Process – Advanced BioFuels USA

Pilot Plant to Turn Sugarcane Waste into Biofuel and Beer Bottles

(Queensland University of Technology) QUT researchers and Mercurius Australia have commenced work on a pilot plant to prove the economic viability of turning sugarcane waste into either jet and diesel fuel or chemicals that could be used to make plastic soft drink and beer bottles. Dr Darryn Rackemann, Senior Research Fellow

February 18, 2019 Read Full Article

MEGA MEG – Braskem and Haldor Topsoe’s Monoethylene Glycol from Sugar Is in Operation

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) …Brazil-based Braskem and Denmark-based Haldor Topsoe just commissioned their pioneering demonstration unit, located in Denmark, for the development of monoethylene glycol (MEG) from sugar. Their innovation for renewable plastic made from sugar instead of traditional fossil fuels has been getting attention and this news marks a

February 11, 2019 Read Full Article

Techie Builds Biofuel Plant, Makes Home Free of LPG

by Manjula Nair (Times of India) … For (Priyadarshan) Sahasrabuddhe, an engineer by training from IIT-Bombay, has been turning wet waste into biofuel – all in a bid to be free from LPG. He has already made his parents “LPG-free” by setting up biofuel plants at their bungalow. Now, he wants to replicate the same

February 8, 2019 Read Full Article

Flax Fiber Skis, Biobased Turf for 2020 Olympics, Gevo’s Isoprene, Veja Vegan Leather, Castor Oil Jacket Membrane and More: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of February 8th

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 February 8th. In today’s Digest, flax fiber skis, biobased turf for 2020 Olympics, Gevo’s isoprene, Veja vegan leather, castor oil jacket membrane — these and

February 8, 2019 Read Full Article

Gevo Develops Renewable Isoprene from Waste Alcohols

by Elaine Burridge (CheManagerInternational) US clean technology company Gevo has developed a catalytic process that converts waste alcohols into renewable isoprene. The company Gevo expects the isoprene produced by its proprietary process will be able to compete head-to-head on price with natural and petroleum-based chemical equivalents, while also reducing CO2 emissions.

February 6, 2019 Read Full Article

GLOBAL BIOENERGIES: First Production of Isobutene from Wheat Straw at Demo Scale

(Global Bioenergies/Globe Newswire) New phase for the H2020 Optisochem project after 18 months of activity; Sugars from wheat straw produced at Clariant’s Sunliquid® pre-commercial plant have been shipped to Global Bioenergies’ Leuna demo plant; Successful test runs for production of straw-based isobutene, batches delivered to INEOS for evaluation Global Bioenergies today announces that runs

February 6, 2019 Read Full Article

Commentary: Bring California’s Low-Carbon Wisdom to Washington, D.C.

by Andy Foster (Capital Press/Aemetis Inc.) … With the election behind us and new leadership in the House, it’s time to take another look at the IPCC warnings and examine bipartisan solutions that Congress can work toward — immediately. High on the list are biofuels, which offer low-cost energy without

February 6, 2019 Read Full Article

Growth of Engineered Pseudomonas putida KT2440 on Glucose, Xylose and Arabinose: Hemicellulose Hydrolysates and Their Major Sugars as Sustainable Carbon Sources

by Yan Wang, Felix Horlamus, Marius Henkel, Filip Kovacic, Sandra Schläfle, Rudolf Hausmann, Andreas Wittgens, Frank Rosenau (Global Change Biology Bioenergy) Lignocellulosic biomass is the most abundant bioresource on earth containing polymers mainly consisting of D‐glucose, D‐xylose, L‐arabinose and further sugars. In order to establish this alternative feedstock apart from applications

February 5, 2019 Read Full Article

Almond Joy: CEC Poised to Award $10 Million to Advance Aemetis, West Coast Nut Waste-to-Fuels Commercial Projects

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, the California Energy Commission has issued a Notice of Proposed Award (NOPA) for a $5 million grant to the Aemetis Riverbank cellulosic ethanol biorefinery, and $5 million for West Coast Waste Co., to assist in the development of its innovative commercial-scale, low-carbon biorefinery, known

February 5, 2019 Read Full Article

No Carbon Left Behind: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to LanzaTech

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) LanzaTechhas over 20 years experience sourcing and supplying over 5 million tons of wood fiber and organic feedstock in markets across North America. They offer biomass feedstock supply and analytics to understand and minimize supply chain risk. Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of LanzaTech gave this illuminating overview of

