the basic
by Lana Bandoim (Forbes) ... In his (President Joe Biden's) speech, he revealed paying farmers for planting cover crops that will help remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Cover crops include Camelina, rye, buckwheat and several others. Yield10 Bioscience, an agtech company
(Preem) The first tests to produce renewable petrol from sawdust have just been carried out at Preem's refinery in Lysekil. Work has now started to process 50,000 tons of pyrolysis oil at the plant. The renewable raw material will be delivered
(Biofuels International) Global demand for advanced feedstocks from sustainable sources is already outstripping the supply, with hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) demand expected to increase substantially over the next decade. There is a clear gap between current and HVO production capacity
by Lauren Quinn (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) ... For corn ethanol, most greenhouse gas emissions can be mapped to the fuel’s production, transportation, and combustion, but a large portion of the greenhouse gas calculation can be traced right back to the
(SkyNRG) Today the Swedish Energy Agency announced it will grant funds to KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Södra, Växjö Energi, SkyNRG, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden and 2030-sekretariatet to continue their research on the development of production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
(Electric Energy Online/Wärtsilä) The technology group Wärtsilä and Finnish utility, Vantaa Energy Ltd, have signed a co-operation agreement for pre-engineering and development of a Power-to-Gas (P2G) plant for Vantaa Energy. The plant planned to be commissioned in 2025 would be the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) NREL is working on decarbonization of fuels and chemicals production by looking at the integration of CO2 utilization into two existing conceptual biorefinery designs, the brutal reality of CO2 reduction, market trends, decreasing the cost
by Tom Bryan (Biodiesel Magazine) As renewable diesel producers source an array of low-quality, low-carbon inputs, they’re tapping biodiesel’s seasoned pretreatment technology providers for customized feedstock preparation solutions, both on and offsite. From used cooking oil (UCO) and distillers corn oil
by Greg Russell (The National) Reintroducing a crop harvested in Scotland for the first time in half a century will help support Scotland’s green economy. A consortium behind the first sugar beet crop in 50 years – harvested earlier this year –
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have discovered a single gene that simultaneously boosts plant growth and tolerance for stresses such as drought and salt, all while tackling the root cause of climate change by enabling plants
by Robert Tuttle and Kim Chipman (Bloomberg/Yahoo! Finance) Top Biofuel Maker Eyes Garbage in Widening Feedstock Hunt -- The world’s biggest renewable-diesel producer is looking to convert everything from tree limbs to landfill garbage into fuel for motor vehicles and planes
(Maryland Energy Innovation Accelerator) Ryan Powell is the founder and CEO of Manta Biofuel, an MEIA Startup that produces crude oil from algae at a cost that could be competitive with traditional petroleum. Manta’s team has developed their proprietary magnetic algae harvesting
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) MicroBio Engineering, Heliae, Sandia National Labs and Cal Poly shared how they developed the capability for over 3,700 gal/ac-yrof biofuel intermediates through microalgal strain improvement, mixotrophic approaches and novel conversion technology, demonstrated annual productivity of
(Culture Collection of Algae and Protozoa) CCAP (Culture Collection of Algae and Protozoa) is one of the world's leading and oldest algal collection, supporting national and international ecological, environmental and biotechnology research and providing education and training to many scientists and
by Diana Kenney (University of Chicago Marine Biological Laboratory) A team of researchers led by Loretta Roberson, associate scientist at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, has installed the first seaweed farm in Puerto Rico and U.S. tropical waters. The research array
(UABIO) ... In Ukraine, there are about 20 producers of bioethanol with a total capacity of over 300 thousand tons/year, but there are only 8 companies with a total capacity of 128 thousand tons/year that really produce bioethanol. Raw materials for bioethanol
