(Diesel Technology Forum) ... An increasing number of diesel engines aren’t running on diesel fuel at all. In 2017, an estimated 2.6 billion gallons of biodiesel and renewable diesel fuel were consumed in the U.S. by a growing number of public and private
biomass
Back TO HOMEBiochemUSA Signs MOU to Develop $422.9 Million Biorefinery in India
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In India, local press reports that Petron Scientech Inc’s BiochemUSA has signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of Gujarat to develop a $422.9 million biorefinery that will produce ethanol, biodiesel, corn oil and animal feed using
February 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Risk Rating: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to Ecostrat
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Ecostrat has over 20 years experience sourcing and supplying over 5 million tons of wood fiber and organic feedstock in markets across North America. They offer biomass feedstock supply and analytics to understand and minimize supply
January 14, 2019 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK -- Rebecca (Becky) Ong
Rebecca (Becky) Ong majored in chemical engineering and tacked on a degree in plant biology. “I had no plan to integrate them at all,” she says, “I was just interested in plants.” All of that changed, however, when Ong attended
December 27, 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
December 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Innovative Conversion Technologies: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to Using Canadian Biomass
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Bioindustrial Innovation Canada (BIC) is a nationally focused not-for-profit organization based in Sarnia, Ontario, in the county of Lambton. BIC’s mission is to provide critical strategic investment, advice and services to business developers of clean, green and sustainable
November 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Reforms Must Prepare the UK Countryside for Climate Change and Ensure that Our Use of Land Supports Reduced Emissions
(Committee on Climate Change) The Paris Agreement demands tougher action to remove greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere. We must, at the same time, prepare for the inevitable climate change that is already happening. In this context, current uses of land
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
November 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Report on the Thermochemical Sciences Symposium at Auburn University
by Leyla Battista-Channell* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Auburn, Alabama: Home to the Auburn tigers, the “loveliest village on the plains,” and this year’s host to the Thermochemical Sciences Symposium. Previously held at other universities, why Auburn University this year? The Biosystems
November 12, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Honeywell’s UOP and Biomass-to-Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Honeywell’s UOP has developed a renewable jet fuel processing technology, a renewable diesel process, as well as a joint venture, Envergent Technologies, that will market technologies and equipment for generating power, transportation fuel and heating oil
October 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Alternative Proteins on Everyone's Lips
(nova-Institut GmbH) The winners of the first "Future Protein Award": an insect bar, Proteins made from CO2 and Hemp protein – a guide to the future for modern consumers -- During the new conference "Revolution in Food and Biomass Production (REFAB)",
October 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Biorefinery Monitoring: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Bioeconomy Materials Flows & Assessment
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Reliable information is an essential foundation for policy decisions. We are therefore working: to provide a solid database of the de facto development, to develop manageable and summarizing balance sheets and indicators, which aggregate multitude data
October 08, 2018 Read Full Article
Development, Deployment of Integrated Biorefineries: The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to Biorefining in Italy
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
October 06, 2018 Read Full Article
One Day at the World’s Leading Biomass Technology Conference, EUBCE 2018
by Steve Bi* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Renaissance-era facades capped with green copper patina and orange clay shingles harmonize seamlessly with imaginative, hallmark-of-Scandinavia, hyper-modern structures in downtown Copenhagen. [caption id="attachment_99349" align="alignleft" width="212"] Setting of the EUBCE 2018 Copenhagen[/caption] The city provided the perfect backdrop
July 17, 2018 Read Full Article
Theresa May Opens the UK’s ‘First’ Biomass Training Facility at Further Education College
(Bioenergy Insight) Biomass company LC Energy has partnered with Berkshire College of Agriculture and Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership to deliver the facility. The collaboration is an effort to address the nationwide skills shortage in the renewable energy sector. The opening
May 08, 2018 Read Full Article
Modern Bioenergy ‘Key’ for Meeting Paris Targets, Report States
(Bioenergy Insight) The scaling up of renewable energy production needs to be drastically accelerated if the world is to meet the decarbonisation and climate change mitigation goals set out in the Paris agreements, according to a report from the International Renewable
April 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuels and Electric Vehicles Key to EU Decarbonisation, Report Claims
