by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Vertimass technology converts renewable ethanol into gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel blend stocks and high value chemicals. They recently had $2 million scale-up and $500k catalyst optimization awards by DOE BioEnergy Technology Office (BETO) accelerating commercialization. Charles E.
catalysis
Back TO HOMEAnellotech’s Bio-TCat Technology Viability Confirmed during Pilot Plant Campaign – Moving forward with Commercialization
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) We hear the theme song to Disney’s Carousel of Progress… “It’s a great big beautiful tomorrow…” but it’s also a great big beautiful today because the viability of Anellotech’s Bio-TCat technology has been proven by
May 06, 2019 Read Full Article
Government, National Labs, Academia, and Industry Convene at the 2019 BETO Peer Review! Presentations Now Available
(U.S. Department of Energy) From March 4–8, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, hosted the 2019 Project Peer Review in Denver, Colorado. This was the largest Peer Review
May 03, 2019 Read Full Article
REACHing for the Stars: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Mercurius Biorefining
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Mercurius Biorefining is developing its novel REACH process, which converts cellulosic biomass to hydrocarbons in the renewable diesel, aviation, and marine fuel ranges. Valuable by-products include bio-char and a bio-plastic monomer, FDCA. REACH (Renewable Acid-hydrolysis Condensation Hydrotreating)
April 23, 2019 Read Full Article
Surrey Catalyst IP Set to Ignite Innovation in Modern Bio-Refineries
(University of Surrey) The University of Surrey has developed a new, cost-effective type of catalyst that it hopes will ignite innovation in bio-derived added value chemicals and bring about the next generation of bio-refineries. As the world is looking to combat the
March 26, 2019 Read Full Article
ReactWell Licenses ORNL Catalyst for Energy Conversion Applications
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) ReactWell, LLC, has licensed a novel waste-to-fuel technology from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory to improve energy conversion methods for cleaner, more efficient oil and gas, chemical and bioenergy production. ReactWell will bring ORNL’s electrochemical
March 12, 2019 Read Full Article
The Competitive Edge: BioBTX
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Most chemical building blocks, platform chemicals originate from fossil sources. Especially for aromatics, no sustainable production route was available at start of BioBTX. Market size for BTX is 100M tons/year, still growing, with value
March 08, 2019 Read Full Article
3-D-Printed Live Cells Convert Glucose to Ethanol, Carbon Dioxide to Enhance Catalytic Efficiency
by Anne M Stark (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory/Phys.Org) Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) researchers have 3-D printed live cells that convert glucose to ethanol and carbon dioxide gas (CO2), a substance that resembles beer, demonstrating a technology that can lead
March 07, 2019 Read Full Article
Omni3D and the Cyprus University of Technology Are Working on Reducing CO2
(Omni3D) Omni3D Ltd, which is specialized in the production of industrial 3D printing, is conducting an innovative project in collaboration with the Cyprus University of Technology within the European M-Era net. -- The participants of the project “The production of biofuel
February 28, 2019 Read Full Article
Cortus Energy and Swedish Biofuels Cooperate for the World’s First Bio-Jet Fuel Plant Based on Forest Resources
(Cortus Energy) Cortus Energy AB (Publ) and Swedish Biofuels AB (SB) have agreed in a preliminary agreement about cooperating with the goal of during 2019, jointly projecting a first commercial plant for production of bio-jet fuel based on forest raw material
February 20, 2019 Read Full Article
Biofuels Are Key to Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions
by Arlin E. Gyberg (StarTribune) The biofuels industry over the last 30 years has produced more product using less energy and water and contributes far less carbon-dioxide emissions than petroleum fuels. -- Across Minnesota, about 25 ethanol and biodiesel plants generate about
February 19, 2019 Read Full Article
MEGA MEG – Braskem and Haldor Topsoe’s Monoethylene Glycol from Sugar Is in Operation
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ...Brazil-based Braskem and Denmark-based Haldor Topsoe just commissioned their pioneering demonstration unit, located in Denmark, for the development of monoethylene glycol (MEG) from sugar. Their innovation for renewable plastic made from sugar instead of traditional fossil
February 11, 2019 Read Full Article
Flax Fiber Skis, Biobased Turf for 2020 Olympics, Gevo’s Isoprene, Veja Vegan Leather, Castor Oil Jacket Membrane and More: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of February 8th
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of February 8th. In today’s Digest, flax fiber skis, biobased turf for 2020 Olympics, Gevo’s isoprene, Veja
February 08, 2019 Read Full Article
Gevo Develops Renewable Isoprene from Waste Alcohols
by Elaine Burridge (CheManagerInternational) US clean technology company Gevo has developed a catalytic process that converts waste alcohols into renewable isoprene. The company Gevo expects the isoprene produced by its proprietary process will be able to compete head-to-head on price with
February 06, 2019 Read Full Article
Growth of Engineered Pseudomonas putida KT2440 on Glucose, Xylose and Arabinose: Hemicellulose Hydrolysates and Their Major Sugars as Sustainable Carbon Sources
by Yan Wang, Felix Horlamus, Marius Henkel, Filip Kovacic, Sandra Schläfle, Rudolf Hausmann, Andreas Wittgens, Frank Rosenau (Global Change Biology Bioenergy) Lignocellulosic biomass is the most abundant bioresource on earth containing polymers mainly consisting of D‐glucose, D‐xylose, L‐arabinose and further sugars.
February 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Gevo Announces Breakthrough Development of Renewable Isoprene, a Key Chemical Building Block for Producing Rubber and Rubber Products
(GEVO/Globe Newswire) Potentially price competitive with petroleum-based isoprene, made with 100% renewable carbon -- Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEVO), a leading renewable fuels and chemicals manufacturer, announced today that it has developed a proprietary, breakthrough catalytic process that transforms low-cost commercially available, or
January 29, 2019 Read Full Article
January 2019 PyNe43 Newsletter Available
(Netzwerk Biotreibstoffe) It (January 2019 PyNe43 Newsletter) contains contributions on Electrocatalytic upgrading to stabilize pyrolysis oil Progress towards commercialization at pilot and demonstration scale Pyrolysis of forestry and fishery residue for rural applications. Overview on catalysts to upgrade pyrolysis oils.
