by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...The rounds of applause at BIO have been loud and steady but the biggest ones were heard not for a presentation or a speaker — rather, BIO’s decision to stage the World Congress next year in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...In today’s Digest, wool without the sheep, fuels from water and C)2, bacteria-powered solar cells, spectral imagery in the sky, artificial intelligence in the crop field, sugar-based straws and more, ready for you now at The
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Genomatica is a widely-recognized technology leader for the chemical industry, delivering new manufacturing processes that enable its partners to produce the world’s most widely-used chemicals from alternative feedstocks, with better economics and greater sustainability than petroleum-based processes. CEO
Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... Some of these started with biofuels then went into chemicals, nutrition or protein and some are going back to their beginnings. What they all have in common, however, is they are transforming…as markets change, as
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Lignin has developed into a sustainable and very satisfactory alternative to fossil fuels. But applications have been needed. Firstly, applications that work, then applications that pay, then applications at scale. Let’s see how that work has
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It’s known by the ungainly acronym ABPDU, which might as well decode as “All Bioeconomy Processes Developed Upstairs,” but actually stands for the far more modest “Advanced Biofuels Process Demonstration Unit.” It’s run out of the Berkeley Lab,
(Global Bioenergies) Global Bioenergies (Euronext Growth: ALGBE) and Audi announced today the signing of a new agreement focused on the implementation of residue usage, preparation of a path to commercialization and engine testing of new blends. Following the completion of a
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory/Biomass Magazine) Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the University of Georgia developed a new genetic engineering technique to dramatically improve an enzyme’s ability to break down biomass. The new method, Evolution by
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of invention and change is just too strong, we’ve realized, to highlight annual or even quarterly or monthly rankings and summaries of significant product and service advances. For now, we’re going to be tracking
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of invention and change is just too strong, we’ve realized, to highlight annual or even quarterly or monthly rankings and summaries of significant product and service advances. For now, we’re going to be tracking
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Arizona, Arizona State University researcher Kevin Redding is working on biological, light-driven energy extraction. Redding, a biochemist who leads the Center for Bioenergy and Photosynthesis at ASU, is producing hydrogen biofuel from water instead of
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Syngas, or synthesis gas, is on fire lately, with new technologies making the most of waste products like CO2 or low-grade biomass and converting them into useful hot stuff like syngas that can then be
by Dave Songer (Bio-Based World News) “The milestones and professional growth I've achieved in this role are above and beyond what I could have accomplished in academia within the same time frame.” Fiberight is a UK- and US-based small and medium-sized enterprise
(University of Portsmouth) A new family of enzymes has been discovered which paves the way to convert plant waste into sustainable and high-value products such as nylon, plastics, chemicals, and fuels. The discovery was led by members of the same UK-US enzyme
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Harnessing Methane & Methanol as Feedstocks, that’s the subject of this overview of the uses of methanol when used by engineered platform organisms for fuel and chemical production. The background is the abundant CH4supply of recoverable
by Leah Marie Angelou (Small Cap Network) ... China is at a crossroad as it shifts to cleaner and renewable energy sources. Can the country keep up with its environmental pledge? -- In September 2017, the government rolled out a new
by Maegan Murray (Washington State University-Tri-Cities) Efforts to create an environmentally friendly catalyst that will lower the cost and increase the efficiency in producing bio-based jet fuels has netted Washington State University researchers a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) High quality biomethane from biomass through gasification? A Swedish plant is now a first for injecting biomethane into the national grid. That’s the Gothenburg Biomass Gasification Project (GoBiGas), and its the subject of this illuminating deck on the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The meanest, nastiest, ornierest, heat-seeking organism ever found that munches biomass and other microbes that got a booster via the DOE’s $40M grants for advanced microbes R&D. And aromatics without the mess, a sky-vacumming organism and