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Perennial grass miscanthus as an energy crop has advanced into high biomass yielding varieties and NC State University is working with Novozymes, Iogen and Oak Ridge National Lab on evaluating new miscanthus varieties and improving
(University of York/Phys.Org) A grass commonly used to fight soil erosion has been genetically modified to successfully remove toxic chemicals left in the ground from munitions that are dangerous to human health, new research shows. The study—led by the University of York-
(Algae Planet) A team of researchers led by Loretta Roberson of the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Mass, has installed the first seaweed farm in Puerto Rico and U.S. tropical waters. The research array furthers the design and development of a system for offshore
(Aemetis/Globe Newswire) Finalizing Grant for “Valorizing Forest Waste for Cellulosic Ethanol Production” to Extract Sugars from Waste Forest and Orchard Wood Using Ionic Liquids Technology Licensed Exclusively to Aemetis from DOE-Funded Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) -- Aemetis, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMTX), a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Everyone wants to reduce the price of biofuels – and a team from Texas A&M, USDA, AgriLife Research, Mississippi State University and others are working on improving the economics and environmental sustainability of biomass sorghum
(U.S. Department of Energy/EurekAlert!) High-yield miscanthus and switchgrass are promising alternatives to traditional annual crops for biofuels. -- ... To understand the effects of this trend, scientists must accurately represent biofuel crops in land surface models. Using observations from biofuel
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Why algae? With biofuel yield 8-13 times larger than corn, well, why not! We took key slides from the 100+ slide deck from this year’s U.S. DOE BETO presentation on the latest goings ons with
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) is offering directed funding assistance for industry and universities interested in leveraging NREL's unique biomass compositional analysis capabilities. Eligibility All U.S. companies and universities are eligible to apply
(Green Car Congress) Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) will demonstrate a combination of technologies that will produce hydrogen from renewable natural gas (RNG) at SunLine Transit Agency’s hydrogen fueling station in Thousand Palms, California. The research project, called “H2 SilverSTARS,” will produce renewable
(U.S. Department of Energy) The Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) hosted its 2021 Project Peer Review virtually on March 8‒12, 2021; March 15‒16, 2021; and March 22‒26, 2021. Presentations for all sessions can be found in the searchable database below. For more information,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Bioenergy switchgrass feedstock – can it be the next-generation feedstock we’ve been looking for in the Midwest? University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is looking at perennial bioenergy feedstock production on marginal croplands across geographic locations in
by Jim Robbins (Energy Today) Saudi Arabia is constructing a futuristic city in the desert on the Red Sea called Neom. The $500 billion city — complete with flying taxis and robotic domestic help — is being built from scratch
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This U.S. Department of Energy BETO project’s biomass blend concept will allow biorefineries to utilize a much larger proportion of the land within their procurement radius, thereby enabling larger scale, more economically feasible facilities to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, the online sessions of ABLC have drawn to a close. This week, delegates around the world will be joining in the ABLC Lounges for person to person networking. The final day of on-stage presentations
(Kobe University/Phy.Org) A cross-institutional collaboration has developed a technique to repartition carbon resources from carbohydrates to lipids in microalgae. It is hoped that this method can be applied to biofuel production. This discovery was the result of a collaboration between a
edited by Puneet Dwivedi (GCB-Bioenergy) A Virtual Special Issue -- The aviation sector emits 2.4% of the global anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions. The use of jet fuel derived from bioenergy feedstocks is vital for reducing the aviation sector's carbon footprint.