January 28, 2019 Read Full Article
Advancements in Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis Give Biofuels a Boost
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory) National laboratory researchers demonstrate improvements in bio-oil yield through catalyst and process development. -- Researchers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) have identified an approach to improve
January 10, 2019 Read Full Article
India Makes Breakthrough in Biofuel Development
by Haley Zaremba (OilPrice.com) ... The latest headline to come from efforts of scientists around the globe is a new discovery by a team of scientists based in the west Indian city of Pune at the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), which offers
January 03, 2019 Read Full Article
Catalysis Rocking: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to ChemCatBio
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ChemCatBio is a research and development consortium dedicated to identifying and overcoming catalysis challenges for biomass conversion processes. Led by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories, we work with industry to rapidly transition R&D discoveries
December 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Improved Catalyst Can Speed up Conversion of Industrial Biomass into Biofuel
by Monika Kundu Srivastava (TechExplorist) ... Scientists at the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune, have developed a faster, environment-friendly method for conversion of industrial biomass into biodiesel. An organic compound called furfural is produced from agricultural waste biomass like bagasse, cottonseed hulls, sawdust, oat
December 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Fast Pyrolysis Technology: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to Biomass Technology Group
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Biomass Technology Group develops fast pyrolysis technology and FPBO applications as well as the commercialization of such technology and production of fast pyrolysis bio-oil. Bert van de Beld from BTG gave this illuminating overview of their fast pyrolysis technology
December 17, 2018 Read Full Article
Researchers Advance Biomass Transformation Process
(Chinese Academy of Sciences/Phys.Org) ... Thus, it is important to develop a highly efficient water-resistant catalyst to directly and selectively convert crude aqueous oxygenate mixtures to value-added chemicals; water-immiscible ones (easy separation after reaction) are especially of great importance. However, the efficiency
December 07, 2018 Read Full Article
Turning Grams into Tonnes: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant aims to enable the transition to a sustainable bio-based economy through development, scale-up and custom manufacturing of bio-based product and processes. Hendrik Waegeman, Head of Business Development at BBEU gave this illuminating overview of the
December 04, 2018 Read Full Article
Brain Regeneration, Data Storage with Biocomputers, Plastic from Waste Gases, Bamboo Diapers, Gene-Edited Wheat, Jackets from Bison Fluff : The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of November 29th
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of November 29th. ... #3 Munich researchers use algae to convert waste gas to carbon fiber In Germany, researchers
November 30, 2018 Read Full Article
New Report on Cell-Free Synthetic Biology and Biocatalysis!
(U.S. Department of Energy) Cell-Free Synthetic Biology and Biocatalysis Listening Day Summary Report Published -- The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE’s) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) hosted a listening day in Denver, Colorado, last year to discuss research and development opportunities related to
October 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Sweden: Plant Produces Synthetic Natural Gas from Waste Wood
(Karlsruhe Institute of Technology/NGV Journal) Researchers of the German Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) succeeded in producing renewable methane from a biomass-based synthesis gas mixture in their pilot plant for honeycomb methanation. The quality of this synthetic natural gas (SNG) is
October 25, 2018 Read Full Article
The 40 Hottest Technologies of 2018 – As Voting Gets Underway, the Nominees in Depth
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) All through this month, Digest subscribers have been voting on the 40 Hottest Transformative Technologies in the Advanced Bioeconomy. While the Hot 50 concentrates on organizations — this set of rankings could include a complete process, a
October 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Production of Renewable Gas from Waste Wood
(Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) KIT’s researchers succeeded in producing renewable methane from a biomass-based synthesis gas mixture in their pilot plant for honeycomb methanation. The quality of this synthetic natural gas (SNG) is comparable to that of fossil natural gas and
October 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Scaling up Biobased BTX: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Anellotech
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Founded in 2008, Anellotech has developed a clean technology platform for inexpensively producing bio-based chemicals from renewable non-food biomass. These drop-in, green versions of widely used petrochemicals; benzene, toluene and xylenes, are used to make plastics
October 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Of Flying Peaches and Barrels of Monkeys: The Quest for Sustainable Flight by World-Scaling a Neurotransmitter
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
October 09, 2018 Read Full Article
DE-FOA-0001951: Request for Inforamtion (RFI): Understanding Catalyst Production and Development Needs at National Laboratories DEADLINE: October 22, 2018
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) is requesting input from industry (including but not limited to contract research organizations, contract manufacturing organizations, catalyst manufacturers,
October 05, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Clariant Biotechnology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Clariant’s Group Biotechnology — responsible for the Technology Platform Biotechnology — develops tailor-made biotechnological processes for the economic and sustainable production of bio-based chemicals and biofuels. It focuses on bio-catalysis and bio-refining. Innovative technologies for the sustainable conversion of
September 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Research Brief: Researchers Discover How Caged Molecules ‘Rattle and Sing’
(University of Minnesota) A team of energy researchers from the University of Minnesota and University of Massachusetts Amherst has discovered that molecular motion can be predicted with high accuracy when confining molecules in small nanocages. Their theoretical method is suitable for
September 17, 2018 Read Full Article
Chemists Develop Nanocatalysts for Continuous Biofuel Synthesis
(RUDN University/Phys.Org) A chemist from RUDN synthesized new catalysts with ruthenium (Ru) nanoparticles for producing biofuel from organic biowaste. Nanocatalysts support more intensive and sustained reactions than the compounds currently available in the market. The results of the study were published
September 14, 2018 Read Full Article
The Wonder from Down Under, Canada-Style: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Licella, Canfor
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Licella produces drop-in biofuels from a wide range of biomass and uses a supercritical water-based technology and catalysts to break up biomass and reform it into a drop-in fuel hydrocarbon. The compelling features of supercritical are several: 1.
