(Drax) The first BECCS pilot project of its kind in the world at Drax Power Station – the UK’s biggest renewable power generator, has started capturing carbon dioxide. -- The first carbon dioxide has been captured using C-Capture technology at Drax Power
by Josh Siegel (Washington Examiner) Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said Wednesday the push for a "Green New Deal" could provide an opportunity for her to revive a comprehensive energy bill she co-authored that would be the first update to the country’s
(Office of Congresswoman Cheri Bustos) Today (February 14, 2019), Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) helped introduce the Utilizing Significant Emissions with Innovative Technologies (USE IT) Act. This bipartisan legislation would implement strategies that help ethanol producers develop carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies.
(Government of Norway) Equinor has been awarded an exploitation permit for CO2-storage on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. -- This was decided by King-in-council today (January 11, 2019). The allocated area for storage of CO₂ is located near the Troll oil and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) LanzaTechhas over 20 years experience sourcing and supplying over 5 million tons of wood fiber and organic feedstock in markets across North America. They offer biomass feedstock supply and analytics to understand and minimize supply chain
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) was organized in 1893 to advance the art, science, and practice of naval architecture, shipbuilding, marine engineering, ocean engineering, and other marine-related professions. Christopher D. Barry from SNAME
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Global Algae Innovations was founded in 2013 and focuses on algae for commodities with initial technology development nearly complete. Dave Hazlebeck from Global Algae Innovations gave this illuminating overview of how the algae industry can provide a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In a tale of two Washingtons, the sustainable aviation fuels movement will gather in Washington state in March and in Washington, D.C. in April to seek breakthroughs in the adoption rate of jet biofuels, which have
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) EPIC helps pilot plants test and scale new process technologies. Check out their latest presentation with top four emerging process technologies that they are seeing a lot of right now: carbon capture, gas-to-liquids technologies, bio-based ethylene glycol,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, on the final day of California’s 2018 legislative session, a bill sponsored by the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas that would pave the way for a state renewable natural gas procurement program was approved by
by Theresa Duque (Berkeley Lab) Researchers discover copper has potential as a catalyst for turning carbon dioxide into sustainable chemicals and fuels without any wasteful byproducts, creating a green alternative to present-day chemical manufacturing -- For decades, scientists have searched for effective
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Carbon Engineering is commercializing two clean energy technologies that can rapidly accelerate our shift to a net-zero world by removing carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere and converting it to fuel. Geoffrey Holmes,Business Development lead from Carbon Engineering
by Jason Huffman (Undercurrent News) The Kampachi Company may be best known for its recent efforts to grow “king kampachi”, aka kahala or almaco jack (Seriola rivoliana), in ocean-based cages, but it also is performing research with plans to make a
by Jessie Stolark (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) ... While the bill is largely viewed as a status-quo farm bill, the bill importantly reauthorizes the Energy Title (IX) and contains some new programs and tweaks aimed at helping producers become more
(Grain Net) The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), Environmental Entrepreneurs(E2), the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) thank the Farm Bill conferees for including a new pilot Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) in the 2018 Farm Bill Conference Report to promote and
by Chris Clayton (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Ohio corn farmer Fred Yoder returned late Friday from a frustrating week in Poland listening to foreign ministers and others talk about what they think farmers globally must do to address climate change. As chairman
by Adele Peters (Fast Company) At a steel mill outside Beijing, reactors attached to the building capture emissions from the factory. Those waste gases can then be turned into fuel. LanzaTech, a biotech startup that designed a way to turn those
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of November 29th. ... #3 Munich researchers use algae to convert waste gas to carbon fiber In Germany, researchers
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Mazda is investing in it. Honda is using it for R&D and potential byproducts. Algenol, AlgaEnergy and others grow and develop it. Euglena began producing it for biojet fuel at its new biofuel refinery plant in Japan. The U.S. government has a whole R&D department that
(U.S. Department of Energy) The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine conducted a study, co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office, Office of Fossil Energy, and Office of Science, and Shell, which resulted in a report