(Biofuels International) A new report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) says the EU could double the renewable share in its energy mix, cost effectively, from 17% in 2015 to 34% in 2030. In order to reach long term decarbonisation goals, the report
February 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Biomass Industry Responds to ‘Morbid Mathematics’ of FERN Study
by Daryl Worthington(Bioenergy Insight) Two major associations for the biomass industry have responded to a study claiming the burning of biomass prematurely kills tens of thousands of people each year. The study was commissioned by FERN, an NGO created in 1995 “to keep track
January 22, 2018 Read Full Article
FCIC to Fund Projects to Improve Biomass Handing
(Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium/Ethanol Producer Magazine) To accelerate innovation and adoption of new practices and technologies to determine the root cause of biomass handling failures and designing solutions, the Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium is overseeing a directed funding opportunity (DFO) call. Interested industrial
January 03, 2018 Read Full Article
From Conventional to Advantaged: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Aemetis
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Aemetis owns and operates 110 million gallons per year of ethanol and biodiesel facilities in the US and India, and is upgrading the plants using patented technology to produce lower carbon, higher value advanced biofuels and
November 29, 2017 Read Full Article
Report from EUBCE 2017 in Stockholm, Sweden
by Maija Sihvonen* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Participants from over 70 countries gathered at Stockholm’s Älvsjömässan for the annual European Biomass Conference, EUBCE 2017 in June 12-15. In the field of advanced biofuels two years is a long time, so it
November 09, 2017 Read Full Article
DOE Schedules Meeting of Biomass Advisory Committee
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Department of Energy has announced an open meeting of the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee on Nov. 15-16 in Washington, D.C. According to information published in the Federal Register, the meeting aims
November 01, 2017 Read Full Article
Slash and Build: Study Aids Forestry Biofuel Industry
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
October 26, 2017 Read Full Article
Big Equipment and Politics at the International Biomass Conference and Expo
by Doug Root* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Shredders, chippers, conveying systems, balers, and pellet mills were the highlights of the International Biomass Conference and Expo held recently in Minneapolis. The big equipment is aimed at the big sources of biomass feedstocks
May 05, 2017 Read Full Article
Grant Application Request for Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Sustainable Bioenergy and Bioproducts Challenge Area DEADLINE: June 28, 2017
(US Department of Agriculture) The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Sustainable Bioenergy and Bioproducts (SBEBP) Challenge Area is designed to achieve the long term goal of advancing bioeconomy by facilitiating development of regional systems for the sustainable production of bioenergy,
April 26, 2017 Read Full Article
BETO Launches Interactive Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Projects Map
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announces the launch of its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Projects Map, an interactive map depicting all of BETO’s recent projects throughout the United States that
April 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Chip Energy Wins Occupancy OK for Factory Building Made from Recycled Shipping Containers
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Illinois, obtaining a certificate of occupancy on a building constructed of 60 Intermodal Shipping Containers is a huge accomplishment for Chip Energy, said company president Paul Wever, president of Chip Energy Inc. These types
April 10, 2017 Read Full Article
2016 Billion-Ton Report Volume 2 Analyzes Environmental Effects
(U.S. Department of Energy/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The 2016 Billion-Ton Report (BT16), Volume 2: Environmental Sustainability Effects of Select Scenarios from Volume 1, jointly released by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, is a pioneering
January 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Attacking Carbon Intensity, Energy Intensity: The Digest’s 2016 Multi-Slide Guide to the Agile BioFoundry
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) With the Agile BioFoundry project, the National Lab consortium, in partnership with academia and industry, aims to achieve a 40% decrease in the energy intensity of current manufacturing processes. Plus, a 60% decrease in the carbon
December 27, 2016 Read Full Article
Seeking Low Costs, Painless Logistics: The Digest’s 2016 8-Slide Guide to Advances to Know in Biomass Feedstocks
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Amidst the discussion this week of the future of first-gen and advanced biofuels in the EU — we were intrigued by this slide deck on advances in biomass production for the bioeconomy. In the end, it’s
September 12, 2016 Read Full Article
First Things First
by Tim Portz (Biomass Magazine) ... Biomass availability in the U.S. is unlikely to emerge as a bottleneck for industry growth. Our country’s farms and forests, municipal waste and food waste streams are producing vast streams of material, and we
September 11, 2016 Read Full Article
Biogeochemical Research Priorities for Sustainable Biofuel and Bioenergy Feedstock Production in the Americas.