September 04, 2018 Read Full Article
Recycling Plastics & Circular Economy
by KSL (Biofuels Digest/E2IG Solutions) ... The constantly increasing demand for plastics have caused substantial plastic wastes accumulation in landfills, oceans and rivers that have aggravated environmental pollution problems. The rising plastics demand has contributed significantly to the depletion of petroleum
August 28, 2018 Read Full Article
27 Technologies to Produce Lower Carbon Fuels from “Second Chance Carbon” — and Its Practicioners. Who’s Doing What, Where, When, Why and How?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In the EU, perhaps the most comprehensive and useful guide to fuels and chemicals produced from “Recycled carbon fuels”, such as those produced from waste plastics or waste industrial gases, appeared from the gurus at E4Tech. And,
August 22, 2018 Read Full Article
The Road to Biobased BTX: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Anellotech
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Founded in 2008, Anellotech has developed a clean technology platform for inexpensively producing bio-based chemicals from renewable non-food biomass. These drop-in, green versions of widely used petrochemicals; benzene, toluene and xylenes, are used to make plastics
August 15, 2018 Read Full Article
How Is CAAFI Engaging with Emerging Companies, and What Early-Stage Pathways Should SAJF Stakeholders Be Aware of?
(Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuel Initiative) ... Feedstocks: The companies are pursuing various feedstock categories, including algae, cellulosics, lipids, sugars, oilseeds, tall oil residue, and sugars. Most of the companies were only pursuing one feedstock category, with only a couple continuing
August 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Request for Information (RFI): Understanding Catalyst Production and Development Needs at National Laboratories RFI Released RESPONSES DUE: September 14, 2018
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office issued a request for information (RFI) titled, Understanding Catalyst Production and Development Needs at National Laboratories. Catalysts increase the rate of a chemical reaction and are used in
August 02, 2018 Read Full Article
High-Yield Hydrocarbons from Ethanol: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Vertimass
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Vertimass technology was originated at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where scientists discovered novel catalysts that convert a wide range of alcohols into various hydrocarbon blend stocks which can be used in existing gasoline, diesel and jet
August 01, 2018 Read Full Article
Low-Carbon Jet Fuel and Diesel, at Scale: The Digest 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to AltAir Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Established in 2013, AltAir Fuels was created to produce low carbon fuels and chemicals derived from sustainable feedstock. For its first commercial project, AltAir partnered with Alon Energy USA to use its existing refinery in Paramount,
July 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Top 10 Transformations – Pivotal Pivots for Survival in the Bioeconomy
Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... Some of these started with biofuels then went into chemicals, nutrition or protein and some are going back to their beginnings. What they all have in common, however, is they are transforming…as markets change, as
July 16, 2018 Read Full Article
WSU Researchers Creating Catalyst to Improve Jet Biofuel Production
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
June 29, 2018 Read Full Article
New Catalyst Upgrades Carbon Dioxide to Fuels Found by USTC
(EurekAlert!/University of Science and Technology of China) Liquid multi-carbon alcohols such as ethanol and n-propanol are desired as renewable transportation fuels. They offer high energy densities, ease of long-range transport, and direct drop-in usage in existing internal combustion engines. Engineering catalysts
June 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Taking off: Velocys, Shell, British Airways, UK Government, New Energy Risk, Red Rock Biofuels, TCG Global, PQ, and Advanced Plasma Power Figure in Key Renewable Jet Fuel Project Advances
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) New Energy Risk’s new performance insurance for TCG Global’s gasifiers and a significant project advance from Velocys in the UK are on the docket today. These companies and the news this morning are united as key project
June 21, 2018 Read Full Article
The Carbon Rescuers: 20 Top Waste Projects and Breakthroughs that Capture Used Carbon from the Waste Pile for New Uses
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
June 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Ethanol: The Renewable Naphtha
by Luca Zullo (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Greenyug) With existing capabilities, chemical coproducts represent a low-hanging fruit for the industry. Ethanol, in fact, is a better feedstock for some chemicals than oil-based sources. ... The chemical industry predates the oil industry, but it is the
May 30, 2018 Read Full Article
SCG Chemicals Teams up with TRF and Chulalongkorn University to Develop Catalyst-Based Technology for Biodiesel and Bioethanol Industries
(SCG Chemicals) SCG ChemicalsTeams up with TRF and Chulalongkorn University to Develop Catalyst-Based Technology for Biodiesel and Bioethanol Industries to Strengthen Thailand’s Competitiveness towards Sustainable Growth SCG Chemicals led by Dr. Suracha Udomsak, R&D Director and Emerging Businesses Director ... entered
May 30, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Prairie Catalytic, LanzaTech, Synvina, Fulcrum BioEnergy, POET-DSM, Cargilla/Calysta, Enerkem, and REG Geismar
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ABLC 2018 wrapped up with the ABLC Wolfpack including James Iademarco from Strategic Avalanche, David Dodds with Dodds & Associates, Ron Cascone from NEXANT, independent consultant Paul Bryan, and Joel Stone from ConVergince. While they didn’t howl at the moon,
April 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Lumber’s Lure: Thanks to Physics, Viable Biofuel May Grow in the Woods
by Chris Lee (Ars Technica) Future biofuel production requires new catalysts—or better training for stubborn enzymes. ... I thought New Zealand would offer some chemistry-minded contrast. The country makes a lot of money on timber exports, but this profit is generally not from primary forest.