(Arizona State University/Biomass Magazine) The U.S. Department of Energy has announced 36 projects that together have been awarded $80 million to support early-stage bioenergy research and development. Two Arizona State University research teams are among the grantees, with the grants to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It was, at times, not unlike the old trading floor of the Chicago Board of Trade and that was no coincidence, for there was optimism abounding and the deal-talk that flows from a general feeling that
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Impossible Foods took the #1 spot in the 2018 “40 Hottest Technologies in the Advanced Bioeconomy” rankings, published today in The Digest, the world’s most widely-read bioeconomy daily. The announcement was made live at
(Algae Biomass Organization) A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine makes the case for robust, coordinated research and development programs that can accelerate the development of technologies that can turn greenhouse into useful products such as fuels, construction
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) All through this month, Digest subscribers have been voting on the 40 Hottest Transformative Technologies in the Advanced Bioeconomy. While the Hot 50 concentrates on organizations — this set of rankings could include a complete process, a
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In South Korea, AFP reports the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change has launched a new report saying time is running out to stop climate change but that significant investment in biofuels and associated carbon capture and storage could
by Julianne Beck (Northwestern University Campus News) A new collaboration led by Michael Jewett, professor of chemical and biological engineering at Northwestern University, will combine recent technological advancements in bioengineering to develop a transformative production system for next-generation biofuels and bioproducts. The
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) IEA Bioenergy Task 42’s goal is to contribute to the development and deployment of integrated biorefineries as part of highly efficient sustainable value chains (co-)producing food/feed ingredients, chemicals, materials, fuels, power and/or heat out of sustainably sourced
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Chemists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have demonstrated a practical, energy-efficient method of capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) directly from air. They report their findings in Nature Energy. If deployed at large scale and coupled to geologic
by Irina V. Chernyshova, Ponisseril Somasundaran and Sathish Ponnurangam (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) The understanding of a catalytic reaction starts with understanding its first elementary step. Surprisingly, despite the large number of studies, it is unclear whether one
by Bill Keba* (Advanced Biofuels USA) My wife checked my fishing gear upon learning that I was attending the Biochar 2018 Conference in Wilmington, Delaware. Why? She thought I made up “biochar” and the conference as a way escape to
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy announced the selection of 36 projects totaling $80 million to support early-stage bioenergy research and development (R&D). This R&D will enable cost-competitive, drop-in renewable hydrocarbon fuels, bio-based products, and power from
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In the EU, perhaps the most comprehensive and useful guide to fuels and chemicals produced from “Recycled carbon fuels”, such as those produced from waste plastics or waste industrial gases, appeared from the gurus at E4Tech. And,
by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) has announced new grant funding for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LNNL) and Stanford School of Engineering’s Spormann Laboratory to conduct new power-to-gas research. The two entities will also receive $800,000 from the
by Catherine Clifford (CNBC) A bacteria found in the gut of a rabbit can now help cars run in a more eco-friendly way. The bacteria, identified by biotech start-up LanzaTech, helps turn factory carbon emissions, a.k.a. pollution, into ethanol .... ... "While there are many sustainable
(Nebraska Public Power District) Nebraska Public Power District is taking another step forward in the carbon world with a second Department of Energy (DOE) study. This most recent initiative has a goal of developing an integrated carbon dioxide (CO2) collection,
(University of California-Santa Cruz/EurekAlert!) Gains of only 22 percent over the next six decades represent best-case scenario -- Researchers have calculated the capacity of North American forests to sequester carbon in a detailed analysis that for the first time integrates the effects
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 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 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
(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) 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 James Osborne (Houston Chronicle) The Houston oil company Occidental Petroleum is studying a carbon capture project to deliver carbon dioxide to its oil fields in West Texas, the company announced Tuesday. Engineers are expected to spend six months studying the feasibility
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.
