(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
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The IH2 process was developed by Gas Technology Institute (GTI) of Des Plaines, Illinois—a research, development, and training organization serving energy markets. GTI experts invented, tested, and patented IH2 technology and are providing ongoing commercialization support. Twelve US
(Byogy Renewables/PR Newswire) California biofuel company Byogy Renewables welcomes last week's ASTM Alcohol To Jet (ATJ) ethanol based specification ballot measure approval, putting Byogy on track as a leader to produce one of the world's first "full replacement" renewable jet fuels. The ASTM
(Phys.Org/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have discovered a new enzyme that will enable microbial production of a renewable alternative to petroleum-based toluene, a widely
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sweetwater Energy has developed a unique and patented technology for producing low-cost sugars and clean lignin fiber from multiple non-food plant materials to help meet the modern world’s increasing demand for biochemicals, bioplastics and biofuels. Sweetwater CEO
(Enerkem/Oil and Gas 360/PR Newswire) Enerkem Inc., a world-leading waste-to-biofuels and chemicals producer, announced today during the 255th American Chemical Society national meeting being held in New Orleans, that it had succeeded in producing a new high-performance biofuel that could improve the octane rating
(University of Waterloo/Biomass Magazine) Farm manure could be a viable source of renewable energy to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming. Researchers at the University of Waterloo are developing technology to produce renewable natural gas (RNG) from manure so
by Matt McDowell (The Battalion) Texas A&M professor’s green energy research is helping turn bio waste into useful chemicals and fuels. -- ... The MixAlco process, a term originally coined by Mark Holtzapple, chemical engineering professor, uses bio waste as input
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Honeywell’s UOP has developed a renewable jet fuel processing technology, a renewable diesel process, as well as a joint venture, Envergent Technologies, that will market technologies and equipment for generating power, transportation fuel and heating oil
(PitPoint/NGV Journal) The hydrogen refueling station has been built and will be operated by PitPoint clean fuels and AkzoNobel will supply with renewable hydrogen by pipeline. The fuel is produced sustainably by electrolysis, using electricity produced from wind energy, which is
by Krista Eastman (University of Wisconsin-Madison/Phys.Org) Behind the successful conversion of biomass to a better biofuel or a new green chemical, there is a carefully chosen solvent. The right solvent not only dissolves biomass but also drives the efficiency of the
(Muscat Daily) The wastepaper which accounts for more than 35 per cent of the total lignocellulosic waste of the municipal solid waste could be a potential feedstock for value-added products due to its rich cellulose content, researchers in Oman have
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sustainable Bioeconomy for Arid Regions (SBAR) is a multi-level research project that will cultivate two desert-dwelling crops, guayule and guar, for a sustainable bioeconomy. Combined, guayule (perennial) and guar (annual) feedstocks can provide biomass year round
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) We have a breakthrough in pyrolysis to report today that could reduce the estimated cost of producing fuel from $3.27 per gallon to $2.58 per gallon. And no one quite understands how the new process works —
(The Roslin Institute) Meat and milk production from cattle could one day be boosted, thanks to analysis of microbes in cows’ stomachs. -- Beef and dairy cattle, and other milk-producing ruminants, provide food and nutrition to billions of people worldwide. Understanding how
by Sue Retka Schill (Biomass Magazine) Seven years after the U.S. EPA published the final rule for administering the Renewable Fuel Standard, the path to getting corn kernel fiber-to-cellulosic ethanol approvals appears to be getting much shorter. Edeniq CEO Brian Thome reports
by Jessie Stolark (Enviromental and Energy Study Institute) Two recently announced major joint ventures from ethanol producers – one in the cellulosic and another in the first-generation space – are aimed at selling biofuels in California, specifically. Driven by the state’s
(Vertimass/PR Newswire) Vertimass' ethanol to renewable fuels and chemicals offers exceptional corn growth potential -- The National Corn Growers Association named Vertimass LLC as one of six awardees of the "Consider Corn Challenge: New Uses for Field Corn as Feedstock for
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Rennovia has ceased operations, after the company failed to raise sufficient financing from investors and/or strategic partners to advance its pilot-scale technology to first commercial production. The bulk of the IP assets have been
(National Biodiesel Board) National Biodiesel Board releases field of "Elite Eight" -- March Madness kicks off next week, showcasing the very best of college basketball. In that spirit, the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) has released its own bracket of colleges and universities
by Emma Nobel (ABC Central Victoria News) Environmental microbiologist and science champion Marianne Haines hopes her work converting bacteria into biofuel will lead to more sustainable outcomes, and more women studying science at the postgraduate level. Growing up in regional Victoria, the former
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Synpet was founded in 2014 as a developer of a synthetic petroleum (SYNPET) business using its Thermal Conversion Process. TCP breaks down organic waste materials by using heat, pressure and water to produce oil and other co-products. SYNPET uses
