by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What’s next in the biobased revolution? After fuels, chemicals, say many. What’s the role of incentives, the size of the opportunity and the potential rewards for a region? Two Iowa-based organizations, the Cultivation Corridor and Iowa
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A new generation of advanced technologies, based primarily in the United States but active in Europe and around the world, is changing our way of thinking about what a factory has to look like, one
by Devin Henry (The Hill) Natural gas developers are providing very restricted information about their methane emissions to investors, according to a report released Monday by a green group. According to an Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) analysis, only 18 of 65 major
(US Department of Energy) The Energy Department today announced up to $15 million in funding to develop technologies that are likely to succeed in producing 3,700 gallons of algal biofuel intermediate (or equivalent dry weight basis) per acre per year
(BioHiTech Global Inc./Biomass Magazine) ... BioHiTech's Eco-Safe Digester utilizes an aerobic digestion process to convert food waste to grey water, also referred to as effluent. Typically the effluent is discharged safely into the sewage system and individual wastewater treatment facilities to
by Rosalie Bliss (US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service) ... U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists have advanced a process to produce a crude liquid called “bio-oil” from agricultural waste. The team is headed by Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
by Louisa Burwood-Taylor (AgFunderNews) ... “Ecological farming is ‘AgTech’ but of a different kind. It is a return to the original definition of ‘technology’, which comes from two Greek words: technis, which means art, skill, craft or the way something is gained, and logos,
by John Davis (DomesticFuel.com) One of the issues for biodiesel producers is corrosion of equipment by chemicals used in the production process. Pennsylvania-based chemical company Arkema has developed a low corrosion version of Methane Sulfonic Acid (MSA LC) that will
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Researchers at the Department of Energy's BioEnergy Science Center are looking beyond the usual suspects in the search for microbes that can efficiently break down inedible plant matter for conversion to biofuels. A new comparative study
by George C. Ford (The Gazette) Authors contend state offers 'discernible advantages' -- A report released Thursday (January 13, 2016) contends Iowa is better positioned than many other states to capture a large share of the emerging biorenewable chemical market,
by Ajay Shah (Renewable Energy World) Massive availability of agricultural waste, left unutilized in the field, and its potential to be converted to environmentally friendly biofuel has led to an increasing attention towards the advancement of cellulosic biofuel. ... Cellulosic biofuel
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) The Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE) had a call for information on Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines (Optima). The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) submitted comments stating that the Association agrees that “co-optimization of future
by Lynn Yarris (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) ... Led by Seema Singh and Blake Simmons, JBEI researchers have developed a “high-gravity” one-pot process for producing ethanol from cellulosic biomass that gives unprecedented yields while minimizing water use and waste disposal. The
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, the Digest has released the 30 Hottest Biobased Molecules for 2016, as voted by the Digest’s global readership. The Readers were surveyed over December and January, and rated more than 100 individual molecules
(Biofuels International) Shell India Markets, the Indian arm of Royal Dutch Shell, has announced plans to build a five tonne/day biofuel demonstration plant using IH2 technology on the site of its new technology centre in Bangalore, India. IH2 technology is a
(Biofuels International) Car giant Audi is entering a renewed collaboration agreement with French renewable energy firm Global Bioenergies to promote the development of biofuels. The two companies recently announced the delivery by Global Bioenergies to Audi of a first batch of
by Jim Lane (Renewable Energy World) ... The IH2 technology is a thermocatalytic conversion route for woody biomass and forest residues feedstock that has been estimated to produce drop-in renewable fuels at around ~$2.25/gallon (in 2014 dollars), based on a
(Agri-View/Renewable Energy World) The relationship between a prairie grass such as switchgrass and naturally occurring microbes may help shed light on growing hardier plants for livestock and humans. Understanding how microbes promote prairie grasses to grow in nutrient-deficient, marginal soils
by Nathan Collins (Pacific Standard) Researchers combine ecological and economic models to examine the benefits of growing grass as fuel. --- ... Fortunately, corn isn't the only source of ethanol—in particular, there are perennial grasses like switchgrass and miscanthus. Those options