(Cenergy Solutions/NGV Journal) Cenergy Solutions has a Biogas Capture and Utilization System (BCU System) to help farms and communities around the world economically store and use their biogas instead of venting or flaring it. It is estimated that trillions of cubic
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
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
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
(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
(InnoTech Alberta) InnoTech Alberta, an applied research subsidiary of Alberta Innovates, today announced the official opening of the Alberta Carbon Conversion Technology Centre (ACCTC). InnoTech Alberta is the owner and operator of this pioneering clean technology centre. Users of the ACCTC will
(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
(Argus Media) Ethanol producers selling fuel in California may emerge as a beneficiary of a technology often associated with the coal industry. The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has proposed changes to the state's Low-Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) meant to spur projects
(Stanford University/Phys.Org) Although considered critical to avoiding catastrophic global warming, the feasibility of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it underground - known as negative emissions - has been in question. But researchers at Stanford and other institutions have found
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,
(Algae Industry Magazine) The University of Hawaii at Hilo announced that in affiliation with Duke and Cornell Universities, researchers have authored a study that suggests making croplands more efficient through algae production could unlock an important negative emission technology to combat
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
(Bio-based News/nova-Institut) First semi-commercial facilities, technical advances, but political support still unclear -- 6th Conference on Carbon Dioxides as Feedstock for Fuels, Chemistry and Polymers in Cologne, 15-16 March, showed state of the art technologies, current levels of investment as well as
(Lanza Tech) In Washington, LanzaTech took the #1 spot in the 2018 “50 Hottest Companies in the Advanced Bioeconomy” rankings, published in The Digest, the world’s most widely-read bioeconomy daily. It was the third year at the top for LanzaTech, which
by Amy Harder (Axios) ... The effort, called the Carbon Capture Coalition, is a rebranded and broadened version of an earlier group, called the National Enhanced Oil Recovery Initiative, which had a narrower focus. That coalition focused primarily on advocating for
(International Energy Agency Bioenergy Task 41) The fourth IEA Bioenergy Task 41 workshop on Bio-CC(U)S was organized in Brussels 16 January 2018. The topic of the workshop was Market and regulatory issues related to Bio-CCUS. The workshop was a full day event divided
by Emma Foehringer Merchant (GreenTechMedia) Expanded credits in the budget bill could “absolutely make the difference” for the economic viability of carbon capture and sequestration. -- Among the energy credits tucked inside the budget deal eked out in early February lies a controversial measure: carbon capture and sequestration (CCS)
by Jeff Mulhollem (Penn State News) Agroforestry could play an important role in mitigating climate change because it sequesters more atmospheric carbon in plant parts and soil than conventional farming, according to Penn State researchers. An agricultural system that combines trees with crops
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 Ron Cascone (Nexant, Inc.) Shown here is a current version of an iconic cost curve, or “stack chart” generated in an ongoing analysis started by the Scandinavian utility, Vattenfall, and carried on by McKinsey & Co and the US EPA, of
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Red Trail Energy LLC and the University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center began investigating carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology as a way to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions associated with
(Suomenbiohiili.info) ... The 2nd Finnish Biochar Workshop was successfully held in Tampere on 4 December 2017, we had participants representing the whole Finnish biochar sector: companies, researchers and local municipalities. The event was organized by Finnish Biochar Association and Forest Biochar research group
(CGIAR) Evidence-based science on the mitigation and socio-economic impacts of soil carbon sequestration is needed to support commitments to sustainable development goals and the Paris Agreement target. ... Soil carbon sequestration, they say, “can have equal or larger impacts on mitigation.” COP23 agriculture decision
by Tony Briscoe (Chicago Tribune) As scientists and politicians around the world debate the best way to combat rising greenhouse gases, an Illinois ethanol plant, with help from state and federal researchers, is advancing a strategy that buries carbon emissions underground. After
