Resources – Advanced BioFuels USA

Sustainable Environmental Consultants Rolls Out EcoPractices 3.0

(AgNewsWire/Sustainable Environmental Consultants) Sustainable Environmental Consultants (SEC), a leader in providing innovative environmental responsibility solutions, announces the rollout of EcoPractices®3.0. EcoPractices is SEC’s independent, third-party verification and validation platform that uses science with state-of-the-art technology to assess supply chain sustainability risk and quantify key sustainability performance indicators. The platform provides food organizations with

January 21, 2019 Read Full Article

Finance Series on Biofuels and Biochemical Sectors

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Iowa, Lee Enterprises Consulting completed a series on due diligence within the biofuels and biochemical sectors. The 12-part series on “Bioeconomy Project Financing & Due Diligence” was published in 2018 by several members of the Lee Enterprises group. … Free copies of summary are now available

January 21, 2019 Read Full Article

RFA Publishes E15 Countdown Clock, Calculator and FAQs

(Renewable Fuels Association) E15. Clean. Affordable. Domestic. Fuel. There’s been a lot of talk recently about “E15,” a biofuel blend of gasoline that contains 15 percent ethanol, a product that comes from crops grown by American farmers. E15 burns cleaner and cooler than gasoline, lowers gas prices, and reduces oil imports. Unfortunately,

January 19, 2019 Read Full Article

USGC Expands Its Ethanol Offerings At Grains.org

(U.S. Grains Council) New information about global market development efforts for U.S. ethanol and the benefits of the biofuel to global customers is now available online at www.grains.org. The United States is the world’s low-cost ethanol producer and captured more than 65 percent of global ethanol trade in the 2017/2018

January 18, 2019 Read Full Article

EU Bioeconomy Survey: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to IEA Bioenergy Task 42

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) IEA Bioenergy 42 conducted a bio-economy survey using an online system to collect data, analysis of bioeconomy economics and policy data with interactive visualization, and a biorefineries database. Vincenzo Motola, Alessandro Giocoli, Nicola Pierro, and Isabella De Bari from IEA Bioenergy Task 42 gave this illuminating

January 16, 2019 Read Full Article

Integrated Bioenergy Crops: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to EFC Systems

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) EFC Systems recently bought AgSolver which helps farmers maximize profit on every acre via tools that give them the power to analyze their fields’ financial performance. David Muth from EFC Systems gave this illuminating presentation on integrated bioenergy crops to improve profitability and environmental outcomes at

January 15, 2019 Read Full Article

Finnish Pilot Develops a New Solution for Sustainable Forestry

(VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd) New unique mobile application puts forest Big Data to more efficient use — The whole of Europe is feverishly looking for new ways to use farm, forest and fishery resources more responsibly and sustainably and to promote the production of the best possible raw

January 11, 2019 Read Full Article

Forecast for U.S. Federal and International Chemical Regulatory Policy 2019

(Bergeson & Campbell) Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) and its consulting affiliate The Acta Group (Acta®) are pleased to offer you our Forecast 2019. In this richly detailed document, the legal, scientific, and regulatory professionals of B&C and Acta distill key trends in U.S. and global chemical law and provide our

January 9, 2019 Read Full Article

The Problem of Invalidated RINs in the Renewable Fuel Standard

by Mike Newman (Parhelion Underwriting/Stillwater Associates) Under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) imposed a “buyer beware” approach to the purchase and sale of Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs). This creates a liability for any buyer of RINs, making them responsible for purchases of invalid RINS, even if done

January 7, 2019 Read Full Article

Biodiesel’s Cutting Edge

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

January 4, 2019 Read Full Article

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

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

January 2, 2019 Read Full Article

Top 18 of 2018 – Looking Back to Look Forward

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

December 31, 2018 Read Full Article

Production Off Take Agreements

by Jess Hewitt (Lee Enterprises Consulting, Inc./Gulf Hydrocarbon/Biofuels Digest) … (O)nce you start planning your project you will get questions about who will buy your output. The Production Off-Take Agreement (POTA) is the answer to these questions and concerns. POTAs are non-binding letters of intent that document the buyer’s intention to buy

December 28, 2018 Read Full Article

Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) DEADLINES: May 24, 2019 (4th Friday in May) and August 28, 2019 (4th Wednesday in August)

(National Science Foundation) The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program supports active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by the National Science Foundation. REU projects involve students in meaningful ways in ongoing research programs or in research projects specifically designed for the REU program.