(Defour Group/Transportation Fuels Consulting) Dean Drake of the Defour Group LLC (D4) and Gary Herwick of Transportation Fuels Consulting (TFC) have submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Energy's Request for Information about co-optimization of fuels and engines. Their response reflects their
(Indiana University Bloomington) Combining bacterial genes and virus shell creates a highly efficient, renewable material used in generating power from water -- Scientists at Indiana University have created a highly efficient biomaterial that catalyzes the formation of hydrogen -- one
(EurekAlert!/University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Second-generation biofuel crops like the perennial grasses Miscanthus and switchgrass can efficiently meet emission reduction goals without significantly displacing cropland used for food production, according to a new study. Researchers from the University of Illinois
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As Global Bioenergies, LanzaTech tighten isobutene partnership, the era of “swap-in, swap out” biorefining microbes comes clear, closer -- In France, Global Bioenergies and LanzaTech signed a new collaboration agreement to broaden the feedstock flexibility
by Robert E. Kozak (Advanced Biofuels USA) Ed note: Here are some initial notes from Bob Kozak, covering green racing developments at the Daytona International Speedway's Roar before the Rolex 24. Sounds like we are racing backwards instead of forwards. To
(Rice University/Science Daily) Research shows how nature handles lignin -- New research shows how bacterial enzymes team up to attack lignin. The findings could lead to more efficient processes for creating biofuels from wood, grass and agricultural waste, say scientists. The molecules
by Steve Wilhelm (Denver Business Journal) Alaska Airlines says it will will partner with Gevo Inc., a leading maker of plant-based jet fuel, as the Seattle-based airline progresses from previous demonstration flights using Gevo's aviation biofuel to commercial flight sometime
(Virent) Rolls-Royce Testing Demonstrates Virent Synthesized Aromatic Kerosene (SAK) Bio-Jet Fuel Blend Provides Health and Environmental Benefits While Maintaining Engine Performance Bio-jet emissions testing by Rolls-Royce and supported by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under the Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions, and
(Volvo) Following extensive truck and engine testing, Mack Trucks today (January 7, 2016) signed off on the use of renewable diesel fuel in all Mack® engines. Renewable diesel fuel delivers performance similar to diesel refined from petroleum, but with several additional
(Extension.org) If you are looking for a comprehensive article on poplar for biofuel production, this is for you. Table of Contents Introduction Current and Potential Use as a Biofuel Biology and Adaptation Production and Agronomic Information Harvest Potential Yields Production Challenges Estimated Production Cost Environmental/Sustainability Issues Feasibility Summary Bibliography For More Information Contributors to This
(Autodisplay Biotech GmbH) In November, an international consortium led by Autodisplay Biotech GmbH started Pathway EFB, a €1.6 million ($1.75 million) collaborative research and development project to significantly lower cellulase cost in the production of biofuels and biobased chemicals. The
(Purdue University) Nancy Ho, founder and president of Green Tech America Inc. and a research professor emerita in Purdue University's School of Chemical Engineering, will receive the National Medal of Technology and Innovation from President Barack Obama. The award, announced Dec. 22,
by Katherine Long (Seattle Times) Four years after the University of Washington received a $40 million federal grant to kick-start a biofuels industry in the Northwest, scientists have made great progress, but plans are lagging, in part because fossil fuels
(Green Car Congress) A team at RWTH Aachen University has identified ethyllevulinate and 2-methyltetrahydrofuran as promising alternatives to cellulosic bioethanol with respect to cost and environmental impact based on a large-scale reaction screening study. In addition, the study of 97 reactions
by Serafin Castro (24 Horas Puebla (modified Google Translation)) A Griselda Corro has too many doubts. As a scientist, and her 59 years, the questions had since childhood have not diminished, "on the contrary, they became more," she says, "but now
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The IEA Bioenergy Task 39 Group released its end of year newsletter, which included a comprehensive country profile for biofuels activity in Germany, authored by Franziska Müller-Langer (DBFZ and Nicolaus Dahmen (KIT). The overview includes Background
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, investors were pleasantly shocked when shares in Aemetis traded up 52% last Thursday. What exactly is happening? In a release, Aemetis credited five factors for the jump: January 1, 2016: California LCFS re-adopted as of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Byogy has developed a catalytic platform that converts any source of ethanol, butanol, mixed alcohols, or related olefins, into full replacement, and cost competitive biofuels including gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. Byogy’s jet fuel is