(SEKAB/MyNewsDesk) Representatives from eleven European companies and universities gathered yesterday in the Swedish town of Örnsköldsvik, to kick-start the EU-funded project Rewofuel. The long-term aim is to lay the groundwork for many new biorefineries across Europe, using wood residues from the
(Edeniq) Edeniq, Inc., a leading biotechnology company that develops processes for producing and measuring cellulosic ethanol, announced today that its Pathway technology has been renamed Intellulose, effective immediately. The rebranding effort includes a new Intellulose logo and has been implemented in
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Slow to start and with fewer gallons than targeted through the Renewable Fuel Standard, cellulosic ethanol is showing signs of steady growth. -- Cellulosic ethanol production has been gaining momentum in the past five years,
(Vietnam.net Bridge) The utilization of Carbolosic technology in Vietnam promises to bring great benefits as it turns biological waste into valuable products. -- The Ministry of Science & Technology (MST) has signed an MOU on transferring technology and building an agricultural waste
(EurekAlert!/University of Science and Technology of China) Liquid multi-carbon alcohols such as ethanol and n-propanol are desired as renewable transportation fuels. They offer high energy densities, ease of long-range transport, and direct drop-in usage in existing internal combustion engines. Engineering catalysts
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... (C)onsider this venture about Making the Right Stuff — that is, how you translate an entire generation of innovation in digital biology, biobased chemical engineering and advanced fabrication into actual stuff. Or, how you
by Caroline Brogan (Imperial College London) Imperial scientists have enhanced the process of using biology to make products such as fuels, plastics, medicines, and cosmetics. -- This could lead to cheaper and more environmentally friendly biofuel production and more efficient plastic recycling. ... Now, Imperial scientists
(Hood College) The United States Department of Agriculture has awarded Hood College Professor of Biology Craig Laufer $100,000 over an 18-month period to fund research and development of cost-effective biofuels. Successful completion of this project would qualify Laufer’s lab for larger
(Forest Concepts/EIN Presswire) Forest Concepts LLC has been awarded a $1.8 million cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (https://www.energy.gov/eere/bioenergy) to address the critical issues of poor flowability, high friction, and highly variable physical properties that
by Maegan Murray (Washington State University Tri-Cities) WSU Tri-Cities associate professor Xiao Zhang is targeting the use of lignin — a common material that makes the cell walls of plants rigid — to create affordable biofuels and bioproducts. Interested in the project,
(GEVO/Globe Newswire) First Long-Term Commercial Contract for Renewable Jet Fuel -- Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ:GEVO) announced today (June 21, 2018) that it has entered into a long-term agreement to supply its renewable alcohol-to-jet fuel (ATJ) to Avfuel Corporation, effective July 1, 2018 (the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The company is now safely emerged from its celebrated IPO, and is embarked on the development of the first commercial plant project with its JV partner BASF — so, its been a big period and even
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) BioAmber’s Mission? To be a fast growing producer of chemical intermediates that uses sugars instead of fossil fuels and sells competitively priced, sustainable chemicals with strong profit margins and the cleanest environmental footprint in the industry. In
(Algae Industry Magazine) Hayley Dunning writes from the Imperial College of London that a new discovery has changed our understanding of the basic mechanism of photosynthesis and should rewrite the textbooks. It will also tailor the way we hunt for
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) New Energy Risk’s new performance insurance for TCG Global’s gasifiers and a significant project advance from Velocys in the UK are on the docket today. These companies and the news this morning are united as key project
(University of Minnesota) Process Converts Scum to Biodiesel -- A new waste remediation process converts scum from waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) into ASTM compliant biodiesel. The six-step method begins with a filtration step that separates water/oil/solid while converting soap to free
(Inventure Renewables/Cision/PR Newswire) Patented Technology Converts By-Product from Soft Oil Seed Refining Into FAME for Oleochemical and Biodiesel Production. -- Inventure Renewables has announced the successful implementation and nearly year-long operation of its Mixed Super Critical Fluid technology at a Wilmar
by David Fridley and Richard Heinberg (Renewable Energy World) The headline of this article was composed simply by rephrasing the title of a popular recent piece in The Atlantic — “Climate Change Can Be Stopped by Turning Air into Gasoline” — as a question.