December 27, 2018 Read Full Article

Finnish Pilot Develops a New Solution for Sustainable Forestry

(VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd/EurekAlert) Finnish pilot develops a new solution for sustainable forestry New unique mobile application puts forest Big Data to more efficient use The whole of Europe is feverishly looking for new ways to use farm, forest and fishery resources more responsibly and sustainably and to

December 26, 2018 Read Full Article

Federal Funding Opportunities for Each of the Nine Technology Readiness Levels: Part 1, TRLs 1-3

by CJ Evans (Lee Enterprises Consulting, Inc./Biofuels Digest) Many promising ideas, concepts, and innovations that could improve, add to, and make game-changing breakthroughs in energy, sustainability, and the bioeconomy – and create new jobs, bring economic growth to U.S. communities, and catapult the U.S. into a global lead in innovation –

December 26, 2018 Read Full Article

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

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

December 26, 2018 Read Full Article

Calls for Stricter ISO Standards of Biodiesel in Marine Fuel

by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Germany, the International Union of Marine Insurance said in its December quarterly newsletter that more than 100 vessels have been negatively impacted by biodiesel-contaminated fuel and as a result is calling for stricter ISO standards beyond the current “fit for purpose” stipulation. Currently, it is up to

December 26, 2018 Read Full Article

Technical Due Diligence Early and Often: The Best Insurance For Bioeconomy Investors

by Lorenz Bauer (Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) Many bioeconomy investors, while experienced with careful evaluation of marketing, supply chain, and legal aspects of due diligence, may be less familiar with scientific and technical evaluation of new technologies. Often only a cursory analysis is performed before making investment decisions. Appropriate technical due diligence

December 21, 2018 Read Full Article

Bioenergy Retrofits for Europe’s Industry

(Netzwerk Biotreibstoffe) BIOFIT (www.biofit-h2020.eu) is an EU project that aims to facilitate the introduction of bioenergy retrofitting in Europe’s industry. The BIOFIT project will – during its 3-year duration – facilitate the introduction of bioenergy retrofitting in five specific industries, namely first-generation biofuels, pulp and paper, fossil refineries, fossil firing power

December 19, 2018 Read Full Article

Swedavia, Fly Green Fund, World Energy, Shell and SkyNRG Enable Sustainable Aviation Fuel Flights from Five Airports in Sweden

(SkyNRG) This year, Swedavia, the largest Swedish airport operator, received sustainable aviation fuel at five of their airports. With these deliveries, Swedavia is demonstrating their continued commitment to making the aviation industry more sustainable and reducing their own carbon footprint from flying. The fuel is produced by World Energy in Los Angeles and supplied

December 19, 2018 Read Full Article

Commercializing Conventional and Advanced Liquid Biofuels from Biomass: Task 39 Update

(IEA Bioenergy Task 39) … Task work that has recently been completed and will soon be posted on the “publically available” sections of the Task 39 website (http://task39.ieabioenergy.com/) includes the final report entitled, “Survey of Advanced Fuels for Advanced Engines” which Task 39 carried out jointly with the IEA Advanced Motor Fuels (AMF) Technology

December 19, 2018 Read Full Article

New Research Finds EPA Not Enforcing The Clean Air Act

(Urban Air Initiative) Under the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was directed to reduce mobile source air pollution to the greatest degree possible. But a new research project conducted by the Urban Air Initiative found that not only is mobile source air pollution still a significant problem, but

December 18, 2018 Read Full Article

The Malaysian Biodiesel Mandate – Outlook to 2020: Growth Opportunities & Companies to Action

(GlobeNewswire/ResearchAndMarkets.com) The “Malaysian Biodiesel Mandate”report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering. This study offers a detailed overview of the biodiesel mandate in Malaysia and the steps taken by the Malaysian government to protect the Malaysian palm oil industry. Palm oil is a key ingredient in the biodiesel produced in Malaysia. Biodiesel is the main