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... I’d start with the news from Aemetis that they are embarking now on a $158 million cellulosic ethanol plant — to be built in Riverbank, California, in partnership with LanzaTech. Cellulosic ethanol is selling for such
by Kelly Shaver (Aemetis) Aemetis, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMTX) announced today that the company successfully built and operated an integrated demonstration unit for more than 120 days of continuous operations with 94% uptime, meeting the requirements for a federal USDA 9003 Biorefinery Assistance
(University of Wisconsin – Madison/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Advances in biofuels research tend to involve reduced costs, greater reagent stability, more diverse and valuable end products, or faster reactions, which often increase product yields as well. But to understand at a deeper level
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Does 1+1=3? That’s the premise of this ABLC 2018 presentation from LEC’s John Forcier which looks at the challenges and opportunities in anaerobic digesters. There’s a significant energy gain (3 to 10 times manure/sludge only) from adding appropriate feedstocks,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, ABLC 2018 opens amidst a flutter of government rollbacks of deployment support but the hope of regulatory relief, breakthroughs in financial structuring, a decisive shift in early-stage projects to nutrition & health, and an
by Katarina Zimmer (The Scientist) The finding could lead to a new way of producing “green” alternatives to fossil fuels. -- ... Green Fuel -- Finding enzymes in nature that convert plant oils into fossil fuel–like hydrocarbons could lead the way toward
by Meltem Urgun-Demirtas (U.S. Department of Energy) ... With funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) totaling nearly $1.3 million since 2013, ANL researchers are using X-ray spectroscopy to move the nation closer to achieving cost-effective production
(U.S. Department of Energy) Last spring, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) conducted its seventh biennial external review of its research, development, and communications portfolio. More than 40 external subject matter experts from industry, academia, and
(Autocar Pro News Desk) A new product launched by Mahle has the potential to revolutionise the ethanol industry at a global level. MBE2 (Mahle Bioethanol 2) is a solution that increases the production of ethanol by a minimum of 10 percent
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy is supporting a project led by Novozymes that proposes to deliver a screening platform which can be used to reduce discovery time required for tailoring enzymes to process specific contexts. It’s called SynTec — Synthetic Biology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This week marks the 10th anniversary of the first demo flight on biofuel which was done by Virgin Atlantic. LanzaTech CEO Jennifer Holmgren shared the factoid that, since that day, more than 100,000 commercial flights have used
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The objective? To create an economically viable process for the production of butanol from the underutilized natural resources domestically available economically sustainable biofuel at or below DOE target selling price. And, suitable for roll-out in multiple regions containing
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In the United Kingdom, researchers at the University of York found that the ability of some insects to efficiently digest cellulose could be exploited for industrial processes, such as the production of sustainable low carbon fuels to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Can it be done? That is, development of a sustainable green chemistry platform for production of acetone and downstream drop-in fuel and commodity products directly from biomass syngas via a novel energy conserving route in engineered
(Greenbelt Resources Corporation) Greenbelt Resources Corporation (OTC:GRCO) (Greenbelt) has announced Phase 1 of the “California BioEthanol Project,” a three-phased initiative that will convert Greenbelt’s Commercial Scale Testing Facility into a commercial-scale production biorefinery. Once Phase 1 is completed, the biorefinery will produce
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The biggest news along that front represents early-stage technology, but we read here that engineers at Ohio State announced that they’ve devised a process that under certain circumstances can convert coal, shale gas and biomass into electricity or syngas,
(Phys.Org/University of York) An international team of researchers, including scientists from the University of York, has discovered a set of enzymes found in fungi that are capable of breaking down one of the main components of wood. The enzymes could now
by J. Brian Garmon (FuelCellsWorks) The U.S. Air Force is demonstrating hydrogen as an alternate fuel source at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. In a recent visit to Hickam, members of the Air Force Civil Engineer Center’s Energy and Operations directorates were
(Biofuels International) The Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) based out of the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) is moving from the development of crop-based ethanol to creating fuels and chemicals that are fungible with their petroleum-based equivalents. The change was announced at