by Madeleine Cuff (Business Green) Waste-to-jet fuel project backed by Department for Transport, Shell, and British Airways -- A project to turn landfill waste into sustainable jet fuel has received a major boost today, securing almost £5m of funding from the government and
by Philip T. Pienkos (R&D Magazine) ... This time, the leading force was not the DOE (U.S. Department of Energy), but the investment community acting in the belief that the power of modern biotechnology could be brought to bear against the
by Steven Taylor (Yellow Hammer) ... But for a moment, let’s reexamine biofuels, as they can still play an important role in our state’s energy production and economic development. According to the Energy Institute of Alabama, our state ranks fifth in the nation
by Amit Jha (Crazy Engineers) Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore have found a novel approach to produce energy by using sunlight and carbon dioxide. By using a collection of quantum dots made up of Copper Aluminium Sulphate and Zinc
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... First, let’s start with the latest from the Maine Technology Institute, which just announced a request for information regarding emerging forest industry technologies, with the goal of accelerating matchmaking to connect the most viable,
(Purdue University Research Foundation News) Purdue University researchers have developed a series of engineered proteins that could improve biomanufacturing processes for the production of biofuels, pharmaceuticals and commodity chemicals. The buildup of toxic materials during the production process can damage cell health and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... But it shows also what smaller companies can do when they partner effectively – whether that means industrial giants like ArcelorMittal or BASF, technology accelerator schemes like Unreasonable Impact, or with the US ethanol industry. And
(Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits/BASF) BASF Enzymes LLC and Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits (LBDS) have formally entered into a marketing and sales collaboration agreement to leverage synergies between the two companies’ products that maximize value to customers in the ethanol market in the
by Bob Yirka (Phys.org) A team of researchers with members from institutions in Singapore, China and the U.K. has found a way to improve electron transfer in enzymatic biofuel cells. In their paper published in the journal Nature Energy, they describe
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... In Illinois, carbon recycling company, LanzaTech, and its joint venture partner, Shougang Group, a leading Chinese iron and steel producer, announced the successful start-up of the world’s first commercial facility converting industrial emissions to sustainable ethanol.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A technology for direct air capture of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, with a cost that “fully burdened with interest on capital, ranges from 94 to 232 $/t-CO2 depending on financial assumptions, energy prices, and the
(Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory/Biomass Magazine) Scientists from the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have developed a way to use machine learning to dramatically accelerate the design of microbes that produce biofuel. Their computer algorithm starts with abundant data about the
(Sustainable Development Technology Canada) An integrated and energy self-sufficient biorefinery will be built and put into operation for the production of cellulosic ethanol and co-products. The sequential fractionation process will be complemented with a novel non-enzymatic technology to hydrolyze, in high
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory/Ethanol Producer Magazine) If there's an easier, more efficient method, science will find a way. That's certainly the case in producing cellulosic biofuels, which, at least for now, requires a two-step process to free the sugars trapped in
(Outlook India) In a first-of-its-kind venture in the world, Indian Oil Corporation is planning to utilise off-gases (waste gas) from various processing units of its refineries for production of ethanol. The move will reduce the carbon footprint of the state-run company’s refineries, while helping
(University of Florida) University of Florida scientists wondered how cheaply fuel ethanol can be made from inedible plant material – called biomass – using currently available technology. Their goal is to make this form of ethanol less expensively than gasoline and help
(Bioenergy Insight) A problem facing biorefinery operations is the flow of biomass into and throughout facilities. Lignocellulosic biomass, often made up of post-harvest agricultural materials such as corn stover and soybean hulls, often accumulates and compacts while moving through augers, forcing
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In these top 20 projects, we usually say that we are using waste, but really we are converting something from a state of waste to a state of value — and that’s not just good for
(U.S. Department of Energy/Phys.Org) A closed-loop biorefinery could dramatically lower the cost of biofuels and related products. In this approach, the refinery produces the solvents it needs, rather than "importing" them. Scientists at the Joint BioEnergy Institute are developing a closed-loop