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In the United Kingdom, the first dedicated, independent study into Miscanthus life cycles shows that the above ground biomass grows annually and recycles all the carbon that’s been produced through planting, harvesting and burning the
(University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo) A groundbreaking study investigating the growth of selected varieties of sugarcane to convert into high-performance jet fuel is underway at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management (CAFNRM). Utilizing advanced technologies
(Unilever) Unilever has partnered with LanzaTech and India Glycols to produce a surfactant made from industrial carbon emissions instead of from fossil-fuels. The innovative shift in production utilises biotechnologies and a newly configured supply chain between the three partners, who
(ChemEurope) EU research project on the potential of agroforestry waste as environmentally friendly raw materials completed -- In future, waste from agriculture and forestry could serve as the basis for environmentally friendly building materials, insulation foams or fuels. Over the past
(Clariant) Indonesian oil & gas company Pertamina and Clariant collaboratively evaluate the feasibility of sunliquid® technology to convert available regional feedstocks into advanced biofuels; Technology evaluation and conceptual engineering study also cornerstone to the work; Pertamina presented project collaboration details
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Transforming traditional ethanol into an ag tech sustainable biorefinery platform, is what Green Plains is focused on today. Dive into their transformation which they call Green Plains 2.0, latest investments in critical technology, acquisitions and partnerships,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The U.S. Department of Energy’s EnergyEfficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) just released the workshop summary report from the virtual event they hosted last summer that discussed how to collect and valorize
(University of Hohenheim (Google translation)) European project with the participation of the University of Hohenheim researches how unprofitable fields with renewable raw materials can be used sustainably and with added value -- Unused potential: Around 65 million hectares of agricultural land
(European Synchrotron Radiation Facility/Phys.Org) The functioning of the enzyme FAP, useful for producing biofuels and for green chemistry, has been decrypted. This result mobilized an international team of scientists, including many French researchers from the CEA, CNRS, Inserm, École Polytechnique, the
by Leslie Reed (University of Nebraska–Lincoln/Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute/Nebraska Today) University of Nebraska–Lincoln researchers affiliated with the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute have received a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to better quantify
(Alfa Laval/PR Newswire) Alfa Laval - a world leader in heat transfer, centrifugal separation and fluid handling - becomes a partner in the Swedish company Liquid Wind, which develops electro-fuel facilities to produce renewable clean fuels. Alfa Laval will be
by Chris Mallory (The Counter) Agrivoltaics—putting solar panels on farmland—lead to astonishing productivity gains and improved energy efficiency. Except when they don’t. -- ... Mounted on 9-foot-tall beams, so lofty a tractor could pass below them, the solar panels slant against
by Philip Bulsink, Ferran de Miguel Mercader, Linda Sandström, Bert van de Beld, Fernando Preto, Alan Zacher, Anja Oasmaa, Nicolaus Dahmen, Axel Funke, and Benjamin Bronson (Energy Fuels) A round robin study evaluating the analysis of biomass liquefaction oils (BLOs) from
(Polytech University of Madrid (Google Translation)) Researchers at the UPM obtain biodiesel from a mixture of low-quality animal fat with soybean oil and, once characterized according to technical regulations, have tested its behavior in a Diesel engine. -- Today, renewable fuels,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Today, in part 2 of our series The Extraordinary remaking of Ordinary Things, let’s begin with a bit of news overlooked by the major news outlets last week, that Alberta-based Delta CleanTech acquired the CO2 capture
(Earlham Institute) Some grasses are a sustainable energy source that could be a driving force towards achieving net zero carbon emissions, according to new research that demonstrates their resilience to harsh growing environments. -- The Miscanthus genus of grasses, commonly used
(Greasezilla) Greasezilla is investing $1 million per facility in joint ventures to build FOG processing facilities nationwide. -- Downey Ridge Environmental Company, developer of Greasezilla™, announces its work with a rising number of pumpers seeking end-to-end solutions from pumping through to processing,
by Laura Thomson interview with Akshat Tanksale (AZO CleanTech) Associate Professor Akshat Tanksale at Monash University speaks to AZoCleantech about his research on how microalgae could have significant benefits when applied to the hydrogen production industry. ... What makes microalgae a suitable
(American Institute of Physics/TechExplore) ... In their paper, published in the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, Yangzhou University researchers in China show how a combination of monochromatic red and blue LED illumination on one type of microalga can enhance its growth and
(ExxonMobil/Porsche/Business Newswire) ExxonMobil and Porsche are testing advanced biofuels and renewable, lower-carbon eFuels, as part of a new agreement to find pathways toward potential future consumer adoption. The first iteration of Esso Renewable Racing Fuel is a blend of primarily advanced biofuels and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Energy and transportation sectors need renewable solutions, and Sylvatex is using green nanochemistry to turn renewable feedstocks into sustainable solutions for the $2+ trillion market. What is their proprietary tech MicroX? How does it turn renewable
by Karyn Hede (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Sewage and food waste biocrude conversion process reaches major milestone -- A large-scale demonstration converting biocrude to renewable diesel fuel has passed a significant test, operating for more than 2,000 hours continuously without
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From switchgrass, sorghum or sugarcane, feedstock development, genomics, and crops improvement abound with USDA’s help at the Biomass Research Center. Rob Mitchell, Research Leader and Research Agronomist at USDA ARS, shares all about the latest
Join us for a 1-hour webinar to hear more about the Consider Corn Challenge III: Novel Biomaterials, Products, & Technologies Utilizing Field Corn as an Industrial Feedstock. You'll learn about the challenge details directly from NineSigma and representatives from NCGA.
