(Diesel Technology Forum) Unlike gasoline, diesel fuel and the vehicles and equipment it powers is the platform of work. About one out of every two sectors of the economy rely on diesel. Diesel engines, old and new, are capable of
Department of Energy (DOE)
Back TO HOMETurning 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
Climate Crisis Staff Report Aims to Build Back a Cleaner, More Resilient Aviation Sector
by Jeff Overton (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) On June 30, the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis released its staff report, Solving the Climate Crisis: The Congressional Action Plan for a Clean Energy Economy and a Healthy, Resilient, and Just
August 05, 2020 Read Full Article
Murkowski: Carbon Management Has Significant Promise
(U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources) U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired a hearing focused on the development of carbon removal technologies in the United States. Murkowski also highlighted the introduction of the CREATE Act, a new bill she is cosponsoring to
August 05, 2020 Read Full Article
Biomass Alliance for Logistics Efficiency and Specifications: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to BALES Bioenergy Feedstock Analysis
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Bale analysis, probes, core samples – measuring and analysis of bioenergy feedstocks is key. In this illuminating slide guide from ABLC Digital, the Idaho National Laboratory, Antares Group, ASDI, and B Hames Consulting share how bale
August 05, 2020 Read Full Article
U.S. Energy Department Recommends Granting Partial Retroactive Waivers to Refiners: Sources
by Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) The U.S. Department of Energy has recommended that some of the oil refiners that applied for retroactive exemptions from the nation’s biofuel blending law be granted partial relief, two sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. The
August 05, 2020 Read Full Article
Biofuels Project Led by John Sedbrook Awarded $13 Million from DOE
by Rachel Hatch (News Illinois State University) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded a $13 million grant to a nationwide project led by Illinois State University. Professor of Genetics John Sedbrook will head up the project aimed to genetically
August 04, 2020 Read Full Article
Federal Activities Report on the Bioeconomy: Algae
(U.S. Department of Energy) ... The Federal Activities Report on the Bioeconomy: Algae is a follow on report to the BR&D Board’s Federal Activities Report on the Bioeconomy that summarizes Bioeconomy Initiative activities for the algae stakeholder community. Download the
July 31, 2020 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Announces $97 Million for Bioenergy Research and Development
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced more than $97 million in funding for 33 projects that will support high-impact technology research and development to accelerate the bioeconomy. These projects will improve the performance and lower
July 31, 2020 Read Full Article
Carbon-Optimized Bioeconomy: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to ARPA-E’s Carbon Programs
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Carbon is the talk of the town, but what’s the difference between a low-carbon economy and a renewable “new” carbon economy? What’s the role of carbon management in the bioeconomy? What is carbon optimized bioconversion? David Babson,
July 31, 2020 Read Full Article
Plastics for a Circular Economy Workshop: Summary Report
(U.S. Department of Energy) The Plastics for a Circular Economy Workshop, coordinated by the Bioenergy Technologies Office, the Advanced Manufacturing Office, and Mars, Inc., brought together stakeholders from industry, academia, and National Laboratories to discuss opportunities and challenges facing the
July 30, 2020 Read Full Article
Renewable Natural Gas Hybrid Line-Haul Locomotive under Development
(OptiFuel) OptiFuel Systems, a system integrator of Cummins and BAE Systems hybrid power products for decarbonizing the rail, marine, and microgrid power market, is in the process of finalizing a $2.6 million U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant to demonstrate
July 29, 2020 Read Full Article
Black Gold: Iowa’s Soils Can Be a Fort Knox for Carbon Storage
by Zhichao Wang and Jim Ramm (EcoEngineers) Iowa’s fertile farmland could be a soil-based Fort Knox that — instead of gold — stores a wealth of carbon within its underground vaults. How farmers can tap into the potential riches of carbon capture
July 29, 2020 Read Full Article
Letter to the Advanced Bioeconomy: Advance off the Beach
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) There was always going to be a point when the advanced bioeconomy reached the end of the “R&D years” and transitioned into “the years of deployment”, and if you read the Biden plan here or the latest pushback from
July 28, 2020 Read Full Article
Pivotal Research Discovers Practices, Technologies Key to Sustainable Farming
by Anna Marie Tomczyk (Argonne National Laboratory/Phys.Org) ... The practices that grain farmers use to produce their crops—managing fertility, tillage practice and crop rotations—influence the overall carbon footprint of U.S. agriculture. By using sustainable practices, farmers could substantially reduce their