by Abigail Klein Leichman (Israel 21c) ... H2 Energy Now is building a prototype battery-free solution for storing and increasing the usability of alternative energy from intermittent sources – sun and wind – to meet times of peak demand reliably. Radio
by Marcius Extavour (XPRIZE/Biofuels Digest) ... Hydrocarbon drop-in fuels are among the leading products targeted by the CO2 conversion community, be it diesel, methanol, butanol, or others. New approaches to the science and technology of CO2-to-fuels may alter the energetics, the economics,
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Occidental Petroleum Corp. injects about 1 billion cubic feet per day of carbon dioxide into oil reservoirs for enhanced oil recovery (EOR), said Daniel Keiser, the company’s manager of commercial development. That CO2 comes mostly from
(Michigan State University) Michigan State University scientists will explore new algae-based technologies to capture power plant emissions and sustainably turn them into valuable products. The research project, funded by a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, unites faculty from
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Eddyville, Fort Dodge, Clinton, Newton, Cedar Rapids. Communities like these have been mainstays of the Iowa bioeconomy for years, even decades — home to corn and soy processing on the largest world scale, and much
(American Chemical Society) ... “Rather than rely on inefficient chlorophyll to harvest sunlight, I’ve taught bacteria how to grow and cover their bodies with tiny semiconductor nanocrystals,” says Kelsey K. Sakimoto, Ph.D., who carried out the research in the lab
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) LanzaTech has developed a fully sustainable integrative gas to fuels and chemicals platform that has no impact on food, water security or high biodiversity land use. LanzaTech’s gas fermentation platform disrupts the current highly centralized global
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Turkey, at the World Petroleum Congress, India’s flagship national oil company Indian Oil Corporation and carbon recycler LanzaTech unveiled a Statement of Intent to construct the world’s first refinery off gas-to-bioethanol production facility in
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... There’s been the cellulosic wave, then waste — and alongside there has been steady progress in what are known as the electrofuels. These are fuels made directly from CO2, water and either sunlight or electricity.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The DOE completed an illuminating workshop on Carbon Capture and Sequestration with relation to algae-based technologies, and The Digest has prepared a selection of key slides presented by AquaFiber, Pacific Northwest National Lab, University of
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Michael Huessmann and John Benemann gave this illuminating overview of Microalgae Biofuels Production on CO2 from Air at the 2017 DOE Project Peer Review sessions. READ MORE
by Ellie Potter (Grand Forks Herald) Red Trail Energy may soon be the first ethanol plant in the United States to store carbon dioxide underground as part of an environmental and economic effort. Last month, U.S. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., secured
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Among the climate warriors fighting CO2 build-up, perhaps the most ambitious are those who are seeking to use CO2 to make industrial materials, fuels or chemicals — displacing the need to use oil or gas
by Chris Mooney (The Washington Post) A new large-scale technology has launched in Decatur, Illinois that, by combining together corn-based fuels with the burial of carbon dioxide deep underground, could potentially result in the active removal of greenhouse gases from the
by Liz Gyekye (Bioenergy Insight) A new paper by researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) describes a process that captures methane from natural gas and biogas and that uses photosynthesis to convert it into biomass feedstock. The new paper is called ‘A
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Europe is often thought of as a dead-end for biofuels, owing to a thorny debate over fuel mandates, and agricultural protection. But it’s a reputation entirely undeserved; some of the most fascinating projects are there. In
by Steve Horn (DeSmog) After years of investigating biochar, which promoters have touted as a potential climate change fix, DeSmog is releasing its findings on the science, claims, and controversy surrounding this approach to sequestering carbon. Biochar is the product of plant or animal products (biomass) undergoing
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) This morning at the "Defense Production Act (DPA) Advanced Drop-in Biofuels Production Project Round 2 Industry Roundtable" held at the US Department of Agriculture in Washington, DC, Zia Haq, Senior Analyst and DPA Coordinator
by Steffen Mueller (University of Illinois at Chicago/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Strategically located ethanol sources cannot be economically replaced. -- Carbon dioxide sourced from corn-ethanol plants is not a waste-recovery product but a coproduct that, in many regions, can only be
