by TU Bingxin (University of Science and Technology of China) A research team led by Prof. ZENG Jie from University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), and their collaborators, realized highly selective CO2-to-formate conversion via Pb1Cu catalyst. The study was published in Nature Nanotechnology. Converting CO2 into
catalysis
Back TO HOMENew Catalytic Approach Directly Converts Raw Biomass into Natural Gas with Low Carbon Footprint
by SI Xiaoqin (Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences) Natural gas can be used as fuel for generating electricity, heating and powering transportation. It is also the raw material to manufacture hydrogen and ammonia. Currently, biogenic and thermogenic
January 28, 2022 Read Full Article
A ULL Researcher Invents a Catalyst Model for Biodiesel
(Canarias 7) The model uses pumice as a support, an abundant and low-cost volcanic material. -- The researcher at the University of La Laguna (ULL) Laura Díaz has invented a utility model on a catalyst to produce biodiesel , which has been accredited by the Patent
January 26, 2022 Read Full Article
Catalysis, Chemistry, Carbon – SBI BioEnergy’s Competitive Edge
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... SBI’s Gölu H2 process removes the reliance on a fossil fuel, and uses ethanol and water to produce carbon-neutral hydrogen. With Gölu’s carbon capture partnering technologies, our hydrogen is the first carbon-negative hydrogen production
January 14, 2022 Read Full Article
3 Ways the Catalyst Property Database Can Accelerate Biofuels Research
by Zia Abdullah (U.S. Department of Energy) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) researchers have developed a public, online library of catalyst data. It could be fertile ground for breakthroughs in catalytic technologies needed to turn renewable biomass or waste materials
January 12, 2022 Read Full Article
Bio-Crude Production from Protein-Extracted Grass Residue through Hydrothermal Liquefaction
by Saqib Sohail Toor, Ayaz Ali Shah, Kamaldeep Sharma, Tahir Hussain Seehar, Thomas Helmer Pedersen and Lasse Aistrup Rosendahl (Energies) In the present study, the protein-extracted grass residue (press cake) was processed through hydrothermal liquefaction under sub and supercritical temperatures
January 11, 2022 Read Full Article
UGI and Vertimass Enter Agreement to Produce Renewable Fuels in the U.S. and Europe
(UGI Corporation) UGI Corporation (NYSE: UGI) announced today that it has entered into a 15-year agreement with California-based technology developer, Vertimass, to utilize their catalytic technology to produce renewable fuels from renewable-ethanol in the U.S. and Europe. The agreement centers on the development of production facilities using Vertimass’
January 06, 2022 Read Full Article
UCF Researchers’ Ethanol Fuel Cells Offer New Alternative to Power Cars, Technology
by Robert Wells (University of Central Florida) An ethanol fuel cell produces less emissions and uses less fuel than combustion engines, doesn’t require recharging like battery-powered technology, and may offer an alternative to hydrogen fuel cells. ... This is because ethanol is
December 20, 2021 Read Full Article
Local Startup SIEV Technologies Earns $256,000 Small Business Award
(University of Arkansas) SIEV Technologies, a catalytic membrane reactor design company started by University of Arkansas researchers, has been awarded a $256,000 Small Business Innovation Research Grant from the National Science Foundation to develop technology that improves biofuel production. The grant will
December 16, 2021 Read Full Article
1 Billion Gallons Per Year by 2030: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Gevo
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Why they do what they do, what net-zero fuels really means, how agriculture and land management plays a role in carbon sequestration, how to track carbon across the business system, how they are working towards
December 13, 2021 Read Full Article
New Technique Improves Conversion of Carbon Dioxide Into Liquid Fuels
(Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) A copper surface coated with layered thin films helps to create useful chemicals from a polluting greenhouse gas -- Carbon dioxide (CO2), a product of burning fossil fuels and the most prevalent greenhouse gas, has the potential to
December 03, 2021 Read Full Article
Net Zero Fuels and Products: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Gevo
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Gevo’s Chief Carbon and Innovation Officer, Paul Bloom, shared this illuminating slide guide at ABLC in San Francisco recently and is one you won’t want to miss. From feedstocks, land management practices, yields, lowering the
December 02, 2021 Read Full Article
Celebrate United Airlines’ First Passenger Flight Using 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel
(U.S. Department of Energy) The first United Airlines passenger flight to fly using 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) will depart today from Chicago O’Hare International Airport at 1 p.m. ET and will arrive at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport at 4
December 01, 2021 Read Full Article
Research Pushes Auto Industry Closer to Clean Cars Powered by Direct Ethanol Fuel Cells
by Steve Lundeberg (Oregon State University/TechXplore) Alternative-energy research at Oregon State University is charting a path toward the mass adoption of clean cars powered by direct-ethanol fuel cells. Zhenxing Feng of the OSU College of Engineering helped lead the development of a
November 30, 2021 Read Full Article
How Do You Collect Data for Your Catalysis Research?