July 24, 2020 Read Full Article
Strain Improvements Keep Algae Ponds Growing Strong
(U.S. Department of Energy) ... A challenge for algal biofuel development is finding strains of algae best suited for producing copious amounts of oil quickly and under industrial-scale conditions. Maintaining pond health is also challenging—deteriorating health in a small fraction of
July 22, 2020 Read Full Article
DOE Still Reviewing Gap-Year Small Oil Refiner Petitions
(Fairfield Sun Times/NAFB) ... (U.S. Energy Secretary Dan) Brouillette argued there were differing legal opinions on the ruling’s impact on ‘gap-year’ waivers, but conceded DOE’s method for analyzing and recommending EPA reject the same waivers in earlier years hasn’t changed. Which
July 20, 2020 Read Full Article
New Process Turns Carbon into Cleaner, High-Performance Diesel Biofuel Blendstock
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory/Phys.org) A new single-phase catalyst that enables the conversion of renewable and waste carbon into sustainable diesel fuels has been developed through a unique collaboration between the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and two U.S. Department of Energy
July 17, 2020 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Selects Three Projects to Increase Industry Access to High-Performance Computing Capabilities
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) selected three projects to receive approximately $1 million in funding to leverage the unique computational capabilities at DOE’s National Laboratories. The projects will address technical challenges in bioenergy feedstock
July 17, 2020 Read Full Article
RFA Analysis: Ethanol Industry’s COVID-Related Economic Losses Already Top $3.4 Billion, Could Reach Nearly $9 Billion by 2021
(Renewable Fuels Association) The COVID-19 crisis has already led to more than $3.4 billion in lost revenues for the U.S. ethanol industry, according to an economic analysis released today by the Renewable Fuels Association. Based on the latest projections from the
July 17, 2020 Read Full Article
DOE Announces $139 Million in Funding for 55 Projects to Advance Innovative Vehicle Technologies
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, in his remarks at General Motors in Detroit, U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette announced $139 million in federal funding for 55 projects across the country that will support new and innovative advanced vehicle technologies. Six
July 16, 2020 Read Full Article
Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium Launches New Website
by Helena Taveras Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, D.C., the Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium released their revamped website which features renovated content describing the FCIC’s eight main research areas. Each research area will enable the consortium to help biorefinery developers understand and mitigate
July 13, 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
Department of Energy Selects New Projects to Accelerate Innovation and Growth in the Biomanufacturing Sector
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the selection of eight projects totaling over $5 million to conduct research and development (R&D) needed to accelerate the US biomanufacturing sector. Part of the Agile BioFoundry (ABF) consortium, these
July 10, 2020 Read Full Article
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation Announces the Release of Two BETO Reports During Bioeconomy 2020
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, Michael Berube, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation presented a keynote address during Bioeconomy 2020. During his address he announced the release of
July 10, 2020 Read Full Article
Energy Flow Charts: Charting the Complex Relationships among Energy, Water, and Carbon
(Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) produced the first diagrams illustrating U.S. national commodity use in the mid-1970s. The most widely recognized of these charts is the U.S. energy flow chart. LLNL has also published charts depicting carbon (or
July 10, 2020 Read Full Article
Bioenergy Technologies Office 2019 R&D State of Technology
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) funds research and development (R&D) on technologies necessary for the deployment and production of costcompetitive bioenergy, primarily biofuels. Results of experimental efforts are periodically compiled and compared
July 10, 2020 Read Full Article
Proof of Quality: A New Biodiesel Fuel Quality Report by National Renewable Energy Laboratory
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) A new biodiesel fuel quality report by National Renewable Energy Laboratory surveying U.S. and Canadian BQ-9000 producers suggests the North American biodiesel industry has learned the lessons of its past. -- U.S. biodiesel fuel quality has
July 10, 2020 Read Full Article
Researchers Find Way to Improve the Production of Renewable Biofuels and Bioproducts
by Liz Gyekye (BioMarket Insights) Researchers at the US-based Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have used neutron scattering and supercomputing to better understand how an organic solvent and water work together to break down plant biomass, creating a
July 09, 2020 Read Full Article
Explore a Collection of National Laboratory-Developed Models and Tools for Bioenergy Analysis.