by Gollany HT, Titus BD, Scott DA, Asbjornsen H, Resh SC, Chimner RA, Kaczmarek DJ, Leite LF, Ferreira AC, Rod KA, Hilbert J, Galdos MV, Cisz ME (Biogeochemical Research) Rapid expansion in biomass production for biofuels and bioenergy in the
June 28, 2016 Read Full Article
McCarthy Addresses RFS, Role of Biomass in CPP during Hearing
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On Feb. 11, the House Committee on Agriculture held a hearing on U.S. EPA policies that impact the rural economy. The renewable fuel standard (RFS) and Clean Power Plan were among the programs discussed
February 22, 2016 Read Full Article
European Biomass Association Launches Annual Statistical Report
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In the EU, the European Biomass Association (AEBIOM) publicly released its annual Statistical Report, with MEPs Miapetra Kumpula-Natri (S&D, FI) and Benedek Jávor (Greens/EFA, HU) hosting. “Statistics confirm that, beyond myth, bioenergy has a lot
October 26, 2015 Read Full Article
Rutgers Report Assesses New Jersey Bioenergy Potential
by Anna Simet (Biomass Magazine) A recent Rutgers University assessment on bioenergy potential in New Jersey found that the state producers over 7 million dry tons of biomass annually, over 4 million of which could be recovered and used to
September 30, 2015 Read Full Article
EPA Releases Clean Power Plan, Uncertainty for Biomass Remains
by Anna Simet (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. EPA has released the final Clean Power Plan rules, which contain some key changes from the original rule, as well as vague language related to using certain kinds of biomass fuel as a
August 04, 2015 Read Full Article
A Report from EnergyPath 2015: NetZero
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic area is fortunate to benefit from funds derived from a settlement approved by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission during the Commonwealth’s electric deregulation proceedings. As part of its educational mission, Sustainable
August 04, 2015 Read Full Article
European Biomass Conference and Exhibition 2015: Biomass: Challenges and Promises
by Maija Sihvonen* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The 23rd European Biomass Conference and Exhibition (EUBCE) held in Vienna 1-4 June was a massive event with nearly 1300 participants from 76 countries and some 800 presentations. The event consisted of multiple parallel
June 29, 2015 Read Full Article
DOE Previews 2016 Billion-Ton Update in Webinar
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) A recent U.S. Department of Energy webinar included preview of the 2016 U.S. Billion-Ton Study update, which is currently scheduled for release in June 2016. The event, titled “A Changing Market for Biofuels and Bioproducts,”
June 02, 2015 Read Full Article
BETO’s 2015 Project Peer Review March 23-27 Alexandria, VA
The Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) is hosting the 2015 Project Peer Review on March 23–27, 2015, at the Hilton Mark Center, in Alexandria, Virginia. Approximately 185 projects in BETO’s research, development, and demonstration portfolio will be presented to the public
March 04, 2015 Read Full Article
Jack Gerard Delivers 2015 State of American Energy Address
(American Petroleum Institute) ... As part of this event, we publish our report on the State of American Energy, but this year’s report is different, because for the first time it includes contributions from all major sources of energy: solar, nuclear,
January 09, 2015 Read Full Article
$15 Million Available for Advanced Biofuels Payment Program
by Anna Austin (Biomass Magazine) The USDA recently issued a notice of contract proposals for its Advanced Biofuel Payment Program, which provides payments to producers to support and expand production of advanced biofuels. According to the NOCP, $15 million is available for
August 28, 2014 Read Full Article
Renewable Energy Could Hit 36% Of Global Energy Use, But There's A Biomass Catch
by Silvio Marcacci (The Energy Collective) ... The report (International Renewable Energy Agency’s (IRENA) REmap 2030) lays out a five-step roadmap for scaling renewable energy up to 36% of the world’s total final energy consumption (TFEC), cutting coal use 26% and oil/gas
August 22, 2014 Read Full Article
Not Just Koala Chow: Genetic Secrets of Eucalyptus Tree Revealed
by Will Dunham (Reuters) Eucalyptus leaves are the main food supply for Australia's koalas, but there is a lot more to the tree than that. ... An international team of researchers this week unveiled the genetic blueprint of the tree species Eucalyptus grandis
August 06, 2014 Read Full Article