(Heriot-Watt University/Biomass Magazine) Heriot-Watt University is to lead a £2 million ($2.98 million) project to develop low carbon aviation fuels from captured CO2 and waste biomass. The multi-disciplinary project, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council will be led by Heriot-Watt
(Penn Energy/Renewable Energy World) ABUTEC’s combustion technology is once again paving the way for waste-to-energy projects through its partnership with Roeslein Alternative Energy. With almost two million pigs housed throughout nine facilities, Smithfield Foods Missouri produces an exorbitant amount of manure,
by Hari Pulakkat (Times of India/The Economic Times) ... Among the most advanced of the lot is Royal Dutch Shell, whose R&D centre in Bengaluru is now trying to scale up a process - called IH - to make petroleum
by Mark E. Griffin (Wisconsin Energy Institute/University of Wisconsin) A six-year Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) study on the viability of different bioenergy feedstocks recently demonstrated that perennial cropping systems such as switchgrass, giant miscanthus, poplar, native grasses, and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Mercurius says it “has the technology and processes that will, for the first time, make the production of cellulosic biofuels profitable while meeting the needs of the diesel and jet fuel markets and satisfying government
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In a time of rising gasoline demand and targets for higher engine efficiencies, the world could use more octane. What about ethanol, and what about iso-octane itself? The Digest looks at the economics and the supplies. Over
by Karen B. Roberts (University of Delaware/Biomass Magazine) ... At the University of Delaware, associate scientist Jennifer Stewart is working to create sustainable algae-based biofuels that could reduce carbon dioxide and other harmful emissions in the atmosphere. ... Many scientists have proposed growing algae
by Joseph Donnelly, Richard Horton, Kesavan Gopalan, Chris D. Bannister, and Christopher J. Chuck (Energy & Fuels) In this investigation a range of ketone biofuels produced from the alkylation of isoamyl alcohol and isobutanol were examined as potential blending agents with Jet
by Melissa Erickson (The Daily Times) By the end of the year, DuPont will close its biorefinery in Vonore, a facility that was built as a partnership with the state of Tennessee as part of a $70 million initiative to
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Spain, the European patents office has approved a Europe-wide patent forInKemia IUCT Group’s production process that creates second-generation biodiesel from glycerin through 2033. The patent was developed as part of the European-funded 2G Biofuel
by Bill Rooney (Biofuels Digest/Texas A&M) Sorghum has been identified by the US Department of Energy as an energy crop of interest. Owing to its high biomass yield, drought tolerance, established production systems, carbon life cycle, genetic resources and potential for further improvement and available hybrids. Texas A&M”s
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Q. We’ve heard a lot about carbon capture, but what about carbon capture and conversion (to a more soluble, transportable and storable form), for example conversion to bicarbonate? A. To date, all ventures in the carbon
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Maryland, the US Patent and Trademark Office issued patent number 9,217,161for a process to ferment biomass or gases directly to hydrocarbons like hexane and octane. The process belongs to the electrofuels family — technologies
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... a judgment for Solazyme and against Roquette, confirming an earlier arbitration award we covered last February in The Great Algae Robbery, here. ... Just before Christmas, Robinson (Judge Sue Robinson, Federal District Judge for the District
by Amy Harder (Wall Street Journal/Governors' Biofuels Coalition) Solazyme Inc., a company founded 12 years ago to make car and truck fuel from algae, is vigorously pushing a new product. But this time, it is fuel for the body: cooking oil, based
(Globe Newswire/NASDAQ) An agreement signed today by Bio-on and S.E.C.I. S.p.A. part of Gruppo Industriale Maccaferri holding, will see Italy's and world's first facility for the production of PHAs bioplastic from biodiesel production co-products, namely glycerol. The two companies, operating in
by Anmar Frangoul (CNBC.com) Recent advances in technology mean the idea of creating fuel from sources as diverse as coffee and whisky is no longer science fiction. Another potential source gaining traction is algae. According to the U.S. Department of Energy
by Anna Simet (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. Defense Logistics Agency and the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology recently released results of a research project that investigated the technical feasibility, commercial viability and environmental compliance of the use of liquefied coal and
by Brian Jenning (Ethanol Producer Magazine/American Coalition for Ethanol) Each fall the American Coalition for Ethanol brings members together to identify the goals we’ll pursue for the coming year. We did a series of listening sessions between harvest and football