February 5, 2019 Read Full Article

CEC Grants Wishes to Some for Biofuels Projects

by Helena Taveras-Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Wishes are coming true for some California bioenergy projects. Aemetis, Oberon Fuels and others will receive millions from the California Energy Commission for their bioenergy projects, from DME to advanced ethanol. … Back in August 2018, the California Energy Commission released a solicitation (GFO-18-602) called “Demonstration-Scale

February 5, 2019 Read Full Article

Fulcrum Announces Location of Its Next US Waste-to-Fuels Plant, as Bizav Sector Showcases Sustainable Jet Fuels

(GreenAir Online) Waste-to-fuel company Fulcrum BioEnergy has selected Gary, Indiana, as the location for its Centerpoint BioFuels Plant, which will have the capacity to produce three times the amount of renewable transportation fuels compared to its first Sierra plant in Nevada that is due to start operations in early 2020. Construction

January 31, 2019 Read Full Article

Update on CAAFI State-Level Projects

(Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative ) SAJF Deployment Projects Florida, Alabama, Georgia Several developments in Alabama and Florida will enhance opportunities for the Southeast Partnership for Advance Renewables from Carinata (SPARC), a USDA Coordinated Agricultural Project (CAP). The Alabama Department of Economic Development and Community Affairs (ADECA) has issued an RFP

January 29, 2019 Read Full Article

The Pursuit of Biofuels Evolution and Revolution: Attis Innovations’ Ambitions for Its Newly-Acquired Upstate New York Project.

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … What especially caught industry attention was the teaser that “Attis will use the facility to produce low carbon cellulosic biofuels and plans to invest additional funds to enable it to meet growing demand in New York state,” and let’s look at that in more detail.

January 29, 2019 Read Full Article

Gevo Announces Breakthrough Development of Renewable Isoprene, a Key Chemical Building Block for Producing Rubber and Rubber Products

(GEVO/Globe Newswire) Potentially price competitive with petroleum-based isoprene, made with 100% renewable carbon — Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEVO), a leading renewable fuels and chemicals manufacturer, announced today that it has developed a proprietary, breakthrough catalytic process that transforms low-cost commercially available, or even waste by-product, renewable alcohols into renewable isoprene that would

January 29, 2019 Read Full Article

January 2019 PyNe43 Newsletter Available

(Netzwerk Biotreibstoffe) It (January 2019 PyNe43 Newsletter) contains contributions on Electrocatalytic upgrading to stabilize pyrolysis oil Progress towards commercialization at pilot and demonstration scale Pyrolysis of forestry and fishery residue for rural applications. Overview on catalysts to upgrade pyrolysis oils. Hydrothermal liquefaction of biomass to drop in diesel Challenges under

January 28, 2019 Read Full Article

Burgeoning Biomethane: RNG Is a Partner, Not Competitor, to Ethanol

by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Verbio has plans to further strengthen the already-expanding renewable natural gas market in the U.S., having purchased DuPont’s cellulosic ethanol plant. A transformation is underway in Iowa. Last year, Verbio North America Corp., the U.S. subsidiary of German bioenergy producer Verbio Vereinigte BioEnergie AG, purchased

January 28, 2019 Read Full Article

Growth of Engineered Pseudomonas putida KT2440 on Glucose, Xylose and Arabinose: Hemicellulose Hydrolysates and Their Major Sugars as Sustainable Carbon Sources

by Yan Wang, Felix Horlamus, Marius Henkel, Filip Kovacic, Sandra Schläfle, Rudolf Hausmann, Andreas Wittgens, Frank Rosenau (Global Change Biology Global Energy) Lignocellulosic biomass is the most abundant bioresource on earth containing polymers mainly consisting of D‐glucose, D‐xylose, L‐arabinose and further sugars. In order to establish this alternative feedstock apart from applications

January 28, 2019 Read Full Article

The Stora Enso Story – A Magical Tale of Trees and Forests

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … In today’s Digest, we talk about Stora Enso’s story – the renewable materials company that develops and produces wood and biomass based solutions for a range of industries and applications globally – what they have done recently that shouts innovation from the tree tops,

January 28, 2019 Read Full Article

E. coli Takes On Biofuels

by Jessica Velez, Angel Fernando Cisneros Caballero and Narjes Alfuraiji (Science Trends) … In the genetic engineering world, E. coli is a valuable user-friendly host with a well-known growth metabolism and the largest set of genetic engineering tools available. Many people may be surprised to know that this bacteria has been studied