by Tom Bryan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) It’s not every day that scientists stumble upon novel ways to make biofuel, but that’s exactly what Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers have done by discovering that a simple catalyst based on carbon, nitrogen and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy is supporting a Kiverdi-led project to develop microbial biocatalysts to convert syngas into monoterpenes. Syngas feedstocks are relatively inexpensive and diverse, and thermophiles have several unique advantages; Meanwhile, end products have value
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Canada, more big news is coming out of Enerkem with the latest waste-to-chemistry project in Rotterdam to be the first of its kind in Europe to provide a sustainable alternative solution for non-recyclable wastes, converting waste plastics
(Agencia Brasil/South America Times) Petrobras has been working on the development of pioneering technology for the production of biodiesel from microalgae-an alternative to oil-derived fuels used in cars or any other diesel-powered vehicles. In an interview granted to Agencia Brasil, Juliana Vaz, Biotechnology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) DSM and Evonik have given a name to their joint venture to produce omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA from natural marine algae for animal nutrition — something that’s been traditionally been made from wild-caught fish
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Consortium for Computational Physics and Chemistry (CCPC) is a joint core research and development activity among five national laboratories that has been created to utilize unique DOE computational modeling facilities and experience in order to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) One of the purest, high-yield financial plays we have ever seen in the energy business is possibly emerging, one that could put fracking returns to shame. Vive le ROI. And Vive le IRR and DCF, while we’re at it. Catalyst for industry
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In the world of bio-oil production, current technologies have low carbon retention in fuel range and high hydrogen consumption. The DOE is supporting a project led by Daniel Resasco at the University of Oklahoma to develop
(Technical University of Denmark) New technology from DTU can convert milk sugar (lactose) in dairy by-products into alcohol. The newly established company behind the technology has received start-up capital from CAPNOVA. Dairies' production of cheese generates considerable amounts of the by-product whey.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The project goal? To produce and commercialize lignin-derived, industrial-grade composites with properties including 3D printability, rivaling current petroleum-derived alternatives. That’s the project undertaken by a team led by Amit K. Naskar, of the Carbon & Composites
by Bob Kodrzycki (Encompass Biotech LLC/Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) ... Opportunity, such as the availability of a new feedstock or the possibility of combining technologies can lead to very interesting outcomes. ... Technology alone is usually not enough to develop a market. But combined
Sunfire’s key technology is the Solid Oxide Power Core – a stack of high-temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs). SOFCs convert chemical energy from a gaseous fuel into electricity and heat. Unlike conventional fuel cells, Sunfire fuel cells can also be
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Young scientists presented their ongoing biodiesel research projects during a panel at the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo last week in Fort Worth, Texas. The students are part of the Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel, a
(WIREs Authors/Advanced Science News) To confront global warming, climate changes and a potential energy shortage, biodiesel received increasing interest as a substitute for diesel fuels in efforts towards sustainable development. Microalgae-derived biodiesel is a promising energy source. The advantages of microalgae as a
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) hosted the 2017 Project Peer Review on March 6–9, 2017, in Denver, Colorado. During the event, approximately 192 projects in BETO’s research, development, and demonstration portfolio were
by Lorenz Bauer (Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) In 2007 the US government established a national strategy for the development of advanced biofuels made using non-edible biomass. After 10 years we are still short of achieving the targets of this plan
T V Jayannew (The Hindu Business Line) India’s efforts to enhance biofuel production may get a boost from a work being done at a research laboratory in New Delhi. Researchers at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) have altered
(CPI) CPI, the UK’s technology innovation provider for process manufacturing, today announced that its partnership with Green Lizard Technologies (GLT), and their licensed company Oleocycle Ltd, will be providing a second-use to waste cooking oils via a novel one-step pilot plant
byJulie Wurth (News Gazette) A Midwest crop of the future: grasses and other plants that produce their own oils to be used as fuel or byproducts. That's the vision behind a new bioenergy research center being launched today at the University of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Deliver high performing, cost-effective catalytic materials that meet the needs of the ChemCatBio catalysis projects? That’s the ambitious goal of a project led by researchers from Argonne National Lab, Oak Ridge National Lab and the National
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) To develop and optimize a hybrid separation method to recover high-value methoxyphenols to improve the process economics and environmental impact for the production of advanced biofuels from catalytic pyrolysis, integrated with hydroprocessing. That’s the ambitious R&D