(U.S. Department of Energy) When you need the acid-site density of a catalyst or an adsorption energy for a catalytic intermediate, what’s your approach? If you’re like most of us, you have to choose between measuring/computing the data yourself and a slow,
November 08, 2021 Read Full Article
Clariant Joins Pre-Competitive Development Platform for Low Carbon Emitting Technologies
(Clariant) Clariant together with other companies from the chemical industry and the World Economic Forum (WEF) establish a breakthrough pre-competitive development platform designed to accelerate net-zero climate technologies; The first-of-its-kind collaboration catapults the Low Carbon Emitting Technologies initiative (LCET) from
November 05, 2021 Read Full Article
CRI and JM Collaborate to Support Sustainable Methanol
(Carbon Recycling International) Carbon Recycling International (CRI) and Johnson Matthey (JM) have agreed on a long term exclusive catalyst supply agreement for the use of JM’s KATALCO(TM) methanol catalysts in CRI’s Emissions-To-Liquids (“ETL”) designed CO2 to methanol plants. This combined offering
November 04, 2021 Read Full Article
Heard on the Floor at ABLC 2021 – Day 1
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ABLC 2021 opens this morning after an informal day of networking, but already the 500+ attendees are buzzing about a series of announces, and many more to come as the Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference resumes live
October 28, 2021 Read Full Article
Three Bio-Based Innovations Edge Closer to Market With Private–Public Funding
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory) A more sustainable farming sector, lower industrial emissions, more efficient biochemical production—National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) scientists and industry partners expect sizable benefits from three new projects to commercialize bioinsecticides, enzymatic carbon dioxide (CO2) utilization, and
October 21, 2021 Read Full Article
Chevron Lummus Global Introduces ISOTERRA Renewable Fuel Technology
(Chevron Lummus Global) Chevron Lummus Global LLC (CLG) today announced the expansion of its technology portfolio with the addition of its new ISOTERRA process for renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from biomass sources. The two-step process involves hydrodeoxygenation
October 20, 2021 Read Full Article
Gevo and Axens Ink Alliance for Ethanol-to-Jet Technology and Sustainable Aviation Fuel Commercial Project Development
(Gevo) Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEVO) and Axens North America, Inc. (Axens) have entered into an agreement that establishes a strategic alliance aimed at accelerating the commercialization of sustainable ethanol-to-jet (ETJ) projects in the United States. As part of the alliance, Axens
October 13, 2021 Read Full Article
New Foray into Renewable Chemicals & Materials: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Praj Industries
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) If you missed the recent DigestWebinar, here’s your chance to delve into the tech emerging out of Praj Industries, ranked #1 as a Top Place to Work by Digest readers, and #2 in the world
October 12, 2021 Read Full Article
WUR Produces Kerosene from Bio-Based Side Streams
(Wageningen University & Research) Wageningen University & Research and its partners have developed a new type of aviation fuel that is produced using bio-based waste streams from the agriculture industry. One of the targets of the Renewable Energy Directive II (RED II)
October 11, 2021 Read Full Article
List, MacMillan Win 2021 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for Development of Asymmetric Organocatalysis
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2021 for the development of asymmetric organocatalysis to: Benjamin List, Director of the Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung David W.C. MacMillan, Professor at Princeton University Background on the Award The rapid expansion
October 07, 2021 Read Full Article
Ethanol, Biogas, Renewable Chemicals: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Praj
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Dr. Pramod Kumbhar, President and CTO of Praj shared this illuminating slide guide on their Bio-Prism renewable chemicals and materials, Bio-Mobility products, Praj’s 2G tech for agri residue to ethanol, Praj-Sekab tech for forest residue
October 06, 2021 Read Full Article
Gevo Awarded Patent for Process to Upgrade or Convert Ethanol and Bio-based Alcohols to Drop-In Hydrocarbon Fuels
(Gevo) Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEVO), announced that it has received a patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) for a process that encompasses upgrading ethanol and bio-based alcohols into drop-in, bio-based diesel and jet-fuel products. The USPTO has awarded
September 27, 2021 Read Full Article
Engineers Discover Way to Turn Organic Waste into Renewable Biofuel Additives Using Radiation
(Science Daily/Lancaster University) The renewable proportion of petrol is set to increase to 20 per cent over the coming years, meaning the discovery of a new production pathway for these additives could help in the fight to cut carbon dioxide
September 23, 2021 Read Full Article
Turning Carbon into Solar Fuel – Closing the Loop on CO2 Emissions
by Scarlett Evans (Bio Market Insights) ... Finding technologies to curb our carbon is essential, and attention is turning to projects that make carbon cutting a priority. One such project is that of Swinburne University of Technology’s Associate professor Tianyi Ma, who
September 14, 2021 Read Full Article
Artificial Photosynthesis Technology Emerging
(National Research Council of Science & Technology/Phys.Org) Korean researchers are striving to turn artificial photosynthesis technology into reality to achieve carbon neutrality or accomplish a net carbon emission value of zero. Artificial photosynthesis is a technology that mimics natural photosynthesis by
August 24, 2021 Read Full Article
Operational Energy from Seawater: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to U.S. Naval Research Lab
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The power of water – the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory knows what that means in many ways, but how about making fuel when and where you need it when deployed overseas or in remote island
August 18, 2021 Read Full Article
Biofuels, RNG, SAF, Renewable Chem: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Praj
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) You may know Praj as a biofuels company but this slide guide from ABLC Digital highlights their growth and expansion into more. Check out Praj’s 2G tech enfinity, Bio-Mobility, Bio-Prism, ethanol projects updates, renewable natural
August 16, 2021 Read Full Article
How to Build an Artificial Tree
(Financial Times) Can you build the equivalent of 37,000 trees into a suitcase? Twelve, a tiny start-up founded by three Stanford graduates believes its lab holds the secret to reducing climate change. Their technology turns unwanted CO2 into useful products
August 10, 2021 Read Full Article
Unlock the Power to Predict: NREL Model Benefits Biomass-to-Fuel Reactor Design
by Zia Abdullah (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) researchers can accurately predict reaction rates and optimal conditions for making biofuels. Their secret? Complex math to sketch the intricate chemistry and physics that drive catalytic fast pyrolysis. Catalytic
August 09, 2021 Read Full Article
Scientists Show a Single Catalyst Can Perform the First Step of Turning CO2 into Fuel in Two Very Different Ways
by Glennda Chui (SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory) Their work aims to bridge two approaches to driving the reaction – one powered by heat, the other by electricity – with the goal of discovering more efficient and sustainable ways to convert
August 09, 2021 Read Full Article
A Higher-Yield Fuel Catalyst
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory/Phys.Org) Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers have developed a new catalyst for converting ethanol into C3+ olefins—the chemical building blocks for renewable jet fuel and diesel—that pushes the amount produced to a record-high 88%, a more than 10%
August 03, 2021 Read Full Article
Eni and BASF Launch Joint R&D Initiative to Reduce the CO2 Footprint of the Transportation Sector
(ENI/Newswire Today) Eni and BASF have signed a strategic agreement on a joint R&D initiative to reduce the CO2 footprint of the transportation sector -- Both companies collaborate to develop sustainable technology to produce bio-propanol from industrial residues; • Innovative technology
July 30, 2021 Read Full Article
Better Biocatalysts for Biogas: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Biogas Biocatalysis
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Biological gas-to-liquid conversion offers a means to valorize biogas, improve bioprocess sustainability, and reduce risk of waste and biomass processing. How big is the biogas market? What are the newest biocatalysts and gas fermentation tech
July 30, 2021 Read Full Article
Using Cycloalkanes for Jet Fuel: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Ethanol-Derived Jet Blending Components
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) LanzaTech, Purdue and PNNL are working together to develop a commercially viable process to convert an ethanol-derived olefin intermediate into a jet-range hydrocarbon with 60 wt.% yield to cycloalkanes and demonstrate its commercial utility as
July 14, 2021 Read Full Article
Creating Carbon-Negative ‘Green’ Hydrogen to Fuel Our World
(University of Canterbury) University of Canterbury engineering researchers are developing a carbon-neutral – even carbon-negative – way to create clean ‘green’ hydrogen to power our world more sustainably. -- University of Canterbury Chemical and Process Engineering academics Professor Shusheng Pang and Associate Professor Alex
July 09, 2021 Read Full Article
Saskatchewan Based Startup NULIFE GreenTech Receives Global Recognition.