January 25, 2019 Read Full Article

Reaping the Benefits of Agricultural Waste

(University of New Castle) Australia’s $63 billion* agriculture sector stands to benefit from a revolutionary fuel technology that will convert multiple agricultural waste streams into valuable biofuel and green chemical products for the first time. In partnership with the University of Newcastle, Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources (NIER) and

January 25, 2019 Read Full Article

Attis, Iowa State Partner on Lignin-Based Carbon Fiber

(Attis Industries Inc./Ethanol Producer Magazine) Attis Industries Inc., a diversified innovation and technology holding company, today announced a partnership with Iowa State University for a funded research program to develop carbon fibers for use in a wide variety of applications derived entirely or predominately from lignin produced at Attis’ planned biorefineries. Carbon fibers

January 25, 2019 Read Full Article

Industrial Sugars: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to FQPT

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Fluid Quip Process Technologies provides fully integrated custom technologies and services to dry-grind ethanol and biochemical industries which include full plant design, process optimization studies, yield improvement technologies, new co-product technologies, and turnkey capital projects. Jeff Robert Director from FQPT gave this illuminating overview of their

January 25, 2019 Read Full Article

California Carbon Check

by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) With values better than 1.6 cents per gallon per point, driving down carbon intensity brings a nice payback in the Golden State. — From solar power to dairy biogas to membrane dehydration, not to mention multiple process efficiencies, California’s ethanol plants are case studies in

January 25, 2019 Read Full Article

New Biosensor Highlights Best Biofuel-Producing Microbes

by Max Witynski (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center/University of Wisconsin-Madison) A major goal of the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center is to harness the power of microbes to create biofuels. But often, it’s an expensive challenge for scientists to identify the most useful individual variants among thousands of similar microbe strains. A new

January 24, 2019 Read Full Article

The Bio Wilburys: ExxonMobil, REG Add Clariant to Monumental Effort for Cellulosic-to-Biodiesel

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) For some time, as the advanced bioeconomy has continued its pivot to deployment-scale diesel and jet fuels, there has been quite a bit of scrutiny and skepticism over the sourcing of enough sustainable feedstock to supply all the growing demand. A big part of that puzzle

January 24, 2019 Read Full Article

ExxonMobil and Renewable Energy Group Partner with Clariant to Advance Cellulosic Biofuel Research

(ExxonMobil/Renewable Energy Group/Globe Newswire) Partnership to expand on joint ExxonMobil and REG research into cellulosic biodiesel; Clariant’s sunliquid® technology to facilitate creation of compatible cellulosic sugars; Objective is to combine technologies into a single, integrated biodiesel production process ExxonMobil and Renewable Energy Group (REG) said today that they have signed a joint research

January 23, 2019 Read Full Article

From Take-Off to Offtake – Driving Sustainable Aviation Fuels to Commercial Scale

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In a tale of two Washingtons, the sustainable aviation fuels movement will gather in Washington state in March and in Washington, D.C. in April to seek breakthroughs in the adoption rate of jet biofuels, which have been stalled for some time between the successful certification/demonstration efforts

January 23, 2019 Read Full Article

Benefuel Secures Land for Sarnia Biodiesel Plant

by Paul Morden (The Sarnia Observer) … (Benefuel CEO Rob) Tripp said Benefuel has successfully commercialized its patented process for manufacturing low carbon biodiesel and bio-lubricants from waste feedstocks, such a used cooking oil and byproducts from ethanol refining. It has demonstrated the process at a biodiesel refinery in Nebraska for

January 22, 2019 Read Full Article

Etihad Airways Flies the World’s First Flight Using Fuel Made in The UAE From Plants Grown in Saltwater by Khalifa University

(Etihad Airways/Aviation Pros) The Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium (SBRC), a non-profit entity established by Masdar Institute that is part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology, announced the world’s first commercial flight using locally produced sustainable fuel on an Etihad Airways Boeing 787 powered by GE’s GEnx-1B engines. The flight from

January 17, 2019 Read Full Article

Biomass Biocrude: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to Ensyn

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Ensyn produces a biocrude from forest and agricultural residues using its proprietary thermal technology. Dr. Robert G. Graham, Founder and Executive Chairman of Ensyn gave this illuminating overview of their growth in RFO, advancement in refinery co-processing, and start-up of a new 10 million gallon/year production facility

January 17, 2019 Read Full Article

Pushing Microbes to Deliver Preferred Products

by Tom Ziemer (University of Wisconsin-Madison/Phys.Org) If environmental engineer Daniel Noguera had his way, he would orchestrate a microbiome to pump out higher-value chemical products. In that vein, Noguera, the Wisconsin Distinguished Professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, along with graduate student Matt Scarborough and collaborators in the