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This week in the Digest, we begin a Special 8-part Series: The State of the Advanced Bioeconomy: Challenges and Priorities for 2018. As we head into the final month before ABLC 2018, these in-depth examinations from a group
(Phys.Org/University of Calgary) Researchers have found a way to produce a higher quality, more stable fuel from biowaste, such as sewage, that is simpler and cleaner than existing methods. "This puts biofuel closer to being a good substitute for fossil fuels," said Hua
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Improving hydrogen utilization and carbon recovery, as a pathway to higher efficiency bio-oil production using thermochemical process? That’s the focus for a project from RTI International that picked up significant DOE support in the search for
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Can you build a catalytic process to produce alpha, omega diols from lignocellulosic biomass? Such a process, using inorganic catalysts for conversion of biomass into 1.5 pentanediol (PDO) and 1,6 hexanediols could reduce the cost of
by Alison Goss Eng (U.S. Department of Energy) ... One approach is through using domestic biomass resources, such as agricultural and forestry residues, grasses, and municipal solid waste. But, how do these biological materials make it from the field or forest to
by Tina Alvey (The Register-Herald) PPD of WV is putting together the final financial pieces of the puzzle, in hopes of breaking ground on its new biofuel plant near Sam Black Church this spring, according to company official Jason Perry. Perry spoke
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Brazil Bilateral is a co-operative R&D effort between Brazil’s Petrobras and the US National renewable Energy Laboratory. It aims to demonstrate technical and economic feasibility of co-processing raw fast pyrolysis oil in Fluid Catalytic Cracking
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The clearest intersecting theme is bio-methanol. Let’s see why. For one, Södra has much more going on than Silva, and we reported on a major development in December when we related that Södra will invest more
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Biodiesel Magazine spotlights four companies—a respected producer, a service-oriented wholesaler, a 200-year old chemical firm, and a fuel conditioning company—that enable biodiesel's role as an effective change agent. PQ Corp. ... John Votta, global business director for PQ’s silica
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It’s been a big week in plastics and nylons, all right — not only for those who value sustainability attributes, but for fans of lower costs and higher performance, too. Let’s look at 4 Biggies makin’
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Seven years after the U.S. EPA published the final rule for administering the Renewable Fuel Standard, the path to getting corn kernel fiber-to-ethanol approvals appears to be getting much shorter. Edeniq CEO Brian Thome reports
by Alec A.K. Nielsen (Asimov/Biofuels Digest) ... As you sit quietly, trillions of cells in your body are performing a frenetic dance of biochemical computation that makes your existence possible. Consider this: You were once a single cell – a fertilized egg. This
by Wiriya Thongsomboon, Diego O. Serra, Alexandra Possling, Chris Hadjineophytou, Regine Hengge, Lynette Cegelski (Science Magazine) Cellulose is the most abundant biopolymer on Earth and an important component of bacterial biofilms. Thongsomboon et al. used solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to identify a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Sustainable Bioeconomy for Arid Regions (SBAR) is a multi-level research project that will cultivate two desert-dwelling crops, guayule and guar, for a sustainable bioeconomy. Scale up to profitable production, however, requires feedstock improvements, expansion of cultivation,
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... In the United Kingdom, The University of Nottingham, the Energy Research Accelerator, and CPL Industries are working together to develop a new £4m (about $5.5 million) facility to use the hot new technology Hydrothermal Carbonization to
(Phys.Org/World Scientific Publishing) Recent research published in a report in Nano showed biofuels were obtained from Jatropha Oil using carbon nanotube (CNT) catalyst, which showed efficient cracking activity. The performance was activated by the high stability, metal sites, acid sites, electroconductivity, and coking
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sometimes, what an engine needs to roar to life is a spark. Or a SPARC, as in this case. As in the Southeastern Partnership for Advanced Renewables from Carinata (SPARC), a consortium consisting of the University of Florida (lead),
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) To date, North America is the most active of all regions in terms of deploying advanced technology — whether it is cellulosic ethanol, isobutanol for fuels and chemicals, or renewable chemical plants, you see the first
by Cheryl Croucher (Troy Media) Part 3 of a 10-part series: Forge Hydrocarbons, a U of A spinoff, turns low-grade fats and oils into valuable fuel -- New technology employed by Forge Hydrocarbons Corp., a University of Alberta spinoff company, proves you
by Daniel Essiet (The Nation) In Cross River State, an innovator Emmanuel Ntiti has fabricated machines that convert cassava to ethanol, writes Daniel Essiet. -- ... A Cross River State-based innovator and fabricator, Emmanuel Ntiti, has developed machines for processing cassava into
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) News arrives from Israel’s Technion Institute that they have developed a stable catalyst that can split water at extravagantly low energy-levels – and haven’t ruled out being able to split water with energy levels obtainable from