April 06, 2018 Read Full Article
How to Make Greener Biofuels
by Martin Høj (ScienceNordic/Phys.Org) ... The biological processes that transform biomass to alcohol yield a relatively low amount of energy, around 35 per cent of the potential energy stored within the biomass. So we are certainly not using this biomass to its full potential. This
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Alchemy for Modern Times: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to CRI/GTI’s IH2 Process
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The IH2 process was developed by Gas Technology Institute (GTI) of Des Plaines, Illinois—a research, development, and training organization serving energy markets. GTI experts invented, tested, and patented IH2 technology and are providing ongoing commercialization support. Twelve US
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Enerkem Makes a Major Breakthrough by Producing a New High-Octane Biofuel
(Enerkem/Oil and Gas 360/PR Newswire) Enerkem Inc., a world-leading waste-to-biofuels and chemicals producer, announced today during the 255th American Chemical Society national meeting being held in New Orleans, that it had succeeded in producing a new high-performance biofuel that could improve the octane rating
March 22, 2018 Read Full Article
Better Biomass Conversion for Biofuels and Bioproducts
by Krista Eastman (University of Wisconsin-Madison/Phys.Org) Behind the successful conversion of biomass to a better biofuel or a new green chemical, there is a carefully chosen solvent. The right solvent not only dissolves biomass but also drives the efficiency of the
March 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Rennovia’s Demise, the Triple Rule, and the Pursuit of Sustainable Nylon in a World of Low Oil Prices
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Rennovia has ceased operations, after the company failed to raise sufficient financing from investors and/or strategic partners to advance its pilot-scale technology to first commercial production. The bulk of the IP assets have been
March 09, 2018 Read Full Article
Catalyst Collaboration: Argonne Accelerates Biofuel Production Technology
by Meltem Urgun-Demirtas (U.S. Department of Energy) ... With funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) totaling nearly $1.3 million since 2013, ANL researchers are using X-ray spectroscopy to move the nation closer to achieving cost-effective production
February 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Hotties: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Engineering Thermophiles for Syngas-to-Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy is supporting a Kiverdi-led project to develop microbial biocatalysts to convert syngas into monoterpenes. Syngas feedstocks are relatively inexpensive and diverse, and thermophiles have several unique advantages; Meanwhile, end products have value
February 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Making It Count: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the Consortium for Computational Physics and Chemistry
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
February 15, 2018 Read Full Article
Better, Faster, Cheaper Bio-Oil: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Fractionation and Catalytic Upgrading of Bio-Oil
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In the world of bio-oil production, current technologies have low carbon retention in fuel range and high hydrogen consumption. The DOE is supporting a project led by Daniel Resasco at the University of Oklahoma to develop
February 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Emergent Research Could Forge New Paths to Biodiesel's Future
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Young scientists presented their ongoing biodiesel research projects during a panel at the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo last week in Fort Worth, Texas. The students are part of the Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel, a
February 07, 2018 Read Full Article
New Cat in Town: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Advanced Catalyst Synthesis
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Deliver high performing, cost-effective catalytic materials that meet the needs of the ChemCatBio catalysis projects? That’s the ambitious goal of a project led by researchers from Argonne National Lab, Oak Ridge National Lab and the National
February 01, 2018 Read Full Article
Building Blocks from Biocrude: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Biobased Methoxyphenols
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) To develop and optimize a hybrid separation method to recover high-value methoxyphenols to improve the process economics and environmental impact for the production of advanced biofuels from catalytic pyrolysis, integrated with hydroprocessing. That’s the ambitious R&D
January 31, 2018 Read Full Article
Valley of the Diols: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Producing PDO and HDO from Biomass
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Can you build a catalytic process to produce alpha, omega diols from lignocellulosic biomass? Such a process, using inorganic catalysts for conversion of biomass into 1.5 pentanediol (PDO) and 1,6 hexanediols could reduce the cost of
January 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Researchers Reveal High Performance CNT Catalyst Relating to Its Electroconductivity
(Phys.Org/World Scientific Publishing) Recent research published in a report in Nano showed biofuels were obtained from Jatropha Oil using carbon nanotube (CNT) catalyst, which showed efficient cracking activity. The performance was activated by the high stability, metal sites, acid sites, electroconductivity, and coking
January 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Top 20 Advanced Bioeconomy Projects underway in North America
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
January 19, 2018 Read Full Article
Forging New Sources for Biodiesel and Hydrocarbon-Based Products
by Cheryl Croucher (Troy Media) Part 3 of a 10-part series: Forge Hydrocarbons, a U of A spinoff, turns low-grade fats and oils into valuable fuel -- New technology employed by Forge Hydrocarbons Corp., a University of Alberta spinoff company, proves you
January 18, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Jet Fuel from Biorefinery Waste
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
January 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Jet Fuel from (Any) Bio-Alcohol: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Byogy Renewables
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Byogy has developed a catalytic platform that converts any source of ethanol, butanol, mixed alcohols, or related olefins, into full replacement, and cost competitive biofuels including gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. Byogy’s jet fuel is not
January 10, 2018 Read Full Article
Make Haste Slowly: The Story of Anellotech’s Journey towards a Bio-BTX Breakthrough
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In it, we are reminded that innovation is a never-ending war between two brothers named Urgency and Diligence — and the conflict comes roaring back to life when we consider the news that occasionally seeps out of that mysterious
January 05, 2018 Read Full Article
A New Catalyst to Produce the Biodiesel of the Future
(FGUSAL/DICYT) Researchers at the University of Salamanca test a catalyst to produce biodiesel more efficiently and economically in accordance with the requirements imposed by the regulations for the coming years -- ... However, the problem is that nowadays it is only possible
December 29, 2017 Read Full Article
Biofuel Projects Named as Semi-Finalists in Ontario Competition
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Ontario Centres of Excellence have announced 20 semi-finalists for Ontario’s Solutions 2030 Challenge, which calls on innovators to propose solutions to help the province’s industry reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution. Several of the finalists