Washington State the Center of Climate Change Solutions
by Gleen Farley (KING 5 News) In 2011, Alaska Airlines was the first carrier in the country to fly regular passenger carrying flights using bio-fuel. It replaced 20 percent of the jet fuel with a crystal clear liquid - refined industrial
July 09, 2014 Read Full Article
Algenol's Algae-Based Biofuel: The Next Generation in Renewable Energy
by Jenna Iacurci (Nature World News) Algenol, an up-and-coming company that specializes in algae-based biofuels, has developed and perfected its revolutionary technology, likely securing its spot as the next generation's leader in renewable energy. In collaborating with University of Toronto scientists,
July 09, 2014 Read Full Article
After False Start, Biofuels Industry May Yet Impact Highlands County
by Marc Valero (Highlands Today) SEBRING — Three years ago, Highlands County was on the cusp of a bio boom time with hundreds of jobs looming in construction, agriculture and technology with buzz words such as biofuels, ethanol production and renewable
June 17, 2014 Read Full Article
Walking a Rough Road to a World Free of Non-Renewable Sources of Energy: Memories of 2014 International Biomass Conference and Expo
By Danilo Gusmão de Quadros* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Imagine a world without non-renewable energy sources, where we just use sun, wind, and biomass to generate our electricity for industries and homes, and fuel for transportation. Is it a dream? I
May 27, 2014 Read Full Article
Bioenergy Benefits across the Supply Chain
(US Department of Energy) On Earth Day and every day, BETO is working to improve the sustainability of the transportation industry in the United States through the development and deployment of commercially viable, high-performance, domestic biofuels. BETO’s Sustainability subprogram closely
April 30, 2013 Read Full Article
Biofuels: Good, But How Good?
by Thomas W. Kerlin (ISA Interchange) ...Plants convert carbon dioxide and water into sugar via photosynthesis using energy from the sun. The sugar undergoes further transformations within the plant. Carbohydrates, compounds composed entirely of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, are produced.
March 06, 2013 Read Full Article
EESI Discusses Biomass, Bioenergy, and Sustainability With State Environmental Legislators
by Ned Stowe (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) EESI Policy Associate Ned Stowe recently gave a presentation on biomass, bioenergy, and sustainability to the 11th Annual Great Lakes Environmental Legislators Forum of the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators in Chicago,
December 14, 2012 Read Full Article
25x'25 REsource: Standard Definition of Biomass Needed
(25 x '25) ... In any strategy aimed at meeting America's soaring energy demand, biomass must be considered a principal among the several renewable, sustainable solutions that make up the fastest growing domestic energy sector since 2006. ...While there also has been
December 09, 2012 Read Full Article
NSAC Suggests REAP, BCAP Changes
by Anna Austin (Biomass Power and Thermal Magazine) The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition has released its 2012 Farm Bill platform, which provides suggestions to improve some federal bioenergy programs. These include the Repowering Assistance Program and the Biomass Crop Assistance
March 23, 2012 Read Full Article
Defining Biomass: ACORE Presents Its Unified, Simplified Biomass Definition to Congress
by Lisa Gibson (Biomass Power and Thermal Magazine) When the American Council on Renewable Energy’s Biomass Definition Subcommittee pitched its unified biomass definition to members of Congress in early November, the consensus was clear: no one could remember ever seeing
January 20, 2012 Read Full Article
Lee Enterprises Consulting Announces 2012 Expansion Plans
(Lee Enterprises Consulting/24-7 Press Release) Lee Enterprises Consulting of Little Rock, Ark., the world's largest biodiesel consulting group, recently announced its plans for expansion in 2012. The plans include expansion of the group's services into ethanol, biomass, wind, solar and
January 08, 2012 Read Full Article
Illinois Biomass Working Group Formed
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) The state of Illinois has formed the Illinois Biomass Working Group (IBWG) to study near-term uses for biomass in Illinois. The team is comprised of academics, government, industry and the private sector. Ted Funk, an Extension specialist
August 03, 2011 Read Full Article
Vilsack Announces Funding for 5 New Biorefineries, FAA Partnership, among Major New Bioenergy Measures