by Steffen Mueller (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Strategically located ethanol sources cannot be economically replaced. -- Carbon dioxide sourced from corn-ethanol plants is not a waste-recovery product but a coproduct that, in many regions, can only be replaced by higher-emitting, less-economical
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) BPA designs, builds, and operates commercial scale Grower Harvester bioreactors that enable efficient conversion of light and CO2 into high value microbial feedstock. BioProcess Algae LLC is based in Omaha, Neb. and is currently running
(Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) Climate Researchers Study Impacts of Land-use Change on Carbon Dioxide - Reforestation Is Important to Climate Protection and Species Diversity – Study in Nature Geoscience -- CO2 emissions caused by changes of land use may possibly
by Brooks Hays (UPI) Chemical engineer Jae Sung Lee said the research will offer a "new opportunity for recycling CO2 into valuable fuels and chemicals." -- Researchers have developed a new way to turn captured CO2 into liquid biofuel capable
(The National Research Council of Canada/Biodiesel Magazine)... Canada’s first algal biorefinery demonstration project, a collaborative research effort between the National Research Council of Canada’s Algal Carbon Conversion program, Pond Technologies and Votorantim Cimentos’ St Marys Cement, is revolutionizing how industrial carbon
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Capturing and concentrate (ambient) CO2 at low prices for direct use and production of fuels and chemicals, using solar or wind energy. That’s Antecy. With the help of an organic, non-amine sorbent, ANTECY turns the negative
(Goethe University Frankfurt/EurekAlert!) Goethe University Frankfurt coordinates European two million Euro project -- Microbes are already used on a wide scale for the production of fuels and base chemicals, but for this most of them have to be "fed"
(CNW/Newswire) The Government of Canada is supporting clean energy research, development and technology demonstration at all stages of the innovation spectrum, from high-risk, early stage research that can deliver transformative energy solutions, to later stage technology demonstrations to help speed
by Evelyn Boswell (Montana State University) A regional interdisciplinary team led by Montana State University has received $6 million to develop new innovations at the intersection of food, energy and water systems while training the next generation of scientists. The four-year
(Energy and Environment Research Center) Red Trail Energy, LLC, and the EERC take a closer look at the expansion of ethanol production through carbon capture and storage. READ MORE
by Steffen Mueller (University of Illinois at Chicago Energy Resources Center) ... The authors essentially challenge the accuracy of traditional life cycle analysis with their new model. ... The authors argue that “for a biofuel to provide a net reduction in CO2 emissions, the production
by Marie-Joe Costantine (BioFuelNet) Study stating “ biofuels are worse than gasoline” is fundamentally flawed -- ... In the study, when (John) DeCicco and colleagues calculate the CO2 emissions going into the atmosphere, they consider all parts of the plant: leaves, stalks,
by Kari Lydersen (Midwest Energy News) ... The Argonne modeling shows that when grassland, cropland and pasture in the Midwest are converted to corn for biofuels, the level of carbon sequestration in the soil stays roughly the same, with variation by
by Marc J. Rauch (The Auto Channel) ... I can't say for sure, since I haven't done a count and compared it to a calendar, but it seems to me that the American oil industry has been ramping up its attacks
Rowena Lindsay (Christian Science Monitor) A new study suggests that biofuels can mitigate only 37 percent of the CO2 released by burning the biofuel. -- That's a flawed premise, argues Daniel Schrag, a geology professor at Harvard who advises the
(MichBio/BusinessWire) MichBio, the biosciences industry association in Michigan, issued the following statement today regarding the release of a University of Michigan research study that claims the rising use of biofuels in the U.S. has led to a net increase in
by Lorenz Bauer and Gerald Kutney (Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) ... In this report, we are focused on bioenergy and biofuels (and not bioproducts) that are moving from the lab to initial commercial demonstrations and that potentially solve significant barriers
by Adele Peters (FastCoExist.com) ... A new Bay Area-based biotech startup called Kiverdi has a different solution: a synthetic palm oil, made from carbon dioxide. The company uses microbes to transform waste carbon from industry into the new oil inside bioreactors. "You
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... We looked at the past year, and these are the 25 Top Stories of the Year, as measured by the number of readers. 25 The Pyromaniax, Class of 2015: The Top 10 Pyrolysis projects in renewable