January 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Greenbelt Resources Receives PURNOL Funding and Commences Enhancements to Production Facility and Supply Chain Logistics

(MarketWatch/Greenbelt Resources Corporation ) PURNOL to market premium brand bioethanol for extraction solvent — Greenbelt Resources Corporation GRCO, (Greenbelt), the developer of a sustainable ECOsystem model that transforms waste into revenue generating bioproducts including bioethanol, today announced initial funding for a licensing and exclusive distribution rights agreement from PURNOL, a California-based distribution company. In accordance

January 16, 2019 Read Full Article

VTT Develops New Wood Gasification Method to Produce Biofuel, Chemicals

( VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland/Canadian Biomass) VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd has developed a new technique based on gasification, which offers a sustainable way to turn forest industry byproducts, such as bark, sawdust and forestry waste, into transport fuels and chemicals. The new technique reduces carbon dioxide

January 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Advancements in Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis Give Biofuels a Boost

(National Renewable Energy Laboratory) National laboratory researchers demonstrate improvements in bio-oil yield through catalyst and process development. — Researchers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) have identified an approach to improve the efficiency and reduce costs of biofuel production that moves

January 10, 2019 Read Full Article

Cellulosic Ethanol and DDGS: The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to D3MAX

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) D3MAX is a corn fiber-to-ethanol technology provider. Mark Yancey, D3MAX’s CTO, gave this illuminating overview of the technology and process behind the cellulosic ethanol and high protein DDGS from corn kernel fiber with D3MAX at ABLC Global 2018 in San Francisco – and it’s ready for you

January 10, 2019 Read Full Article

Don’t Mess with My Toot Toot: The Zydeco of Xyleco

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … This week on 60 Minutes, another unlikely character burst onto the national scene, courtesy of one of the lightest technologies profiles ever investigated on 60 Minutes by the otherwise redoubtable Lesley Stahl, who offered up the story of Xyleco, presumably as a proxy for the efforts of the

January 10, 2019 Read Full Article

Green Science Alliance Developed an Effective Method for Making Bioethanol from Plants, Wood, Wood Waste, Paper Waste and Food Waste. The Challenge Now is to Use Bioethanol as a Biofuel and an Alcoholic Drink.

(Green Science Alliance/PR Newswire) … Utilizing plants, wood, wood waste, paper waste, and food waste as raw materials for bioethanol production is extremely effective and environmentally friendly. These kinds of biomass are the most abundant raw materials on earth and are a potential carbon-neutral source for alternative natural resources in

January 9, 2019 Read Full Article

Scale-Up From the Microbes Perspective

by Mark Warner (Warner Advisors LLC/Biofuels Digest) On a biotechnology project years ago, one of the team members responsible for biological advancement referred to themselves as the microbial organisms “shop steward”, a reference to union representation. While it was somewhat in jest, it did imply that to get the most from the

January 9, 2019 Read Full Article

Top 10 Bioeconomy Markets and Predictions for 2019

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A mere “The Year in Rewind” as we sail into 2019? Not the good ship Digest! Instead, we dust off our crystal ball and offer our predictions for the year ahead. As the sunset of 2018 gives way to the dawn of 2019, once again roll the

January 8, 2019 Read Full Article

More Designer Peptides, More Possibilities

(U.S. Department of Energy) With their tiny scaffolds of atoms, peptides hold the promise of creating catalysts for biofuels, capturing hazardous waste, and delivering new therapies to improve health. While nature offers a few peptides with the perfect characteristics for such purposes, scientists have been attempting to design peptides more precisely.

January 7, 2019 Read Full Article

The Unlikely, Eccentric Inventor Turning Inedible Plant Life into Fuel

by Lesley Stahl (60 Minutes/CBS News) Marshall Medoff unveils to 60 Minutes his innovative method of turning plant life into fuel and other useful products — … What (Craig)Masterman helped implement was Medoff’s novel idea of using these large blue machines called electron accelerators to break apart nature’s chokehold on the valuable

January 7, 2019 Read Full Article

Biodiesel’s Past, Present and Future

by Marc Kellens (Biodiesel Magazine) Marc Kellens, the global technical director for Desmet Ballestra, takes us through the history and future of biodiesel production, identifying key milestones and cultural shifts, including the introduction and proliferation of renewable diesel. — … The food-vs.-fuel debate forced the industry to look for alternative biomass sources—wood,