(Cision/Rottneros) Preem and RenFuel are assessing, in collaboration with Rottneros, the construction of the world’s first lignin plant for biofuels, at the pulp mill in Vallvik, Söderhamn. The plant is expected to produce an annual volume of 25,000-30,000 tonnes of lignin,
(Aqualia/NGV Journal) Aqualia is developing numerous projects aimed at the production of renewable energy from the use of wastewater. Thanks to the technology developed within the CIEN Smart Green Gas project, Aqualia has managed to produce 17.5 million cubic meters of
by Luca Zullo (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Greenyug) With existing capabilities, chemical coproducts represent a low-hanging fruit for the industry. Ethanol, in fact, is a better feedstock for some chemicals than oil-based sources. ... The chemical industry predates the oil industry, but it is the
(SCG Chemicals) SCG ChemicalsTeams up with TRF and Chulalongkorn University to Develop Catalyst-Based Technology for Biodiesel and Bioethanol Industries to Strengthen Thailand’s Competitiveness towards Sustainable Growth SCG Chemicals led by Dr. Suracha Udomsak, R&D Director and Emerging Businesses Director ... entered
(Algae Biomass Organization) ABO’s ongoing work in Washington, DC, to educate Congress and federal agencies on the importance of robust algae research, development and demonstration has resulted in the release of an unprecedented series of funding opportunities for algae. Deadlines for
(Yle) In order to avoid unwanted attention from industrial spies, the biofuel - which could replace gasoline and diesel - was developed in secret. -- A professor at Turku's Åbo Akademi and Sweden's Umeå University says he has managed to develop a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Founded in 2004, Green Plains Inc. is North America’s third largest producer of ethanol. Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, Green Plains has grown rapidly, primarily through acquisitions, and today has operating segments throughout the ethanol value chain. Operations
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... FQPT has been around forever…well, these days over 20 years seems like forever. What started as engineering and manufacturing separation equipment for corn wet milling and pulp and paper applications, FQPT has more recently
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Biodiesel Magazine spotlights eight companies—four process technology providers, two commodity firms, a blending equipment manufacturer and an adsorbent supplier—forging new paths in their respective fields. WWS Trading For more than 25 years, WWS Trading has been a family-owned
(St1 and SCA/Globe Newswire) The energy company St1 and the forest products company SCA have formed a partnership to develop large-scale production of renewable fuels from tall oil. The planned production site will be St1's refinery in Gothenburg The aim of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Velocys enables modular gas-to-liquids and biomass-to-liquids plants to convert unconventional, remote and problem gas and waste biomass into valuable, drop-in liquid fuels. And most recently has repositioned from being a technology component supplier into initiating and drive
(Bioindustrial Innovation Canada) Bioindustrial Innovation Canada (BIC) is a not-for-profit organization based in Sarnia, Ontario. Its goal is to help Ontario and Canada become globally recognized leaders in the field of sustainable technologies. In 2016, BIC established the Centre for Commercialization
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 Emma Lowry (University of Nottingham/Phys.Org) Engineers at the University of Nottingham Malaysia have developed new technology to help the global palm oil processing industry reduce CO2 emissions and create renewable energy from its waste. ... Some 400 mills each produce huge amounts
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Fulcrum BioEnergy has developed a “game-changing process for converting municipal solid waste that would otherwise be landfilled, into renewable transportation fuels including syncrude, jet fuel and diesel”. The company recently broke ground on its first commercial
(SEKAB) European financing package amounting to €13.9 million, of which €4.2 million for SEKAB E-Technology AB. Industry consortium led by Global Bioenergies and bringing together SEKAB E-Technology, Graanul Invest, Neste Engineering Solutions, Repsol, PEAB, SkyNRG, Ajinomoto Eurolysine, IPSB, TechnipFMC and Linz
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) JBEI’s mission is to convert biomass to biofuels. The goal is to provide the nation with clean, renewable transportation fuels identical to gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. Inside JBEI’s Emeryville laboratories, researchers are using the latest tools
(Chalmers University of Technology/Phys.Org) A chance to switch to renewable sources for heating, electricity and fuel, while also providing new opportunities for several industries to produce large numbers of renewable products. This is the verdict of researchers from Chalmers University of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) MetGen’s MetZyme enzymatic solutions cover the entire bio-based value chain from feedstock to high-value chemicals and enable the use of cellulosic feedstocks as well as the creation of entirely new bio-based materials. Alex Michine and the MetGen