(Energy & Environmental Research Center/Ethanol Producer Magazine) North Dakota ethanol producer Red Trail Energy LLC and the Energy & Environmental Research Center, a worldwide leader in the development of solutions to energy and environmental challenges, have been awarded $490,000 by
by Josh Schlossberg (The Biomass Monitor) A white paper by a bioenergy industry consulting firm critiques a recent letter sent to Congress by 65 U.S. scientists opposing a carbon neutral “biomass” amendment to an energy policy bill, saying the letter includes
by Joanna Schroeder (Energy.AgWired.com) Researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Argonne National Laboratory are using computational modeling to predict which counties in Illinois could see increases in soil organic carbon from crops such as switchgrass for biofuels. Increasing carbon
by Katie Elyce Jones (Phys.Org) To help stakeholders in government and business make smart decisions about the best types of land and local climates for planting bioenergy crops, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Argonne National Laboratory are
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) More prosperity, less pollution for China? In the East, the search is on for more sustainable, efficient energy, and flexible gasification answers the challenge. There, Synthesis Energy Systems is leading the way. ... Hydrogen, hydrogen. hydrogen. Nothing
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It was back in 2010 that the first large-scale set of projects were funded to to test innovative concepts for the beneficial use of carbon dioxide, part of a Recovery Act investment into carbon capture
by Michael Le Page (New Scientist) A small pilot project in Iceland has shown that carbon dioxide can be safely stored in basalt rocks. The finding could help tackle climate change, especially in countries such as India that have lots of basalt
(25 x '25) ... While recognition of the role of agriculture in meeting climate change challenges is growing among world leaders, it is of concern that biofuels and the low-carbon benefits they provide, especially when compared to fossil-based fuels like gasoline
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) One of these days your personal transportation system might look like this. A solar or wind energy facility generates renewable electricity, which is converted into a solar fuel using electrofuel technology that converts CO2 and
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Q. We’ve heard a lot about carbon capture, but what about carbon capture and conversion (to a more soluble, transportable and storable form), for example conversion to bicarbonate? A. To date, all ventures in the carbon
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) LanzaTech has developed a fully sustainable integrative gas to fuels and chemicals platform that has no impact on food, water security or high biodiversity land use. LanzaTech’s gas fermentation platform disrupts the current highly centralized global
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Benefuel, Liquid Light, xF Technologies, Enogen, POET-DSM, Kiverdi, GeoSynFuels, Iogen, Edeniq, NexSteppe, BioProcess Algae, Syngenta/QCCP, Vertimass, Byogy, GranBio, Renewable Energy Group READ MORE
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sudden re-focusing and trimming of Algenol by its lead investors leads CEO Paul Woods to resign; new direction focused on carbon capture, fresh water production until oil prices recover. In Florida, the hammer dropped swiftly and without warning
by Neela Banerjee & Lisa Song (Inside Climate News) Throughout the 1980s, the company struggled to solve the carbon problem of one of the biggest gas fields in the world out of concern for climate impacts. In 1980, as Exxon Corp.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In the terrestrial world, oxygen is colorless, odorless, and try to get through an hour without some. In the Bioeconomy Cinematic Universe, oxygen is harder than steel, heavier than a black hole, and higher than
by Jeremy Plester (The Guardian) Imagine if waste carbon dioxide in the air could be turned into useful products such as fuels, building materials or even baking powder. At a stroke it would help get rid of a greenhouse gas, slow
by Robert F. Service (Science Magazine) Stuart Licht has designed the ultimate recycling machine. The solar reactor that he and colleagues built in his lab at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., takes carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere—a byproduct of
by Robert F. Service (Science Magazine) Liquid fuels aren't the only things made from oil. Chemical companies start with oil to make thousands of different products, including plastics and pharmaceuticals. Most of these other commodities are worth more than fuels. So
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Why not reduce atmospheric CO2 by capturing it? Why pay $500-$1000 per ton to reduce CO2 via electric cars, if you could pay 80% less via a direct capture of greenhouse gases. Can it succeed? How,
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 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
(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
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