January 5, 2019 Read Full Article

Biodiesel’s Cutting Edge

by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Biodiesel Magazine profiles nine companies whose process technologies, products and services are on the frontline of change in this industry. Third Coast Commodities Biodiesel feedstock trading is evolving, and Third Coast Commodities is one of the firms ushering in this change. … The only way to

January 4, 2019 Read Full Article

Expanded Centre for Synthetic Biology Launches at Imperial

by Hayley Dunning (Imperial College London) The Centre brings together researchers using synthetic biology to solve challenges such as in healthcare, biomaterials and sustainable energy. Synthetic biology is the application of engineering principles to biology; designing and creating biological components and systems that do not already exist in the natural world.

January 3, 2019 Read Full Article

India Makes Breakthrough in Biofuel Development

by Haley Zaremba (OilPrice.com) … The latest headline to come from efforts of scientists around the globe is a new discovery by a team of scientists based in the west Indian city of Pune at the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), which offers a quicker, eco-friendly technique for converting industrial biomass into biodiesel.

January 3, 2019 Read Full Article

Aviation Solutions: The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to Neste

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Neste has a strong history of developing, commercializing, and marketing new fuels, including diesel, renewable chemicals, renewable jet fuel, and more. Neville Fernandes from Neste, gave this illuminating overview of their plans for the production and expansion of renewable jet fuel as well as plans for

January 3, 2019 Read Full Article

The Most of Every Kernel: Two Corn Kernel Fiber-to-Ethanol Plants are under Construction, Stirring Hope that the Concept Is Gaining Steam.

by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) In October 2018, construction began on Ace Ethanol’s cellulosic ethanol plant in Stanley, Wisconsin. The plant will be the first to incorporate D3Max’s corn kernel fiber-to-ethanol process, and will help the plant increase its yields and produce higher-protein distillers dried grains with solubles, all without

January 2, 2019 Read Full Article

They Develop Biosensors to Optimize Biodiesel Production

(Uniradio Informa/Notimex (Google Translation)) They develop biosensors to optimize biodiesel production — The Institute of Engineering of the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC) developed biosensors in this border city, with the aim of optimizing the biodisel production process. The UABC researcher, Margarita Stoytcheva Zlateva, reported that the project “Development of nanostructured

January 2, 2019 Read Full Article

Biogas Innovations: The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to IEA Bioenergy Task 37

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) IEA Bioenergy has several member countries involved in Task 37 which aims to improve innovations in biogas systems. Professor Jerry Murphy from IEA Bioenergy Task 37 gave this illuminating presentation on innovations in biogas systems at ABLC Global 2018 in San Francisco – and it’s ready for you

January 2, 2019 Read Full Article

Emerging Process Tech: The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to EPIC

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) EPIC helps pilot plants test and scale new process technologies. Check out their latest presentation with top four emerging process technologies that they are seeing a lot of right now: carbon capture, gas-to-liquids technologies, bio-based ethylene glycol, and biomass to commodity chemical application – and it’s ready

January 2, 2019 Read Full Article

Top 18 of 2018 – Looking Back to Look Forward

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … So on this last day of 2018, join the Biofuels Digest in looking back at our most visited and popular stories of 2018. … In today’s Digest, the hottest technologies, aviation developments we only dreamed of, cash out of trash innovations, biogas, cellulosic biofuels, lignin,

December 31, 2018 Read Full Article

QUOTE OF THE WEEK — Rebecca (Becky) Ong

Rebecca (Becky) Ong majored in chemical engineering and tacked on a degree in plant biology. “I had no plan to integrate them at all,” she says, “I was just interested in plants.” All of that changed, however, when Ong attended a lecture by Michigan State University professor Bruce Dale on

December 27, 2018 Read Full Article

Love of Plants and Problem-Solving Drives Bioenergy Researcher Rebecca Ong

(Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) … “My parents really instilled in me the importance of conservation,” says (Rebecca) Ong, an assistant professor of chemical engineering at Michigan Technological University and researcher at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC). “From an early age, I had this idea of sustainability and the

December 27, 2018 Read Full Article

Rebecca Smith Brings Enthusiasm, Ingenuity to Bear on Tough Lignin

by Max Witynski (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Rebecca Smith has loved plants for a long time. In fact, her interest stems from an AP biology class in high school. “Something about the enormous variation and complexity in the plant kingdom sparked my interest,” says the assistant scientist at the Wisconsin Energy Institute