(Meridian Waste Solutions Inc./Ethanol Producer Magazine) Meridian Waste Solutions Inc., an integrated, non-hazardous solid waste services and innovative technology company, recently announced the award of a $3 million grant from the USDA to support the commercialization of patented and patent-pending lignin
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Velocys plc has announced that Envia Energy, the joint venture plant that utilizes its technology, has applied for a fuel pathway approval under the Renewable Fuel Standard to produce D7 cellulosic diesel renewable identification numbers (RINs). According
by JP Casey (Power Technology) ... A team of biochemists from Utah State University and the University of Washington has reported a variation in the process of nitrogenase which can “transform carbon dioxide into methane in a single, enzymatic step”. Typically,
(Global Bioenergies) Global Bioenergies (Euronext Growth: ALGBE) has entrusted EVEA, a company specialized in calculation of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), with a study focused on the products to be manufactured in the future IBN-One plant. Fully renewable ETBE is estimated to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Back in 2016, researchers at Washington State University Tri-Cities landed a National Science Foundation I-Corps grant to explore the market potential of their biojet fuel research. The team had successfully demonstrated a new, water-based process for deconstructing
By Michael Eggleston* (Advanced Biofuels USA) On December 5th, 2017 the Institute of Technical Chemistry (ITC) at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) hosted a workshop for members of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Bioenergy Task 36 to share and promote
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Fiberight is a privately held company founded in 2007 with current operations in Virginia, Maryland and Iowa. The company focuses on transforming post-recycled municipal solid wastes and other organic feedstocks into next generation renewable biofuels, with
(Bioenergy Insight) The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency has awarded an investment grant to explore the possibility of producing biogas from industrial waste water. A €12.4 million investment subsidy has been awarded to Finnish energy company Gasum, which is evaluating the potential of
(Bioenergy Insight) A biogas plant close to the town of Ballymena in Northern Ireland has been recognised in the Sustainable Ireland Awards. The Tully Quarry plant produces biogas from 100% chicken litter. Built by biogas technology specialists Xergi, the facility has won
(Bioenergy Insight) In a paper by Texas A&M scientists, biochar shows potential for increasing efficiency of the anaerobic digestion of animal manure. Biochar is a charcoal material composed of agricultural by-products, including manure, crop residues and grasses. The substance can be used as a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Tie-ins for Zymergen, Radiant Genomics, DMC, Capricorn Venture Partners, Syngenta and CHS demonstrate the firepower and scope of digital biology. Today, products made via traditional biological tools tap into easy-to-grow-in-a-lab organisms, and mostly nothin’ else. Sort of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Synvitrobio accelerates bio-discovery through cell-free systems. Synvitrobio’s Next Generation Expression platform allows for high-throughput data collection that is real and experimentally validated at speeds of simulation based approaches. A cell-free system is a mixture that contains only the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In November we reported that POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels achieved a major breakthrough in cellulosic biofuels production at its Project LIBERTY plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa. The company has solved the critical challenge in pretreatment, overcoming what has been the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In it, we are reminded that innovation is a never-ending war between two brothers named Urgency and Diligence — and the conflict comes roaring back to life when we consider the news that occasionally seeps out of that mysterious
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In California, researchers from the US Navy at China Lake have developed a new class of drop-in renewable diesel from biomass using acid catalyzed condensation of 2-tridecanone with a series of diols through fermentation that provide similar energy levels
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. After 15 years and some $300 million in investment, Velocys technology is at commercial-scale. The
by Amy Mayer (Harvest Public Media/NetNebraska) Advanced biofuels have been touted as the next step beyond the corn-based ethanol that’s the bulk of the country’s renewable fuel for cars and trucks. But cellulosic ethanol is harder to make and companies have
by Juan Carlos Millán (Unimedios, Bogotá/UN Periodico (Google translation)) The innovative method increases productivity in obtaining biodiesel and reduces the number and size of equipment used in its production. It was designed by the Research Group in Chemical and Biochemical Processes
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
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Hydrogen, hydrogen, hydrogen — the most abundant element in the universe, but the advanced bioeconomy can never seem to get enough of it, and finding ways to produce renewable, affordable hydrogen — well, that’s real gold. A
