by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Norwegian company to convert woody biomass into transportation fuels -- In Texas, SynSel Energi has entered into an IH2 process demonstration license agreement with CRI/Criterion Catalyst Company Ltd, a member of the CRI Catalyst group,
(Globe Newswire/Benzinga) A technological and commercial partnership between Deinove and Tyton BioEnergy Systems, the leader in tobacco technology for green chemicals production -- T he synergistic technologies are expected to provide techno-economic benefits in the production of renewable chemicals by
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Verdezyne is a privately held industrial biotechnology company that is developing and commercializing novel genetically engineered microorganisms for use as “factories” to manufacture renewable chemicals. Verdezyne’s unique microorganisms permit greener, cleaner and more cost effective
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 has successfully proven and demonstrated this
by Jens Nielsen (Science Magazine) For thousands of years, yeast has been used for making beer, bread, and wine. In modern times, it has become a commercial workhorse for producing fuels, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals such as insulin, human serum albumin,
(Greenea) Overcapacity, shortage of sustainable feedstock, blending wall… they all contribute to the increasingly challenging situation on the biodiesel market in Europe. At the same time, new HVO investments start to pop up like mushrooms after a rain. But can
by Michelle Ma (University of Washington Today) Groves of poplar trees could one day fuel our vehicles and be the source of chemicals that we use in our daily lives. A five-year, $40 million study is laying the foundation for
(Tokyo Tech News) Tokyo Tech researchers successfully introduced an engineered lipid remodeling system into a transgenic plant to enhance biofuel production. Triacylglycerols from plants can be used to produce environmentally friendly and renewable biodiesel. Therefore, there has been great interest in
(Iowa State University) The National Science Foundation (NSF) has added three years and $8.48 million to the grant supporting the NSF Engineering Research Center for Biorenewable Chemicals based at Iowa State University. That brings NSF’s total funding of the center (known
(Edeniq) California Energy Commission provided funding for biofuels technology breakthrough -- – Edeniq, a biorefining and cellulosic technology company, completed a major upgrade of its cellulosic sugar and ethanol pilot facility. The company designed and operated new, proprietary equipment for feedstock
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Sweden, Taurus Energy has signed a material transfer agreement with a leading research and technology center for sugar cane and ethanol producers in Brazil. Work will be performed in both parties’ respective laboratories to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) 1. Who are Joule? Joule is advancing a production platform for Liquid Fuel from the Sun, expected to eclipse the scale, productivity and cost efficiency of any known alternative to fossil fuel today. Its transformative
by Padraig Belton (BBC) ... German company Sunfire produced its first batches of so-called e-diesel in April. Federal Minister of Education and Research, Johanna Wanka, put a few litres in her car, to celebrate. And the Canadian company Carbon Engineering has just
(Bio-Based Industries) Second call for proposals for the Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU) published today (August 25, 2015) --- New €106 million for research and development are unveiled today for bio-based initiatives to turn renewable resources into useful
(Press Trust of India/Business Standard) Five IITs have come together to set up a virtual centre spread across their campuses to develop advanced technologies in the area of biofuels. This is a joint initiative of IITs and Department of Biotechnology (DBT)
(Biofuels International) Scientists have mutated variants of a certain fungus to double the production of endoxylanase enzymes, which are used in bioethanol production. ... To address this problem, researchers have taken a common fungus called Aspergillus nigerand through careful exposure
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In a remarkable presentation at the Infocast Methane Bioengineering Summit in San Diego this week (and earlier at the Advanced Bioeconomy Feedstocks Conference in New Orleans, in June), Farmatic CEO Michael Schuppenhauer said that the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) No fossil fuel, no biomass, low carbon, no kidding. -- ... The top 10 new technologies. Note: Some amazing technologies such as Industrial Microbes, Trelys, Kiverdi and Mango Materials fell outside the concept for this rankings —
by Esha Chhabra (Forbes) ... Producing steel is a dirty business, yielding in massive quantities of carbon dioxide and monoxide. In fact, over 50 percent of the carbon used in manufacturing steel turns into carbon monoxide. Perhaps that’s why ArcelorMittal, which manufactures