December 17, 2018 Read Full Article

Farm Bill Energy Title Contains Climate Tweaks, Slimmer Funding

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 resilient to climate change. … While overall the Energy Title

December 14, 2018 Read Full Article

Intellectual Property for Project Development

by Terry Mazanec and Justin Krieger (Lee Enterprises Consulting, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, LLP/Biofuels Digest) … Careful and thoughtful planning for obtaining intellectual property protection can be crucial to the success of a company. Without such protection it is possible for another to take advantage of your hard work developing a process or

December 14, 2018 Read Full Article

RSB Assembly Approves Groundbreaking Standard for Advanced Products

(Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials) In a leap forward for the sustainable bioeconomy, the members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials approved our groundbreaking Advanced Products Standard. The culmination of over 18 months of consultation, expert working groups and member dialogue, the Standard provides the most robust set of sustainability requirements and

December 14, 2018 Read Full Article

Collaboration Is the Name of the Game at RSB’s 2018 Annual Meeting – Event Wrap-up

(Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials) Each year RSB brings its community together for the highlight of our calendar: our Annual Meeting. An opportunity to gather our members from many different sectors to discuss and debate the most pressing issues in the development of the sustainable bioeconomy and to make changes to our

December 14, 2018 Read Full Article

Pre-Flight Checklist for Biofuture Takeoff: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to Biofuture Platform

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Biofuture platformwas launched at COP22 by 20 countries and top representatives of FAO, IEA, IRENA, UNIDO, SE4ALL, WBCSD, UNICA, and other leading organizations, whose aim is to kickstart a global, advanced bioeconomy and impact the future of bioenergy. Renato Domith Godinho, Biofuture Platform Interim Facilitator from the

December 13, 2018 Read Full Article

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

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

December 13, 2018 Read Full Article

Iowa: Cultivating Growth in Bioprocessing

by Debi Durham (Iowa Economic Development Authority/Biofuels Digest) … Nearly $4 billion dollars was infused into capital investments in the U.S. for renewable and bioscience projects in 2018. This significant investment is merely part of an upward trend that’s yielded more than 273,000 new jobs at bioscience companies across the country since

December 11, 2018 Read Full Article

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

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

December 7, 2018 Read Full Article

Bioprocess Capital Costs

by Mark Warner (Warner Advisors LLC/Biofuels Digest) Discussion of biotechnology capital costs is often a controversial topic, on par with discussing politics at the Thanksgiving dinner table; why the facilities are so expensive and a disbelief of the forecasted costs. As a seasoned veteran in the battle, trust me when I

December 6, 2018 Read Full Article

NCERC Pumped up with 15 Years of Success

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

December 6, 2018 Read Full Article

A Summary of Federal Programs: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Alternative Fuel and Advanced Vehicle Technology Incentives

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A wide array of federal incentives supports the development and deployment of alternatives to conventional fuels and engines in transportation. These incentives include tax deductions and credits for vehicle purchases and the installation of refueling systems, federal grants for conversion of older vehicles to newer technologies,

December 5, 2018 Read Full Article

RFA Releases Updated Brochure Allowing Consumers to Track Latest Flex Fuel Models

(Renewable Fuels Association) More than 24 million vehicles on U.S. roads today are flex fuel vehicles (FFV), capable of running on fuel blends containing up to 85 percent ethanol (E85). Can your vehicle use a cleaner, higher octane flex fuel? The Renewable Fuels Association has updated its annual FFV brochure to help consumers

December 4, 2018 Read Full Article

Turning Grams into Tonnes: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant aims to enable the transition to a sustainable bio-based economy through development, scale-up and custom manufacturing of bio-based product and processes. Hendrik Waegeman, Head of Business Development at BBEU gave this illuminating overview of the pilot plant at ABLC Global 2018 in San Francisco.