(NULIFE GreenTech) NULIFE GreenTech is 1 of only 7 companies selected from over 750 global applicants for Repsol Foundation (Spain) Entrepreneurs Fund, and 1 of 9 for the Canadian Trade Commissioners ClimaTech Accelerator. -- - Saskatchewan based startup NULIFE GreenTech (NULIFE) has
July 07, 2021 Read Full Article
Catalyzing the Conversion of Biomass to Biofuel
(Technical University Munich/Phys.Org) Zeolites are extremely porous materials: Ten grams can have an internal surface area the size of a soccer field. Their cavities make them useful in catalyzing chemical reactions and thus saving energy. An international research team has now
July 02, 2021 Read Full Article
Novel Composite Catalyst Holds Promise for Cost-Effective Ethanol-to-Jet-Fuel Conversion
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) ... The well-established, cost-competitive ethanol market provides an opportunity to shift the composition of jet fuel and other fuel products away from petroleum. The Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Bioenergy Technologies
June 07, 2021 Read Full Article
Enzyme System for the Hydrogen Economy
(Ruhr University in Bochum) An enzyme could make a dream of the energy industry come true: it can efficiently generate hydrogen from electricity as well as convert hydrogen into electricity. Both fuel cells, which convert hydrogen into electricity, and electrolysers, which
May 24, 2021 Read Full Article
2021 Project Peer Review—Presentation Database
(U.S. Department of Energy) The Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) hosted its 2021 Project Peer Review virtually on March 8‒12, 2021; March 15‒16, 2021; and March 22‒26, 2021. Presentations for all sessions can be found in the searchable database below. For more information,
May 19, 2021 Read Full Article
Scientists Uncover Structure of Light-Driven Enzyme with Potential Biofuel Applications
U.S. Department of Eneryg/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory) Although many organisms capture and respond to sunlight, enzymes - proteins that catalyze biochemical reactions - are rarely driven by light. Scientists have identified only three types of natural photoenzymes so far. The newest
April 27, 2021 Read Full Article
BioDiesel Production as a Safe Disposal Route for High-Risk Fats
(BioEnergy International) RepCAT, a new process by BCI-BioEnergy Internationa, Austrian plant manufacturer and technology provider, has been approved -- BDI’s RepCAT technology approved for safe disposal of high-risk fat material. World’s first biodiesel production process to use a recyclable catalyst. Using this
April 22, 2021 Read Full Article
A Stable Copper Catalyst for CO 2 Conversion
(Ruhr University Bochum) CO 2 can be converted electrochemically into raw materials for industry. So far, however, there is a lack of catalysts that are stable over a long period. A few tricks might solve the problem. Researchers at the Ruhr University Bochum and the
March 29, 2021 Read Full Article
Biocrude Passes the 2,000-hour Catalyst Stability Test
by Karyn Hede (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Sewage and food waste biocrude conversion process reaches major milestone -- A large-scale demonstration converting biocrude to renewable diesel fuel has passed a significant test, operating for more than 2,000 hours continuously without
March 26, 2021 Read Full Article
New Clean Energy Process Converts Methane to Hydrogen with Zero Carbon Dioxide Emissions
by Lynne Roeder (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Novel bimetallic catalyst also yields valuable solid carbon co-products for manufacturing industries -- ... Researchers from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and West Virginia University (WVU), in collaboration with industry partners Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas)
March 22, 2021 Read Full Article
5 Key Tech Takeaways: Highlights from Tech Presented at ABLC 2020
by Iacovos Vasalos (Center for Research and Technology-Hellas/Biofuels Digest) This report summarizes highlights from the ABLC 2020 Biofuels Digest Virtual Conference, which took place in July 7-10, 2020. (And if you haven’t already registered for this year’s ABLC Digital on May 3-7,
March 10, 2021 Read Full Article
Fuels from Thin Air: Prometheus Joins the Chase to Make Captured CO2 into Net Zero Hydrocarbon Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) One more company to focus on in our tour of CO2 usage. It’s another electrofuels play called Prometheus Fuels using atmospheric CO2 using water, electricity, and nanotube membranes to produce commercially viable fuels. The project was
March 04, 2021 Read Full Article
How to Utilise CO2? The Nominees for the Innovation Award “Best CO2 Utilisation 2021” Have the Answers!