(Sandia National Laboriatories/EurekAlert!) What does jet fuel have in common with pantyhose and plastic soda bottles? They're all products currently derived from petroleum. Sandia National Laboratories scientists have demonstrated a new technology based on bioengineered bacteria that could make it economically
by James Temple (MIT Technology Review) In the closing weeks of 2008, the US Department of Energy invited politicians and press to a dedication ceremony for the Joint BioEnergy Institute in Emeryville, California. The state-of-the-art lab, backed by $125 million in
(São Paulo Research Foundation/EurekAlert) Protein encoded by gene found in microorganisms living in Amazon lake could boost efficiency on the sugarcane bagasse saccharification process, which makes for up to 50% of the global costs of cellulosic ethanol production. -- Second-generation ethanol (also
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From Southern California the report has arrived that Verdezyne is winding down as a company, and today is the last day of operations. The low oil price environment has claimed another victim among the renewable chemical
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, the
(Global Bioenergies) European grant amounting to €13.9 million, of which €5.7 million for Global Bioenergies Industry consortium led by Global Bioenergies and bringing together Sekab, Graanul Invest, Neste Engineering Solutions, Repsol, Peab Asfalt, SkyNRG, Ajinomoto Eurolysine, IPSB, TechnipFMC and Linz University Aim at
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In the Philippines, researchers from University of the Philippines and Hiroshima University in Japan conducted a study that focused on ethanol production from macroalgae using only enzymatic treatment for saccharification of algal biomass. This involved the isolation
The company is now safely emerged from its celebrated IPO, and is embarked on the development of the first commercial plant project with its JV partner BASF — so, its been a big period and even more critical thresholds lie
by Mahmood Ebadian and James D. McMillan (IEA Bioenergy Task 39 Newsletter) ... The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) was enacted in 2007 to enhance domestic production of fuels and spur economic development while reducing reliance on imports and improving the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Aemetis owns and operates 110 million gallons per year of ethanol and biodiesel facilities in the US and India, and is upgrading the plants using patented technology to produce lower carbon, higher value advanced biofuels and
(Uniper SE/Finanzen.ch) Successful completion to expansion of existing power-to-gas plant in Falkenhagen, Germany; Sector coupling for renewable electricity through conversion to synthetic Natural Gas begins; European research project STORE&GO enters next phase Start of 24 month research operations As part of the international STORE&GO
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What will biorefineries look like, accomplish and cost in the future? Daniel Lane of Saille Consulting and Lee Enterprises Consulting looked at that topic in this illuminating overview of the promise and prospects for the technological
(Agora Verkehrswende and Agora Energiewende) ... The production of power-based synthetic fuels is a multi-stage process. First, clean energy from wind or PV electrolyzes water into hydrogen and oxygen. Then, the hydrogen is combined with carbon dioxide to create gaseous or
(Hitachi Zosen Inova) Hitachi Zosen Inova is to build Scandinavia’s second Kompogas® facility in Jönköping, Sweden. It will use a dry fermentation process to convert around 40,000 metric tons of organic waste a year into fuel for buses and cars, and
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced up to $3 million in funding for advanced biofuels, bioenergy, and biobased products available through the Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI). DOE has selected two projects from
by Mark Warner (Warner Advisors LLC/Biofuels Digest) Capital light scale-up utilizes existing fermentation facilities, in lieu of purpose-built demonstration facilities, to bring advanced technologies to market faster and with less capital burn. It is a great plan if it can be executed, but
by Paul Johnl (Times of India) Sugarcanemolasses-based distilleries in India are not only water guzzlers but purge a highly toxic residue— spent-wash or vinasse. This unusually viscous dark brown coloured pungent liquid after recovery of alcohol. If let out untreated, it can cause huge damage
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. ARS conducts research to develop and transfer solutions to agricultural problems of high national priority and provide information access and dissemination to:
by Helena Taveres Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In the United Kingdom, renewable fuels company, Velocys, received a “notice to proceed” action to commence manufacturing of the Fischer-Tropsch reactors and catalyst for the Red Rock Biofuels biorefinery that will be located in Lakeview, Oregon. RRB has
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Sweetwater Energy and Europe’s largest wood pellet producer, the Tallinn, Estonia-based AS Graanul Invest, said that they will build a commercial-scale integrated biorefinery that will produce clean cellulosic sugars and highly pure lignin from 50,000
(Chempolis) The biorefining technology company Chempolis, the Finnish energy company Fortum, and Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), a state-owned Indian oil company, have formed a joint venture to construct a biorefinery in the state of Assam in Northeast India. The joint venture will