(Washington State University) Hanwu Lei, Washington State University Tri-Cities associate professor in biological systems engineering, was awarded a $494,000 grant this fall to research catalysts, which will be used to increase the energy output and performance of biofuels. Lei said he
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
by Mark Harris (The Guardian) In Las Cruces, New Mexico, a pilot project is using heat-loving algae to clean wastewater and generate energy --- ... “Galdieria sulphuraria is one of the most interesting microorganisms on the planet,” says Peter Lammers, a
by Anna Simet (Biomass Magazine) At Bio-En Power’s Elmira, Ontario, biogas plant, it isn’t unusual for odd items including trailer hitches, steel bars, and garbage cans to show up in the waste streams the facility takes in, but they usually
(Ensyn/Advanced Biofuels Association) Dr. Robert Graham, CEO and Chairman of Ensyn Corporation (Ensyn), is pleased to announce that Ensyn has been granted a key regulatory approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its renewable diesel product, RFDiesel. This
by Kelley Price (Gazette Live) Fiberight Ltd and CPI launch project to produce sugar from landfill waste through Industrial Biotechnology -- A sweet £1m project to turn household waste into sugar could prove a game-changer in global energy consumption -
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What makes Amyris, Amyris? We look at the products, the evolution of the story, the partners, the focus on yield, and deeper into the story of Rate. ... Amyris experienced last month what CEO John Melo
by Zia Haq (US Department of Energy) It’s been one year since we at the Energy Department ramped up our efforts to develop renewable jet fuel for the military and commercial aviation industry. The Department’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) joined
(US Department of Energy) The Energy Department today announced two additional projects selected to receive up to $4 million to develop next-generation biofuels that will help reduce the cost of producing gasoline, diesel, and jet fuels from biomass. These projects—in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What is the Earth Room Problem and how is osmotic shock helping us to solve it? You may have wondered to yourself — at some point between 2009’s Summer of Algae and now, in 2015’s Summer of Where
by Olga Pavuk (The Baltic Course) Production of bioethanol is an alternative energy source of utmost importance in replacing ordinary fuel made from hydrocarbons. Latvian scientists have succeeded in producing bioethanol and furfural from plant waste – wheat straw. Co-generation
by James L. Stewart (MSW Management/Biofuels Digest) When it comes to its progress in achieving zero waste to landfills, the United States is on a par with Slovenia and the Czech Republic. -- On average, the top eight countries in Europe
(Gevo/Butamax/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Gevo Inc. and Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC, a joint venture between BP and DuPont, announced that they have entered into worldwide patent cross-license and settlement agreements, ending a patent dispute related to technologies for the production of
(Los Alamos National Laboratory) The key is a tunable switch made from a small non-coding RNA molecule that could have value for medical and even biofuel production purposes. -- Tunable riboregulator switches for post-translational control of gene expression Recent work by Los
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Glucan Biorenewables is producing furan derivatives from biomass. The furfural platform will be used to launch other value-added co-products: 5-hydroxyl-methyl furfural (HMF) and downstream derivatives The company’s TriVersa Process meets the need for a renewable, environmentally
(Global Bioenergies) The isobutene process was first developed by Global Bioenergies using glucose derived from cereals such as wheat or corn. Early in 2015, the company announced that the process was compatible with crude “second generation” sugars derived from agricultural
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory recently announced it has selected 16 projects to receive funding through its Carbon Capture Program, including two focused on algae. According to the DOE, the program funds development
(University of Adelaide) The solid waste left over from wine-making could make a competitive biofuel, University of Adelaide researchers have found. Published in the journal Bioresource Technology, the researchers showed that up to 400 litres of bioethanol could be produced by
by PJ Griekspoor (Agri-View) St. Joseph, Mo., pilot plant completes tests of making cellulosic ethanol that also yields value-added co-products -- The prospects for profitable cellulosic ethanol just got a little brighter with the completion of two successful 1,000-hour performance runs for
by Jan Overney (Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne) To cut the cost of biofuels, their production-process can be enhanced to include additional valuable biochemical compounds. A recent experimental study focuses on one source of biomass: residues from Brazilian palm oil
(Scottish Biofuel Programme) Following its successful run, the Scottish Biofuel Programme has been awarded a combined £219,000 from funders Zero Waste Scotland, Scottish Enterprise and Transport Scotland as part of a quarter of a million pound programme to continue its