(US Department of Energy) The Energy Department today announced six projects that will receive up to $18 million in funding to reduce the modeled price of algae-based biofuels to less than $5 per gasoline gallon equivalent (gge) by 2019. This
(Air Liquide) Air Liquide Industrial U.S. LP (“Air Liquide”) has commissioned a new state-of-the-art carbon dioxide liquefaction plant in Tulare County, California. The new 450 ton-per-day facility is one of three carbon dioxide liquefaction facilities owned and operated by Air
by Osaretin Omorodion* (Advanced Biofuels USA) During late March 2015, the US Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) offered what amounted to a seminar for the public consisting of a series of presentations from industry professionals and researchers
(Oakbio/Digital Journal) his ecoli based microbe platform expands the sources of waste materials Oakbio can convert to green, renewable fuels and other chemicals to include agricultural and municipal waste products. Oakbio announced today (May 14, 2015) the development of a novel
(Algae Biomass Organization) Addition of just 12 words could accelerate pace of large scale, emissions reducing algae projects at fossil fired power plants -- The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO), the trade association for the US algae industry, today applauded new legislation
by Lynn Yarris (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Berkeley Lab Researchers Perform Solar-powered Green Chemistry with Captured CO2 -- A potentially game-changing breakthrough in artificial photosynthesis has been achieved with the development of a system that can capture carbon dioxide emissions before
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) An effort is underway in the UK to classify, within the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation, “novel low carbon fuels” made by companies such as LanzaTech, Joule, Solar Jet, Velocys, Sunfire, Pyreco and others. -- In the
(TopSpeed.com) According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, carbon dioxide levels are at an 800,000-year high, but what if we could pluck CO2 particles out of thin air to use as a raw material for a carbon-neutral fuel? It’s
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A Florida algae-to-ethanol operation is poised to go commercial scale with a project colocated with a natural-gas-fired power plant. By harnessing CO2, sunlight, saltwater and algae, Algenol’s technology takes only 25 days to produce maximum concentrations
(Farm Futures) Models predict that miscanthus will have higher fuel yield and profit when compared to corn stover and switchgrass A recent study simulated a side-by-side comparison of the yields and costs of producing ethanol using miscanthus, switchgrass, and corn stover,
by Imran Khan (Algae Industry Magazine) The global demand for fossil fuels is swelling against a tight economic environment and the Middle East is no exception. The domestic consumption of energy in the region is increasing at an astonishing rate.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, a new UC Berkeley study shows that if biomass electricity production is combined with carbon capture and sequestration in the western United States, by 2050 power generators could reduce emissions up to 145
(Science Daily) Nearly all of the studies used to promote biofuels as climate-friendly alternatives to petroleum fuels are flawed and need to be redone, according to a researcher who reviewed more than 100 papers published over more than two decades. Once
by Alex Kuffner (Providence Journal) To get power plants and other large polluters to reduce emissions of the greenhouse gases that are driving climate change, make it financially attractive to them. That was the key takeaway from a conference held last
(U.S. Department of Energy) Project achieves major milestone by successfully injecting carbon into saline formation As part of President Obama’s all-of-the-above energy strategy, the Department of Energy announced today that its Illinois Basin-Decatur Project successfully captured and stored one million metric
(Vega Biofuels/Stock News Now/MarketWired) Biochar Market to Be Valued at $572 Million by 2020. VEGA BIOFUELS, INC. (OTC PINK: VGPR) announced today that a recent market research analysis named Vega as a "key player" in the fast growing Biochar market. Transparency
(25 x '25) A broad survey of farmers has documented a yield boost from the use of cover crops in corn and soybeans. The increased yields reflect an upward trend in all of the benefits that come from planting cover
by Matt Carr (Biomass Magazine/Algae Biomass Organization) ... To control carbon dioxide (CO2), the agency (Environmental Protection Agency) places a significant emphasis on burying emissions underground (carbon capture and sequestration or CCS), but I believe it should equally encourage the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Take CO2, add water and an energy source: voila, Fuels & Chemicals from Microbial Dairies. We revisit 3 top practitioners of the art and one outlier, and their progress. ... There are a number of technologies based on
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