(Bio-based News/nova Institute) CO2 has become famous in a sad way. Carbon Recycling International from Iceland, LanzaTech from USA and Covestro from Germany transform it into usable raw materials. -- More than 180 participants from 24 countries followed the 41 speakers
(CoverCress Inc./PR Web) CoverCress Inc. announces $8 million in partner funding for new low carbon oilseed. -- Midwestern farmers are one step closer to the prospect of growing a new cover crop that will generate a cash margin while supporting regenerative
by Steven Ashby (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) ... As part of advancing sustainable energy solutions, scientists at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory are converting food waste into clean, renewable fuel that could power our planes, trains and
(Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters/EurekAlert!) A single-celled alga undergoes genome surgery to remove non-essential parts. This can lead to a most efficient cellular factory for producing sustainable biofuels from sunlight and carbon dioxide. Researchers from the Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess
(Bioenergy Insight) Delving into the integration of biogas and bioethanol production in Argentina with Krieg & Fischer Ingenieure and Bioelectrica. Rio Cuarto biogas plant in Argentina demonstrates that biogas can successfully be included in the bioethanol value chain. Based on this
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... McAfee (Eric McAfee, CEO of Aemetis Inc.) provided an update of the many improvement projects underway at the Keyes plant that will reduce the carbon intensity (CI) of the fuel it produces, including the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What’s the life cycle system for corn starch ethanol? What is the current best estimate for carbon intensity of corn ethanol? What about ethanol biorefinery energy use intensity and land use change carbon intensity? What
by Shane McGlaun (Slash Gear) ... Researchers from the University of Nevada have been researching drought-tolerant crops that could be used for biofuel, sustainable foods, and forage crops. The team specifically looked at cactus called Opuntia ficus-indica because the plant has
by Iacovos Vasalos (Center for Research and Technology-Hellas/Biofuels Digest) This report summarizes highlights from the ABLC 2020 Biofuels Digest Virtual Conference, which took place in July 7-10, 2020. (And if you haven’t already registered for this year’s ABLC Digital on May 3-7,
by Ron Kotrba (Biobased Diesel Daily) Shell announced in late February that it intends to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the Wesseling section of its Rhineland refinery in Köln, Germany. The company said it plans to set up a commercial
by Rod Nickel, Stephanie Kelly and Karl Plume (Reuters) ... Refiners can produce renewable diesel from animal fats and plant oils, in addition to used cooking oil. Production capacity is expected to nearly quintuple to about 2.65 billion gallons (63 million barrels)
by Gary Polakovic (USC News) Using a “kelp elevator,” researchers at the USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies were able to grow the biofuel crop in large quantities in the open ocean. ... Scientists at the USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies on Santa Catalina
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Aemetis just unveiled a five-year plan targeting $1 billion of revenue by 2025 and we’ve got the presentation with the details. Eric McAfee, Aemetis Chairman/CEO shares how they are replacing high carbon intensity petroleum products
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Infinium Electrofuels process converts renewable power into green hydrogen, then uses this green hydrogen and waste carbon dioxide to produce net-zero carbon fuels. These fuels may be used in today’s plane, ship and truck fleets
(GreenAir Online) Eight European transport ministers have called for a harmonised, long-term strategy to decarbonising the air transport sector to include ramping up the production and supply of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) through an EU-wide blending mandate. Hosting a high-level virtual
(GreenAir Online) A recent high-level conference hosted by the Dutch government focused on the potential of synthetic aviation fuels, also called power-to-liquid (PtL) or e-fuels, to significantly lower the aviation sector’s carbon footprint (see article). The Minister of Infrastructure and Water
by Steven Ashby (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory/Phys.Org) When we eat, our bodies convert food into energy that fuels our lives. But what happens to the energy stored in the 80 billion pounds of food thrown away annually in America? As part
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Remember your grandma’s tale of talking to plants to help make them grow better? Well, that’s actually true – CO2 helps plants grow up to 30% more and now a company called CO2 GRO is
(Investancia/EIN Newswire) Pongamia Trees will produce 300,000 tonnes of sustainable second generation feedstock every year by 2030 in boost for global green transport initiatives -- - Leading agroforestry and research company Investancia today signed a 30-year offtake deal with ECB Group