(U.S. Department of Energy) Added sugar takes on a whole new meaning in the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL’s) work to uncover the secrets behind one of nature’s most powerful tools—cellulose-degrading enzymes. Researchers at NREL are seeking to unlock the bioenergy stored
(FGUSAL/DICYT) Researchers at the University of Salamanca test a catalyst to produce biodiesel more efficiently and economically in accordance with the requirements imposed by the regulations for the coming years -- ... However, the problem is that nowadays it is only possible
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy has a goal of developing industrially-relevant strains to meet titer, rate, and yield targets for fuel precursors for the 2022 BC Platform cost target goals of $3/GGE. A project led by
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In December, we reported that Cargill and Calysta will co-create the world’s largest gas fermentation facility in Memphis, Tennessee to produce Calysta’s FeedKind protein, a family of sustainable, traceable nutritional ingredients for fish, livestock and pets. Start-up is
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In a striking pledge made in the latter part of 2016. 20 Latin American countries promised to promote biofuel production and use, with the support of development finance institutions. That was then, this is now. What’s happening towards
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) US-based White Dog Labs have developed a new process that eliminates the production of CO2, a potent greenhouse gas, during fermentation and instead shifts the carbon to added ethanol production, boosting fermentation yields by around 50
(New Indian Express) After initiating the move to set up a second generation ethanol plant in Bargarh district with an investment of `750 crore, the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has partnered with Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT)
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Vertimass technology was originated at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where scientists discovered novel catalysts that convert a wide range of alcohols into various hydrocarbon blend stocks which can be used in existing gasoline, diesel and jet
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) With apologies to every other region around the world. we continue to see Asia as the epicenter of the biobased revolution over the next 20 years. The reasons are three and relatively straightforward: 1. Continued and robust
(University of Bristol) Scientists at the universities of Kent and Bristol have built a miniature scaffold inside bacteria that can bolster cellular productivity, providing the foundation for a new era of cellular protein engineering and biofuel production. -- The research, led by
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) 2017 was a roller coaster year. There was a paradigm shift in biofuels, technology advancements, innovations abounded, politics chaotic. Some companies shut down and disappeared like the Hobo vanishing in the snow atop the Polar
(Phys.Org/Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory) The production of biofuels from plant biomass is a highly promising source of energy, but researchers are trying to find microbes that readily degrade recalcitrant lignin found in plant biomass. Recent comprehensive genomic and metabolomic analysis of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) An early stage renewable energy company focused on commercializing patent-pending technologies to convert low-value forestry residuals to high value liquid hydrocarbons that are compatible with the existing petroleum infrastructure. EnerSysNet Canada CEO Gary Scoggins gave this illuminating
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Today, we’d like to share news that a new biorefinery for diesel and jet fuel has finalized $112.6 million loan, backed by a USDA loan guarantee. This is Ryze Renewables, which will construct its biorefinery in Storey County,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory is the only federal laboratory dedicated to the research, development, commercialization, and deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. NREL — home to the National Bioenergy Center — advances
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This week we’ve received news from three companies that have struck out in search of new markets for their fundamental processes, and new applications for biotechnology in some ancient and ossified markets such as jet fuel,
(Biofuels International) A (CDN) $76.8 million (€50.7 million) industrial scale advanced biofuel demonstration plant will be constructed at a former pulp mill in Tofte, Norway. The new facility is apparently a step towards the creation of a commercial scale project. Danish-Canadian clean-fuel
(Phys.Org/Cell Press) Consumers across the world enjoy Greek yogurt for its taste, texture, and protein-packed punch. Reaching that perfect formula, however, generates large volumes of food waste in the form of liquid whey. Now researchers in the United States and Germany
by Mike Foley (The Land) A new fuel technology to convert harvested crops and other plant waste into biofuel and green chemical products is being developed with $11.9 million in funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). The new technology uses
by Erik Hyrkas (U.S. Department of Energy) Did you know that the Energy Department is working to create biofuel from resources like human waste? In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technology Office works with national laboratories to research the
by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) is partnering with the University of California-Irvine’s Advanced Power & Energy Program to design an “Advanced Energy Community” in an underserved neighborhood in Huntington Beach. The community will be planned as a