December 4, 2018 Read Full Article

How AFD Cracked the Code for Extracting 30 HP More from E85

by Jeff Smith (Hot Rod Network) By now, everybody knows about ethanol and E85. If you don’t, it’s time you caught up with the rest of the world. … Today, the U.S. Department of Energy defines E85 as actually any blend of 51 to 83 percent ethanol with gasoline. This is required

December 3, 2018 Read Full Article

Financing a Biomass Project When Commercializing New Technology

by Glenn Farris (Lee Enterprises Consulting, Inc./Farris Advisory Services/Biofuels Digest) If you are planning to develop, or are already developing, a biomass to energy project involving the commercialization of new technology, you have a tough job in front of you. Financing a biomass-to-energy project is never easy, especially when commercialization of

November 23, 2018 Read Full Article

Free On-Demand Streaming of ABLC Global now Open for Viewing, Anywhere, Anytime, Any Device

(Biofuels Digest) Watch ABLC Global presentations on BioChannelTV. WATCH VIDEO

November 21, 2018 Read Full Article

The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to Antares and Innovations in Harvest, Pre-Processing of Herbaceous Biomass

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ANTARES has been assisting clients identify and use biomass resources since the company was founded and our experience ranges from conducting feedstock supply assessments to serving as owner’s representative in the conceptualization, development and operation of energy plants. A few examples of capabilities include: • Feedstock

November 21, 2018 Read Full Article

40 Mistakes That Will Kill a Proposal

by C.J. Evans (Lee Enterprises/Biofuels Digest) It is not enough to just have a game-changing idea, concept, or innovation. Nor is it enough to just add a top-notch team, detailed workplan, and sufficient inhouse and outside expertise to move through each of the nine TRL levels. You need to be able to

November 16, 2018 Read Full Article

Transportation and Climate Initiative Listening Session Summary Report Now Available

(Georgetown Climate Center) In November 2017, member jurisdictions from the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) began a public conversation inviting stakeholder input on the opportunities, challenges, and benefits of a modern, low-carbon transportation system, and what policies catalyzing these benefits might look like. Between March and August 2018, TCI hosted a series of

November 14, 2018 Read Full Article

World Industrial Photobioreactor Challenge 2019

(National Algae Association) The Challenge: To identify the best commercial algae cultivation systems on the market. With many different variations of algae cultivation systems throughout the world, the emerging algae production industry needs to identify the best commercial algae cultivation systems in indoor and outdoor commercial production. Commercially-minded algae producers, researchers and the investment community

November 12, 2018 Read Full Article

Hiring an Expert Witness in Bioeconomy Litigation

by Wayne Lee (Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) In August 2017, I published an articlewhich focused on important things that attorneys involved in biofuels or biochemical litigation should look for when choosing an expert witness. This article explores the subject of expert witnesses in a bit more depth, including where to find

November 12, 2018 Read Full Article

Just in from ABLC: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Hot Technologies and Their Examples

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Each year at ABLC, we have had the great fortune to have in our opening panel a tremendous sector overview from Roger Wyse, the Co-CEO of Spruce Capital and one of the foremost venture capitalists in the US and before that one of our top researchers.

November 12, 2018 Read Full Article

Heard on the Floor: Reflections and the Buzz from ABLC Global 2018

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 the advanced bioeconomy is, to use Amyris’ Joel Cherry’s characterization,

November 12, 2018 Read Full Article

Business Plan Website Sets Eyes on Rolling out Biofuel Plans for Entrepreneurs

by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Pennsylvania, biofuels and other renewable energies appear to be the next target for “entrepreneurs” as BizPlanComplete.com says over the next 12 months it intends on developing and releasing more than 1,000 additional business plans. A heavy focus of this upcoming new business plans will be environmental and

November 9, 2018 Read Full Article

New ethanolfacts.eu Website Launches

(ePURE) Online resource answers common questions about renewable ethanol and sustainable biofuels — Ethanol Facts, a new online resource for information about renewable ethanol, launched today as part of an effort to help inform the public about the production, use, sustainability and importance of ethanol as a renewable fuel. The ethanolfacts.eu website has been

November 9, 2018 Read Full Article

DigestData Debuts: Global, Message-Enabled, Relational Database of 900 Bioeconomy Projects

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … The Digest is announcing the debut of DigestData, an integrated database of 900 bioeconomy projects in operation or in planning around the world. DigestData is brought to you by Nuu Media and its Nuu and Digest brands and teams, in partnership with the National Corn