December 26, 2017 Read Full Article
Affordable, Renewable Hydrocarbons Made from Ethanol: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Vertimass
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Vertimass technology was originated at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where scientists discovered novel catalysts that convert a wide range of alcohols into various hydrocarbon blend stocks which can be used in existing gasoline, diesel and jet
December 26, 2017 Read Full Article
Top 10 Asia Bioeconomy Trends
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) With apologies to every other region around the world. we continue to see Asia as the epicenter of the biobased revolution over the next 20 years. The reasons are three and relatively straightforward: 1. Continued and robust
December 26, 2017 Read Full Article
Scientists Turn Beer into Fuel
(Phys.Org/University of Bristol) Chemists at the University of Bristol have made the first steps towards making sustainable petrol using beer as a key ingredient. ... Scientists from the University of Bristol's School of Chemistry have been working for several years to develop technology that will
December 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Rot Is Hot to Trot: Brown Rot Fungi Cries “Tora! Tora! Tora!” to Biomass
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... When it comes to fungi, their ability to break even the most recalcitrant of hardwoods down is well-documented and anyone who has spent a day in a rainforest knows it. But there’s rot and there’s
December 05, 2017 Read Full Article
$2.25 Per Gallon Biohydrocarbon Fuels, Unsubsidized? Biozin Licenses IH2 Technology — Heads for Commercial-Scale in Norway
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Texas, CRI/Criterion Catalyst Company has awarded an FEL-2 license agreement for the IH2 technology which converts biomass to liquid transportation fuels, to Biozin Holding. The Front End Loading (FEL-2) package will be completed for the core IH2 technology
November 16, 2017 Read Full Article
Advanced Bioeconomy Horizons: The 5 Top R&D Trends Right Now
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Catalytic reaction rates, microcrystalline cellulose, cyanobacteria working in teams, vertical farming, vegan products & markets. The 5 top disruptive techs we’ve seen in recent weeks are attacking these fronts. Here’s what we see. 1. Breakthrough on (microcrystalline) cellulose
November 10, 2017 Read Full Article
Affordable, Drop-In Hydrocarbons from Wood: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to CRI/GTI’s IH2 Process
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The IH2 process was developed by Gas Technology Institute (GTI) of Des Plaines, Illinois—a research, development, and training organization serving energy markets. GTI experts invented, tested, and patented IH2 technology and are providing ongoing commercialization support. Twelve US
November 01, 2017 Read Full Article
Top Cat: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to ChemCatBio’s Progress and Projects
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ChemCatBio is a research and development consortium dedicated to identifying and overcoming catalysis challenges for biomass conversion processes. Led by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories, we work with industry to rapidly transition R&D discoveries
October 05, 2017 Read Full Article
8 Fast Flyers Chosen for Top Cat: The Big Attack on Biomass Catalysis Begins
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
October 05, 2017 Read Full Article
2nd Generation Biorefinery Solutions. YXY Marks the Spot: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Avantium
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The company is now safely emerged from its celebrated IPO, and is embarked on the construction of the first commercial plant with its JV partner BASF — so, it’s a monster year for Avantium. Avantium’s YXY technology
October 04, 2017 Read Full Article
Building Blocks from Biocrude: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to High Value Methoxyphenols
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy is supporting a project to develop and optimize a hybrid separation method to recover high-value methoxyphenols to improve the process economics and environmental impact for the production of advanced biofuels from
September 21, 2017 Read Full Article
How Two Microbes Joined Forces to Produce Bio-diesel from Carbon Waste
by Tv Jayan (The Hindu) JNU researchers discover bacteria from Rajasthan, Ladakh, use them as catalysts -- Using microbes growing in two diverse climatic conditions, Indian scientists have found a way to convert carbon-rich waste materials into bio-fuel. A team of
September 15, 2017 Read Full Article
You Wascaly Lignocellulose, Deconstruct: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Catalytic Conversion of Biomass to Hydrocarbon Fuels
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
September 15, 2017 Read Full Article
Ruthenium-Based Catalyst Could Be Biomass Game-Changer
(Biofuels International) Researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology have developed a new catalyst to improve the synthesis of primary amines (derivatives of ammonia). It is claimed that in the future the newly developed ruthenium based catalyst could also impact the development
September 14, 2017 Read Full Article
A Sweeter Way to Make Green Products: University of Delaware Researchers Invent Novel Process for Extracting Sugars from Wood
by Tracey Bryant (University of Delaware) ... A UD research team has invented a more efficient process for extracting the sugars from wood chips, corn cobs and other organic waste from forests and farms. ... Basudeb Saha, associate director for research at UD’s
September 11, 2017 Read Full Article
Plastic Stretches Towards the New: Top 10 Trendlines in Bioplastics
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Plant Bottle has generated so much goodwill and publicity for its 30% renewable, sustainable content (and that biobased MEG) that it’s easy to forget that there are several paths being chased to 100% renewable
September 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Gettin’ a New Cat: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Catalyst Costs
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy is supporting a project to develop a catalyst cost estimation tool that would enable rapid and informed cost-based decisions in research and commercialization of catalysts. As the research team notes, “Nearly all biomass
September 01, 2017 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Hydrothermal Liquefaction of Biomass and Catalytic Conversion into Hydrocarbons
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The DOE established and funded a project to develop a novel Multistage Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL) of biomass and integrate with Virent’s Catalytic BioForming Process to efficiently produce cost effective “drop‐in” fuels from woody biomass and
August 28, 2017 Read Full Article
Researchers Identify Cheaper, Greener Biofuels Processing Catalyst
(Phys.Org/University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Fuels that are produced from nonpetroleum-based biological sources may become greener and more affordable, thanks to research performed at the University of Illinois' Prairie Research Institute that examines the use of a processing catalyst made
August 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Vertibirds Are GO: DOE OKs Vertimass Drop-In Biofuels Technology, Clears Path to Demo Scale
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Vertimass gained its intermediate technology validation with the US DOE’s Bioenergy Technology Office, which verified performance against negotiated milestones, provided progress on scale-up, and reviewed Vertimass’ estimated cost for their transformative catalytic technology.