by Gary C. Young (Bio-Thermal-Energy Inc./Ethanol Producer Magazine) Mixed with steam, run through a reformer and fermented, landfill gas proves an economic and environmentally beneficial feedstock for ethanol production. And each LFG project is a source of green energy that
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Increase agricultural production while decreasing environmental footprint – that’s the goal in a nuthsell, but check out this slide guide on 5 key USDA themes, USDA’s latest innovation contributions like a new sustainable diesel fuel
(Solutions from the Land) “There has never been a greater need for an Agricultural Renaissance. The many voices of farmers, echoing across centuries of scarcity and abundance, challenge us to find new ways forward, paths that produce abundance for expanding populations
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Finland, a partnership led by VTT and Neste aimed at using sustainable electricity and sequestered carbon dioxide to make fuels received €3.3M (about $4 million USD) in funding from Business Finland. Altogether, EUR 6
(U.S. Deprtment of Energy) The Advancing the Bioeconomy: From Waste to Conversion-Ready Feedstocks Workshop, coordinated by the Bioenergy Technologies Office, gathered experts in the fields of waste management, solid materials handling, and biofuel and bioproduct development and production to give
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) USDA’s Bruce Dien shared this illuminating slide guide at ABLC 2020 focusing on the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research in Peoria, Illinois and recent success of NCAUR research. From biorefineries, advanced ethanol and biobutanol,
(Brookhaven National Laboratory/EurekAlert!) Research solves longstanding problem and opens path for growing crops to produce industrially important high-value fatty acids -- Hundreds of naturally occurring specialty fatty acids (building blocks of oils) have potential for use as raw materials for making
(International Energy Agency) There are concurrent media campaigns and publications questioning the use of woody biomass for renewable energy production. Several of them misrepresent on-the-ground forestry practise and bioenergy systems, and associate the use of woody biomass for energy with overexploitation
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Green Plains recently acquired Fluid Quip Technologies with ag tech the cornerstone of their transformation strategy and a focus on meeting the growing global demand for protein, corn oil and high-purity alcohol. Check out their
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... One metric ton of hemp sequesters 1.5 metric tons of carbon dioxide, it matures in as little as 100 days, requires less water and pesticides than many other crops, 1 acre of industrialized
What does an ideal biomass deconstruction process need? Find out in this illuminating slide guide from Xiaowen Chen, Senior Chemical Engineer in the Catalytic Carbon Transformation and Scale-up Center at National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Also take a peek into NREL’s
by Chris Edwards (Engineering and Technology) Renewables may actually keep carbon fuels going for decades to come, but a new group of energy-rich countries will emerge. -- ... The question is what these new vehicles will use instead. For
(Maryland Energy Innovation Accelerator) Austin Bachmann is an Energy Executive in Residence (EEIR) for Manta Biofuel, an MEIA Startup that has developed an innovative technology and process for producing algae-based biofuels. Austin is also the Executive Director of Sales, Marketing and Business
(University of Gävle/Phys.Org) New research from University of Gävle shows that forest residues can generate large amounts of biofuel, and, in the long run, reduce greenhouse gas emission by 88-94% from heavy transport on Swedish roads. "Here is a large and untapped
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) is hosting the 2021 Project Peer Review on March 8-16, 2021 and March 22-26, 2021 that will be held virtually on Zoom. Approximately 300 projects in BETO’s research, development, and demonstration portfolio
Join the Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium (FCIC) for an informational webinar highlighting the computational modeling work occurring within the consortium. Two FCIC researchers will discuss computational modeling approaches to predict the behavior of biomass feedstocks. Dr. Yidong Xia from Idaho National
(Canola Council of Canada) Research and innovation are two key factors that continue to drive the success of Canada’s canola industry. Knowledge transfer is required to extend research findings to growers, agronomists, the scientific community and other industry stakeholders, to initiate
(Department of Energy/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory/EurekAlert) ... Identifying and breeding varieties that have high productivity across a range of environments is becoming increasingly important for food, fuel and other applications, and breeders aren't interested in waiting decades to develop new