November 9, 2018 Read Full Article

Considerations for Using Existing Standards as Part of Alternative Fuels Approval and Deployment

by Melanie Thom (Baere Aerospace Consulting, Inc./Coordinating Research Council, Inc.) Adequacy of Testing Methods for Aviation Fuels and Additives — The work presented here is a summary of an effort performed for the Coordinating Research Council, Inc. (CRC) and reported under the document AV-23-15 “Adequacy of Existing Test Methods for Aviation Jet Fuel and Additive Property Evaluation”, July 2017,

November 7, 2018 Read Full Article

Biodiesel 2016/2017 – Report on Progress and Future Prospects; Excerpt from the UFOP Annual Report

(UFOP) The assessment report provides information on the most important aspects of the national and European biofuel policy and the biodiesel markets. It is an excerpt from the UFOP business report 2016/2017 and includes the chapters “Biodiesel and Co.”, the report of the UFOP expert commission “Biofuels and Renewable Resources” as

November 7, 2018 Read Full Article

Entrepreneurial Impact: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Cyclotron Road NEXT APPLICATIONS FALL 2019

Cyclotron Road is a fellowship program affiliated with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory that supports leading entrepreneurial scientists as they advance a project with the potential for global impact. Since 2015, more than $15 million has been awarded to 41 fellows who have gone on to generate more than $75

November 6, 2018 Read Full Article

EcoAgriculture Partners Announces Climate Smart Agriculture Training Curriculum

(North American Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance) EcoAgriculture Partners, a non-profit, integrated-landscape-management advocacy group, has announced a new climate smart agriculture (CSA) training curriculum is under development. Louise Buck, the organization’s director of collaborative management, was in New York City for last month’s Climate Week NYC , where she introduced the Training Curriculum

November 2, 2018 Read Full Article

Presentations Available from the Workshop on Opportunities and Challenges in Anaerobic Digestion Maryland and the Northeast US Experience

(University of Maryland) Workshop on Opportunities and Challenges in Anaerobic Digestion Maryland and the Northeast US Experience Topics •Anaerobic Digestion: Where We Are Today •Digester Systems in the Northeast–Successful Case Studies •Federal Biogas Policy •MD State Biogas Policy •Use of Biogas: Scrubbing, RNG, GenSets, and Use of Excess Heat •Food Waste

November 2, 2018 Read Full Article

Driving Decarbonization – Better Policy Means Better Fuels

by Gerard J. Ostheimer (below50), Graham Noyes (Low Carbon Fuels Coalition/Noyes Law Corp) Stephanie Batchelor (Biotechnology Innovation Organization) (Biofuels Digest) This month the International Energy Agency issued a wake-up call to the Renewable Energy sector. … In an apparent warning to prevent thought-leaders and policy-makers from getting complacent about the necessary

November 1, 2018 Read Full Article

The Road to Feedstock Flexibility

by Chris Abrams (Biodiesel Magazine/Imerys Filtration) Imerys personnel have spent much of 2018 talking about new and diverse feedstocks for biodiesel production, and how to help biodiesel manufacturers incorporate them into their existing processes. Here is an overview of that discussion. … We call this initiative “feedstock flexibility.” Some call it

October 31, 2018 Read Full Article

U.S. Department of Energy 2019 Project Peer Review — March 4-8, 2019 — Denver, Colorado

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) is hosting the 2019 Project Peer Review on March 4-8, 2019, in Denver, Colorado. Approximately 90% of projects in BETO’s early-stage research and development portfolio will be presented to the public and systematically reviewed by external subject-matter experts from industry, academia,

October 29, 2018 Read Full Article

BioWatch: A One-Stop Shop for Bio-Based Research

(European Commission/Community Research and Development Information Service) A new interactive online platform helps to increase awareness of innovations in the bioeconomy sector. — Climate change and depleting fossil fuels have stressed the importance of creating an economy based on renewable resources. In a sustainable bioeconomy, natural resources are produced and then converted

October 29, 2018 Read Full Article

Minister Launches BEACON Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre and National Pilot Biorefining Facility

(University College Dublin Innovation) €28 million in total invested in BEACON and National Bioeconomy Campus; Launch at Lisheen part of inaugural Bioeconomy Ireland Day — Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed TD today launched the new €22.2 million BEACON Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre at the €5.75 million National Bioeconomy Campus