(nova-Institute) Carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) is one of the most obvious solutions to further reduce CO2 emissions, but it is yet still hardly exploited. However, these six nominated technologies turn CO2 into value: ethanol, methanol, polyols, surfactants or syngas – the
February 26, 2021 Read Full Article
Low Carbon Renewable Hydrogen Tech: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to SBI BioEnergy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Started in 1998 as SBI Fine Chemicals, then in 2009 SBI BioEnergy to commercialize renewable liquid fuel tech to just last year pivoting to gölu H2 to commercialize renewable hydrogen tech, check out this illuminating
February 17, 2021 Read Full Article
Bioenergy Technologies Office 2021 Project Peer Review --- March 8-16, 2021 and March 22-26, 2021 --- ONLINE
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) is hosting the 2021 Project Peer Review on March 8-16, 2021 and March 22-26, 2021 that will be held virtually on Zoom. Approximately 300 projects in BETO’s research, development, and demonstration portfolio
February 03, 2021 Read Full Article
Honeywell Introduces Simplified Technology to Produce Renewable Diesel
(Honeywell UOP) Honeywell UOP Ecofining™ single-stage process produces cleaner-burning high-cetane transportation fuels chemically identical to petroleum-based diesel -- Honeywell today announced that it has introduced a single-stage UOP Ecofining™ technology offering for the production of renewable diesel fuel. The new single-stage
January 13, 2021 Read Full Article
Biofuels Need Cost-Effective Separations Tech: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Bioprocessing Separations Consortium
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Four critical challenges in biochemical and thermochemical processing were addressed in the just released “Bioprocessing Separations Consortium Three-Year Overview” U.S. BETO report, including targeting the fractionation of lignin to enable valorization; Developing technologies to enable
January 05, 2021 Read Full Article
Transforming Carbon Dioxide into Jet Fuel Using an Organic Combustion-Synthesized Fe-Mn-K Catalyst
Benzhen Yao, Tiancun Xiao, Ofentse A. Makgae, Xiangyu Jie, Sergio Gonzalez-Cortes, Shaoliang Guan, Angus I. Kirkland, Jonathan R. Dilworth, Hamid A. Al-Megren, Saeed M. Alshihri, Peter J. Dobson, Gari P. Owen, John M. Thomas & Peter P. Edwards (Nature Communications)
January 04, 2021 Read Full Article
These Metal-Based Catalysts Can Boost Biofuel Yields
by Mike Timko (Worcester Polytechnic Institute/Biofuels Digest) A recent study led by a team from Worcester Polytechnic Institute shows that metal-oxide-based catalysts reduce char build up during biofuel conversion processes, increasing bio-crude oil yield and decreasing yields of low-value byproducts. ... Utilizing
December 24, 2020 Read Full Article
Modern Alchemy: University of North Dakota Aims to Turn Corn Stalks, Stems and Leaves into Jet Fuel
(University of North Dakota/News Wise) One of the significant challenges for renewable alternative fuels could be solved if a consortium of research laboratories led by the University of North Dakota can turn corn waste into jet fuel. Wayne Seames, Chester Fritz Distinguished
November 25, 2020 Read Full Article
Okeechobee: From Blooms to Biocrude
by Mary Ann Showalter (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) PNNL’s hydrothermal liquefaction shows promise for turning harmful algal blooms into biocrude -- ... Algal blooms can also raise treatment costs for drinking water suppliers, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The U.S.
November 25, 2020 Read Full Article
Catalytic Conversion of Ethanol into Renewable Chemicals: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Catalyxx
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The world is awash in low-cost ethanol thanks to bioeconomy technology, but we’re not yet awash in high-value renewable chemicals — now, with new technology, we can make those high-value chemicals from ethanol. If you
November 23, 2020 Read Full Article
Utilizing CO2, as the Cause of Global Warming, as the Source for Fuel and Energy? Green Science Alliance Confirmed Artificial Photosynthesis with their Original Catalyst
(Green Science Alliance Co./CISION/PR Newswire) ... Artificial photosynthesis is one of the innovative technologies to clean up our atmosphere. Just like plants, this technology utilizes the energy of sun light and from CO2 and water, they can produce organic substances including
November 19, 2020 Read Full Article
Scientists Develop Catalyst to Convert Ethanol into High-Value Chemicals and Fuels
by Christina Nunez (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory/Phys.Org) Though we usually think of ethanol as fuel for the gas tank, it can also be transformed into valuable chemicals that could help replace a variety of petroleum-based products beyond just gasoline. However, evolving
November 12, 2020 Read Full Article
Making Biodiesel from Dirty Old Cooking Oil Just Got Way Easier
(RMIT University/EurekAlert!) New ultra-efficient catalyst can recycle old cooking oil into biodiesel and turn food scraps into high-value complex molecules -- Researchers have developed a powerful, low-cost method for recycling used cooking oil and agricultural waste into biodiesel, and turning food
October 27, 2020 Read Full Article
Process Systems Engineering for Biofuels Development
edited by Adrian Bonilla-Petriciolet, Gade Pandu Rangaiah , Christian V. Stevens (Wiley) A comprehensive overview of current developments and applications in biofuels production -- Process Systems Engineering for Biofuels Development brings together the latest and most cutting-edge research on the production of
October 15, 2020 Read Full Article
Gevo Collaborates with TOTAL Cray Valley to Develop Renewable Isoamylene
(Gevo) Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEVO), announced today that it has signed a joint development agreement with TOTAL Cray Valley, part of TOTAL’s Polymers division to upgrade fusel oils from ethanol production into renewable Isoamylene. Isoamylene is predominately used in a diverse
October 15, 2020 Read Full Article
ANL Releases 2020 Updates to GREET Models
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Argonne National Laboratory’s Systems Assessment Center on Oct. 9 announced the 2020 release of the suite of Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies (GREET) models. GREET is a life-cycle analysis tool that can
October 13, 2020 Read Full Article
Bacterial Cellulose Degradation System Could Give Boost to Biofuels Production
(National Institutes of Natural Sciences/Phys.Org) ... When plants are processed into biofuels or other biomass applications, cellulose has to be degraded into simpler sugar molecules first, and this step can represent up to a quarter of the operating and capital costs
October 08, 2020 Read Full Article
Pertamina to Use Honeywell UOP Technologies to Produce Advanced Biofuels in Indonesia
(Honeywell UOP) National Oil Company of Indonesia to open green fuels refinery in Plaju and revamp Cilacap refinery for renewable diesel production -- Honeywell today announced PT Pertamina (Persero) will use Honeywell UOP technologies to produce advanced biofuels at its Plaju
September 29, 2020 Read Full Article
WEBINAR: Technology for Fulfilling the Promise of Advanced Bioethanol --- October 15, 2020
Demand for the sustainable production of biofuels and in particular bioethanol is growing rapidly, and its use in fuels can help reduce CO2 emissions significantly and help mitigate climate change. Transportation is its largest end-use industry segment and is keen
September 24, 2020 Read Full Article
Better Catalysts for a Sustainable Bioeconomy
by Brigitte Osterath (The Federal Council Swiss Government/Paul Scherrer Institute) Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI and from ETH Zurich want to make so-called zeolites more efficient. Today, these compounds are already indispensable additives in the chemical industry and have been
September 22, 2020 Read Full Article
Not Your Average Refinery
(Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Small stockpiles of biomass such as sewage, food waste, and wood chips are often overlooked in visions of future sustainable fuel and chemical production. The dismissal arises because transporting these materials to a large-scale, centralized bio-refinery would
September 21, 2020 Read Full Article
Pivoting from Plants-to-Food to Plants-to-X – What’s the Future of Ag?