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, an analysis of 2016 model year warranty statements and owner’s manuals conducted by the Renewable Fuels Association shows that auto manufacturers explicitly approve E15 (15 percent ethanol 85 percent gasoline) use in more than 70
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Global Bioenergies is a pioneer in the development of one-step fermentation processes for the direct and cost-efficient transformation of renewable resources into light olefin hydrocarbons, the key building blocks of the petrochemical industry. Since inception,
by Ron Alverson (Ethanol Across America) It has been seven years since Argonne National Labs (ANL), as part of the Energy Security and Independence Act requirements, first determined the Life Cycle Carbon Intensity of mid-west corn ethanol fuel. ANL, using
by Claire Vath (DTN/The Progressive Farmer) ... "We had something like 200 trespass cows from a nearby land lease," Willow says. So, they constructed a fence. And while it kept animals out, the damage had already been wrought. "Those cows destroyed
by Shelagh Whitley and Laurie van der Burg (New Climate Economy) The research underpinning this New Climate Economy Working Paper was a major input into the 2015 New Climate Economy report and articulates the practical steps that policymakers can take to
(Donald Danforth Plant Science Center/EurekAlert!) The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center announced that it will be part of a major collaborative research project to improve sorghum's productivity under resource-limited conditions. The research should lead to strategies to increase plant biomass
by Dawn Gagnon (Bangor Daily News) Members of the group representing the trash-disposal interests of nearly 200 Maine towns were briefed Wednesday on progress made toward operating their own recycling and processing facility. Perhaps the biggest news for Municipal Review Committee
(PKN ORLEN) PKN ORLEN is starting another R&D project to explore alternative sources of next-generation biocomponents. The Company plans to open a research station at its Production Plant in Płock, where carbon dioxide and process wastewater will be used to grow
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest and Iogen) ... The Bottom Line: Acquire better, cheaper biomass; Release matured market-ready technologies; Find markets where carbon premiums are available to products, not for a free benefit for society as a whole; Don't underpromise
by Tom Ewing (Renewable Energy World) As oil prices plummet, are drop-in aviation biofuel refineries ever going to be built? --- In September 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE), along with the Departments of the Navy and Agriculture, announced a
by Matt McGrath (BBC News) Wild bees in the US have declined in many farming areas according to the first national effort to map their numbers. -- The study suggests that between 2008 and 2013, the numbers of wild bees
(Stratas Advisors) This segment is from the report, “Panama: Biofuels Policy & Market.” The full report is part of Stratas Advisors’ Global Biofuels Assessment service. Rising oil prices and dependence on imported petroleum products led Panama’s government to consider implementing a domestic
(Algae Industry Magazine) Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, have an ingenious system to prepare themselves for the coming daylight when it is dark by setting up a large “antenna.” This antenna helps them capture light energy in an efficient
(Petro-Online.com) The roads of Brazil are flooded with over 36 million cars. With over 60% of vehicles running on ethanol based petrol, the environmental credentials of the country are impressive. Over the past few years, a number of innovative ‘second
by Landon Hall (Fuel Freedom Foundation) E85 ethanol has a benefit for just about everybody: Some people like the fact that the fuel often is much cheaper than regular gasoline, even with gas prices at their cheapest in years. Others
(Algae Industry Magazine) Students of algal research, including it’s various applications and business models, have increasing opportunities to get quickly up to speed in many aspects of the rapidly developing, somewhat confounding, algae industry. New educational opportunities are more and
(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a briefing examining the health impacts of current octane sources and the need for cleaner, cost-effective octane providers. Octane is necessary for vehicle performance and increasing octane
(University of Illinois/Biomass Magazine) The University of Illinois has been awarded a 3-year, $5 million grant from the DOE Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy as part of its OPEN 2015 funding initiative (ARPA-E OPEN). Under Principal Investigator Andrew Leakey, Associate Professor of
(Hull Daily Mail) More than 40 staff at a research facility at Saltend have been told they are facing redundancy. Kingston Research Ltd (KRL) is a joint venture between BP and Du Pont. The plant pilots the production of biobutanol – a
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s (EERE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) have released a request for information (RFI) titled “Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines” (Optima).