October 26, 2018 Read Full Article

Waste Gasification: 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to 2-Stage Incineration and “True” Gasification

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) IEA Bioenergy Task 33 is a working group of international experts with the aim to promote the commercialization of efficient, economical and environmentally preferable thermal biomass gasification processes. Here, Lars Waldheim of Waldheim Consulting gave this illuminating overview of wastes as a gasifier fuel, Waste fuel characteristics

October 25, 2018 Read Full Article

The Transition: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Bioproducts Transition Dynamics

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) BETO has been developing a broad understanding of different conversion processes that produce bioproducts and the associated market attributes. However, there is not much understanding around how investment decisions are made and the possible successful scenarios for advancing the bioproducts and biofuels industries. The goal

October 24, 2018 Read Full Article

Right Here in River City

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Then, seaport waterfront was teeming with ships, cargo, terminals, rail connections, power, water supply — not to mention rats, raw sewage, saloons, flophouses and itinerant sailors. Because oil supply came into the seaports, that’s where the wagon trade lived, that’s where the roads led, that’s

October 24, 2018 Read Full Article

Argonne GREET 2018 Update

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Illinois, a research team at Argonne National Lab released its GREET 2018 update. GREET is a life-cycle analysis (LCA) tool, structured to systematically examine energy and environmental effects of a wide variety of transportation fuels and vehicle technologies in major transportation sectors (i.e., road, air, marine,

October 12, 2018 Read Full Article

A Superior Value: A Workshop in Anerobic Digestion

by Bill Keba* (Advanced Biofuels USA) October 2, 2018, Annapolis, Maryland. Inside the Doubletree Inn, it was as hectic as the traffic on Route 50. Eightyfive paid attendees were gathering, registering, networking, and hurriedly settling in for the 9:15 start of this workshop titled Opportunities and Challenges in Anaerobic Digestion:

October 11, 2018 Read Full Article

Getting the Most out of Technoeconomic Analyses

by Daniel A. Lane (Lee Enterprises Consulting, Inc./Biofuels Digest/Saille Consulting) At its most basic level, technoeconomic analysis or assessment (TEA) is a cost-benefit comparison tool used to evaluate the commercial viability of a process. While many companies are quite familiar with this tool, a number of startups often forgo TEAs of their

October 9, 2018 Read Full Article

CSX Brings Emergency Training to NJ Firefighters as Crude Oil Shipments Rise

by Curtis Tate (North Jersey Record) CSX, the railroad that operates trains carrying millions of gallons of crude oil and ethanol through New Jersey every week, rolled out its Safety Train on Wednesday to help first responders prepare for an incident. The train includes the most common types of tank cars firefighters are likely

October 6, 2018 Read Full Article

Expanded Technology Readiness Level (TRL) Definitions for the Bioeconomy

by Dave Humbird (Lee Enterprises Consulting, Inc./DWH Process Consulting LLC/Biofuels Digest) For new technologies in the bioeconomy (and in the chemical process industry more broadly), the putative path to commercialization is some form of: lab, pilot, demonstration, commercial. The Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale is often proposed to track this progression,

October 2, 2018 Read Full Article

UI’s Integrated Bioprocessing Research Lab Finally ‘Across Finish Line’

by Lyndsay Jones (News-Gazette) Twenty years, two budget cuts and several billion dollars in funding later, the University of Illinois’ Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory held what Chancellor Robert Jones called its “final grand opening” Thursday afternoon. … The 42,000-square-foot building at 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. is intended to bridge academic research on

October 2, 2018 Read Full Article

Alternative Fuels Council Helps with RFS RIN Management

by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) The Alternative Fuels Council, a subsidiary of NATSO Inc., a national association representing the travel plaza and truckstop industry, has launched a new service designed to help fuel retailers that blend and sell renewable fuels to more efficiently participate in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program and

October 2, 2018 Read Full Article

Bioeconomy Project Financing & Due Diligence

by Wayne Lee and Martin Wahl (Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) … Due to the success of that series, and number of requests we received from those involved in providing funding for bioeconomy projects and from those seeking funding, I am proud to introduce this second series, which explores more in-depth financing options