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Is it a battle of plants for food versus plants for biofuels, biochemicals, biobased products? What about fermentation? Will food made from fermentation be the end of agriculture as we know it? Will one be
September 21, 2020 Read Full Article
Prometheus Fuels Licenses Energy-Saving ORNL Ethanol-to-Jet-Fuel Process
(EurekAlert!/Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Prometheus Fuels has licensed an ethanol-to-jet-fuel conversion process developed by researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The ORNL technology will enable cost-competitive production of jet fuel and co-production of butadiene for use in
September 16, 2020 Read Full Article
New Process Boosts Lignin Bio-oil as a Next-Generation Fuel
(Georgia Tech News Center) A new low-temperature, multi-phase process for upgrading lignin bio-oil to hydrocarbons could help expand use of the lignin, which is now largely a waste product left over from the production of cellulose and bioethanol from trees and
September 14, 2020 Read Full Article
2019 Project Peer Review Report Published
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) hosted the 2019 Project Peer Review on March 4–7, 2019, in Denver, Colorado. During the event, 447 projects in BETO’s research portfolio were presented in 14 simultaneous review
September 12, 2020 Read Full Article
NREL's Catalysis Research Team Boosts Efficiency for the Production of High-Octane Gasoline and Jet Fuel from Biomass
by Zia Abdullah (U.S. Department of Energy) Techno-economic analysis leads to a market-responsive biorefinery concept -- ... THE CHALLENGE: REDUCE BIOMASS TO BIOFUEL CONVERSION COSTS -- ... The production of biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass is hindered by high conversion costs, creating
September 10, 2020 Read Full Article
Lignocellulosic Platform Goes Beyond Biofuels: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Clariant’s Sunliquid
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Chemicals, catalysis, additives – At ABLC Digital this July, Clariant shared how they are working on advancing biofuels globally and details on their sunliquid technology to decarbonize transportation. A fully integrated and carbon negative process, sunliquid
September 06, 2020 Read Full Article
Follow the Rainbow! The Digest Interview: Dr. Chaudhari at Praj Industries on 2020 and What the Future Holds
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... The recent launch of Praj’s Bio-Prism platform comprises of renewable chemicals and materials (RCM) solutions and promises sustainability while reimagining nature. We are witnessing strong interest from various stakeholders and some of the
August 31, 2020 Read Full Article
Non-Top500 Argonne System Helps Find Method to Convert CO2 into Ethanol
(Inside HPC/Northern Illinois University) By supercomputing standards, Argonne National Lab’s Bebop (stood up in 2017, 1.75 teraflops, bumped off the Top500 list after the June 2019 ranking) seems something of a second-tier player. But non-Top500 systems like Bebop can still take a star
August 21, 2020 Read Full Article
How High Throughput Technology Will Accelerate Your R&D in the Conversion of Renewables --- September 9, 2020 --- ONLINE
Novel chemical processes that convert renewable feedstocks into high-value products are very important, since they allow a more sustainable use of resources and foster the growth of the circular economy but selecting the correct one can be a challenge. Making
August 21, 2020 Read Full Article
17 Projects with 4 Billion Gallons, 9 Fast Emerging Players: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to California’s Green Rush
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) At DigestConnect this past Thursday, we talked about the latest the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard, how the LCFS relates to the Renewable Fuel Standard and energy values, we compared the value stack for 5 popular
August 19, 2020 Read Full Article
Waste Industry Biogas to Diesel Fuel: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to T2C-Energy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... A new project is focused on optimizing this new TRIFTS technology at a relevant engineering scale capable of utilizing both the CO2 and CH4 portions of biogas and incorporating them into the hydrocarbon backbone
August 18, 2020 Read Full Article
Frontiers in the Bioeconomy: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Praj’s Bio-Mobility, 2G Ethanol & Renewable Chem
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) At ABLC Digital in July, Pramod Kumbhar, President and CTO at Praj Matrix’s R&D Center shared this illuminating slide guide on their Bio-Mobility platform, enfinity – Praj’s 2G ethanol technology, their latest work in marine
August 11, 2020 Read Full Article
Turning Carbon Dioxide into Liquid Fuel
by Joseph E. Harmon (Argonne National Laboratory) New electrocatalyst efficiently converts carbon dioxide into ethanol. ... A research team, led by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory in collaboration with Northern Illinois University, has discovered a new
August 11, 2020 Read Full Article
Rich in Sun or Wind? Here’s How Your Country Can Export Renewables
by Marc Engelhardt (Siemens Enegy) Green e-methanol is the ideal basis for a variety of alternative fuels and chemical compounds concentrated in universal e-Fuel hubs, according to Siemens Energy innovation expert Ireneusz Pyc. The idea, known for some time, has now
August 06, 2020 Read Full Article
Transitioning to the New BioRefining Era & Future Vision for Ethanol Plants
by Joel Stone (ConVergInce Advisers/Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) ... A unique and affordable bolt on technology offered by Catalyxx (www.catalyxxinc.com) is available now and can offer options and opportunities to the present and post Covid ethanol infrastructure to expand and create new
July 29, 2020 Read Full Article
Top Renewable Diesel Projects and Pathways: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Renewable Diesel Now
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) If you missed last week’s DigestConnect webinar, have no fear, the full deck is here! From 11 pathways on who’s doing what, how and with what, 21 projects and who’s running them and where, 13
July 27, 2020 Read Full Article
Emerging Markets Publishes Renewable Diesel 2030 Report
by Will Thurmond (Emerging Markets) Renewable Diesel 2030 is designed to help financiers, producers, developers, distributors, consultants and analysts with a fact-filled market guide detailing medium and long-term trends and developments in the renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuels sectors. This
July 23, 2020 Read Full Article
Microbes Pave Way for Green Flight
by Irini Angelidaki (Technical University of Denmark) ... “Soon bacteria, yeast, and fungi will become the factories that produce not only fuel, but also a wide range of chemicals, plastics, and even proteins,” says Professor Irini Angelidaki, DTU Environment. An important realization