(ePURE) ... At ePURE, the association representing European ethanol producers, we believe that renewable ethanol can play an important role in decarbonising transport. Because ethanol can be blended with petrol to run in existing engines, it is one of the ways we
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Alcohol-to-jet. Several are working on it – Byogy, for example, and Vertimass, Virent and LanzaTech. But Gevo has been working through the rigorous ASTM process for six years, which includes extensive engine testing and data
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As ASTM technical balloting is underway and as experts sift through and request revised submissions of technical data, insiders are pointing to an early 2016 approval for Gevo’s renewable alcohol-to-jet fuel. In Washington, CAAFI Executive Director
by Osaretin Oghomwen Omorodion* (Advanced Biofuels USA) On November 13th, the National Academies of Science's Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education convened with its board of Environmental Change and Society to assess current trends in monitoring climate change
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) In support of the Obama Administration's Climate Action Plan, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) jointly released the Biogas Opportunities Roadmap Progress Report today
(PR NewsWire) The Port of Seattle, Alaska Airlines [NYSE: ALK] and Boeing [NYSE: BA] are partnering to move toward a significant environmental goal: powering all flights by all airlines at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport with sustainable aviation biofuel. Sea-Tac is the
by Meghann Myers (Navy Times) More than six years after it was first announced, the Great Green Fleet will makes its maiden voyage in late January. The carrier strike group will deploy, fueled with a mix of biofuel and fossil fuel
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Part of the Lawrence Berkeley National Labs, established by the United States Department of Energy, is the Advanced Biofuels Process Demonstration Unit, designed to help ramp up the bioeconomy. ABPDU enables early stage advanced biofuels, biomaterials, and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Goodbye glucose, hello xylose. The X-Factor in the advanced bioeconomy might just be a sugar that starts with an X. ... When we think about C5s — that are liberated by new technologies from the cellulosic
by Brian Berk (Convenience Store News) Study: The alternative fuel is becoming much more “appealing.” --- Just a few years ago, some convenience store retailers and consumers alike were hesitant to sell and purchase E15 fuel, respectively, due to misfueling
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Senior Scientist Min Zhang has a special relationship with Zymomonas mobilis, a rod-shaped bacterium that has bioethanol-producing capabilities. Of her 80 peer-reviewed papers and 21 U.S. patents in the field of biochemistry
by Tina Hilding (Washington State University News) Washington State University researchers have developed a catalyst that easily converts bio-based ethanol to a widely used industrial chemical, paving the way for more environmentally friendly, bio-based plastics and products. The researchers have published
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) xF Technologies Inc. is an Albuquerque, NM based company that has developed a thermochemical process to convert biomass into an advanced oxygenate that is compatible with gasoline, diesel and heating oil. xF Technologies plans to
by Loni Kemp (NRDC/Governors' Biofuels Coalition) The next ethanol boom is most likely to come from cellulose feedstocks, yet US policy is unprepared to ensure that harvest of annual crop residues is sustainable. That’s the conclusion of a new report recently published by
(Office of the Mayor, City and County of San Francisco) Estimated 50 Percent Emissions Reductions Will Be Achieved as Result of Ending Use of Petroleum Diesel & Replacing with Renewable Diesel Mayor Edwin M. Lee today at the West Coast Mayors
by Stephanie vanKampen (CBC News) Cellufuel, based in the former Bowater Merset paper plant, says the 'game changer' fuel is carbon neutral --- A Nova Scotia company says it's the first in the world to create biofuel completely out of
(Biofuels International) A team of experts from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and the University of Cambridge in the UK are embarking to research renewable energy and to develop biofuels for use in small machines like lawnmower. The research project also attempts
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Scientists from the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have discovered that a metabolic pathway previously only suggested to be functional in photosynthetic organisms is actually a major pathway and can enable efficient conversion of