by Venkatesha Babu (Business Today) ... A catalyst being developed by Shell Technology Centre Bangalore (STCB), one of the three tech hubs of Shell besides the ones in Houston and Amsterdam, holds out the promise of converting agricultural and municipal waste
by Phil McKenna (Green Biz) The fate of the world’s oceans may rest inside a stainless steel tank not quite the size of a small beer keg. Inside, genetically modified bacteria turn corn syrup into a churning mass of polymers that
(Green Car Congress) Researchers at the University of Maryland are proposing a new process to isolate and to direct the evolution of microorganisms that convert cellulosic biomass or gaseous CO2 and H2 to biofuels such as ethanol, 1-butanol, butane, or
by Jan Overney (Phys.Org) To cut the cost of biofuels, their production-process can be enhanced to include additional valuable biochemical compounds. A recent experimental study focuses on one source of biomass: residues from Brazilian palm oil production. ... One way to make
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Another barrier to commercially viable biofuels from sources other than corn has fallen with the engineering of a microbe that improves isobutanol yields by a factor of 10. The finding of the Department of Energy’s BioEnergy Science
(Green Car Congress) A team at the University of Georgia, Athens led by Distinguished Research Professor Michael Adams has discovered tungsten in what appears to be a novel enzyme in the biomass-degrading thermophilic bacterium Caldicellulosiruptor bescii. Tungsten is exceptionally rare
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Scientists from the University of Maryland will report in the Journal of Theoretical Biology that they have isolated several different strains of bacteria that make high concentrations of biofuels from cellulosic biomass or from carbon
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Georgia, American Process has completed replication of its GreenPower+ cellulosic technology at its Thomaston, GA Biorefinery, and has shifted customer feedstock performance evaluation operations to Georgia. With the shift, the company announced that, pending improvements
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) JBEI has opened up the licensing door for some of their signature ionic liquid pre-treatment technologies: Long Alkyl Chain Alcohols as Co-solvent, Precipitant, and Extraction Medium in Ionic Liquid Pretreatment (2013-105), a cost-effective and efficient process to
by Emma Cooper (Chemistry World) By using bigger building blocks, scientists in the UK have shown they can make much longer oligosaccharide sequences than previously possible. The traditional synthetic route to long chain oligosaccharides is drawn out and complicated; they require
(Alliance BioEnergy/Globe Newswire) Alliance BioEnergy Plus, Inc. (OTCQB: ALLM) (the "Company") announced today that it entered into a non-exclusive development agreement with Renewable Resources Development of America, LLC (“RRDA”) for the construction and operation of up to 56 cellulose conversion
by Ron Kotrba (Biomass Magazine) Photobioreactor manufacturers detail their latest designs and performance metrics and provide project updates from around the globe. ... Whether through open ponds, raceways or closed photobioreactors (PBR), growing algae is both a science and an art. ... PBRs
(Green Car Congress) A team from the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, University of Hawaii at Manoa is developing a new one-pot process to produce gasoline-grade (C6–C18) hydrocarbon oil from polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)—an energy storage material formed from renewable feedstock in many
(Phys.Org) Cellulose hydrolysis has many industrial applications in such fields as biofuel production, food, paper, cosmetic, pharmaceutical industries and textile manufacture. A novel approach to cellulose hydrolysis using a consortium of motile bacteria moving on solid surfaces and carrying microbial
by Marcelo Teixeira; by Reese Ewing (London South East/Reuters) Brazilian sugar and ethanol producer Raizen secured deals to export cellulosic ethanol to Europe at a 26 percent premium over conventional ethanol prices, the company's head of sugar, ethanol and energy,
by John Caupert (National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center/Belleville News Democrat) ... Beyond economic and environmental impact, one has to wonder about the wisdom of proposed rules from a federal agency that moves to regulate greenhouse gases for airlines with one action, but
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory/Phys.Org) Here's the future of ethylene production as Dr. Jianping Yu sees it. "We envision some farms in the field that cover many acres. We will have cyanobacteria harvesting sunlight and C02 and then produce ethylene or
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The increase in revenue during 2015 is primarily a result of the production and sale of approximately $8.0 million of ethanol, isobutanol and distiller’s grains at the Luverne plant. Hydrocarbon revenues were $0.8 million, primarily
(Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI)) On June 19th, Alisdair Clark of BP and Joseph Sorena of Chevron presented “Co-processing of HEFA Feedstocks with Petroleum Hydrocarbons for Jet Production” for the SOAP-Jet webinar series focused on co-processing biofuels within existing
(Xebec/Biomass Magazine) Xebec Adsorption Inc., a provider of gas purification and filtration solutions for the natural gas, field gas, biogas, helium, and hydrogen markets, recently announced that it has commenced operation of its first commercial landfill gas to compressed natural
(Southeastern Partnership for Integrated Biomass Supply Systems) Contrasting with ethanol production with microorganisms to ferment raw material into liquid fuel, biomass materials can be directly “gasified” through controlled burning (called pyrolysis, literally “fire splitting”). Gasification releases energy stored in complex plant
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory/Newswise) Biorefineries could benefit from a new process developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory that produces hydrogen from plant sources such as switchgrass. The method converts biomass waste streams into hydrogen through heating and processing in microbe-based
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Curious about this advanced pyrolysis-based manufacturer of renewable fuels and soil amendment, but need something quick? Our 8-Slide Guide can help. 1. What is Cool Planet? The company self-describes as “poised to revolutionize the energy, food,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It’s been around for a generation or so — fast pyrolysis, that is. Though in the original low-tech incarnation — known as “cooking fire” — pyrolysis has been around since the dawn of man. But
(EurekAlert!/GigaScience) Biofuels and biogas bioinformatics: Virtual containers unload a wealth of resources to tackle climate change -- New research in the Open Access journal GigaScience presents a virtual package of data for biogas production, made reusable in a containerized form
by Itai van Rijn (Y Net News) New research shows that growing and producing bioethanol from algae of the species sea lettuce has potential but is not currently viable economically. ... New research at Tel Aviv University, which has just recently been
(U-Tokyo Research) Missing link in microbial cellulose decomposition -- A University of Tokyo research group has revealed for the first time the three-dimensional structure and mechanism of action of a key enzyme of bio-fuel production, cellobionic acid phosphorylase (CBAP). This result is
by Lynn Yarris (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Berkeley Lab Study Shows Orange Carotenoid Protein Shifts More Than Just Color for Cyanobacterial Photoprotection ... “Prior to our work, the assumption was that carotenoids are static, held in place by the protein scaffold,” Kerfeld
(Biofuels International) The Danish fuel, oil, and energy company OK has introduced a new sustainable biodiesel into its petrol stations. The new biodiesel is produced from the residue left over in the production of first generation biodiesel from rapeseed. Previously,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Abengoa is active in three areas in biofuels: a. Traditional fermentation of cereal grains and sugar cane for the commercial production of bioethanol; b. Traditional transesterification for the production of biodiesel from cereal and vegetable
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Which microbes achieve a better, faster, cheaper transformation of the world around us? ... Down there in the mud, too small to be seen with the naked eye, are some of your new best friends.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Southern Research is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) scientific and engineering research organization in AL, MD, GA, and NC in the areas of drug discovery and development, advanced engineering, and environmental protection. In NC we conduct research
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Renmatix is a technology licensor that enables the production of petrochemicals from plants. The company’s water-based Plantrose process is the lowest cost method for converting a wide range of non-food biomass into cellulosic sugars, used
by Joanna Schroeder (Biofuels Journal) Greenbelt Resources Corp. has developed a feedstock testing program so potential cellulosic ethanol producers can see if their enterprise will succeed at commercial scale by processing a certain feedstock. Darren Eng, chief executive officer of Greenbelt
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Logan, Utah-based Argo Fuels announced it is launching an Idiegogo crowdfunding campaign July 21 to raise money for the purchase of feedstock and preparation for large-scale biodiesel production using its NanoCatalyst fuel processor. The company describes
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Avantium developed a novel process for the production of PEF (brandname YXY), a 100% biobased polyester with enhanced barrier, thermal and mechanical properties. Together with Coca-Cola, Danone and ALPLA we target PEF bottles. The process