September 26, 2018 Read Full Article

Determining the Renewability of Co-Processed Fuels

(UFOP/ECOFYS) To report the biofuel content (i.e. the renewable share) of the outputs when biogenic and fossil components are coprocessed, a robust, consistent and transparent methodology is needed. There are several processes for which such a methodology could be relevant. For example, facilities where biomass and fossil inputs are co-processed, or

September 25, 2018 Read Full Article

Proposed Standard Supports Sampling for Renewable Fuel Facilities

(ASTM) ASTM International’s bioenergy and industrial-chemicals-from-biomass committee (E48) is creating a standard that will help companies that produce biofuel using — in part — kernel fiber. This fiber was approved as a “cellulosic feedstock” by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2014. As such, renewable biofuel that is produced using kernel fiber as a feedstock can qualify as cellulosic biofuel under the Renewable Fuels

September 7, 2018 Read Full Article

Govt Enlists FGV’s Help to Assist Smallholders Get MSPO Certification

by V. Ragananthini (Sun Daily) Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok said the ministry will assist FGV Holdings Bhd in attracting investors to develop the downstream palm oil segment and in turn look to it for help with getting small palm oil growers obtain Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification. Kok said at

September 5, 2018 Read Full Article

Canadian Competition Aims to Develop Sustainable Aviation Fuels DEADLINE: February 2019

by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Natural Resources Canada recently announced the Sky’s the Limit Challenge, which aims to stimulate the development of sustainable aviation fuel supply chains. The challenge consists of two competitions and aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and lower the environmental footprint of flying. While the Canadian

September 1, 2018 Read Full Article

Six States Account for More than 70% of U.S. Fuel Ethanol Production

(U.S. Energy Information Administration) Six states accounted for 72% of U.S. fuel ethanol production in 2016, according to the most recent estimates from EIA’s State Energy Data System. Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, and South Dakota collectively produced 265 million barrels of fuel ethanol out of the U.S. total of 367 million

September 1, 2018 Read Full Article

NATSO Alternative Fuels Council Prioritizes Biodiesel Fuel Quality

by Jeff Hove (Biodiesel Magazine/Alternative Fuels Council) Alternative fuels such as biodiesel represent an important growth opportunity for fuel marketers nationwide. But for many fuel retailers, myriad state and federal regulations and incentives for alternative fuels can be complex and overwhelming. — … To help fuel retailers leverage the resources necessary to

August 28, 2018 Read Full Article

UK Government Announces Major Funding for Green Aerospace R&D and Backing for Sustainable Aviation Fuels

(GreenAir Online) Following recent grants awarded to two projects developing potential commercial-scale sustainable aviation fuel production, the UK government has pledged £343 million ($448m) public and industry investment for R&D into cleaner and quieter civil aircraft. The government says a principle aim is for the UK to be at the forefront

August 17, 2018 Read Full Article

Japanese Startup Cultivates E-Money Platform for Asian farmers

by Akane Okutsu (Nikkei Asian Review) Japanese startup Nippon Biodiesel Fuel is set to launch its AgriNet website that connects farmers with other sectors — such as agrimarkets, equipment dealers and banks — transforming the way agricultural regions do business. Among other functions, the website will allow villages to sell crop yields

August 16, 2018 Read Full Article

Complex Networks Identify Genes for Biofuel Crops

(U.S. Department of Energy Newswise) Systems biology leads the way to exascale computing on Summit supercomputer. — … To improve biofuel production, scientists must understand the fundamental interactions that lead to the expression of key traits in plants and microbes. To understand these interactions, scientists are using different layers of information (about

August 13, 2018 Read Full Article

Strategic Progress: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Novozymes

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Novozymes is a world leader in biological solutions. Together with customers, partners and the global community, the company supplies innovations to the world’s leading companies across 40 markets. Best known for industrial enzymes, the company is highly active also in agriculture, biomass conversion, ethanol production and

August 13, 2018 Read Full Article

Notice of Solicitation of Applications for the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program DEADLINES: October 1, 2018 and April 1, 2019

(U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Business-Cooperative Service/Federal Register) This Notice announces the solicitation of applications for funds available under the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program (the Program) to provide guaranteed loans to fund the development, construction, and retrofitting of commercial scale biorefineries using eligible technology and of