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Reverdia is a joint venture between Royal DSM, the global Life Sciences and Materials Sciences company, and Roquette Frères, the global starch and starch-derivatives company. Reverdia is dedicated to be the global leader in the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office establishes partnerships with key public and private stakeholders to develop technologies for producing cost-competitive advanced biofuels from non-food biomass resources, including cellulosic biomass, algae, and wet waste (e.g.,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Greenbelt Resources Corporation and Duckweed DAYS commenced their inaugural Duckweed Project to commercialize the duckweed model developed by the Andrew J. Young Foundation. Tests conducted during a pilot program indicated that protein extracted from duckweed was
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) CBiRC was founded in 2008 with funding from NSF, creating an Engineering Research Center focused on advanced manufacturing for sustainable biobased chemicals. The R&D program creates a multi-year, interdisciplinary, multi-institutional center that joins academia, industry and
(University of Bristol) Researchers in the Schools of Biochemistry and Chemistry are working to boost cellular productivity of biofuels at a fundamentally scientific level in order to create innovative, sustainable solutions to our global energy needs. ... Collaborating with scientists from the University
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Origin is a new kind of chemical company, focused on the future of materials science. By finding value in underutilized feedstocks like cardboard, wood waste and agricultural residues, they invent new and better materials for humanity. Origin’s
(Bioenergy Insight) New research is suggesting that advanced anaerobic digestion and reverse osmosis filtration in agriculture could be leaving behind ‘concerning levels’ of antibiotic residues. ... When farmers repurpose animal manure as fertiliser or bedding, traces of antibiotics can leach into the environment
by Mark E. Griffin (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Zymomonas mobilis is a creature of habit, a bacterial species that loves to eat simple sugars and produce ethanol, but shows little interest in anything else. ... But TerAvest (Michaela TerAvest, an assistant professor of biochemistry
by Corine Orline Nzeteu, Anna Christine Trego, Florence Abram, and Vincent O’Flaherty (Biotechnology for Biofuels) ... In recent years, organic waste streams have been investigated as attractive and sustainable feedstock alternatives. In particular, attention has recently focused on the production of caproate
by Agnes Walton (Vice News) The Department of Energy is trying to turn a lake in the California desert called the Salton Sea into a farm for renewable fuels — and clean its infamously polluted water in the process. The Salton Sea
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Technologies for feed coproducts are evolving, pumping out high-protein ingredient alternatives. Experts assure the market is ripe. -- The pile of distillers grains at nearly a dozen plants is about to get smaller. Production of
(Syngenta/Ethanol Producer Magazine) As ethanol plants seek new ways to be more competitive, advances in corn kernel fiber to ethanol processes have shown significant promise in adding value through the diversification of product streams. “Over the last decade, existing dry grind ethanol
(EconoTimes/Aemetis) Pre-treatment Unit Passes First Production Tests Required to Supply BP Singapore Under Three-year Agreement -- Aemetis, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMTX) announced today that its Universal Biofuels subsidiary completed the production of high quality distilled biodiesel from lower quality, high Free Fatty Acid (FFA) waste
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Praj is an India-based process solutions specialist with continued leadership in ethanol & brewery space over many years — aiming to emerge as a significant water company within 5 years. The company is expanding its new
(VTT) A joint study by the University of Turku and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has shown that the ability of photosynthesising microbial cells to produce biohydrogen from solar energy can be markedly improved by attaching the cells to a
(Bioenergy Insight) A project called Biogo-for-Production has developed new nanocatalysts to create an integrated modular and highly efficient process for producing fuels from renewable energy sources. The researchers focused on the development of advanced nanocatalysts, coupled with advanced reactor concepts to realise modular, highly
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ABLC 2018 wrapped up with the ABLC Wolfpack including James Iademarco from Strategic Avalanche, David Dodds with Dodds & Associates, Ron Cascone from NEXANT, independent consultant Paul Bryan, and Joel Stone from ConVergince. While they didn’t howl at the moon,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) For many people, the key question is — what is Amyris becoming, and when, and where and how? We reported on Amyris’ progress most recently in “The New Colossus aims to unlock its Golden Door” and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ABLC featured a well-received session on renewable chemicals moderated by longtime Digesterati David Dodds. His initial overview on issues and opportunities in renewable chemicals is well worth some intense focus in its own right. Dodds also