(U.S. Department of Energy) This website provides researchers interested in bioenergy and bioeconomy analysis with an inventory of bioenergy and bioproducts models and tools, key information about each model, and an interactive display of relationships among models. This bioenergy models collection highlights
July 08, 2020 Read Full Article
The Bio Revolution: Innovations Transforming Economies, Societies, and Our Lives
(McKinsey Global Institute) Advances in biological sciences, combined with the accelerating development of computing, data processing, and artificial intelligence (AI), are fueling a new wave of innovation that could have significant impact in sectors across the economy, from healthcare and
July 07, 2020 Read Full Article
EIA Projections to 2050: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Annual Energy Outlook 2020
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Key takeways from the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Annual Energy Outlook 2020 include a prediction that U.S. energy consumption will grow more slowly than gross domestic product throughout the projection period (2050) as U.S. energy efficiency
July 07, 2020 Read Full Article
Potential Feedstocks, Biofuel Markets, Corn and Cellulosic Ethanol: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Increasing Feedstock Production for Biofuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)The Biomass Research and Development Board published a report that looks at how to address the constraints surrounding availability of biomass feedstocks for biofuels. Four questions guide the analysis: What feedstocks and at what price? What
July 03, 2020 Read Full Article
Renewable Diesel Drives Growth in Biomass-Based Diesel Imports
(U.S. Energy Information Administration/Biomass Magazine) U.S. imports of biomass-based diesel, which include biodiesel and renewable diesel, grew 26 percent in 2019 to more than 27,000 barrels per day (b/d), reversing three years of decline. Imports of biomass-based diesel increased in
July 02, 2020 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Selects Seven Projects to Accelerate Adoption of Performance-Advantaged Biofuels
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today (July 2, 2020), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the selection of seven projects totaling $1.94 million to conduct research and development to accelerate the adoption of performance-advantaged biofuel blendstocks. These fuels are derived from
July 02, 2020 Read Full Article
Kub's Den Ethanol Data and the Great American Road Trip
by Elaine Kub (DTN Progressive Farmer) ... During the eight weeks through March and April, while everyone in the economy was grappling with how best to limit human contact to slow the spread of a deadly disease, American ethanol production was
July 02, 2020 Read Full Article
Select Committee Democrats Releases 'Solving The Climate Crisis', A Congressional Roadmap For Ambitious Climate Action
(House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis) Plan Would Put Americans Back To Work, Save Lives, And Help the United States Reach Net Zero By 2050 -- On Tuesday, led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Chair Kathy Castor (D-FL), members of the House Select Committee
June 30, 2020 Read Full Article
DOE to Invest in Advancement of Hydrogen and Fuel Cell R&D DEADLINE July 31, 2020
by Michael Bates (NGT News) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has revealed its intention to invest up to $100 million over five years in two new DOE National Laboratory-led consortia to advance hydrogen and fuel cell technologies research and development (R&D).