by Steven Hamburg (Environmental Defense Fund) A new scientific study published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, coordinated by EDF, reports findings from the most comprehensive examination of regional methane emissions completed to date. Focused on
(Biofuels Digest) In Canada, the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association released a 16-page synopsis of more than a dozen addresses at the recent Canadian Bioeconomy Summit. The synopsis team was led by Dr. Jack Saddler, ... READ MORE Download Summaries Excerpt from
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Guiding the delegates at Paris for the recent, historic climate change agreement was a whole bunch of data on energy. One of the most intelligent offerings on that topic came from the International Energy Agency,
by Kay Ledbette (Texas A&M AgriLife) ... Russ Jessup, an AgriLife Research perennial grass breeder in College Station, said he is introducing a new biofuel-biomass feedstock that is a hybrid “similar to seedless watermelons, seedless grapes and other sterile
by Mikkel Pates (Agweek) The South Dakota Farmers Union celebrated its 100th annual meeting by taking another step forward in history by unanimously passing a resolution that dedicates its members to use a 30 percent ethanol blend in all of
by Joseph Erbentraut (The Huffington Post) A new analysis finds potentially transformative agricultural research isn’t getting the level of funding it probably should. --- Two years ago, when acclaimed food journalist Michael Pollan trumpeted “the most encouraging ag research finding of recent
by Laurencas Raslavicius (ResearchGate) This review paper sets the stage for a look at the Lithuanian (hereinafter LT) transport sector and its transition towards sustainable mobility through the use of biofuels and implementation of the necessary policies to deliver the renewable
(Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research/EurekAlert!) DOE-funded project will track movement of phosphate in real time -- Professor Maria Harrison has received part of a $1.2 million grant from the Department of Energy to support the development of biosensors to
by John Mies (Volvo Trucks -- United States) Volvo Trucks North America, after concluding truck and engine lab testing, today approved the use of renewable diesel fuel for all of its proprietary Volvo engines, offering environmental and cost-savings benefits to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Avantium is a technology company specialized in the area of advanced catalytic research. From 2005 onwards, Avantium has developed a proprietary technology to produce Furanics building blocks from plant based sugars, under the name YXY.
(US Department of Agriculture) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced a conditional commitment for a $70 million loan guarantee to help build a cellulosic biorefinery in central Georgia. USDA is providing the loan guarantee conditional commitment, an important milestone in
(U.S. Department of Energy) On July 16, 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office hosted the Bioproducts to Enable Biofuels Workshop in Westminster, Colorado. The purpose of the workshop was to get stakeholder input about the potential role of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Mango Materials utilizes a patent-protected process to manufacture bioplastic from inexpensive sources of methane gas. The San Francisco Bay Area-based company has proven the ability to produce the bioplastic poly-hydroxyalkanoate (PHA), which can be economically
(University of Massachusetts Amherst) University of Massachusetts Amherst computational chemist Scott Auerbach has been awarded a three-year, $330,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to improve basic understanding and optimize the process of producing fuels such as gasoline from plant
(Fleets & Fuels) Installation Combines Membrane and PSA Technologies Yielding Biomethane-Based CNG for Palm Oil Mill Vehicles --- Canada’s Xebec Adsorption has delivered its first “hybrid” biogas upgrading plant, a unit combining membrane separation and fast-cycle PSA/pressure swing adsorption technologies to produce
by Robert E. Kozak* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Here at Advanced Biofuels USA we’ve been banging the drum for E30 for a number of years. Equal fuel mileage, better performance, you know the facts. Well, all that time we never had a
by Bryan Lufkin (Gizmodo) From powering airplanes to replacing nuclear energy, algae has been touted as a green energy miracle. So if our waterways are already filled with the stuff, why isn’t it filling the world’s skies with biofueled planes?