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... For those newer to the field, one of the problems of using biomass to make a fuel is that a carbohydrate contains around 53% oxygen by weight and needs about 16% more hydrogen that it
by Mario Bonaccorso (Renewable Matter) ... 700 million tonnes of sugarcane treated in one year; 30.23 billion litres of bioethanol produced in 2015-2016. Used not just as biofuel but also in industries, it (Brazil) is the global leader in the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ICM’s equipment and processes are already used in the majority of U.S. ethanol plants, and continues to develop processes to make ethanol production more efficient for customers. Among the latest tech advances? ICM and The Andersons are partnering to
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 energy
(Brookhaven National Laboratory/Biodiesel Magazine) Scientists studying plant biochemistry at the U.S. DOE’s Brookhaven National Laboratory have discovered new details about biomolecules that put the brakes on oil production. The findings suggest that disabling these biomolecular brakes could push oil production into
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sierra Energy has created what is billed as “the world’s most efficient gasifier,” FastOx, developed in conjunction with UC Davis, US Army and California Energy Commission. Gasification is the missing link between complex feedstocks and a
by Francois De Beaupuy and Ania Nussbaum (Bloomberg) Global Bioenergies looks to extract fuels from non-food crops; Unlike ethanol, fuel works in any engine in high concentration -- A German luxury carmaker and a French biotech company have joined forces to solve the two
(Global Bioenergies) Global Bioenergies (GBE), the company developing a breakthrough process converting renewable resources into isobutene, and SkyNRG, world market leader in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), will work together to accelerate the commercialization of Global Bioenergies’ approach to process isobutene into
(FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO/EurekAlert!) The study focused three fungi species which produce enzymes with application in biomass degradation; scientists in Brazil reveal how these substances are regulated and how they can interact synergically. Production of second-generation
by Gregory T. Benz (Lee Enterprise Consulting/Biofuels Digest) There are many sources of organic fibers that can be used as feedstock for biofuels and renewable chemicals. The author has tested many lignocellulosic materials for fluid flow and mixing characteristics. Examples include
by Joey Aguilar (Gulf Times) The Sustainable Development Centre (SDC) at Qatar University’s College of Arts and Sciences (QU-CAS) is now developing the techniques to produce bio-crude oil through its Qatar Biofuel Project, it was announced Monday. QU had revealed the one-of-its-kind
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Ensyn uses its patented and proprietary RTP fast thermal technology to convert wood residues and other non-food, cellulosic biomass to liquid biofuels. Ensyn has had continuous commercial operations for more than 25 years. Its technology has
by Mark Warner (Warner Advisors LLC/Biofuels Digest) Funding for early stage advanced biotechnology is ramping up and companies commercializing fermentation-based technologies are faced with the decision to either build their own demonstration-scale facility or utilize existing contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs). There
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Gevo has two proprietary technologies that combine to make it possible to retrofit existing ethanol plants to produce isobutanol, a four carbon alcohol which serves as a hydrocarbon platform molecule. They have developed an industrial scale
(Phys.Org/CORDIS) ... Some microbes have natural structures called cellulosomes that contain cellulases, enzymes that break down cellulose efficiently into sugars. The EU-funded CELLULOSOMEPLUS project developed designer cellulosomes (DCs) to achieve high yields of fermentable sugars from the organic fraction of municipal solid waste
by Sevil Erkuş (Hurryiet Daily News) A project initiated by Turkish experts to turn olive mill wastewater from olive production into industrial raw materials and products such as biodiesel and animal feed has received the support of a European Union program. In the
(Green Car Congress) Benzene, an aromatic hydrocarbon, is a natural component of crude oil and is one of the elementary petrochemicals. It is used as a precursor to the manufacture of more complex chemicals, and, with a high octane number, is
by Hanh Ngoc Thi Le, Kiyoshi Imamura, Masakazu Furuta, Luu Van Boi, Yasuaki Maeda (Energy Today) ... The authors evaluated the use of the non-edible oil derived from Vernicia montana Lour found in Laos and Vietnam for the production of BDF (biodiesel fuels) and
by Chris Lee (Ars Technica) Future biofuel production requires new catalysts—or better training for stubborn enzymes. ... I thought New Zealand would offer some chemistry-minded contrast. The country makes a lot of money on timber exports, but this profit is generally not from primary forest.