(Aston University) Pre-testing of waste materials using prototype Pyrofab technology was underway today ahead of a summer tour to evaluate sustainable sources of bioenergy from waste across north-west Europe. The Pyrofab is based on PyroformerTM technology, developed in the UK
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The real deal is succinic acid and polybutylene succinate. The latter found in everything from boxes, bags, tableware, even mulching films. If we haven’t seen SucciniMania quite yet, well, it’s the fate of intermediates to
(SustainableBusiness.com) A few years ago, we were hearing a lot about airlines testing and beginning to run on biofuels (combined with petroleum). With the latest announcements, are we ready for take off? This summer, United Airlines begins flying from Los Angeles to San
by M Najmuz Zafar (Muscat Daily) A group of scientists and academics are undertaking a research on producing biofuel from biological and agricultural waste, which they say, will lay the foundation of biofuel industry in Oman. “Although the research employs local
by Douglas R. Kauffman, Jay Thakkar, Rajan Siva, Christopher Matranga, Paul R. Ohodnicki, Chenjie Zeng, and Rongchao Jin (ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces) The catalytic conversion of CO2 into industrially relevant chemicals is one strategy for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Along
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... For a decade, it’s (UOP's) been an unquestioned leader in renewable fuels and chemicals development. Technologies like its HEFA jet fuel conversion (the first certified renewable jet fuel), its Ecofining technology that produces both jet
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Companies aim to tweak and transform key systems to reduce energy use and resolve bottlenecks. -- Optimization efforts most often look at boosting yield, but as finely tuned and balanced as ethanol plants are,
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The ethanol industry is known to be innovative. But, whether it’s testing a new feedstock, incorporating a new enzyme, yeast or other fermentation aid, or perhaps tweaking a parameter or trying out a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Exelus is developing a first-of-a-kind process to convert virtually any type of ligno-cellulosic biomass into a clean, environmentally friendly “Bio-naphtha” a paraffinic hydrocarbon similar to fossil-based light naphtha. Bio-naphtha can then be converted in
(University of California Santa Cruz) We are the UC Santa Cruz iGEM team! We are a team of 24 bioengineers, biochemists, and MCD biologists and overall a group of passionate undergraduates involved in an exciting international synthetic biology competition. The iGEM program
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Iogen’s technology at commercial-scale, and officially open for business. In Brazil, President Dilma Rousseff launched Iogen Energy’s cellulosic ethanol technology at the official opening of Raízen`s newly expanded Costa Pinto sugar cane mill in Piracicaba,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Praj provides technology and EPC for ethanol plants and has > 600 references across continents. The focus of Praj Matrix is biotechnology. After seven years of development we have LC ethanol technology ready for commercialization.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Ontario, Bioindustrial Innovation Canada has completed phase 1 of a project to assess the economic viability of the agricultural biomass to cellulosic sugar value chain in Canada. The Cellulosic Sugar Production Project is designed to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Who are they? “Nature’s biodiversity holds answers to challenges in health, energy, food, materials, and more,” they say. “Organism Engineers at Ginkgo learn from Nature to develop new organisms that replace technology with biology.” ... “if
by Ryan Masters (Santa Cruz Sentinel) The salt ponds of Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, just north of San Jose International Airport, may hold the key to a sustainable energy source. For more than 100 years, people have
by Tim Tierneyn (Syngenta) Plymouth Energy collaborates with corn growers to increase plant efficiency and make ethanol more sustainable. ... Sourcing alpha amylase enzyme directly from area corn growers and working with them to enhance grain quality is not only helping Plymouth
(Securing America’s Future Energy) Today’s low prices at the pump may have many people believing our nation’s energy security problem has been solved, but don’t be fooled. The truth of the matter is energy security can only be achieved by
by Bruce Dorminey (Renewable Energy World) As the world’s fastest growing temperate tree species, poplar can add a dozen feet annually and reach maturity in as few as four years. One of its hybrids, populus x generosa, has the widest
(Red Rock Biofuels LLC) Red Rock Biofuels LLC, a pioneer in renewable biofuels, announced today that it will produce approximately three million gallons of low-carbon, renewable jet fuel per year for FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE:FDX). The