(Economic Times/India Times) Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), a Government of India Public Sector Enterprises under Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency (NBDA), a state government undertaking, today inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for sourcing
(Global Renewable Fuels Alliance/Ethanol Producer Magazine) At the World Climate Summit under way in Paris, France, the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance in cooperation with (S&T)2 Consultants Inc., an internationally renowned energy and environmental consulting firm, released a new report “Green
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The release of the U.S. EPA’s final rulemaking for the renewable fuel standard (RFS) was a shock to the RINs market—the renewable identification numbers used by obligated parties to demonstrate compliance. Biodiesel, D4
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This year at ABLC Next, Bill Orts, a Research Leader for Bioproducts at the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, gave us an overview of partnership opportunities at USDA and through ARS. One of the vehicles is known as a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) You can have a transformative world or materials at affordable prices — but if you want both, you might well be seeing dicarboxylic acids somewhere in the mix. That’s why JBEI’s latest and greatest is worth
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Since retrofitting a 2002 Ford Focus ZX3 to a FlexFuel vehicle in mid-November, we have substituted use of home-grown renewable fuel for 63% of a barrel of fossil fuel oil. It was a bit of
(Bioenegy Insight) The Aberystwyth University in Wales, UK and the supply chain specialist Terravesta are running new trials to examine how the energy crop miscanthus survives in water-logged land and its effect on the soil after flooding. The trials come some
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The goal of the EU’s set of globally-oriented clusters is to bring together players in research, higher-education, and industry. Here’s the substantial research, development and deployment options on offer in France’s Champagne Ardenne region. READ
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Patiently, assuredly, one cluster at a time, Canada has amassed a potent armory of renewable fuel and biobased technologies, people and clusters of activity. Where’s it going? The Digest looks at a whole slew of
by Terry Devitt (University of Wisconsin-Madison News) The makers of beer, wine, biofuels and other products that depend on yeasts may soon have many more strains of the microorganism to work with, thanks to a new method for making interspecies
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Clariant’s sunliquid technology for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into sugars, followed by fermentation to cellulosic ethanol, is flexible to be used to convert different feedstocks on a regional basis, for example corn stover in North
by Anna Simet (Biomass Magazine) U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz has announced that the U.S. DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy has awarded $125 million to 41 energy technology projects, four of which involve bioenergy or biomass. ... Projects relevant to the bioenergy
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. EPA has opened a competition for technologies to recycle nutrients from livestock manure on Challenge.gov. The competition is being held in partnership with the USDA. The American Biogas Council is among the project’s
(Greenbelt Resources/Business Wire) POM Wonderful®, the largest grower and producer of fresh pomegranates and pomegranate juice in the United States, has extended its feedstock testing contract with Greenbelt Resources Corporation(OTC: GRCO), an award winning provider of sustainable energy production systems.
(University of California Los Angeles) UCLA–UC Berkeley report finds that the state hasn’t taken full advantage of agricultural resources -- California has not taken full advantage of opportunities to increase its in-state production of biofuel, despite state policies that encourage
by Chris Arsenault (PlanetArk.org/Reuters) Wealthy nations spend 40 times as much money subsidizing fossil fuel production as they contribute to the Green Climate Fund to help poor countries adapt to global warming, a research group said in a study released on
(University of Rochester) New Catalysts Lead to Near Total Conversion -- ... But now a research team, led by William Jones at the University of Rochester, has developed a series of reactions that results in the selective conversion of ethanol to
by Maegan Murray (WSU Tri-Cities/Washington State University) Researchers at Washington State University Tri-Cities have figured out a way to successfully convert a common wood byproduct into hydrocarbon molecules that could be used as jet fuel. Bin Yang, an associate professor of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What’s Zymergen? As they put it, “We believe in harnessing the power of biology to make transformative products that are good for business, people and the environment. By applying the latest in automation, data architecture
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In Minnesota, construction is now underway at the Green Biologics bio-based n-butanol and acetone manufacturing facility in Little Falls, MN. The existing manufacturing site, formerly known as The Central MN Ethanol Cooperative (CMEC), was