August 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Scientists Closer to Refining Biodiesel for a Standard Diesel Engine
(Biofuels International) Scientists in Germany have found a way to refine biodiesel so that it works in standard diesel car engines, according to an article appearing on Live Science. Differences in molecular structure mean that biodiesel made from plant material burns at
August 14, 2017 Read Full Article
Queen's Researcher Turning Dirty Tinfoil into Biofuel Catalyst
(Queen's University Belfast) A researcher at Queen’s University Belfast has discovered a way to convert dirty aluminium foil into a biofuel catalyst, which could help to solve global waste and energy problems. In the UK, around 20,000 tonnes of aluminium foil
August 10, 2017 Read Full Article
Deep Stabilization: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Fast Pyrolysis and Bio-Oil Upgrading
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
August 08, 2017 Read Full Article
From Sugars to Affordable Hydrocarbon Fuels: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Catalytic Upgrading R&D
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
August 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Materials – Cooking up Biofuel
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Using a novel, reusable carbon material derived from old rubber tires, an Oak Ridge National Laboratory-led research team has developed a simple method to convert used cooking oil into biofuel. The team’s approach combines modified, recovered
August 03, 2017 Read Full Article
Catalysis on a Hot Tin Roof: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to the ChemCatBio Consortium
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
August 03, 2017 Read Full Article
ChemCatBio Launches 2017 Directed Funding Assistance Opportunity
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Colorado, ChemCatBio announced a new 2017 directed funding assistance opportunity. It’s an opportunity for industry and academia to engage with ChemCatBio to tackle challenges associated with these core research themes, to leverage our capabilities and expertise to overcome any
July 19, 2017 Read Full Article
Biofuels beyond Corn: The Pathway from CO2, Water and Electricity to Liquid Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... There’s been the cellulosic wave, then waste — and alongside there has been steady progress in what are known as the electrofuels. These are fuels made directly from CO2, water and either sunlight or electricity.
July 05, 2017 Read Full Article
Shell Signs Agreement With SBI BioEnergy Inc.
(Cision Newswire/Shell Canada Ltd) Agreement grants Shell exclusive development and licensing rights for SBI BioEnergy patented renewable drop-in biofuels. -- Royal Dutch Shell plc, through its subsidiary Shell International Exploration and Production B.V. ("Shell"), and SBI BioEnergy Inc. have reached an agreement
June 29, 2017 Read Full Article
And No Extra Hydrogen: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to One-Step, High-Yield, Drop-In Biofuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Vertimass’ John Hannon gave this illuminating overview of one-step, high-yield production of drop-in fuels without added hydrogen, at the 2017 DOE Project Peer Review sessions. READ MORE
June 22, 2017 Read Full Article
Stanford Discovery Could Lead to Sustainable Source of the Fuel Additive Ethanol
by Mark Schwartz (Stanford News) Most of the fuel additive ethanol used in the U.S. is made from corn. But new research reveals that copper can turn carbon dioxide into ethanol without using corn or other plants. ... A recent discovery by
June 21, 2017 Read Full Article
Don’t Spill That Ethanol! Those Cellulosic Fuels Are Worth $4.33 a Gallon.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The value of cellulosic fuels has reached $4.33 per gallon in the California market. That’s real-world, today, including the energy and the low-carbon attributes, and not based on speculation. The value has risen 59 cents,
June 14, 2017 Read Full Article
Anellotech Confidential: Pilot Running, New Mystery Investor as Catpyro Begins to Scale
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Anellotech’s Bio-TCat process is designed to produce cost-competitive renewable aromatic (BTX) chemicals (benzene, toluene and xylenes) from non-food biomass for use in making plastics such as polyester, nylon, polycarbonate, polystyrene, or for renewable transportation
May 31, 2017 Read Full Article
U.S. Researchers Find Better Way to Split Hydrogen from Water
(CleanTech Canada) In a discovery that could help jump-start the hydrogen economy, a team of physicists at the University of Houston have found a catalyst that can divide water using low-cost materials -- Hydrogen gas may be an entirely clean-burning
May 25, 2017 Read Full Article
How Gold Can Recycle Biofuel Waste into Useful Additive
(Phys.Org/Tomsk Polytechnic University) Gold nanoparticles serve as catalysts for obtaining valuable chemical products based on glycerol. Scientists from Tomsk Polytechnic University and their international colleagues are developing gold catalysts to recycle one of the main byproducts of biofuel production. The
May 23, 2017 Read Full Article
New Insights into 3rd Method of Microbial Energy Production
(Bioenergy Insight) Researchers have made a breakthrough in understanding the workings of the ‘third’ method of microbial production, known as ‘flavin-based electron bifurcation’ (FBEB). Their findings could be hugely significant for the world of microbial energy and biofuels. The discovery of
May 23, 2017 Read Full Article
Researchers Find More Efficient Way to Make Oil from Dead Trees
(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
May 04, 2017 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Industrial 5C and 6C sugars
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Digest had a well-received webinar on C5 and C6 sugars, featuring in-demand industry consultant David Dodds and Fluid Quip exec Jeffrey Robert — looking at transformative approaches to making sugars and the chemistry that we can
May 03, 2017 Read Full Article
KiOR – In Hindsight
by KSL (E2IG Solutions Pvt Ltd / Biofuels Digest) ... The overall failure of KiOR can essentially be narrowed down to three text-book cases: I. Utilizing (Incorrect/Underdeveloped) Catalyst Systems for Upgrading Biomass, II. Disregarding Inherent Oxygen Content in Biomass, III. Diseconomies of Scale. ... Whilst
April 27, 2017 Read Full Article
The King of Biofuels: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Pyrolysis’ Progress and Prospects, Pt 2
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Not long ago, George Huber and Robert Brown wrote in a special issue of Energy Technology of their desire to “highlight recent advances in pyrolysis technologies and to discuss the critical research needs of this
April 25, 2017 Read Full Article
The King of Biofuels: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Pyrolysis’ Progress and Prospects, Pt 1