(Nanowerk News/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Scientists have directed a common bacterium to produce more of a valuable fatty acid, lauric acid, than it typically does. The achievement is noteworthy not simply because of the increased production of fatty acid, which
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The 10 Biggest Advanced Bioeconomy stories of the year we reported from the world’s second-biggest economic region. 1. DuPont, New Tianlong Industry Co. ink Cellulosic Ethanol pact; China’s first Advanced Renewable Fuel Project on the way In
(Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) Researchers from across the world, including from Virginia Tech, plan to mimic the chemistry of the brown rot fungus to improve biorefining processes. BioMim, a $4 million, four-year project funded by the Research Council
(American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev/Biomass Magazine) Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel and University of Florida researchers have been awarded a United States-Israel Bi-national Agricultural Research and Development Fund (BARD) grant to improve the production of biogas
(Stockholm University/Biomass Magazine) A newly discovered family of chemical structures, published in Nature, could increase the value of biogas and natural gas that contains carbon dioxide. The new chemical structures, known as zeolites, have been created by an international team
by Christopher Doering (Des Moines Register) DuPont said Thursday it will license its technology to construct the largest cellulosic ethanol manufacturing plant in China. As part of the agreement with New Tianlong Industry Co., DuPont said it will license its ethanol
(Rennovia) Johnson Matthey Process Technologies, a global provider of advanced process technologies, and Rennovia Inc., a privately held company that develops novel catalysts and processes for the cost advantaged production of chemical products from renewable feedstocks, announced today that they
(Wageningen UR) Wageningen URFood & Biobased Research is launching a large-scale European project in collaboration with Cosun (coordinating partner) and ten businesses from the Netherlands and abroad to extract more value from sugar beet pulp. After undergoing bio-refinery and other conversion
(Chemicals-Technology) Researchers from the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), UOP and Netherlands-based Utrecht University have found a way to understand chemical transformations occurring within zeolites. Zeolites are crystalline solid structures made up of aluminium, silicon, and oxygen atoms,
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) You may have heard the old joke, “you can make anything out of lignin, except money.” Well, I hope to still be writing about ethanol the day that's been proven wrong. ... Earlier this year, I
by Nancy Stauffer (MIT Energy Initiative) Chemical engineers and biologists at MIT have found a simple way to make yeast produce more ethanol from sugars: Spike the mixture they’re growing on with two common chemicals. Adding potassium and an acidity-reducing compound helps
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Newlight Technologies has signed a 20-year take-or-pay off-take agreement with Vinmar International for 1 billion pounds of AirCarbon PHA. Critical to the deal? Newlight’s catalyst aims to transform the economics of PHA-based plastics, solving
(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is recognizing landmark green chemistry technologies developed by industrial pioneers and leading scientists that turn climate risk and other environmental problems into business opportunities, spurring innovation and economic development. “From academia
(Algae Industry Magazine) Biocrude oil obtained from hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of algae can be an energy-efficient replacement for the fossil crude oil normally used in the production of fuels. HTL is a high-pressure, high-temperature process that allows scientists to
(DEINOVE) DEINOVE (Alternext Paris: ALDEI), a biotech company developing innovative processes for the production of biofuels and bio-based chemicals using Deinococcus bacteria as host strains, announces that it has reached the third and penultimate milestone of its DEINOL project supported
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) First plant will produce 14 million gallons per year by 2018; first production train online in 2017. More plants to come? Up to 150 mgy potential in Europe, ArcelorMittal says; culmination of work since 2011. In
by Andhra Pradesh (The Hindu) ... Ramesh Malothu, assistant professor and head of the department of biotechnology at the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Kakinada, has developed ethanol by isolating cellulosic bacteria from termites by using bioprocess technologies. He has been successful in
(Umeå University) A research group at Umeå University has managed to capture and describe a protein structure that, until now, has been impossible to study. The discovery lays the base for developing designed enzymes as catalysts to new chemical reactions for
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... 31 Algae players, what do they make now, and how are they making out? ... Here’s our company by company guide to 31 of the players on the scene — project developers and technology suppliers. ... AlgaEnergy AlgaEnergy is