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Starting with wood waste or low-grade logs, Futurity uses pretreatment, Sweetwater Energy tech, MetGen’s tech and converts waste wood to worthwhile wonders like paints, packaging, coatings, and thermal energy. If you missed DigestConnect last week,
(Department of Energy) U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy (FE) announced plans to make $8 million in Federal funding available for cost-shared research, development, and testing of technologies that can utilize carbon dioxide (CO2) from power systems or
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Carbontech—technologies that capture and convert CO2 into valuable end products or services is hot right now in attempts to make the planet not so hot with climate change. If you missed last week’s DigestConnect, check
by Steinar Brandslet (Norwegian University of Science and Technology/Phys.Org) Growing perennial grasses on abandoned cropland has the potential to counteract some of the negative impacts of climate change by switching to more biofuels, according to an NTNU research group. Researchers consider
by Gabriel Popkin (Washington Post) President Biden says farmers can adopt agricultural methods that help fight climate change. Maryland farmer Trey Hill has been trying. ... As the winter cover crops grow, they will feed microbes and improve the soil’s health, which
(U.S. Department of Energy) In January, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released the Plastics Innovation Challenge Draft Roadmap and a Request for Information (RFI) seeking stakeholder input on the Draft Roadmap. Announced in November 2019, the Plastics Innovation
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Missouri, CoverCress Inc. and its university partners Illinois State University and the University of Minnesota were selected as the Start-up Inventor of the Year by the Patent, Trademark, and Copyright Section of the Bar Association
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s A.J. Simon shared this illuminating slide guide at ABLC 2020 to look at the role that bioeconomy pathways play in drawing down CO2 from the atmosphere. From pathway selection, corn starch,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The agriculture and waste revolution continues — these are not your Dad’s inputs, or Dad’s outputs either. If you missed last week’s DigestConnect, check out this slide guide from Vanguard Renewables CEO John Hanselman that
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It was styled as a biofuels and biochemical producer, founded back in the heady days of the Recovery Act in February 2009, focused on developing high value oils and animal feeds by fermentation of low cost
by Julie Wurth (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment) ... A study by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI) found that energy sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) behaves more like
(Brookhaven National Laboratory/Phys.Org) Hundreds of naturally occurring specialty fatty acids (building blocks of oils) have potential for use as raw materials for making lubricants, plastics, pharmaceuticals, and more—if they could be produced at large scale by crop plants. But attempts to
(Algae Biomass Organization) ... Our collective effort has resulted in record-breaking policy support, including: $70 million for algae industry research, development, and demonstration in 2020 Congressional appropriations for DOE’s Bioenergy Technology Office, Office of Fossil Energy, and Office of Science. $110 million
by Cameron Begley and Allan Green (Spiegare) In the accelerating push to decarbonise aviation and marine transport fuels, constraints around the sustained availability of fats and oils feedstocks are already emerging. Recent breakthroughs in feedstock engineering technology from Australia presents a promising
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... In today’s Digest, we look at the HOTTEST Digest Slide Guides like Corbion’s biobased Poly Lactic Acid (PLA), Gevo’s low carbon drop-in transportation fuels, Neste, an exclusive Digest Q&A with Clariant, and even some
by David Bradley (Inderscience/Tech Xplore) The neem tree, Azadirachta indica, also known as the Indian Lilac, is well known for its oil extracted from its seed and fruit. It has been used in traditional medicine but has also been investigated
(The National News) About one million tonnes of date seeds are produced from 40 million palm trees in the Emirates -- A research team in the UAE have extracted a large quantity of biofuel from date seeds, signalling a huge potential
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Nuseed (which acquired Agrisoma last year) has four focus crops – carinata, sorghum, canola and sunflower – sound more like a cooking ingredient list but they are in fact fantastic feedstocks for a range of
(LaTrobe University) A cropping trial is now in the ground at Katunga as a forerunner to a $1 billion renewable fuel development. Investment company, AgBioEn, is planning a massive biofuel plant on a 40 ha former dairy farm, which will use agricultural waste. The company
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Wastewater treatment is a huge problem with about 30 billion gallons per day in the U.S. You’ve got pathogens in the water that could reach drinking water supplies. You’ve got nutrients causing excess algae growth.