December 27, 2018 Read Full Article

Breaching the Biomass Problem: ORNL Team Provides Supercomputer-Aided Insights for How to Turn Plants into Fuel and Materials

by Jonathan Hines (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Humans have found uses for woody plants since time immemorial—tools, shelter, firewood. Today, scientists are working to add more major uses to the list: renewable, cost-competitive biofuel and value-added materials. Turning trees and waste biomass into liquid fuels and other bioproducts has long

December 27, 2018 Read Full Article

Catalysis Rocking: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to ChemCatBio

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ChemCatBio is a research and development consortium dedicated to identifying and overcoming catalysis challenges for biomass conversion processes. Led by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories, we work with industry to rapidly transition R&D discoveries into commercial processes and grow the bioeconomy in the United

December 26, 2018 Read Full Article

“REWOFUEL”: Residual Soft Wood Conversion to Drop-in Biofuels

(Netzwerk Biotreibstoffe) The aim of the EU-funded project REWOFUEL is to demonstrate the performance, reliability, environmental and socio-economic sustainability of the value chain for the transformation of residual wood to Bio-Isobutene (bio-IBN) by fermentation and its further conversion into biofuels. The first-of-a-kind bio-refinery will convert soft-wood into advanced drop-in biofuels for

December 26, 2018 Read Full Article

Table’s Been Set in 2018: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to Cellana

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Cellana develops algae-based products and has demonstrated commercially scalable yields for multi-products. Their algae is the world’s first biomass with two high-value product applications from different components. Martin Sabarsky, Cellana’s CEO gave this illuminating overview of cellana’s technology and products, going full commercial scale with “Last

December 24, 2018 Read Full Article

Grease. Gunk. Sludge. Where Most People See a Nasty Nuisance, These Scientists See Powerful Potential.

(U.S. Department of Energy) Join us on this episode as we wade into the world of bioenergy and learn about the folks working to turn noxious waste into useful energy. Then read on for more bioenergy stories and background from the Department of Energy and our 17 National Labs! WARNING: Unless you’ve got a cast-iron

December 21, 2018 Read Full Article

Investors Turn Kenya’s Troublesome Invasive Water Hyacinth into Cheap Fuel

by Benson Rioba (Inter Press Service) Water hyacinth is a weed and if not controlled on Lake Victoria, experts are concerned that the lake’s water levels might drop by 60 percent. — Currently 30 square kilometres of Lake Victoria, which stretches to approximately 375 kilometres and links Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, is

December 21, 2018 Read Full Article

Biodiesel Plant Moving ahead as Planned

by Collin Gallant (Medicine Hat News) An effort to build renewable diesel refineries in Medicine Hat and Grande Prairie could see a small delay but investors behind the push are “confident” they will exercise their option to build a local plant. Raphael Bohlmann, president of Renewable U, stated Tuesday that the

December 20, 2018 Read Full Article

Carbon Capturing: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to Carbon Engineering

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Carbon Engineering is commercializing two clean energy technologies that can rapidly accelerate our shift to a net-zero world by removing carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere and converting it to fuel. Geoffrey Holmes,Business Development lead from Carbon Engineering gave this illuminating overview of their Direct Air Capture

December 20, 2018 Read Full Article

The BioIncredibles 2: iMicrobes Is Using Methane to Produce Chemicals, and Mikey the Microbe Likes It

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … The achievement of a major proof of concept is the news, in the case of Industrial Microbes — the ability to show that they can convert methane into multiple products (albeit at low efficiency, in these early days) in E. coli. We visited iMicrobes’ early

December 20, 2018 Read Full Article

Improved Catalyst Can Speed up Conversion of Industrial Biomass into Biofuel

by Monika Kundu Srivastava (TechExplorist) … Scientists at the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune, have developed a faster, environment-friendly method for conversion of industrial biomass into biodiesel. An organic compound called furfural is produced from agricultural waste biomass like bagasse, cottonseed hulls, sawdust, oat hulls, rice hulls, wheat husk, and bran. Typically furfural

December 19, 2018 Read Full Article

DOE Awards $1M to UMass Lowell-Led Team to Develop Renewable Fuel Additives from Wood Byproducts; Co-Optima Project

(Green Car Congress) The US Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded a three-year, $1 million grant to a team of researchers led by a UMass Lowell mechanical engineering professor that is working to develop renewable fuel additives from sawdust and other wood byproducts. The project is part of the Department of Energy’s Co-Optima

December 19, 2018 Read Full Article

Bioenergy in California: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to California Energy Commission R&D