(Green Car Congress) A team of engineers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) recently discovered that a naturally occurring bacterium, Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum TG57, isolated from waste generated after harvesting mushrooms, is capable of directly converting cellulose to biobutanol. In an open-access paper in the journal Science
by Kai Chen, Xiongyi Huang, S. B. Jennifer Kan, Ruijie K. Zhang, Frances H. Arnold (Science Magazine) Double rings made with heme -- Cyclic organic structures with adjacent three-carbon rings—bicyclobutanes—are useful starting materials for chemical and materials synthesis owing to their extreme
by Andrew Rankin (The Chronicle Herald) A 40,000 square-foot building at Chester’s landfill is expected to convert garbage bags into about 3.5 million litres of synthetic diesel every year. The facility intends to take on 90 per cent of the 50,000 tonnes of
(Bioindustrial Innovation Canada/Canadian Biomass Magazine) Benefuel is a renewable energy company that utilizes their patented ENSEL catalyst technology to produce a low carbon intensity biodiesel from a variety of food and agriculture waste streams, with high yields. The biodiesel produced meets
(St1/Global Newswire) Nordic energy group St1 has completed the construction of Etanolix® pilot plant at Ubon Bio Ethanol Ltd’s starch and ethanol plant site in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand. In the project St1 is piloting its own technology to produce advanced ethanol
(Ethanol Producer Magazine/Tufts University) Researchers at Tufts University have created a genetically modified yeast that can more efficiently consume a novel nutrient, xylose, enabling the yeast to grow faster and to higher cell densities, raising the prospect of a significantly faster
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) BioAmber’s Mission? To be a fast growing producer of chemical intermediates that uses sugars instead of fossil fuels and sells competitively priced, sustainable chemicals with strong profit margins and the cleanest environmental footprint in the industry. CEO
(GEVO/Globe Newswire) Next Step is for full ASTM Approval -- Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ:GEVO) announced today that late last week an ASTM International Sub-Committee voted in favor of revising specification D7566 (Standard Specification for Aviation Turbine Fuel Containing Synthesized Hydrocarbons) to (i) include
(International Energy Agency) IEA Bioenergy has started to make a collection of success stories in the field of bioenergy. This is not intended to be a comprehensive exercise, but to provide a number of examples with a broad coverage in terms
(Algae Industry Magazine/Science Trends) enguang Zhou writes in Sciencetrends.com about work recently published in the journal Bioresource Technology regarding why Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL) of microalgae — a bio-oil technology which does not require dewatering and drying of algal biomass — up to now, has rarely
(Phys.Org/Pennsylvania State University) A comprehensive look at how plants build cellulose, the primary building block of the walls of most plant cells that is used in a wide variety of manmade materials, could have important implications for its use in biofuels.
by Martin Høj (ScienceNordic/Phys.Org) ... The biological processes that transform biomass to alcohol yield a relatively low amount of energy, around 35 per cent of the potential energy stored within the biomass. So we are certainly not using this biomass to its full potential. This
(Phys.Org/ National Renewable Energy Laboratory) It was more than 10 years in the making, but when it came to uncovering the secrets of the molecular structure of enzymes, perseverance paid off. By studying and comparing the workhorse cellulose-degrading enzymes of two
(DSM/Newswire Today) Royal DSM announces its commitment to bring innovative solutions to the biofuels industry with a full portfolio offering of yeast and enzymes for starch, fiber and biomass conversions - DSM.com. Euronext: DSM KON -- Royal DSM, a global science-based company
by Lonnie Shekhtman (Princeton University) ... In a series of experiments, they used light to control genetically modified yeast and increase its output of commercially valuable chemicals. The results offer scientists a powerful new tool to probe and understand the inner working
(Greenbelt Resources) Greenbelt Resources Corporation (OTC: GRCO), an innovator of sustainable energy production systems, in collaboration with Biofuels & Energy, LLC (B&E), announced today the San Luis Valley Bioproducts Project, known as SLV Biopro. The project will feature Greenbelt’s waste-to-energy interconnected system (ECOsystem) designed
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