by Kristin Toussaint (Fast Company) Instead of having more carbon go into the atmosphere, making our planet warmer and speeding up the effects of climate change, you might soon be able to eat those emissions. Biotech company LanzaTech has successfully
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Today, let’s look at an alternative to carpet-bombing Midwestern corn fields with around 150 pounds per acre of nitrogen fertilizer, in hopes that the plants will take up about half of that, en route to a
(UPM Biofuels) UPM Biofuels has joined the BIKE project that promotes low-ILUC risk biofuels production for European Bioeconomy. The project brings together companies and research organisations who believe that novel, safe and reliable biomass value chains can be deployed to produce
by Tom Luljak (WUWM) Giant kelp is usually found thousands of miles from Milwaukee. It’s known for being an incredibly fast-growing seaweed in the Pacific Ocean. But recently, scientists have learned that the kelp could be a huge source for
by Lena Nordgren (SEKAB) The second webinar by the EU project REWOFUEL – REsidual soft WOod conversion to high characteristics drop-in bioFUELs, was held in the beginning of December. The specific topic of the webinar was to address the sustainability aspects in the value chain
(Bioenergy Insight) In 2019, 96,000 hectares (ha) of agricultural land in the UK were used to grow crops for bioenergy. Government statistics released on 10 December show the area of non-food crops grown in the UK and their usage in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What is the World Economic Forum doing to help aviation meet net zero goals? First, they recognize that the most immediate action to achieve carbon-neutral flying is the investment in, and rapid scale-up, of sustainable
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced up to $35 million in funding for bioenergy feedstock technologies and algae research and development. This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) supports the White House priority for advancing the domestic
(Asian Development Bank) The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $2.5 million technical assistance (TA) to support advanced biofuel development in India. The grant is funded from the Asia Clean Energy Fund, financed by the Government of Japan under the
by Tim Schley (Penn State News) New approach to nutrient management could make money for farmers and land managers; Best management practices for reducing runoff and other nutrient losses in agriculture have been difficult to implement, according to Penn State
(American Institute of Physics/EurekAlert!) An investigation of nine types of microalgae for use as an energy source in commercial biodiesel production based on laboratory-scale data -- Microalgae are a promising source of energy to replace fossil fuels, as they have several
(Neste) An investment of CAD 5.9 million as part of Transition Énergétique Québec -- The Quebec Government has today announced it awards funding totaling CAD 5.943 million (approx. EUR 3.85 million, USD 4.55 million) to a non-profit organization Bioénergie La Tuque
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) To go along with our “green” holiday theme today, check out this slide guide on how iWi’s Omega-3 made from algae can go a long way in making us healthier in a much greener way.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) We all know variability is inherent to biomass, but what can you do about it? Lots! This ABLC2020 slide guide dives into feedstock variability and the work FCIC is coordinating across an impressive 6 national
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Yield10 Biosciences just completed harvesting for their 2020 field test program to evaluate novel yield and compositional traits in Camelina and canola conducted in the United States and Canada, and plan on reporting data in
by Mary Ann Showalter (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) PNNL’s hydrothermal liquefaction shows promise for turning harmful algal blooms into biocrude -- ... Algal blooms can also raise treatment costs for drinking water suppliers, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The U.S.