(Enalgae) EnAlgae has been about finding sustainable pathways for algal biomass. Initially the focus was all about energy, specifically as a biofuel. But our journey over the past four years shows that there's likely to be a different future ahead
(Diesel Technology Forum) Clean diesel engines and fuel will be a necessary technology to feed an additional 1 billion people while meeting climate commitments established by 2025. -- ... One of the benefits of the diesel platform is its capability
by Frances White (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Three technologies — a computational tool to improve power grid planning, a process to create biofuel from kelp and a hybrid device that makes hydrogen and stores energy — are being developed by
by Audra Calloway (Picatinny Arsenal; U.S. Army) While people who go to the beach and lakes may think of algae as a slimy nuisance, Picatinny engineers have partnered with private industry to harness its photosynthesis ability to develop a
(HydrogenFuelNews) MarketResearchReports.Biz has announced addition of new report “Global Biodiesel MarketAnalysis and Forecasts to 2020″ to its database. This report gives an in-depth analysis of the global biodiesel market and provides forecasts up to 2020. The research analyzes key trends, major
(U.S. Department of Energy) The Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation (GREET) model allows researchers and analysts to fully evaluate the energy and emission impacts of advanced vehicle technologies and new transportation fuels. Argonne National Laboratory recently
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Multidisciplinary teams of scientists and engineers at Argonne are advancing the basic energy sciences, focusing their research and development on a broad portfolio of sustainable and clean energy technologies. Innovations in transportation, energy storage and
by Mark Warner (Warner Advisors LLC) Two questions have dominated the responses received after my Lessons Learned series on commercializing industrial biotechnology (here) and the deep-dive into the industrial biotechnology commercialization process (here), the questions are what makes scale-up of industrial
(Agrimoney.com) The United Nations highlighted a cooling in the competition by biofuels plants for crops as it revealed a return by food prices into decline, as cereals and meat values fell to five-year lows. The UN's food agency, the Food and
by Brooke Coleman (Advanced Biofuels Business Council/Times Argus) In “Ethanol is a bad deal for Vt.” (online Nov. 21), a group called the American Council for Capital Formation argues that ethanol is a bad deal for Vermonters economically and environmentally. The allegations
by Joel Schlesinger(The Globe and Mail) ... To that end, the startup has developed a technology to turn biomass – plant matter – into heavy fuel that burns like diesel. “Using a combination of pressure, temperature and some catalysts, we take biomass
(Universal News Point/Hexa) Deep Research on – “Biofuel Enzymes Market” are renewable source of fuels which are generally formed by animal matter and waste plant. Biofuel enzymes are catalysts which speed up and alter the ongoing reaction, and increase the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) LanzaTech has developed a fully sustainable integrative gas to fuels and chemicals platform that has no impact on food, water security or high biodiversity land use. LanzaTech’s gas fermentation platform disrupts the current highly centralized global
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Kansas, INVISTA and LanzaTech have developed a metabolic ‘toolkit’ that has been successfully applied to generate novel metabolic pathways to bio-derived butadiene and key precursors, such as 1,3 butanediol and 2,3 butanediol, resulting in
by Eric Roston (Bloomberg) ... The minority who remain skeptical of climate science—a group that includes presidential hopefuls and powerful lawmakers—can count on a dedicated network of several thousand professional supporters. ... A loose network of 4,556 individuals with overlapping ties to 164
by Anna Simet (Biomass Magazine) Construction of phase one of Roeslein Alternative Energy’s $80 million anaerobic digestion project is about halfway complete and on schedule to be operational by the middle of next year, the company reported. Work at the site,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Maryland, The US Patent and Trademark Office issued patent number 9,193,979 for ethanol-tolerant microorganisms that convert cellulosic biomass to ethanol. The patent describes using the microorganisms to produce ethanol from crop or waste biomass
(Enerkem) Enerkem Inc. (www.enerkem.com), a waste-to-biofuels and chemicals producer, is pleased to have been selected by the World Intellectual Property Organization and the Institut national de la propriété industrielle (France's national institute for the protection of intellectual property or INPI)
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) “We are a boutique technical consulting and service firm to the alternative energy and resources industry,” said the VerdeNero manifesto, adding: “We provide services in technology transfer, system analysis and integration. We operate at the boundaries between engineering, economics, environment
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