July 16, 2020 Read Full Article
E-Fuels Can Replace Fossil Fuels
by Ib Chorkendorff (Technical University of Denmark) The aircraft, ships, and lorries of the future must be powered by e-fuels—fuels produced partly from captured CO2—and partly from hydrogen produced by the splitting of water. ... According to the physics professor’s vision,
July 16, 2020 Read Full Article
5 Ways to Reduce Costs in Integrated Biorefineries: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Enabling Lower-Cost Biofuels
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) just released a new report that outlines five specific, yet broadly applicable, areas of focus to reduce costs in an integrated biorefinery. This analysis builds upon ongoing R&D strategies to lower
July 13, 2020 Read Full Article
Clariant and Ineratec to Commercialize Renewable-Fuel Technologies
by Scott Jenkins (Chemical Engineering) Clariant (Muttenz, Switzerland; www.clariant.com) and Ineratec (Karlsruhe, Germany; www.ineratec.de) have entered into a partnership to develop and commercialize novel technologies for the production of renewable fuels and chemicals. Clariant will provide its extensive catalysis expertise and broad portfolio
June 18, 2020 Read Full Article
SAF Trends for 2020 and Beyond: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Sustainable Aviation Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Who’s making what, how, where and when? Find out why there are a zillian paths to sustainable aviation fuels and take a look at The Digest’s latest slide guide from last week’s DigestConnect webinar to
June 15, 2020 Read Full Article
Q&A on Cellulosic Ethanol with Clariant
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) DigestConnect hosted a wildly popular webinar in late April with Clariant’s Head of Business Line, Biofuels & Derivatives at Clariant but there were so many fantastic audience questions we didn’t to, that we decided to follow
May 28, 2020 Read Full Article
Multi-Scale Structured Materials for Electrocatalysis and Photoelectrocatalysis
(Dresden University of Technology/Phys.Org) As a new class of porous materials, noble metal aerogels (NMAs) have drawn attention for their self-supported architectures, high surface areas and their many optically and catalytically active sites, enabling impressive performance in diverse fields. However, current
May 19, 2020 Read Full Article
Air Products and Topsoe Sign Global Alliance Agreement for Collaboration on Large-Scale Ammonia, Methanol, and/or Dimethyl Ether Projects around the World
by Svend Ravn (Haldor Topsoe) Air Products (NYSE:APD), a global leader in industrial gases and megaproject development, and Haldor Topsoe, the world leader in high-performance catalysts and proprietary technology for the chemical and refining industries, today announced the signing of a
May 18, 2020 Read Full Article
Making Commodity Chemicals Requires Fossil Fuels. New Devices Could Do It with Renewables
by Robert F. Service (Science Magazine) As windmills and solar panels multiply, the supply of renewable electricity sometimes exceeds demand. Chemists would like to put the excess to work making commodity chemicals, such as the raw materials for fertilizer and plastics,
May 11, 2020 Read Full Article
Biofuel for Ships: Diesel and Gasoline Sourced from Renewables
by Iris Kumpmann (Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft/Tech Xplore) ... Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT in Oberhausen have been looking into alternative climate-friendly fuels. They are now able to produce a renewable biofuel that can be converted
May 05, 2020 Read Full Article
The Latest Developments on Powering Our World with Grass, Twigs, and Other Green Waste
by Michael Timko (Worcester Polytechnic Institute/Biofuels Digest) ... But, the food left on our plates is energy dense, rich in starches, lipids, and other components, all begging to be made into biofuels. After years of development, bioenergy costs remain too
April 10, 2020 Read Full Article
Water Splitting Advance Holds Promise for Affordable Renewable Energy
(Science Daily/Washington State University) A team has developed a less expensive water electrolysis system that works under alkaline conditions but still produces hydrogen at comparable rates to the currently used system that works under acidic conditions and requires precious metals.
April 03, 2020 Read Full Article
Upgrading Biomass with Selective Surface-Modified Catalysts
(Brookhaven National Laboratory/Phys.Org) Scientists have designed a catalyst composed of very low concentrations of platinum (single atoms and clusters smaller than billionths of a meter) on the surface of titanium dioxide. They demonstrated how this catalyst significantly enhances the rate
March 27, 2020 Read Full Article
The Secret Sauce: Industry Partnerships Key to Advancing Bio-Based Chemicals and Fuels
by Asanga Padmaperuma (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) ... Today, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Laboratories study the development of chemicals and fuels with the use of cost-effective, renewable carbon sources, while working closely with the bioenergy industry. In support of the
March 25, 2020 Read Full Article
The Competitive Edge: Vertimass LLC
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Vertimass seeks to commercialize novel catalytic technology for low cost conversion of ethanol into hydrocarbon fuels to overcome obstacles that limit ethanol use in gasoline for light duty vehicles and open up new ethanol markets for
March 20, 2020 Read Full Article
A Novel Biofuel System for Hydrogen Production from Biomass
(Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology/Phys.Org) A novel technology has been developed for hydrogen production from the process, which involves electron that is produced during the decomposition of biomass such as waste wood. The result produced after biomass decomposition is
March 02, 2020 Read Full Article
Aerospace Company Boom Supersonic to Use Sustainable Aviation Fuels in Test Programme
(Biofuels International) The company building the world’s fastest supersonic airliner, Boom Supersonic, has announced that is XB-1 test programme will be carbon neutral through the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and carbon offsetting. Boom is the first commercial airplane
February 27, 2020 Read Full Article
A Novel Biofuel System for Hydrogen Production from Biomasss
by JooHyeon Heo (Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST)) A novel technology has been developed for hydrogen production from the process, which involves electron that is produced during the decomposition of biomass such as waste wood. The result
February 04, 2020 Read Full Article
The Versatile Ethanol Molecule: Ethylene, with a Similar Molecular Structure to that of Ethanol, Has Enormous Market Opportunity around the World.
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Knock a water molecule off ethanol and you’ll get ethylene, C2H4—the most widely produced organic chemical globally that is the basis for scores of other chemicals and hundreds (maybe thousands) of products, from
January 30, 2020 Read Full Article
The New Carbon Economy: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Waste Carbon Utilization and Management
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Electrification and batteries can’t remove the need for carbon,and a more sustainable economy is not a low-carbon economy as much as it will be a renewable carbon based economy, according to Ian Rowe, Technology Manager at
January 27, 2020 Read Full Article
WPI Professor Expands Green Energy Research with $2M DOE Grant -- Chemical Engineer Works to Turn Yard Waste and Food Waste into Biofuel
by Sharon Gaudin (Worcester Polytech Institute) Chemical engineers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are broadening attempts to convert waste into environmentally friendly biofuels, lowering reliance on fossil fuels, cutting the amount of municipal waste going into landfills, and reducing water pollution and
January 23, 2020 Read Full Article
EERE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable E : Department of Energy Announces nearly $100 Million for Bioenergy Research and Development DEADLINE Concept PaperMarch 5, 2020
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced up to over $96 million in funding for bioenergy research and development. This funding supports the U.S. bioeconomy, as well as DOE's goal of providing consumers and businesses
January 23, 2020 Read Full Article
Who’s the Mystery Date? Green Hydrogen for Renewable Diesel’s Stealthy Project
by Jim Lane (Hydrogen Digest) From Planet Houston we’ve heard that ENGlobal inked a $20 million to supply process modules that will be used to construct a complete hydrogen production facility. The plant will be a major component of an otherwise
January 16, 2020 Read Full Article
From a By-Product of the Biodiesel Industry to Sustainable Production of a Valuable Chemical
(Tokyo Institute of Technology/Phys.Org) ... However, biodiesel synthesis produces excessive amounts of glycerol (C3H8O3); it is estimated than the biodiesel industry in Europe alone produces a surplus of 1.4 million tons of glycerol, which cannot be sold to other industries. If glycerol
January 09, 2020 Read Full Article
Innovations in Biodiesel Technology
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) New biodiesel process technologies continue to emerge, promising optimization of production through greater efficiencies and lower costs. -- Crown Iron Works: ... The global Minnesota-based firm has built 50 biodiesel plants around the world. Like
January 08, 2020 Read Full Article
Forest Service Grants License for Biomass Conversion Technology
by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Forest Service announced in November its intent to grant a license for technology that can efficiently fractionate lignocellulosic biomass to a Canadian company, Whispering Green Energy. And that license has now been granted,
January 02, 2020 Read Full Article
Autothermal Pyrolysis: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Rethinking Thermochemical Processing
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Iowa State University is working on fast pyrolysis, and Robert Brown, Director of the university’s Bioeconomy Institute looks at how their work is making us rethink thermochemical processing. By looking at autothermal pyrolysis, and more, Brown
December 27, 2019 Read Full Article
One-Step Process: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to ETB’s Butadiene from Ethanol
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ETB Catalytic Technologies developed a unique technology of producing butadiene from ethanol production. But the big question is how do they commercialize the technology? Just ask Vladimir Trembovolsky, CEO of ETB Catalytic Technologies who shared this presentation
December 19, 2019 Read Full Article
Scientists Convert Plastics into Useful Chemicals Using Sunlight
(Nanyang Technological University/Science Daily) ... Chemists at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have discovered a method that could turn plastic waste into valuable chemicals by using sunlight. In lab experiments, the research team mixed plastics with their catalyst in a
December 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Neutrons Optimize High Efficiency Catalyst for Greener Approach to Biofuel Synthesis
(U.S. Department of Energy/Oak Ridge National Laboratory/Science Daily) Researchers used neutron scattering in the development of a catalyst that converts biomass into liquid fuel with remarkably high efficiency and provides new possibilities for manufacturing renewable energy-related materials. Researchers led by the
December 17, 2019 Read Full Article
RUDN University Chemist Found a Catalyst to Improve Biofuel Production
(RUDN University/Phys.Org) Chemists from RUDN University, Chulalongkorn University (Thailand), and the University of Cordoba (Spain) have developed a new method for the synthesis of biofuels from renewable vegetable raw materials. They proposed to use bimetallic catalysts for the production of
December 16, 2019 Read Full Article
Consolidated Production of Coniferol and Other High-Value Aromatic Alcohols Directly from Lignocellulosic Biomass
by Robson Tramontina, James L. Galman, Fabio Parmeggiani, Sasha R. Derrington, Timothy D. H. Bugg, Nicholas J. Turner, Fabio M. Squin and Neil Dixon (Green Chemistry) Sustainable production of fine chemicals and biofuels from renewable biomass offers a potential alternative
December 09, 2019 Read Full Article
Trash to Cash – New Anellotech Technology Tackles Plastics Pollution by Recycling Plastic Waste Into Chemicals
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In New York, breaking news arrived that Anellotech is significantly expanding its program with Plas-TCat, a new process technology aiming to convert a wide range of plastic waste directly into chemicals – which can then
December 09, 2019 Read Full Article
Biofuels Production and Consumption in Denmark: Status, Advances and Challenges
by Sune Tjalfe Thomsen and Henning Jørgensen (IEA Bioenergy Task 39 Newsletter) 1. Status of transportation biofuel industry in Denmark -- In Denmark, a considerable part of the total energy demand is derived from renewable sources. In 2017, 26% of
December 06, 2019 Read Full Article
Biofuels Could Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions By 96%
by Steve Hanley (Clean Technica) There is nothing inherently wrong with internal combustion engines. The problem is the fuels we use to run them emit billions of tons of greenhouse gases every year, gases which cause the Earth to get hotter.
December 04, 2019 Read Full Article
Wanted – Stronger Microbial Strains: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to NREL’s Biological Sugar Upgrades
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Microbial strains convert lignocellulosic sugars to fuel precursors, but Jeff Linger from National Renewable Energy Laboratory gave this illuminating presentation at the DOE’s BETO 2019 Project Peer Review that details how they are looking to
December 03, 2019 Read Full Article
New PHA Pathway, Stroodles Noodle Straws, Bamboo Poutine, Seaweed Bioplastic, Rice Husk Travel Mugs and More: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of November 28th
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... It’s Thanksgiving in the U.S. today and many are gathering around the table, chatting about the latest news, like the new Air Protein – air-based food – and whether it will be served alongside…or
November 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Verdict’s in for Vertimass: Yep, It’s Commercially Viable
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From California the jury’s come in for Vertimass. We received word of a paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, which summarizes key attributes of Vertimass’ unique technology
November 27, 2019 Read Full Article
LanzaTech Moves Forward on Sustainable Aviation Scale Up in the USA and Japan
(LanzaTech) Carbon recycling pioneer, LanzaTech, continues to make strides in scaling up its alcohol to jet (ATJ) platform. Commercialization of the ATJ process has been years in the making, starting with the partnership between LanzaTech and the U.S Energy Department’s Pacific
November 26, 2019 Read Full Article
Like Fine Wine, Smellin’ Fine: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Anellotech’s Aromatics
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Fine wine takes time but it’s so worth it when you gather that first aroma of a freshly opened bottle…and Anellotech shows us that the wait is worth it when it comes to technology too.
November 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Renewable Natural Gas Start-up Company Completes Key Milestone Converting Alberta Forest Residues into Pipeline-Quality Gas
(Canadian Gas Association) An innovative clean energy start-up company, G4 Insights Inc., has successfully demonstrated in a field trial that forestry industry residues can be turned into renewable natural gas (RNG). Their RNG technology demonstration project has been supported by
November 04, 2019 Read Full Article
Vertimass Selected by U.S. Department of Energy's Bioenergy Technology Office to Receive Up to $1.4 Million Award to Optimize Renewable Jet Fuel
(Vertimass/PR Newswire) Vertimass to optimize renewable jet fuel blendstocks to maximize energy content and reduce emissions -- Vertimass LLC announced today that Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) within the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy will receive
October 31, 2019 Read Full Article
Lignin and Carbon Dioxide Turned into Ethanol
by Becky Webb (Chemistry World) Process generates bulk chemical from two renewable carbon sources -- Scientists in China have developed a method to produce ethanol using the renewable resources lignin and carbon dioxide for the first time. The process uses a
October 31, 2019 Read Full Article
The Race Is on to Repurpose Garbage
by Marc S. Reisch (Chemical & Engineering News) Despite a spotty track record, companies keep trying to convert trash into energy, fuels, and chemicals -- ... Local press reports noted weather-related construction delays, a challenge to the plant’s environmental permits,
October 31, 2019 Read Full Article
Scientists Develop Efficient Methods to Turn Woody Biomass into Fuels
by Brian Wallheimer (Purdue University) ... Lignin, a complex compound in cell walls, blocks access to plant carbohydrates that could be cleaved into sugars and then fermented into biofuels. The compounds that hold plant cells together, as well as their
October 25, 2019 Read Full Article
Replacing the Barrel: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Conversion Technologies
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Developing efficient and economical biological and chemical technologies to convert biomass feedstocks into energy-dense liquid transportation fuels, such as renewable gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, as well as bioproducts, chemical intermediates, and biopower is the primary goal
September 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Hopes High Red and White Catalyst Will Boost Biofuel Production
(The Jakarta Post/Portal Macaúba) Coordinating Economic Minister Darmin Nasution has urged researchers to complete a study on a new chemical catalyst expected to become a key ingredient in ramping up domestic biofuel production. Pertamina Research and Technology Center – owned state-owned oil
September 11, 2019 Read Full Article
Rice Reactor Turns Greenhouse Gas into Pure Liquid Fuel
by Mike Williams (Rice University) Lab’s ‘green’ invention reduces carbon dioxide into valuable fuels -- A common greenhouse gas could be repurposed in an efficient and environmentally friendly way with an electrolyzer that uses renewable electricity to produce pure liquid fuels. The catalytic reactor
September 05, 2019 Read Full Article
India’s Rising Prowess in Bioeconomy: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Praj’s Perpective from India
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Product, processes and partnerships are what it’s all about in India right now with the country’s latest bioenergy policies and growing activity in the bioeconomy. Pramod Chaudhari, Executive Chairman at Praj Industries gave this illuminating presentation at
September 04, 2019 Read Full Article
Australia Funds World-First Project to Turn Biogas from Sewage into Hydrogen
(ARENA/NGV Journal) On behalf of the Australian Government, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has approved up to $9.41 million in funding to Hazer Group Limited for the construction and operation of a groundbreaking hydrogen production facility in Munster, Western Australia.
September 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Cool Catalytic Conversion: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Vertimass’ Hydrocarbons
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Vertimass’s catalytic conversion is so cool it can convert ethanol into fungible blend stocks in one step without added hydrogen. Their technology produces hydrocarbon fuels and chemicals from biomass – taking biomass through existing biofuels facilities
August 26, 2019 Read Full Article
New Catalysts, Improved Genetic Tools Bring New Opportunities: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to ORNL’s Biomass to Bioproducts
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Organisms are interesting creatures and genetic tools and biochemical pathway knowledge is changing the way we look at them. Brian Davison, Chief Scientist for Biotechnology at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, gave this knowledge-filled presentation on how
August 22, 2019 Read Full Article
Here Comes the Sun – Sunliquid Tech: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Clariant
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Clariant, a Switzerland based specialty chemicals company, has four business areas: Care Chemicals, Natural Resources, Catalysis and Plastics & Coatings. While the first half of the year has been challenging, Clariant was able to increase sales
July 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Renewable Hydrogen: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to SBI BioEnergy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Today’s top story talks about the value of hydrogen so what better Multi-Slide Guide than SBI BioEnergy and their renewable fuel process including their new venture of what they call bio-hydrogen using a proprietary catalytic technology.
July 23, 2019 Read Full Article
Negatonnes: Beyond the ZEV, the Negative Emission Vehicle and Its Amazing Hydrogen Fuel and Electric Drive
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... There’s the technically tougher path, which is to split ethanol and make CO2 and hydrogen. The point source, high-grade CO2 has value. The bio-based hydrogen has even more value than the ethanol. Conceptually, the recipe is
July 23, 2019 Read Full Article
Researchers Build Catalyst to Generate Electrical Energy From Ethanol
(University of Arkansas) Jingyi Chen, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Arkansas, worked with scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory to develop a highly efficient catalyst for generating electrical energy from ethanol. Ethanol is
July 03, 2019 Read Full Article
BASF and Lutianhua Plan to Pilot a New Production Process that Significantly Reduces CO2 Emissions
(BASF) Signing of Memorandum of Understanding to build a pilot plant for a new, energy-efficient one-step process in synthetizing dimethyl ether developed by BASF and Linde; Collaboration facilitated by China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation’s Open Innovation Platform; BASF is strongly committed to
June 24, 2019 Read Full Article
Scientists Develop a Chemocatalytic Approach for One-Pot Reaction of Cellulosic Ethanol
(Chinese Academy of Sciences/Phys.Org) Scientists at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a chemocatalytic approach to convert cellulose into ethanol in a one-pot process by using a multifunctional Mo/Pt/WOx catalyst. This approach
June 13, 2019 Read Full Article
New Core-Shell Catalyst for Ethanol Fuel Cells
(Brookhaven National Laboratory) Greatly boosts efficiency of ethanol electro-oxidation, offering promise for liquid-fuel-cell-powered drones -- Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory and the University of Arkansas have developed a highly efficient catalyst for extracting electrical energy from
June 11, 2019 Read Full Article
Neste and VTT Strengthen Their Partnership through Research Investments in Finland
(Neste) Neste and VTT have today agreed on strategic cooperation which fosters the joint use and development of research infrastructures in Finland. The cooperation aims at strengthening Finnish expertise in bio and circular economy as well as developing cleaner fuel solutions. The
May 28, 2019 Read Full Article
Running on Refuse
by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Enerkem is producing methanol and ethanol at its Edmonton, Alberta, plant, diverting up to 24 percent of the city’s landfill waste. The company has partners for another project in the Netherlands. -- A Canadian company is
May 15, 2019 Read Full Article
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