(Mississippi State University) A $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy will benefit Mississippi State researchers in the university’s Forest and Wildlife Research Center studying the economic and ecological benefits of growing trees for biofuel production. The DOE funding will
(Biobased Diesel Daily) Researchers at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture have been awarded a $250,000 grant from the Federal Aviation Administration to evaluate regional biomass supply chains with regard to their potential for supplying feedstock for domestic fuel production
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Carbios will knock your socks off with their enzyme tech that is now converting textile waste and your old polyester socks and sweaters into clear plastic bottles. We’ve heard of clothing made from plastic bottles
(Terravesta) The growing global bioeconomy has an indispensable role in tackling the climate crisis, and key to delivering a low carbon economy is securing enough supply of sustainable raw materials and linking them with a near-industrial scale of various bio-based products
by Jamie Oberdick (Pennsylvania State University/Phys.Org) A multi-institutional research group led by two Penn State faculty members has identified, for the first time, how cellulose crystals orient themselves relative to the cell wall in plants, with potential implications for chemical and
by Elton Alisson (Agência FAPESP) ... Some argue, for example, that biofuels are not sustainable because the conversion of non-agricultural land to grow energy crops could lead to a significant initial decrease in carbon storage, creating what is known as a
by Luke Upton (BioMarket Insights) Bold news this week from Sekab, the Swedish chemical and cleantech company, who are responding to increasing demand for green chemicals and a growing focus on the impact on climate change by a major green tech
by Susan P. Rupp (Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) Because of the challenges of registering it (hemp) as an agricultural crop, federal agencies have not yet provided clear direction on the use of agrochemicals (i.e., herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides) on hemp, and
(Times of India) A nano grain-based ethanol unit, installed at the National Sugar Institute-Kanpur, was inaugurated by the vice-chancellor of the Harcourt Butler Technological University Kampur, on Thursday This unit is integrated with existing molasses-based ethanol unit and thus now the
(Embrapa) Embrapa Agroenergia, in partnership with the company Haka Bioprocessos, headquartered in Catanduva (SP), starts this October research that may result in a green diesel obtained from the hydrogenation of bio-oil from bone waste from birds. The Unit will characterize the chemical
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) There are major barriers in growing a bioeconomy, but Idaho National Laboratory is tackling some of those by applying artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve the supply of sustainable biomass feedstock for conversion to
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) This week, Manta Biofuels has launched a crowd investment campaign on Republic and began reaching out to colleagues, business associates, mentors and friends, offering them a chance to invest in this growing business. Dedicated to
by Benjamin Storrow (E&E News) ... "Algae. A renewable source of energy. ExxonMobil is researching it. To revolutionize biofuels. For more energy. And fewer emissions." Biofuels represent one of Exxon Mobil's primary answers to climate change. In television ads and presentations
by Jenna Kurtzweil (Brookhaven National Laboratory/Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation) From southeastern Florida to northern Mississippi to the Midwestern Corn Belt, CABBI scientists have struck sustainable oil with sugarcane. But the crop’s potential value to the renewable energy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) If you missed DigestConnect last week, take a look at this illuminating slide guide from Aemetis CEO Eric McAfee on their newest biogas venture, making renewable natural gas from dairy waste, the switch to making
by Susan Rupp (Land & Natural Resource Section at Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) ... However, producers continue to face challenges in production and marketing of products because of constantly morphing state and federal regulations, typically revolving around total tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
(Yield10 Bioscience) Yield10 Bioscience, Inc. (Nasdaq:YTEN), an agricultural bioscience company, today announced that it has begun field testing to evaluate the emergence and agronomics of winter Camelina sativa varieties. The testing of these winter varieties in the 2020/2021 winter season is part of Yield10’s
by Rebecca Pool (Engineering and Technology) A growing band of scientists and engineers wants to feed and fuel the world with seaweed. --... The last decade has seen a surge in seaweed aquaculture, driven by a rising interest in using
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