August 10, 2018 Read Full Article

On the Rise: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Biogas, Its Markets and Production and Treatment Technologies

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What’s up with biogas? The U.S. market has lagged in the development of biogas facilities because of the low cost of electricity, natural gas and vehicle fuels derived from petroleum. The passing of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007

August 9, 2018 Read Full Article

The Horticulture Industry’s Age Problem Is Bigger than You Think

by Adrian Higgins (Washington Post) … And to state something so apparent it seems forgotten: Everyone needs plants. Plants feed us, oxygenate us, heal us, shade us and clothe us. Plants are the stuff of legal booze and illicit drugs, and, perhaps more obviously, they simply delight us. Despite this

August 9, 2018 Read Full Article

Working Paper: “Gaps and Research Demand for Sustainability Certification and Standardization in a Sustainable Bio-Based Economy in the EU”

(Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants) The English-language working paper analyzes the current state of sustainability certification and standardization in the bio-based economy with the help of a comprehensive secondary analysis supplemented by a series of expert interviews. The analysis represents an impressive number of existing certification frameworks, criteria,

August 9, 2018 Read Full Article

Biomass, Biomass and More Biomass: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the DOE’s Billion Ton Report, Vol. 1

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy’s Billion-Ton Report: Advancing Domestic Resources for a Thriving Bioeconomy says that 1.2 billion tons of biomass would be available at $40 or less per ton by 2040, and 1 billion tons would be available by 2030, for conversion into biofuels. Compared to the original

August 6, 2018 Read Full Article

Diversification: FG to Boost Jatropha Production

by O.C. Cluss (Daily Trust) The Federal Government is to focus more on the development of jatropha production as part of efforts to diversify the nation’s economy, the Director-General, Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Dr. Hussaini Doko Ibrahim, has said. The DG, who spoke at the distribution of improved

August 3, 2018 Read Full Article

IRFA Launches Online Resource for Those Seeking Biodiesel Experts

(The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association/Biodiesel Magazine) The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association announced the launch of a resource designed to make finding Iowa’s biodiesel experts easier than a Google search. The Iowa Biodiesel Speakers Bureau is now live on the IRFA website. It is a collection of biodiesel experts from across the

August 3, 2018 Read Full Article

The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to the US Department of Energy’s Demonstration and Market Transformation Programs

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The goal of the US Department of Energy’s Demonstration and Market Transformation focus at the BioEnergy Technologies Office is to de-risk bioenergy production technologies through validated proof of performance at the pilot, demonstration, and pioneer scales and to conduct activities that will transform the biofuels market

August 3, 2018 Read Full Article

Deeper into the Biomass: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the DOE’s Billion Ton Report, Vol. 2

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy’s Billion-Ton Report: Advancing Domestic Resources for a Thriving Bioeconomy says that 1.2 billion tons of biomass would be available at $40 or less per ton by 2040, and 1 billion tons would be available by 2030, for conversion into biofuels. Compared to the original

August 2, 2018 Read Full Article

Request for Information (RFI): Understanding Catalyst Production and Development Needs at National Laboratories RFI Released RESPONSES DUE: September 14, 2018

(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office issued a request for information (RFI) titled, Understanding Catalyst Production and Development Needs at National Laboratories. Catalysts increase the rate of a chemical reaction and are used in many industrial chemical processes. Through this RFI, BETO seeks to

August 2, 2018 Read Full Article

Cutting Bio-Project Costs via Supply Chain Standards: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Biomass Supply Chain Risk Standards

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In March, EcoStrat CEO Jordan Solomon announced the US Standards for Biomass Supply Chain Risk (BSCR) this year. This has been an ongoing 3 year USDOE/BETO project which we are leading with Idaho National Labs for the past year and a half and which has the

August 2, 2018 Read Full Article

Bioenergy (Biofuels/Biomass) RFS Roundup: To Grow Cellulosic Fuel Volumes, Address Low Hanging Fruit in RFS Changes

by Jessie Stolark (Energy and Environmental Study Institute) On Wednesday July 25, the House Energy & Commerce Committee held a hearing to educate members on the complexities of the compliance markets for biofuels, as Environment and Economy Subcommittee Rep. Shimkus (R-IL), chair, explores reforming the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Shimkus (R-IL)