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... "Today, I am directing the Rural Development mission area of USDA within 60 days to announce funding under the current Biorefinery Assistance Program for the construction (to commence in 2011) of a biorefinery or
October 22, 2010 Read Full Article
Opportunities and Barriers for International Bioenergy Trade
by Martin Junginger, Jinke van Dam, Simonetta Zarrilli, Fatin Ali Mohamed, Didier Marchal, and Andre Faaij (IEA Bioenergy) Task 40 under the IEA Bioenergy Agreement entitled: ‘Sustainable International Bioenergy trade; securing supply and demand’, started in 2004 and currently has fourteen country members
August 13, 2010 Read Full Article
The Future of Biorefineries
by Doris de Guzman (ICIS Green Chemicals) ...One big news from the (BIO World) conference is the release of a new report from the World Economic Forum about the importance of industrial biorefineries not only in reducing carbon emissions but
July 07, 2010 Read Full Article
Secretary Chu Announces New Partnerships Under the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas
(US DOE) The U.S. Department of Energy today announced a series of partnerships and other initiatives to address clean energy and energy security in the Western Hemisphere as part of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA). Secretary
April 19, 2010 Read Full Article
Europe Kicks Off the Global Bioenergy Project
At least 20% of the energy needs in Europe can be met by bioenergy from sustainable agriculture without compromising food safety and security. Key sustainability issues such as the use of water and maintenance of biodiversity can be respected. In
March 16, 2010 Read Full Article
Biomass Crop Assistance Program to Spur Production of Renewable Energy, Job Creation
President Obama announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a proposed rule for the new Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) that intends to spur the expansion of dedicated non-food crops for renewable energy and biofuel production. A public comment
February 09, 2010 Read Full Article
International Organization for Standardization to Develop Bioenegy Sustainability Standards
ISO will develop an International Standard to address sustainability issues linked to bioenergy. The standard will be produced by a new ISO project committee, ISO/PC 248, Sustainability criteria for bioenergy. ISO/PC 248 will bring together international expertise and state-of-the-art best practice
January 08, 2010 Read Full Article
DOE Selects Biofuels Projects to Receive up to $21 Million in Funding
U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced on August 31, 2009, that up to $21 million will be made available for the selection of five projects that will develop supply systems to handle and deliver high tonnage biomass feedstocks for cellulosic
September 29, 2009 Read Full Article
International GeneSyst Converts Municipal Waste to Ethanol
GeneSyst upgraded the weak acid hydrolysis process to convert biomass from municipal waste to fuel ethanol by making it a 'continuous (flow) process ' using the patented Gravity Pressure Vessel instead of the former 'pump and pressure' tanks (batch). READ
March 30, 2008 Read Full Article
Nonwood Fiber Raw Materials and the Biorefinery
by Robert W. Hurter (HurterConsult, Inc.) The biorefinery is being touted as the way for the North American pulp and paper industry to reinvent itself. Feedstock for biorefineries includes virtually any biomass including forest waste, bark, fiber bearing sludge, construction waste,
December 29, 2007 Read Full Article
Roadmap for Bioenergy and Biobased Products in the United States
The United States has become increasingly dependent in recent decades on imported petroleum to meet its energy needs. A portfolio of more diverse and domestic feedstocks for our nation's energy and chemical supply must be found to reduce our dependence
October 31, 2007 Read Full Article
Mediterranean Energy and Ecology Center Announces New Biomass Hydrolysis Process Test Results
BIOPOLYGEN Group of the MEEC, Israel, reports a successful completion of the first phase of its new biomass hydrolysis process tests and announces the plans to construct and demonstrate a small-scale pilot biorefinery for co-production of second generation ethanol, organic-mineral
June 15, 2007 Read Full Article
Biomass as Feedstock for a Bioenergy and Bioproducts Industry: The Technical Feasibility of a Billion-Ton Annual Supply
USDA and DOE put together this study finding that there could be adequate biomass to displace 30% or more of current US annual petroleum consumption. READ MORE