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Not long ago, George Huber and Robert Brown wrote in a special issue of Energy Technology of their desire to “highlight recent advances in pyrolysis technologies and to discuss the critical research needs of this
April 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Any Alcohol into Any Drop-In Fuel: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Byogy Renewables
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Byogy has developed a catalytic platform that converts any source of ethanol, butanol, mixed alcohols, or related olefins, into full replacement, and cost competitive biofuels including gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. Byogy’s jet fuel is
March 22, 2017 Read Full Article
The Justice League of Pyromaniax
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The High Lords of Pyrolysis travel under the unlikely cover identities of “George Huber” and “Robert Brown” — but we know them in their true superhero identities of “The Catalyst” and “The Godfatha”. ... Instead,
March 14, 2017 Read Full Article
BETO Announces Launch of Consortium of National Laboratories To Overcome Catalysis Challenges
(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
February 28, 2017 Read Full Article
Commercial Proving Grounds
by Ron Kotrba (Biomass Magazine) With help from investors, Cielo Waste Solutions Corp. plans to fast-track deployment of its renewable diesel technology at a shuttered, gutted biodiesel plant in Alberta. -- ... CWS has been developing its technology, designed to
February 28, 2017 Read Full Article
Ethanol to Drop-In Fuels: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Oak Ridge’s Catalytic Ethanol Upgrade Technology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The program objective seen in these slides is to take a technology from Technical Readiness Level 2 to TRL 3/4 — a technology that directly upgrades ethanol to a drop-in hydrocarbon fuel at a high
February 22, 2017 Read Full Article
Makin’ Hydrocarbons: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Catalytic Upgrading of Thermochemical Intermediates
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) To demonstrate an advanced biofuels technology that integrates a catalytic biomass pyrolysis step and a hydroprocessing step to produce infrastructure compatible biofuels, here’s the basic recipe, according to a research team led by David Dayton at RTI
February 17, 2017 Read Full Article
Global Biofuels to Rise to 67 Billion Gallons in 2022 as Next-Generation Technologies Take Over
(Lux Research, Inc.) Advanced biofuels will nearly double in five years to 9.6 billion gallons per year as first-generation fuels like traditional biodiesel lose out to newer low-carbon fuels, says Lux Research -- New biofuel technology is finally starting to
February 16, 2017 Read Full Article
Researchers Produce Renewable Car Tires from Trees, Grass
(University of Minnesota/Biomass Magazine) A team of researchers, led by the University of Minnesota, has invented a new technology to produce automobile tires from trees and grasses in a process that could shift the tire production industry toward using renewable
February 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Bioconversion of Lignin Derivatives to Biofuels: The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to Value from Lignin
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The goal? Develop microbial biocatalysts to convert lignin-rich streams into value-added products. That’s subject which this project — “Synthetic Metabolic Pathways for Bioconversion of Lignin Derivatives to Biofuels,” led by Oak Ridge National Lab’s Adam Guss
February 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Bio-Oil and Beyond: The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to RTI’s Catalytic Upgrading tech for Thermochemical Intermediates to Hydrocarbons
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) To “Demonstrate an advanced biofuels technology that integrates a catalytic biomass pyrolysis step and a hydroprocessing step to produce infrastructure compatible biofuels,” that’s the ratuional behind a DOE project with RTI in the lead, aimed
February 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Catalyst for Green Biodiesel Production from Unrefined Feedstock
(South China Morning Post/sponsored) ... This new Catalyst for Green Biodiesel can be synthesized in one step from low-grade unrefined feedstock such as waste cooking oil, with no aqueous treatment steps required. Ethanol or propanol extracted from plants can also be
February 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Butadiene from Ethanol in One Step: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to ETB Catalytic Technology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ETB Catalytic Technologies has developed a one-step process for producing butadiene from ethanol – and attracted investment in March 2016 from Zavkom Group and grant funding from Skolkovo for Pilot testing. Low energy consumption and
February 03, 2017 Read Full Article
Sugars to Drop-In Fuels & Chemicals: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Virent
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Virent is in the business of replacing crude oil by applying clever chemistry to create the fuels and chemicals the world demands using a wide range of naturally-occurring, renewable resources. Virent’s patented technology features catalytic
January 30, 2017 Read Full Article
Iowa State Engineer Helps Journal Highlight How Pyrolysis Can Advance the Bioeconomy
(Iowa State University) A special issue of the journal Energy Technology details the latest advances in pyrolysis technologies for converting biomass into fuels, chemicals and fertilizers. Two pyrolysis experts are guest editors of the issue: Robert C. Brown, the director of
January 16, 2017 Read Full Article
Catalysis in Renewable Chemicals: Noteworthy Developments, 2015 – 2016
by Bernard Cooker (Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) The use of catalysts, both living entities, such as microorganisms, and otherwise inert synthetic and biologically-derived materials, such as supported transition metals and enzymes, are frequently key to the development of technically efficient and
January 13, 2017 Read Full Article
New Path to Ethylene via Ethanol: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Technip’s Hummingbird Tech
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Last June, we reported that Technip completed the acquisition of Hummingbird ethanol to ethylene technology from BP Chemicals Ltd. Utilizing a proprietary catalyst operating under mild operating conditions, the technology converts ethanol to ethylene through dehydration. The technology
January 04, 2017 Read Full Article
I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In: Anellotech, Edeniq, Novvi
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... For Anellotech, a new technology to extend catalyst life by reducing catalyst poisons that cause catalyst and product cost to soar. For Novvi, a signature investment from Chevron. From Edeniq, word that their technology is
December 23, 2016 Read Full Article
We Really Do Mean “Drop-in”: The Digest’s 2016 Multi-Slide Guide to Gevo
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Gevo has two proprietary technologies that combine to make it possible to retrofit existing ethanol plants to produce isobutanol, a four carbon alcohol which serves as a hydrocarbon platform molecule. They have developed an industrial
December 12, 2016 Read Full Article
Grant Funds Test of Market Potential for Jet Fuel Research
(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
December 02, 2016 Read Full Article
Renewable Fuels for all Transport Modes: The Digest’s 2016 Multi-Slide Guide to Byogy Renewables
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Byogy has developed a catalytic platform that converts any source of ethanol, butanol, mixed alcohols, or related olefins, into full replacement, and cost competitive biofuels including gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. Byogy’s jet fuel is
December 01, 2016 Read Full Article
KiOR: The Inside True Story of a Company Gone Wrong. Part 5, The Collapse
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In 2011, KiOR raised $150 million in its June IPO, claiming that it was generating yields of 67 gallons per ton in its Demo unit operations. But it was miles short of that. In our previous
November 25, 2016 Read Full Article
Scientists Find Way to Turn Waste Gas into Biofuel
by Brooks Hays (UPI) Chemical engineer Jae Sung Lee said the research will offer a "new opportunity for recycling CO2 into valuable fuels and chemicals." -- Researchers have developed a new way to turn captured CO2 into liquid biofuel capable
November 21, 2016 Read Full Article
Renewable Fuel from Vehicle Exhaust: Oak Ridge’s Catalytic Breakthrough
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Researchers from Oak Ridge National Laboratory have come up with a highly-efficient process to make liquid fuels directly from carbon dioxide and water. Because burning fuels in an internal combustion engine produces CO2 and water as
November 06, 2016 Read Full Article
Nano-Spike Catalysts Convert Carbon Dioxide Directly into Ethanol
(Phys.Org) In a new twist to waste-to-fuel technology, scientists at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed an electrochemical process that uses tiny spikes of carbon and copper to turn carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into ethanol. Their
October 14, 2016 Read Full Article
KiOR: The Inside True Story of a Company Gone Wrong. Part 4, the Year of Living Disingenuously
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... But so far, the company and its celebrity investors and directors such as former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and famed venture capitalist Vinod Khosla had escaped close scrutiny. ... The methods for keeping the truth bottled
September 19, 2016 Read Full Article
Researchers Garner Grant to Study Innovative Biofuels Production Technology
by Robert Mills (Iowa State University) A team of researchers from Iowa State University’s Bioeconomy Institute is investigating a new technology for converting biomass into biofuels and chemicals. With a $371,000, one-year grant from the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s Advanced
August 30, 2016 Read Full Article
Early-Stage, Breakthrough Technologies: Biofuels, 10 of the Best
by Lorenz Bauer and Gerald Kutney (Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) ... In this report, we are focused on bioenergy and biofuels (and not bioproducts) that are moving from the lab to initial commercial demonstrations and that potentially solve significant barriers
August 26, 2016 Read Full Article
Department of Energy’s Small Business Vouchers Program Awards Vouches to Five Bioenergy Companies
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the Department of Energy’s Small Business Vouchers program awarded $8 million worth of research vouchers to 43 small businesses, of which five were related to bioenergy: Avatar Sustainable Technologies, Syracuse, New York Avatar Sustainable Technologies
August 24, 2016 Read Full Article
Creating Value from Landfill Gas
by Terry Mazanec (Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) ... The US EPA estimates that 250 million tons of municipal solid wastes are sent to landfills each year. These materials have a wide range of chemicals in them, including aromatics, paraffins, oxygenates, and nitrogen-
August 22, 2016 Read Full Article
New Renewable Energy Research Centre Opens in Denmark
(Bioenergy Insight) A new renewable energy research centre, called VILLUM Center for the Science of Sustainable Fuels and Chemicals, has opened in Copenhagen, Denmark. The new centre at Technical University of Denmark (DTU) will be headed by Professor Ib Chorkendorff who
August 16, 2016 Read Full Article
Water Gunks up Biofuels Production from Bio-Oils
(Phys.Org) A jar of bio-oil, an alternate “crude oil” for transportation fuels currently made from petroleum, is created by first rapidly heating plant matter in a process called pyrolysis. Scientists then use catalysts to remove oxygen and convert the pyrolysis oil
June 22, 2016 Read Full Article
Re-Think, Re-Use, Retro-Fit: 15 4G Techs Transforming Gen-1 Biobased Plants
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Here, we profile 15 techs that offer incremental to profound shifts in the economics of the Gen-1 ethanol fleet, and have implications for everything from passenger cars to jets. #15 Vertimass and Byogy #14 Croda #13 Hummingbird #12 Alliance BioEnergy #11 GeoSynFuels #10
June 17, 2016 Read Full Article
Multimillion-Dollar Funding for Commercial Waste-to-Biofuel Plants
(University of Sydney) International paper waste and plastic recycling contracts signed for ground-breaking Australian technology. -- It’s been a busy few days for Australian start-up Licella, whose innovative technology, developed in partnership with the University of Sydney, is the subject
June 09, 2016 Read Full Article
Catalysts and Enzymes in Biofuel Production
by Elizabeth E. Hood and Lorenz Bauer (Lee Enterprises Consulting, Inc./Biofuels Digest) ... Biofuels can be produced by a number of processes, broadly categorized as biochemical and chemical. Biochemical processes utilize proteins called enzymes (biological catalysts). Chemical processes utilize chemical catalysts and/or
June 08, 2016 Read Full Article
Bioforming the Future: The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to Virent
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Virent is in the business of replacing crude oil by applying clever chemistry to create the fuels and chemicals the world demands using a wide range of naturally-occurring, renewable resources. Virent’s patented technology features catalytic chemistry
June 06, 2016 Read Full Article
Where Did Biofuels Technologies Come from?
by Gerald Kutney (Lee Consulting/Biofuels Digest) ... From the time of the caveman until the early Industrial Revolution, biofuels – namely wood and the advanced biofuel of the day, charcoal – reigned supreme. Both fossil fuels and biofuels originate from biomass. The
June 02, 2016 Read Full Article
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