by Bill Mah (Edmonton Journal) The company behind a refinery to turn fat and grease into renewable fuels says the pilot plant could soon offer another local market for Alberta farmers and cut greenhouse gas emissions at the same time. Edmonton-based
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Drop-in Hydrocarbon fuels made directly by plants? Here. we look at the science and risks of turning an “ability” into an “industrial reality”. It’s common knowledge that terrestrial plants (and many aquatic species) use carbon dioxide,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Oil price predictions are all over the map. So, how are biobased businesses coping when no one quite knows what’s up with the incumbent? Amyris, Cellerate and Propel Fuels are three ventures showing the way(s) forward. If
by Richard Martin (MIT Technology Review) New microbes and new techniques show promise for advanced biofuels, but the industry is still years away from real progress. Attempting to chart a path forward for the beleaguered biofuels industry, a group of researchers
(Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH)) Innovative extraction method sources chemicals from algae instead of from imported oils -- Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) welcomed news that The University of Toledo (UT) will receive $50,000 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support research into
by Scott Gordon (University of Wisconsin-Madison) A team of investigators at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Michigan State University have created a process for making the work environment less toxic—literally—for the organisms that do the heavy lifting in the increasingly
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Seen a number of high-profile cellulosic projects open in recent years, and not much ethanol being produced? Wondered why? Here are answers to your questions. As Jack Webb used to say on Dragnet, just the facts,
by Rick Kubetz (Phys.Org) Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have, for the first time, uncovered the complex interdependence and orchestration of metabolic reactions, gene regulation, and environmental cues of clostridial metabolism, providing new insights for advanced biofuel
(Spero Energy Inc./Ethanol Producer Magazine) A company that licenses Purdue intellectual property has received federal funding to develop its one-step, patent-pending technology that could improve the efficiency of alternative fuel production. Spero Energy Inc. has received a two-year Phase II SBIR
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Distillation Technologies Inc. and Easy Energy Systems Inc. announced an agreement to build and test DTI’s technology at pilot scale. DTI’s patented and trademarked Bubble Spray Distillation system reduces the energy needed for
(US Department of Energy) Microvi Biotechnologies, a leading innovator of biocatalytic processes, together with the Advanced Biofuels Process Demonstration Unit (ABPDU) at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), has demonstrated a major breakthrough to biological ethanol production. Compared with a conventional
(US Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy announces its intent to issue, on behalf of the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) targeting innovative technologies and solutions to
(Morgan State) CycloBurn Combustion System™ Provides Relief to Poultry Farmers and Protects Environment Morgan State University professor and lab director for the School of Engineering’s Industrial and Systems Engineering department, Dr. Seong W. Lee, and his research team are the recipients
by Maija Sihvonen* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The 23rd European Biomass Conference and Exhibition (EUBCE) held in Vienna 1-4 June was a massive event with nearly 1300 participants from 76 countries and some 800 presentations. The event consisted of multiple parallel
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Brussels, The Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking, a public-private partnership between the EU and the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC), has approved the funding of 10 projects totalling €120 million to boost the EU capacity to
by Jesse Daystar, Carter Reeb, Ronalds Gonzalez, Richard Venditti, Stephen S. Kelley (Science Direct) Highlights •Cradle-to-grave environmental impacts of biofuels from five major feedstocks in the Southern U.S. •Thermochemical conversion pathway studied for ethanol production •Global warming impacts, eutrophication, acidification, and other impacts studied •95% reduction
(University of Manchester) Scientists at The University of Manchester have made an important discovery that forms the basis for the development of new applications in biofuels and the sustainable manufacturing of chemicals. Based at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB), researchers
(Microvi/PR Newswire) Microvi Biotechnologies, a leading innovator of biocatalytic processes, working with the Advanced Biofuels Process Demonstration Unit (ABPDU) at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), has demonstrated breakthrough improvements to biological ethanol production. Microvi's technology uses engineered biocatalyst composites