June 30, 2020 Read Full Article
Answer to Energy Storage Problem Could Be Hydrogen
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Hydrogen has the greatest potential among technologies for seasonal energy storage in the future, according to an analysis conducted by researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Seasonal energy storage can facilitate the deployment of high and
June 29, 2020 Read Full Article
Smart Farms of the Future: Making Bioenergy Crops More Environmentally Friendly
by Julie Chao (Joint BioEnergy Institute) Farmers have enough worries – between bad weather, rising costs, and shifting market demands – without having to stress about the carbon footprint of their operations. But now a new set of projects by scientists at
June 22, 2020 Read Full Article
Co-Optima’s Big Impacts for Biofuels: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to U.S. Dept. of Energy Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) If you haven’t heard of Co-Optima, you should! This U.S. DOE initiative is tackling fuel and engine research and development to maximize vehicle fuel economy – key for biofuels! From mapping lower-cost pathways to reduce emissions while
June 18, 2020 Read Full Article
Solutions from the Land's Letter to Senate Democrats’ Special Committee on the Climate Crisis
(Solutions from the Land) In response to a call for input from the Senate Democrats’ Special Committee on the Climate Crisis for input on tools, programs, and support useful to address the impacts of severe weather and climate change on
June 17, 2020 Read Full Article
Part 3 – A Third Pathway to Hydrogen: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Hydrogen from Biomass and Waste
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Ways2H shows us a third pathway towards energy decarbonization via waste to hydrogen. Check out this illuminating slide guide that looks at the need for hydrogen, renewable hydrogen production pathways, how biomass including municipal solid
June 17, 2020 Read Full Article
Ethanol's Carbon Underground
by Luke Geiver (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Positioning into the low-carbon biofuels marketplace, ethanol producers are moving forward with sequestration strategies. A more lucrative federal tax credit, along with a reduced minimum production requirement, is making the economics attractive. After more than
June 16, 2020 Read Full Article
Post-Coronavirus: What’s Next in the Environmental Commodity Markets – 23 Key Takeaways
by Mike Newman (Parhelion Underwriting Inc./Biofuels Digest) ... The focus was on renewable fuels in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RINs) and California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS credits). Stakeholders came from all corners of the market, from the refining industry,
June 16, 2020 Read Full Article
Daily on Energy: State Officials Worry Electric Car Expansion Could Hurt Low-Income People
by Josh Siegel & Abby Smith (Washington Examiner) ELECTRIC CARS’ EQUITY PROBLEM: Top energy officials from New York and Massachusetts are raising the fear that requiring increasing use of electric cars could impose financial hardships on poor people. That is especially if utilities
June 15, 2020 Read Full Article
The Standoff for E30
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy may be just a block or two apart on Independence Avenue in Washington, D.C., but they are miles apart on their long-term outlook for ethanol. Seemingly
June 12, 2020 Read Full Article
H2@Scale in Texas: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Part 1 of 3 Hot Hydrogen Multi-Slide Guides
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Part 1 of today’s Hot Hydrogen slide guides, Frontier Energy shares their H2@Scale vision, progress in Texas and why Texas is actually a pretty ideal location to lead H2 production for a sustainable energy
June 11, 2020 Read Full Article
Nuclear Hydrogen Production’s Potential: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Part 2 of 3 Hot Hydrogen Multi-Slide Guides
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Part 2 of today’s Hot Hydrogen slide guides, Exelon shares this illuminating presentation that digs deep into their project to evaluate technical and economic feasibility of integrated nuclear-renewable-hydrogen plant operation, assess hydrogen market in region
June 11, 2020 Read Full Article
Hydrogen and Energy Storage: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Part 3 of 3 Hot Hydrogen Multi-Slide Guides
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Part 3 of today’s Hot Hydrogen slide guides, Southern Company’s Noah Meeks takes a look at how hydrogen mitigates multiple issues in a low-carbon transition, the valuation of hydrogen energy storage in a high
June 11, 2020 Read Full Article
Renewable Diesel Drives Growth in Biomass-Based Diesel Imports
(U.S. Energy Information Administration/Biodiesel Magazine) U.S. imports of biomass-based diesel, which include biodiesel and renewable diesel, grew 26 percent in 2019 to more than 27,000 barrels per day (more than 413.9 MMgy), ending two years in a row of decline.
June 10, 2020 Read Full Article
DOE to Provide $30 Million to Develop Small-Scale Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Systems and Hybrid Energy Systems
(Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Fossil Energy (FE) has announced up to $30 million in federal funding for cost-shared research and development projects under a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) for Small-Scale Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Systems
June 04, 2020 Read Full Article
Bioenergy Tools for Students and Educators
(Department of Energy) Learn more about bioenergy, biofuels, and bioproducts -- OPERATION BioenergizeME is the Bioenergy Technologies Office’s (BETO’s) education and workforce development base camp for students, educators, and anyone seeking to better understand the opportunities, promises, and challenges of developing a
June 04, 2020 Read Full Article
Corn-Powered Tomahawk Missiles Are Coming
by Kelsey D. