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by Graham Noyes (OurEnergyPolicy.org/Noyes Law Corporation) In October, the International Energy Agency (IEA) reaffirmed the leading role that bioenergy continues to play in decarbonization. IEA Executive Director, Dr. Fatih Barol, pointedly stated, “Modern bioenergy is the overlooked giant of the renewable energy field… We expect modern bioenergy will continue to lead the field,
Washington
by Jenna Bloxom* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The kickoff of the 2018 Algae Biomass Summit in The Woodlands, TX, was awash with the same professional ambition, intellectual zeal, and indomitable sense of hope which likewise distinguished the opening ceremony of this very conference ten years ago—in many ways, however, that is
November 17, 2018
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The first Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals was held in 1978 and hosted by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Oak Ridge, TN). It was the first technical meeting focusing exclusively on the biotechnologically-‐mediated conversion of renewable feedstocks, especially lignocellulosic plant biomass, to fuels and chemicals. This annual meeting soon
November 12, 2018
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The first Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals was held in 1978 and hosted by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Oak Ridge, TN). It was the first technical meeting focusing exclusively on the biotechnologically-‐mediated conversion of renewable feedstocks, especially lignocellulosic plant biomass, to fuels and chemicals. This annual meeting soon
November 12, 2018
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The first Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals was held in 1978 and hosted by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Oak Ridge, TN). It was the first technical meeting focusing exclusively on the biotechnologically-‐mediated conversion of renewable feedstocks, especially lignocellulosic plant biomass, to fuels and chemicals. This annual meeting soon
November 12, 2018
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by Timothy Cama (The Hill) Voters in Washington state on Tuesday rejected a proposed carbon tax that would have been the first such levy in the nation. The policy would have been an effort to fight climate change by mandating that companies using or selling fossil fuels pay taxes equal to $15 per metric ton
November 7, 2018
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by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) While oil refiners adding a small percentage of renewable feedstock to their operations sounds simple, the political, economic, technical, societal and market consequences are anything but. In 2007, at the height of the biodiesel boom, ConocoPhillips and Tyson Foods announced a partnership to coprocess animal fats
November 6, 2018
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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … Phillips 66 and REG’s announcement about a new renewable diesel plant on the U.S. West Coast planned for 2021 comes after a notable increase in refineries that are being converted and changed over to renewable diesel. Change is good, especially in this case. … While it was
November 5, 2018
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(North American Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance) Poplar saplings being grown at the University of California Davis are not expected to survive the rigorous conditions simulating prolonged droughts and heat waves that are being imposed on them. But they are helping a team of researchers make ones that can. Poplar provides a
November 2, 2018
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(Renewable Energy Group Inc./Biomass Magazine) Phillips 66 and Renewable Energy Group Inc. announced Nov. 1 that planning is underway for the construction of a large-scale renewable diesel plant on the U.S. West Coast. The plant would utilize REG’s proprietary BioSynfining technology for the production of renewable diesel fuel. Planned feedstocks include
November 2, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, World Energy announced a $350 million investment over the next two years to complete the conversion of its Paramount, California facility into one of the cleanest fuel refineries in the world. The project will enable World Energy Paramount to process 306 million gallons annually.
October 31, 2018
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by Nithin Coca (Sustainable Brands) Next month’s election could potentially be historic for Washington State, where voters will have the choice of enacting the first-in-the-nation carbon fee — a concrete measure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the state. Measure 1631 has the support of several prominent Washington-based businesses including REI,
October 29, 2018
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(Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory/Phys.Org) Microbes in the gastrointestinal tract of ruminants such as moose help break down recalcitrant plant biomass into carbon nutrients, but how do they do this over the course of seasons when the moose diet changes, and what microbes are involved? Now, an international research team has studied
October 26, 2018
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(Texas A&M AgriLife Research/Ethanol Producer Magazine) A $2.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office to Texas A&M AgriLife Research will help researchers investigate potential discoveries for waste products used in lignocellulosic biofuel production, turning them into valuable agents used in producing commercial products such as biodiesel
October 24, 2018
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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
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The problem: The vast number of potential chemicals and products that could be made from biomass makes prioritization of research difficult for optimizing market viability, cost competitiveness, environmental benefits, and supply chain development. The project: This CEMAC/DOE initiative studied 160 potential chemicals, and the list was pared to
October 18, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … And that’s the story of the bioeconomy in some ways — the search for ways to use the things we have too much of, so that we can stop using the things that lead to imbalances — environmental, social or economic. … The story goes back
October 9, 2018
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by Laura Shields (Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Improving poplar biomass production under stress conditions — … Stresses, such as high temperatures and a lack of freshwater, can cause reduced crop growth or even complete loss. The rising frequency of these stressful periods inspires a race to find more tolerant plants.
October 8, 2018
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by Neil Lancefield (Perth Now) The first commercial flight powered partly by a new form of biofuel converted from alcohol has been completed. Virgin Atlantic’s Boeing 747 aircraft landed at London Gatwick with a fuel blend containing 5.0 per cent biofuel made from industrial waste gases converted into ethanol. Sir Richard Branson, the
October 5, 2018
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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 biomass (wood, crops, residues, etc.) as base for a global
October 2, 2018
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by Katherine Long (Seattle Times) The university says it will become the first among the nation’s 28 Jesuit universities to divest its endowment of fossil fuels. — Seattle University will become the first university in Washington state to divest its endowment of fossil fuels over the next five years. The action means
September 21, 2018
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by Tim Albrecht (Ethanol Producer Magazine) … The LCFS is administered by the California Air Resources Board and uses a market-based cap-and-trade approach to ultimately lower GHG emissions, says Jessica Buckley, senior environmental scientist for RTP Environmental Associates Inc. “California essentially created this program to create a market for low-carbon fuels and
September 14, 2018
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(Alaska Airlines/Travel PR News) As part of Alaska Airlines’ ongoing efforts to fly greener and expand use of sustainable aviation fuels, Neste and Alaska have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). In addition to Alaska’s efforts to increase fuel-efficiency and adopt innovative flight technology, the agreement will allow Neste and Alaska to more closely work together to
September 14, 2018
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RNG Energy Solutions and Philadelphia Energy Solutions Partner to Form Point Breeze Renewable Energy
(Philadelphia Energy Solutions) RNG Energy Solutions (RNG Energy) and Philadelphia Energy Solutions Refining and Marketing LLC (PES) announced today that they have completed and executed several contracts including a long-term renewable natural gas sales agreement and site lease agreement to build a state-of-the-art anaerobic digester facility. The facility will be named
August 30, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy has a key project called Co-Optima, which aims to determine key fuel properties that enable improved engine efficiency, provide key science to enable high efficiency combustion modes, and capitalize on unique properties available from bio-blendstocks. Within that project is an emphasis
July 31, 2018
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by Hal Bernton (Seattle Times) Proponents of a Washington carbon-fee initiative showed up at the Secretary of State’s office in Olympia with more than 370,000 signatures to put their measure on the November ballot. The signatures tally for Initiative 1631 — backed by a broad coalition that includes environmental, labor, tribal
July 11, 2018
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by Tom Rickey (Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory/Phys.Org) Last month a rocket thundered off a NASA launch pad in Virginia, destined for the International Space Station. Nestled among the 7,400 lbs. of supplies was a handful of seeds designed to open new windows into our knowledge of how plants grow in space
July 6, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What is the Feedstock Conversion Interface Consortium and why does it exist? The Why is simple. #1 issue plaguing High and Low Temperature IBR projects is consistent operability of preprocessing and primary deconstruction. In response, researchers have joined together from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, DOE,
July 6, 2018
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by Maegan Murray (Washington State University-Tri-Cities) Efforts to create an environmentally friendly catalyst that will lower the cost and increase the efficiency in producing bio-based jet fuels has netted Washington State University researchers a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and National Institute of Food and Agriculture. WSU Tri-Cities associate professor
June 29, 2018
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(Forest Concepts/EIN Presswire) Forest Concepts LLC has been awarded a $1.8 million cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (https://www.energy.gov/eere/bioenergy) to address the critical issues of poor flowability, high friction, and highly variable physical properties that have plagued the biomass industry. Biomass materials have a wide
June 22, 2018
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by Maegan Murray (Washington State University Tri-Cities) WSU Tri-Cities associate professor Xiao Zhang is targeting the use of lignin — a common material that makes the cell walls of plants rigid — to create affordable biofuels and bioproducts. Interested in the project, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food
June 22, 2018
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(U.S. Department of Energy/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory/EurekAlert!) ASTM International updates standard for alcohol-to-jet synthetic paraffinic kerosene based on fuel produced by PNNL partner LanzaTech — ASTM International recently revised ASTM D7566 Annex A5 — the Standard Specification for Aviation Turbine Fuel Containing Synthesized Hydrocarbons — to add ethanol as an approved feedstock
June 12, 2018
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by Nicholas Deshais (The Spokesman-Review/GovTech) Seattle has the most alternative-fuel vehicles in its municipal fleet. But its fleet is supposed to be 100 percent alternative. — … In 2007, Washington state Gov. Chris Gregoire signed a law that said cities, counties and other local governments and entities had to switch their vehicle
June 12, 2018
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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 the project owners in question, it’s good for every stakeholder
(Office of King County Executive) At its South Treatment Plant in Renton, King County is purifying the biogas into renewable natural gas, an alternative to fossil fuels that generates revenue for the county while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. King County — which has converted methane to natural gas for more than
May 28, 2018
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by Glenn Farley (K5 News) In the Boeing test, a 777 freighter, ran on residual animal fats and plant oils. — In a historic first, Boeing has flown the first commercial jet on 100 percent biofuel. The flight was Seattle to Memphis and back — all without using petroleum. The test was
May 11, 2018
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(U.S. Department of Justice) Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and United States Attorney Joseph H. Harrington for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Jin Chul “Jacob” Cha, 41, of Tustin, California, who pleaded guilty on January 11, 2018 to
May 10, 2018
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On June 13, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) will host the Advanced Algal Systems Listening Session in Seattle, Washington. BETO is seeking feedback from experts in algal biology, cultivation, and conversion on how to address near-term research and development barriers and opportunities for cost-competitive algal biofuels
May 10, 2018
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(Port of Seattle) Innovative partnership with 13 airlines aims to replace 10 percent of traditional jet fuel with local, sustainable supply in 10 years — The Port of Seattle announced today that 13 airlines, including Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Horizon Airlines, Spirit Airlines and more, have agreed to collaborate on a
May 9, 2018
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by Raphael Orlove (Jalopnik) Our emissions standards are probably the biggest booster to automotive performance in the past half century, making our cars not only more eco-friendly but more powerful, too. Trump has been trying to cut it all down, but now California and 16 other states suing to stop him. … …
May 1, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Adam Klauber of the Rocky Mountain Institute gave this presentation about working with airports to increase sustainable alternative jet fuel use at ABLC in Washington, DC this spring. READ MORE
April 27, 2018
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by Benjamin Storrow (E&E News) … Transportation emissions threaten to undercut blue states’ climate goals, raising questions about their ability to lead U.S. climate efforts at a time when the federal government is rolling back environmental regulations. Emissions from cars, trucks and other mobile sources are on the rise nationally.
April 18, 2018
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(Phys.Org/Colorado State University) A Colorado State University project to grow and harvest ocean macroalgae for biofuel production has received support from the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). ARPA-E has poured over $22 million into their Macroalgae Research Inspiring Novel Energy Resources (MARINER) program, with the aim of establishing
April 17, 2018
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by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) Gov. Jay Inslee, D-Wash., has signed into law a bill designed to encourage the increased development and use of renewable natural gas (RNG) in Washington State. According to the Northwest Gas Association (NWGA), H.B.2580 passed the legislature just hours before the end of legislative session on March 8
April 2, 2018
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(FuelsCellsWorks/U.S. Department of Energy) Innovative Natural-gas Technologies for Efficiency Gain in Reliable and Affordable Thermochemical Electricity-generation (INTEGRATE) The U.S. electric system is dominated by large, central power plants and an extensive transmission and distribution system commonly referred to as the “grid.” Two-thirds of the primary energy used to generate the electricity
March 16, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sustainable Bioeconomy for Arid Regions (SBAR) is a multi-level research project that will cultivate two desert-dwelling crops, guayule and guar, for a sustainable bioeconomy. Combined, guayule (perennial) and guar (annual) feedstocks can provide biomass year round for biofuel production. Both crops are drought and heat tolerant,
March 15, 2018
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by Betsy Lillian (NGT News) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $4 million to support three new cost-shared research projects focused on medium- and heavy-duty, on-road natural gas engines, as well as $3 million to support two new cost-shared research projects for advancing fluid power systems for off-road vehicles. These five
March 8, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … I’d start with the news from Aemetis that they are embarking now on a $158 million cellulosic ethanol plant — to be built in Riverbank, California, in partnership with LanzaTech. Cellulosic ethanol is selling for such a high price in California right now — the
March 8, 2018
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by Kelly Shaver (Aemetis) Aemetis, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMTX) announced today that the company successfully built and operated an integrated demonstration unit for more than 120 days of continuous operations with 94% uptime, meeting the requirements for a federal USDA 9003 Biorefinery Assistance Program guaranteed loan. In partnership with its key technology providers
March 6, 2018
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On June 13, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) will host the Advanced Algal Systems Listening Session in Seattle, Washington. BETO is seeking feedback from experts in algal biology, cultivation, and conversion on how to address near-term research and development barriers and opportunities for cost-competitive algal biofuels
February 27, 2018
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(Flight Global) Scandinavian operator TUI Nordic has taken delivery of its first Boeing 737 Max, the second to be received by the tourism group. The airline conducted the Max 8 delivery flight – from Seattle to Stockholm – using a 30% blend biofuel. “This was one of the most carbon-efficient flights
February 27, 2018
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The 8th International Conference on Algal Biomass, Biofuels and Bioproducts (AlgalBBB 2018) will continue this year with renewed focus from investigators in this area of research. In our new venue for the year, Seattle, we will continue to provide an exciting atmosphere to discuss the latest research and technologies and to
February 22, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy has a key project called Co-Optima, which aims to determine key fuel properties that enable improved engine efficiency, provide key science to enable high efficiency combustion modes, and capitalize on unique properties available from bio-blendstocks. Within that project is an emphasis
February 21, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Consortium for Computational Physics and Chemistry (CCPC) is a joint core research and development activity among five national laboratories that has been created to utilize unique DOE computational modeling facilities and experience in order to accelerate the discovery and deployment of novel materials in support
by Natasha Geiling (ThinkProgress) Currently only one state in the country has an economy-wide cap on carbon. These states want to change that — Lawmakers from nine states announced on Wednesday that they would be forming a coalition to help pass carbon pricing at the local level, citing the importance of state-level policies
February 1, 2018
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by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Continued investment and expansion took place in the U.S. biodiesel sector throughout 2017, despite rising political uncertainty and a lapsed tax credit. Here is an overview of some of the activity, plus a special sidebar story from Joe Jobe. As 2017 dawned with another expired biodiesel
(National Biodiesel Board) Annual awards highlight 25 years of biodiesel success — As the U.S. biodiesel industry celebrates 25 years, the National Biodiesel Board’s annual awards recognize a diverse group of individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions to biodiesel. From long-time champions to present-day breakthroughs, the commercial biodiesel industry wouldn’t
January 24, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) To date, North America is the most active of all regions in terms of deploying advanced technology — whether it is cellulosic ethanol, isobutanol for fuels and chemicals, or renewable chemical plants, you see the first and the most, here. There are three drivers for that:
January 19, 2018
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(Contanda) In anticipation of increased demand for low-carbon, cleaner fuels, Contanda plans to expand its facility at Grays Harbor to store a portfolio of cleaner fuels including biodiesel, renewable diesel and ultra-low sulfur diesel. Since 2009, Contanda has safely operated a state of the art facility to handle bulk liquid storage
by JP Casey (Power Technology) … A team of biochemists from Utah State University and the University of Washington has reported a variation in the process of nitrogenase which can “transform carbon dioxide into methane in a single, enzymatic step”. Typically, nitrogenase is the conversion of nitrogen gas to ammonia, but
January 17, 2018
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The 8th International Conference on Algal Biomass, Biofuels and Bioproducts (AlgalBBB 2018) will continue this year with renewed focus from investigators in this area of research. In our new venue for the year, Seattle, we will continue to provide an exciting atmosphere to discuss the latest research and technologies and to
January 17, 2018
Read Full Article
The 8th International Conference on Algal Biomass, Biofuels and Bioproducts (AlgalBBB 2018) will continue this year with renewed focus from investigators in this area of research. In our new venue for the year, Seattle, we will continue to provide an exciting atmosphere to discuss the latest research and technologies and to
January 17, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Back in 2016, researchers at Washington State University Tri-Cities landed a National Science Foundation I-Corps grant to explore the market potential of their biojet fuel research. The team had successfully demonstrated a new, water-based process for deconstructing and recovering lignin from biomass and converting it into jet
January 12, 2018
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(Axios) Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, will unveil a carbon tax proposal in his address to the state Tuesday, local media reported Thursday. Why it matters outside of that Washington: The debate, while unique to the Evergreen State, is also emblematic of the struggles any effort to push a federal carbon would face.
January 5, 2018
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(Algae Industry Magazine) … In September, the US Department of Energy (DOE) awarded $22 million in grants to fund projects for marine biomass farming for production of commercial products, including feedstock for domestic transportation fuels. The funding was provided through the Advanced Research Projects Agency — Energy (ARPA-E) for 18 projects
January 3, 2018
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by Candace Ruud (The News Tribune) … In a few years, the stuff you flush could be used as green fuel, potentially powering vehicles around the country. The city’s Environmental Services Department also is hoping to make a little money from the endeavor. The project they’ve proposed would convert methane, a
December 30, 2017
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by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Washington state, collaboration on aviation biofuel research may deepen between Boeing and Embraer should a merger between the two companies go forward, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. The paper broke the story Wednesday about the possible deal that values the Brazilian company with
December 22, 2017
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by Jim Brunner (News Tribune) Dealing a setback to Gov. Jay Inslee’s climate agenda, a judge has invalidated major portions of a state rule requiring greenhouse-gas cuts by refineries, fuel distributors and dozens of other major industrial emitters. … The ruling means the state cannot target a leading cause of emissions — gasoline
by Erik Hyrkas (U.S. Department of Energy) Did you know that the Energy Department is working to create biofuel from resources like human waste? In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technology Office works with national laboratories to research the development of biofuels and biocrude from various sources. This Q&A
December 14, 2017
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by Waldo del Bosque (EcoSystem Marketplace) The United States may have withdrawn from the Paris Climate Agreement, but national and regional leaders from across the Americas have vowed to “Make the Planet Great Again” by embracing a price on carbon at the One Planet Summit in Paris. Two years to the
December 13, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … Now, Fuzhong Zhang, associate professor at the School of Engineering & Applied Science updated the Digest this week and noted that “We designed and then constructed a synthetic metabolic pathway inside the fast-growing E.coli by introducing genes from other species, including Staphylococus aureus, cyanobacteria and
November 30, 2017
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by Michelle Ma (Phys.Org/University of Washington) In the quest to produce affordable biofuels, poplar trees are one of the Pacific Northwest’s best bets—the trees are abundant, fast-growing, adaptable to many terrains and their wood can be transformed into substances used in biofuel and high-value chemicals that we rely on in our
November 22, 2017
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) … During an earnings call, McAfee provided an overview of advanced biofuel projects under development by Aemetis, including the LanzaTech cellulosic upgrade to the company’s Keyes, California, plant and the agreement to acquire Edeniq to convert corn fiber to cellulosic ethanol. McAfee explained that the
November 14, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … You’d be forgiven if you mistook Ahb Subi Banr-Sbar for a well-placed official in the Iranian government — but, in fact, it’s a 9-project network to facilitate the development of regionally-based industries producing advanced biofuels, industrial chemicals, and other biobased products. Seven of them were established
by Siddharth Vodnala (Washington State University News) Researchers from Washington State University, along with those from Oregon State University and the University of Montana, have recently devised refined methods to estimate the amount of forest residue — the leftovers from trees after logging — that is available for wood-based biorefineries to
October 26, 2017
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(Port of Seattle/Seattle Times) Sustainable aviation biofuels could help airlines transition away from fossil fuels and alleviate some impacts of climate change. — … Our generation’s greatest gift could be to make air travel environmentally friendly by transitioning away from legacy fossil fuels to use less-polluting, lower-carbon solutions. The Port of
by Maegan Murray (WSU Tri-Cities/Washington State University) A method of converting a biofuel waste product into a usable and valuable commodity has been discovered by researchers at Washington State University and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Converting algae to biofuels is a two-step process. The first, developed by PNNL, applies high pressure and high
October 9, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Somewhere in the files of the Department of Energy it is called the Chemical Catalysis for Bioenergy Consortium. Inside the halls of National Labs, they call it ChemCatBio. … They’re on a mission to bring forward commercial bioenergy applications two times faster and at half the cost If
October 5, 2017
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(U.S. Department of Agriculture) The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced six grants totaling nearly $21.1 million to support the development of new jet fuel, biobased products and biomaterials from renewable sources. Funding is made through NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI),
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Yes, ARPA-E has unveiled its latest moonshot and is investing $22M in Macroalgae Research Inspiring Novel Energy Resources — also known as MARINER. The projects that comprise ARPA-E’s Macroalgae Research Inspiring Novel Energy Resources (MARINER) program seek to develop the critical tools to allow the
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today (September 20, 2017), U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) has selected eight projects to negotiate for up to $15 million in total DOE funding to optimize integrated biorefineries. These projects will work to solve critical research and developmental challenges encountered
September 21, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy is supporting a project to demonstrate the techno‐economic feasibility of upgrading biomass derived pyrolysis oil using electro-deoxygenation process. A ceramic membrane that selectively transports oxygen under an applied electric potential is integrated with a fast pyrolysis unit for in-situ removal of
September 19, 2017
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by Candice Ruud (The News Tribune) An oil refinery on Tacoma’s Tideflats is filing for permits to build a renewable energy project that will allow it to eventually produce biodiesel and biojet fuels. U.S. Oil & Refining Co., located on 139 acres of privately owned land along the Blair Waterway, will
September 15, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy is supporting a project led by Pacific Northwest National Lab to develop a new deconstruction technology to provide low ash and low impurity sugars and sugar-derived intermediates from lignocellulosic feeds for use in catalytic and biochemical conversions. As the researchers note, “catalysis and
September 15, 2017
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by Lacy Cooke (Inhabitat) Marine BioEnergy’s new kelp elevator grows seaweed on a long tube, and if tests go well, they hope to start farming in the open ocean between Hawaii and California. They’re working with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, which has developed a way to transform kelp into biocrude. The kelp
September 13, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy is supporting a project to develop efficient and robust fungal biocatalysts and bioprocesses that utilize lignocellulose feedstocks to produce advanced biofuels and bioproducts at lower cost. Fungus — they know just about everything there is to know about robustly deconstructing
September 12, 2017
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by Peter Wilcox (Passage Maker) Having the opportunity to imagine and oversee the building of my own ideal Inside Passage vessel has been exquisitely educational—initiating a chain of engaging design, building, voyaging, and teaching adventures. … Taking a break from sailing up north, we decided to buy an interim boat
September 11, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy is supporting a project on hydrothermal liquefaction — a thermochemical interface for algae biofuels — developing processing methods to reduce conversion cost, improve sustainability and enable commercialization of algal biofuels while validating conversion processing at engineering scale. Dan Anderson is
September 6, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy initiated a project to advance a hybrid conversion technology for catalytic upgrading of biomass-derived syngas to produce Alcohol-to-Jet fuel and chemicals while meeting the cost, quality and environmental requirements of the aviation industry. Ultimately the goal is to demonstrate that ethanol
August 29, 2017
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(Washington Forest Protection Association/Seattle Times) Aviation biofuel is made from forest residuals, the limbs and branches that are left after the harvesting of managed forests. — Alaska Airlines made history recently, flying the first commercial flight using the world’s first renewable, alternative jet fuel made from the remains of logging
August 24, 2017
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(U.S. Department of Energy) Today (August 22, 2017), the Energy Department (DOE) announced $13.4 million in support of five new cost-shared, community-based projects focused on energy efficient mobility systems including connected and autonomous vehicles and alternative fuel vehicles and infrastructure including natural gas, propane, biofuels, hydrogen, and electricity. This Vehicle
August 23, 2017
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by Aerin Einstein-Curtis (Feed Navigator) A team of researchers have developed a faster way to generate microalgae on a biofilm with potential applications for feed. READ MORE
August 17, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Hydrothermal liquefaction has a huge fan base in the biorefinery R&D sector. There’s lots to like. It’s robust tech and can be applied to attractive, low-cost wet feedstocks (ag resid, sludge, manure) that exploit HTL attributes and minimize deployment challenges associated with pumping. It’s conceptually
August 14, 2017
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(Biofuels International) Through ‘bold leadership’, airports can accelerate the adoption of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) in the aviation industry, according to a newly published report. The new study, a collaboration between the Carbon War Room, Sky NRG and Port of Seattle, confirms the financial viability of supplying advanced biofuels to
August 14, 2017
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by Pam Radtke Russell (Engineering News Record) From Seattle to Cape Cod, see what’s being done at 18 different locations — … In this special report, Engineering News-Record’s team of editors and reporters look at how Tangier and other coastal communities around the country are tackling problems, including erosion, subsidence
August 11, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Within the ChemCatBio set of core catalysis projects lies Fast Pyrolysis and Upgrading, which has as its goal “to develop cost competitive biofuels through catalytic stabilization and deoxygenation of Fast Pyrolysis Bio-oil. The near-term DOE goal is advancement of the State of Technology for upgrading FPBO
August 8, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy has set a goal to “Select and develop at least one route for catalytic upgrading of sugars/related intermediates and/or biologically derived intermediates into fuel blendstockswith conversion performance than can achieve a MFSP of $3/GGE by 2022 with >25% (GGE basis)
August 7, 2017
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(Department of Justice) Andre Bernard, of Mount Kisco, New York, pleaded guilty today for his participation in a multi-state scheme to defraud biodiesel buyers and U.S. taxpayers by fraudulently selling biodiesel credits and fraudulently claiming tax credits, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood of the Justice Department’s Environment
August 4, 2017
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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 national laboratories, the consortium works “with industry to rapidly transition R&D discoveries into commercial processes and grow the bioeconomy in the
August 3, 2017
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by Tina Hilding (Washington State University) Washington State University researchers have developed a way to grow algae more efficiently — in days instead of weeks — and make the algae more viable for several industries, including biofuels. Their work was reported in the journal Algal Research. … Led by graduate student
July 25, 2017
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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, Arzeda raised $12 million in a Series A round of funding, moving it forward on scaling up of their advanced protein design technology that is used for production of a range of chemicals and materials. The funding came from OS Fund, Bioeconomy Capital, Sustainable
July 24, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry today (July 17, 2017) announced $40 million in Department of Energy awards for the establishment of four DOE Bioenergy Research Centers (BRCs), which will provide the scientific breakthroughs for a new generation of sustainable, cost-effective bioproducts and bioenergy.
July 19, 2017
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by Tina Casey (Triple Pundit) … DOE is pushing ahead with another round of $8 million in funding aimed squarely at developing next-generation biofuel from algae, leading to “a bioeconomy that can help create jobs, spur innovation, improve quality of life, and achieve national energy security.” … Algae represents the next
July 19, 2017
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(SkyNRG/PR Web) Carbon reduction leaders Carbon War Room (CWR) and SkyNRG join with the Port of Seattle to announce recommendations for long-term funding mechanisms that could supply all airlines at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) with sustainable aviation biofuels. The results are outlined in a study that reviews a broad spectrum
July 19, 2017
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(Penn State News) Slowed as much by extremely low oil prices as supply-chain and technological challenges, the effort to integrate biofuels into the nation’s aviation fuel supply is nonetheless progressing, according to a researcher in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences. Sustainable jet fuel continues to represent an important component of
June 30, 2017
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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 South Florida, Algenol, Montana State University, University of Toledo, NREL,
June 29, 2017
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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
June 21, 2017
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(U.S. Department of Energy) Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s (PNNL’s) Marine Sciences Laboratory in Sequim, Washington, are working to lower the cost of producing biofuels from algae by utilizing an indoor system that mimics the conditions of outdoor ponds. The project, called the Development of Integrated Screening, Cultivar Optimization,
(Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory/Phys.Org) A major bottleneck hindering cost-effective production of biofuels and many valuable chemicals is the difficulty of breaking down cellulose—an important structural component of plant cell walls. A recent study addressed this problem by characterizing molecular features that make cellulose resistant to degradation. The findings reveal for
June 6, 2017
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(Biofuels International) … A team from the University of California, Santa Barbara are focusing their research on the estimated 1.5 million species of fungi on earth which can collectively break down almost any substance. In an article published in Nature Microbiology, the team announce they have found that early
May 30, 2017
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ASABE 2017 presents a forum to expand awareness of current industry trends, promote and acknowledge innovations in design and technology, and provide opportunities for professional development – all with a focus on the economic, political and societal impacts facing the industry. Join us for 4 days this summer in Spokane!
May 26, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Arzeda’s proprietary technology combines targeted computational enzyme design and protein optimization with state-of-the-art metabolic bioengineering to create entirely novel designer cell factories capable of industry-scale chemical production. CEO Alex Zanghellini gave this illuminating overview of Arzeda’s breakthrough technology at ABLC 2017 in Washington, DC. READ MORE
May 23, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What is different about a Low Carbon Fuel Standard — as compared to a Renewable Fuel Standard? There are 4 primary differences. 1. An RFS creates a standard, and any fuel that meets that standard can compete in that market. … 2. An LCFS sets
May 11, 2017
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by Charles Komanoff (Huffington Post) The Carbon Tax Center is out with a new report timed to the surging climate movement. We surveyed all 50 U.S. states (and Washington, DC) to identify the ones with the most favorable conditions for enacting a statewide carbon tax. Joining the report is a
May 8, 2017
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From Iowa we received news that Renewable Energy Group has agreed to acquire approximately 82 acres of land at its Geismar, Louisiana biorefinery from Lion Copolymer, for $20M. The goal? To improve and utilize to support existing production capacity and future expansion opportunities. Previously, the
May 8, 2017
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(University of Washington/Biomass Magazine) The mountain pine beetle has destroyed more than 40 million acres of forest in the western United States. That amounts to an area the size of Washington state that is strewn with conifers left for dead. The beetles introduce a fungus that prevents critical nutrients and
(Phys.Org) Cyanobacteria have attracted significant attention as potential biocatalysts for production of clean energy and green chemicals from sunlight and atmospheric CO2. A recent study investigated effects of altering large cellular complexes called phycobilisomes, which cyanobacteria use to efficiently capture light energy for photosynthesis, to guide development of optimal strategies
April 25, 2017
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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 flexible microbial co-culture platform for simultaneous utilization of methane
April 11, 2017
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(Washington State University/Biomass Magazine) Researchers at Washington State University Tri-Cities and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have found a new way to define the molecular structure of cellulose, which could lead to cheaper and more efficient ways to make a variety of crucial bioproducts. For the first time, researchers revealed the differences
March 24, 2017
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by Alan Boyle (GeekWire/Yahoo!) A NASA-led study demonstrates that airplanes powered by biofuels can emit up to 70 percent less particulate pollution – providing a potential boost for technologies that are being pioneered at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The study, published today (March 15, 2017) by the journal Nature, was conducted in the skies
(also by live webcast) Please join Stoel Rives attorneys as they provide their insight at The Seminar Group: Environmental Law in the Trump Administration on March 23 in Seattle, Washington. These topics will be covered: Priorities of the New Administration Can Trump Dismantle the EPA as Promised? The Department of Interior/Commerce
March 14, 2017
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by Karen Law (Tribune) Snohomish County’s gamble on turning canola into biodiesel has turned belly-up, but at least the Spokane Indian Tribe may reap a jackpot this week when the County Council votes on surplussing its remaining biofuel equipment, a grain crusher purchased in 2008 under a biofuels initiative, to
March 7, 2017
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(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announces the launch of its Chemical Catalysis for Bioenergy Consortium (ChemCatBio), a research and development consortium dedicated to identifying and overcoming catalysis challenges for biomass conversion processes. Made up of seven DOE national laboratories, ChemCatBio will
February 28, 2017
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(Lab Manager/U.S. Department of Energy) Wood’s complex structure makes it highly resistant to biological or chemical decomposition. The structure includes cellulose, long chains of linked sugar molecules, embedded in a scaffolding of a chemical known as lignin. Brown rot fungi, however, possess a unique ability to attack the cellulose fraction
February 28, 2017
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by Robert Walton (Utility Dive) The Sierra Club says six states have proposed legislation this year that would add to the cost of owning an electric vehicle, worrying clean energy advocates who say owning emissions-free vehicles should be incentivized rather than taxed. States with new EV-fee bills include Indiana, South
February 24, 2017
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(Center for Bioplastics and Biocomposites ) Starting with the summer of 2017, the Center for Bioplastics and Biocomposites (CB2), will be establishing a new Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site designed to provide undergraduate students a chance to participate in industry-directed fundamental research opportunities in the fields of bioplastics and
February 16, 2017
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by Jessica Lyons Hardcastle (Environmental Leader) The number of commercial airplanes in service is projected to nearly double by 2030. At the same time, international agreements and individual countries’ laws require the aviation industry to reduce carbon emissions. Advances in biofuel infrastructure and ground-based operations can help the aviation industry
February 13, 2017
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(Associated Press/SFGate) Scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory‘s Marine Sciences Laboratory are turning algae inside out to find the best biofuel possible. Dr. Michael Huesemann, a lead researcher, said algae is a promising clean energy but expensive to harness effectively. “The price of biofuel is largely tied to growth rates,”
February 13, 2017
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by Kenny Walter (R&D Magazine) … Scientists have studied these enzymes in pure cultures of microorganisms, despite the fact that microorganisms break down cellulose as communities in the environment. To examine this further, a multi-institutional team of researchers led by scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Joint BioEnergy Institute
(Biofuels International) A Washington man was sentenced this week for laundering more than $39 million for a company that bilked federal programs supporting renewable energy, according to Tri-City Herald. Richard Estes, 77, was part of a conspiracy involving Pasco-based Gen-X Energy Group. US District Court Judge Salvador Mendoza, Jr. sentenced
February 3, 2017
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(Port of Seattle) Existing pipeline, transportation resources, zoning and land use laws could accommodate new aviation biofuel blending, storage and delivery infrastructure — The Port of Seattle, Boeing and Alaska Airlines today released a first-of-its-kind study that identifies the best infrastructure options for delivering aviation biofuel to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. In
January 17, 2017
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by Frances White (Renewable Energy World/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) A dozen glass cylinders containing a potential payload of bright green algae are exposed to hundreds of multi-colored lights, which provide all of sunlight’s natural hues. The tiny LEDs brighten and dim to mimic the outdoors’ constantly changing conditions. To further
January 17, 2017
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by Joe Petrie (AviationPros.com) At Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac), Alaska Airlines is forging ahead with plans to implement a biofuel supply for its commercial jets. … Carol Sim, director of environmental affairs for Alaska Airlines, said the company’s move to new fuel began about seven years ago when a
December 30, 2016
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(Oregon State University) The use of residual forest biomass for rural development faces significant economic hurdles that make it unlikely to be a source of jobs in the near future, according to an analysis by economists at Oregon State University. In a model of the forest industry, researchers in the
December 29, 2016
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by Bobby Magill (Climate Central) U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, a sixth-term Republican from Washington State who is a climate change denier and an ardent opponent of regulations for greenhouse gas emissions, has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump for Secretary of Interior. … Perhaps most critically, she would oversee
December 12, 2016
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by Megan Geuss (Ars Technica) Wastewater treatment plants rejoice—you may have a hot commodity on your hands. — Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Labs (PNNL) have developed a new method for treating human sewage to create a biocrude oil product that can be refined into a fuel akin to gasoline,
December 7, 2016
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by Ted Reed (The Street) United Airlines leads the global airline industry in its commitment to biofuel, targeting the use of 900 million gallons over the next 10 years. — United Airlines (UAL) , which uses about 4 billion gallons of fuel annually — making it one of the world’s
December 7, 2016
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(The Villager) The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Colorado announced the winners of its 2017 Engineering Excellence Awards (EEA) on Nov. 7 at a celebration luncheon held at The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa. A Grand Conceptor Award, presented for the overall best engineering project, was awarded to
December 5, 2016
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(Washington State University/Biomass Magazine) Researchers at Washington State University Tri-Cities have been awarded a National Science Foundation I-Corps grant to explore the market potential of their biojet fuel research. The team has successfully demonstrated a new, water-based process for deconstructing and recovering lignin from biomass and converting it into jet
December 2, 2016
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by Glenn Roberts Jr. (Berkeley National Laboratory) Research team combines X-ray source at Berkeley Lab with other tools — Researchers have revealed new atomic-scale details about pesky deposits that can stop or slow chemical reactions vital to fuel production and other processes. This disruption to reactions is known as deactivation
December 1, 2016
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by Mark Elless (U.S. Department of Energy) Switchgrass, algae, forest trimmings, corn husks and corn stalks you can’t eat these crops, and you would never put them on your table for Thanksgiving; however, together they make up a bountiful harvest of non-edible biomass. These crops can be used to produce
November 28, 2016
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Whether it is partnering with COMAC to research aviation biofuels, launching a biojet program with Aeromexico and Mexico’s Airports and Auxiliary Services, or with the Port of Seattle and Alaska Airlines — or launching a Canadian aviation biofuel project using forest waste, it’s clear. Where
November 23, 2016
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(Advanced Hardwood Biofuels Northwest) This talk introduces a web-based decision support tool for biorefinery siting and explores the economic viability of potential biorefinery locations in Chehalis, WA, Dallas, OR, and Hayden,ID. WATCH VIDEO
November 17, 2016
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(Alaska Airlines/PR Newswire) First of its kind renewable biofuel made from residual wood used by Alaska Airlines — Washington state-based Alaska Airlines today made history flying the first commercial flight using the world’s first renewable, alternative jet fuel made from forest residuals, the limbs and branches that remain after the
November 14, 2016
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(GEVO) Gevo’s Fuel to Power Alaska Airlines Flight #4 from Seattle to DCA — Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ:GEVO), announced that the first commercial flight using Gevo’s cellulosic renewable alcohol to jet fuel (ATJ) is expected to take place today originating in Seattleand flying to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Previously, on
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Arzeda’s proprietary technology combines targeted computational enzyme design and protein optimization with state-of-the-art metabolic bioengineering to create entirely novel designer cell factories capable of industry-scale chemical production. CEO Alex Zanghellini gave this overview of Arzeda’s breakthrough technology at ABLC Next in San Francisco. READ MORE
November 14, 2016
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