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) California Energy Commission Research & Development aims to improve bioenergy’s value proposition and role in supporting California’s clean energy and carbon neutrality goals. Rizaldo Aldas from the California Energy Commission Research & Development gave this illuminating overview of how bioenergy, including biomass, biogas, and biomethane fits into the

December 19, 2018 Read Full Article

Ethanol’s New Way Forward: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to Byogy Renewables

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Byogy Renewables is producing full replacement renewable fuels for all modes of transport, including heavy transport sectors. Kevin R. Weiss, President/Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Byogy gave this illuminating presentation on the upgrading of ethanol to advanced full replacement fuels at ABLC Global 2018 in

December 18, 2018 Read Full Article

Who’s Up, Down, Top, Charmed and Strange in the Bioeconomy: Learnings from the Earnings, as Four Bellwether Stocks Report

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … So, let’s look at Q3 earnings statements now just coming out from four of the sector’s signature companies in light-duty and heavy-duty fuels, enzymes, and nutrition and wellness. Namely, Aemetis, Novozymes, Renewable Energy Group and Amyris. Aemetis In California, Aemetis said that revenues for Q3

December 18, 2018 Read Full Article

Kampachi Company Wins $3.3m Grant to Turn Seaweed into Food, Feed, Fuel

by Jason Huffman (Undercurrent News) The Kampachi Company may be best known for its recent efforts to grow “king kampachi”, aka kahala or almaco jack (Seriola rivoliana), in ocean-based cages, but it also is performing research with plans to make a play in the seaweed space. The Kona, Hawaii-based company has

December 17, 2018 Read Full Article

Fast Pyrolysis Technology: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to Biomass Technology Group

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Biomass Technology Group develops fast pyrolysis technology and FPBO applications as well as the commercialization of such technology and production of fast pyrolysis bio-oil. Bert van de Beld from BTG gave this illuminating overview of their fast pyrolysis technology and commercial scale demo plant in the Netherlands at

December 17, 2018 Read Full Article

British Airways Launches Sustainable Aviation Fuels University Challenge DEADLINE 1: January 18, 2019

(GreenAir Online) British Airways is challenging UK academics to create a new generation of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) based on carbon reduction potential, innovation, value to the UK economy and feasibility to implement. In a collaboration with Cranfield University, a competition with a first prize of £25,000 to fund further research

December 15, 2018 Read Full Article

Energy Department Seeks Information on Algae, Biomass, and Waste Feedstock Research — DE-FOA-00002020 FY 2019 Bioenergy Technologies Multi-Topic RFI DEADLINE: extended to January 18, 2019

(Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) is requesting information on research opportunities related to outdoor algae research, biomass characteristics and feedstock performance, and renewable energy from urban and suburban wastes to help inform its research

December 14, 2018 Read Full Article

The Andersons to Implement ICM Technologies at Multiple Plants

(ICM/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ICM Inc. and The Andersons Inc. have announced plans to implement value-added technologies in multiple ethanol plants operated by The Andersons. The Andersons will license Fiber Separation Technology Next Gen (FST Next Gen), Selective Milling Technology V2 (SMT V2), and Thin Stillage Solids Separation System (TS4). … SMT V2

December 14, 2018 Read Full Article

Maharashtra Government to Produce Ethanol, CNG from Cashew Apple

(DNA India) Amidst rising chorus for green fuel, the Maharashtra government has proposed to produce ethanol and compressed natural gas (CNG) through cashew apple and cashew apple cake. The government has shortlisted the coastal districts, Ratnagiri and Sidhudurg, large-scale producers of cashew nuts, to set up two pilot projects. The government

December 14, 2018 Read Full Article

Biobased Beer Can Rings, Algae and Bugs, Chitin-Based Plastic Breakthrough, Gribble Gut Enzymes, Banana-Based Products: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of December 14th

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 December 14th. In today’s Digest, biobased beer can rings, algae and bugs, chitin-based plastic breakthrough, gribble gut enzymes, banana based products — these and more,

December 14, 2018 Read Full Article

Researchers at IT Tralee Secure over €1.2m in Funding for Research in Bioeconomy and Marine Sectors.

(Institute of Technology Tralee) Institute of Technology Tralee has been awarded €1.26 million in new funding to partner in two new research initiatives. This brings to over €11m the total value of research grants secured by IT Tralee from competitive national and EU funding bodies in the past 12 months.