by Julia Evangelou Strait (The Source Washington University in St. Louis) Medical, engineering schools team up to create biofuels independent of food crops -- Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have received a $3.9 million grant from the Department of Energy
(Nigerian Tribune) ... YEJIDE GBENGA-OGUNDARE reports that to stop the overdependence on petroleum products, the South-west is set to be the site of a project that is novel to Africa; processing of liquid fuel (biofuel) from waste plastic materials. ... In the last
(U.S. Department of Energy) Added sugar takes on a whole new meaning in the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL’s) work to uncover the secrets behind one of nature’s most powerful tools—cellulose-degrading enzymes. -- Researchers at NREL are seeking to unlock the
(Green Car Congress) A team at the University of Connecticut Storrs reports on a two-stage catalytic fast hydropyrolysis process (CFHP) that produces a drop-in biofuel with heating value and aromaticity close to that of gasoline. Their paper is published in the
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... Faced with two problems – 1) what to do with human waste in space and 2) how to get needed supplies to astronauts in space (especially longer space missions like Mars), scientists are working on
(Phys.Org/University of Bristol) Chemists at the University of Bristol have made the first steps towards making sustainable petrol using beer as a key ingredient. ... Scientists from the University of Bristol's School of Chemistry have been working for several years to develop technology that will
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Japan, Sekisui Chemical and LanzaTech, have successfully demonstrated the production of ethanol from unsorted municipal solid waste — which can be used directly as a fuel or as a precursor to butadiene (a key raw material in the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sekisui Chemicals, LanzaTech break-through in MSW-to-ethanol demonstration -- ... Were trash to acquire a substantial uplift in value, that’s the end to the landfill crisis. In Japan, Sekisui Chemical and LanzaTech have successfully demonstrated the production of ethanol from unsorted municipal solid
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... (T)he Australian Renewable Energy Agency has made its single largest direct investment in second-generation biofuels via $11.9M in funding support for Ethtec to complete the development and demonstration of its advanced biofuel production technology. ... But times are changing in
(Department of Energy/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office is proud to announce the establishment of the Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium—a research and development consortium dedicated to identifying and overcoming technical uncertainty in research and development of robust biomass supply,
(Phys.Org/Kanazawa University) Compared to first-generation biofuels produced from food crops, production of second-generation biofuels for daily use is an urgent issue. In this study, researchers developed a novel carboxylate-type liquid zwitterion as a solvent of biomass, which could dissolve cellulose with
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... When it comes to fungi, their ability to break even the most recalcitrant of hardwoods down is well-documented and anyone who has spent a day in a rainforest knows it. But there’s rot and there’s
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Codexis is a leading protein engineering company that applies its technology to the development of biocatalysts for the commercial manufacture of pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. Codexis’ proven technology enables implementation of biocatalytic solutions to meet customer
(U.S. Department of Energy) Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado, have successfully modified a microorganism to produce a useful intermediate from sugar fermentation, which can then be upgraded into valuable biobased fuels and chemicals. NREL’s modified
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 Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Now, Fuzhong Zhang, associate professor at the School of Engineering & Applied Science updated the Digest this week and noted that “We designed and then constructed a synthetic metabolic pathway inside the fast-growing E.coli by
(Western Economic Diversification Canada/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Enerkem Alberta Biofuels, a subsidiary of Montreal-based Enerkem Inc., is receiving $3.5 million from the Government of Canada through the Western Innovation (WINN) Initiative to build the final phase of a facility that converts non-recyclable, non-compostable municipal solid
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
(DuPont Industrial Biosciences/Ethanol Producer Magazine) DuPont Industrial Biosciences has announced the launch of Synerxia Thrive Fermentation System, the newest innovation in the company’s synergistic fermentation system technologies. The new fermentation system will deliver higher ethanol yields, incomparable robustness during thermal excursions and
by Erika Ebsworth-Goold (Washington University in St. Louis/The Source) An engineering team at Washington University in St. Louis is using e. coli to manufacture biofuel. New research from the lab further refines the process. ... Scientists have previously engineered metabolic pathways of microbes,
(TO-SYN-FUEL) Members of twelve SME, industrial, and scientific partners, co-ordinated by Fraunhofer UMSICHT, and representatives of the European Commission participated in the first consortium meeting in Rotterdam, Netherlands, on the 26th of October 2017. Discussions took place regarding the progress
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