by Sam Nejame & James Evangelow (Biofuels Digest/Promotum and Chemical Strategies) Sad to say Cobalt Technologies is dead – no really they’re dead – it’s not just double secret probation anymore. Although you’d almost not even know it given how quiet the
by Anilesh S Mahajan (Business Today) Shell Global's Harry Brekelmans is very optimistic about the India story. Brekelmans sits on the board of the Executive Committee of Royal Dutch Shell PLC and is the director in-charge of projects & technology. He,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Backed by a $10M investment from Natural Resources Canada’s Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) program and an additional $4.4M from the Québec Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs, the Cabano plant
(Genomatica/Biomass Magazine) Genomatica announced significant progress in harnessing cellulosic biomass for commercial production of high-quality chemicals rather than just fuels. ... Genomatica has developed clear guidance for biomass pretreatment technology developers to enable their technologies to work better with commercial bioprocesses for
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Massachusetts, Joule, the pioneer of liquid fuels from recycled CO2, announced the issuance of an additional patent on the direct, continuous production of hydrocarbon fuels – extending its ability to target the highest-value molecules
(US Department of Agriculture/Ohio State University) The long term goal of this project is to commercialize an integrated anaerobic digestion system (iADs) that promises cost competitive bioenergy and biofuels production from lignocellulosic biomass. The specific objectives of this proposal are
(Department of Energy/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory/ECNMag.com) While biofuels have proven to be an effective, renewable, low-carbon alternative to gasoline and diesel, jet fuels pose unique challenges. These challenges have now been met with a new technique developed by researchers at
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... You see, JBEI’s team believe they have come up with the solution in a new generation of ionic liquids. What are ionic liquids, anyway? They are environmentally benign organic salts. In this case, salts that are liquids
by Cherie Winner (Pennsylvania State University) By virtue of their chloroplasts, plants are superb harvesters of solar energy. They use it to build leaves, flowers, fruits, stems, and roots. We harvest a small percentage of that energy in the form of
by David Gogerty and Ronan Rocle (Global Bioenergies/Biofuels Digest) ... And there are indeed interesting developments: using new synthetic biology techniques, we can now target the best-of-the-best in gasoline molecules—isooctane. This high-performance fuel, which is expected to be produced by fermentation at
(Gevo/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Gevo Inc. has announced a breakthrough to its fermentation technology that will allow it to produce isobutanol from cellulosic feedstocks such as wood waste which can then be converted into Gevo's alcohol-to-jet fuel. Gevo currently makes isobutanol from
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Production goes from pilot to demonstration scale as Coca-Cola “makes it happy,” showcasing its newest Plant Bottles at Expo Milan News has arrived from Europe that Coca-Cola is displaying 100% bio-based content Plant Bottles produced using
by Sarah Shemkus (The Guardian) Colorado-based startup Cool Planet says it has created a fuel that mixes seamlessly with gasoline and actually removes carbon from the atmosphere The entrepreneurs and innovators at Colorado-based Cool Planet are betting that a word you’ve probably
(Joint Genome Institute) DOE-funded researchers develop a new process for annotating cellulose-degrading enzymes. Researchers at two Department of Energy-funded Scientific User Facilities collaborated with one of three Bioenergy Research Centers to develop and analyze high-resolution crystal structures of an enzyme from
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Great Lakes Bioenergy is a DOE, Office of Science-funded Bioenergy Research Center. Its mission is to develop ways to produce ethanol, advanced biofuels and chemicals from the non-edible, lignocellulosic part of plant biomass. The Center
(Task 39 Newsletter) General introduction - A fossil free energy supply by 2050 -- In 2012, the Danish parliament decided on a new climate act, which calls for an energy supply totally free of fossil fuels by 2050. This goal
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Fuels, chemicals, pathways, and microbes that could shake it all up ... (H)ere are 8 Hot Targets that we can point to that could be game-changers in the world of making fuels, chemicals and biomaterials from
by Kelly Taylor (Chronicle Herald) ... Still, ethanol does have some advantages, including lower net greenhouse gas emissions due to its recycling of carbon-dioxide emitted by today’s plants (or factories), as opposed to oil, which is releasing the CO2 of plants
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