December 13, 2018 Read Full Article

Torrefaction of Biomass: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to International Biomass Torrefaction Council

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The International Biomass Torrefaction Council aims to promote biomass torrefaction and let the world know that integrated torrefaction process technology is mature, available and happening. Michael Wildfrom Wild & Partner LLC gave this illuminating overview of biomass torrefaction’s status, market requirements, and supply chain efficiency comparison

December 13, 2018 Read Full Article

Year of the Tree, CORSIA Fuels, Mabus’ Remarks, a Breakthrough on Woody Biomass?: Heard on the Floor at the CAAFI General Meeting

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) When the world’s leaders for sustainable aviation fuels have a general meeting the week before the COP24 global climate sessions (this year in Poland), you can bet that the focus will be breaking the “You Can Have Two out of Three Conundrum” of aviation fuels. Which

December 13, 2018 Read Full Article

Scientists Convert Wet Biological Waste into Fuel We Can Blend with Diesel

by Christian Nordqvist (Market Business News) A team of scientists has converted wet biological waste into diesel-compatible fuel. We are now a step closer to producing renewable engine fuels from wet biological waste that are compatible with current diesel fuel infrastructure. … Biological waste includes, for example, food scraps. Pig manure is

December 13, 2018 Read Full Article

Zymergen, the Porsche 911 of the Materials Superhighway, Raises $400M in Monumental Series C Round

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … In California, Zymergen has raised over $400 million in Series C funding led by returning investor SoftBank Vision Fund. The round welcomes new investors Goldman Sachs and Hanwha Asset Management, as well as returning investors, DCVC (Data Collective), True Ventures, Two Sigma Ventures, DFJ

December 13, 2018 Read Full Article

Residual Biomass to Gasoline: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to Bioliq Pilot Plant

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Karlsruher Institut für Technologie’s Bioliq pilot plant is producing synthetic fuels and chemicals from lignocellulosic, ash rich biomass. Bernd Zimmerlin from Karlsruher Institut für Technologie gave this illuminating presentation on the technology behind the magic, from fast pyrolysis to entrained flow gasifier at ABLC Global 2018

December 11, 2018 Read Full Article

New Energy Presses on with Cellulosic Ethanol

by Mikkel Pates (AgWeek) New Energy Blue LLC is about five months away from finishing engineering and permitting on a $150 million plant project that would turn wheat and corn field residue into ethanol for high-end renewable markets. If everything goes perfectly, a plant could open in 2021, says Thomas

December 10, 2018 Read Full Article

Researchers Advance Biomass Transformation Process

(Chinese Academy of Sciences/Phys.Org) … Thus, it is important to develop a highly efficient water-resistant catalyst to directly and selectively convert crude aqueous oxygenate mixtures to value-added chemicals; water-immiscible ones (easy separation after reaction) are especially of great importance. However, the efficiency and selectivity of the transformation process for biomass-derived intermediates remains

December 7, 2018 Read Full Article

Top 4 Techs: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Carbon Capture, Gas-to-Liquids, Bio-Based Ethylene Glycol, Biomass to Commodity Chemical Application

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Carbon Capture, Gas-to-Liquids (GTL) Technologies, Bio-Based Ethylene Glycol, and Biomass to Commodity Chemical Application. EPIC Modular Process writes that “through our work scaling technologies for pilot plants or commercial systems, we often get exposed to the up-and-coming processes on the verge of commercialization. In the last several years, we have seen an especially

December 7, 2018 Read Full Article

Renmatix, Gevo Ink Deal to Develop Cellulosic Hydrocarbons for Jet Fuel, Gasoline Markets

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) We have word bubbling up simultaneously from Pennsylvania and Colorado that Gevo and Renmatix inked a joint development agreement to evaluate the commercial feasibility of creating renewable jet fuel by integrating Renmatix’s Plantrose Process with Gevo’s GIFT technology and alcohol to jet process. The key word

December 7, 2018 Read Full Article

NCERC Pumped up with 15 Years of Success

by Karen Binder (AgriNews) While most talk these days about ethanol swirls around fuel credits and marketing needs, the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center has quietly celebrated its 15th anniversary. And what a 15-year run it’s been. “The difference is that as policies, technologies and products have evolved, the center has evolved

December 6, 2018 Read Full Article

Commercializing 2nd-Gen Biofuels: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to Axens

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Following the acquisition of Heurtey Petrochem and the integration of 50% of Eurecat, Axens Group now provides a complete range of solutions including: technologies, equipment, furnaces, modular units, catalysts, adsorbents and services for the conversion of oil and biomass to cleaner fuels as well as production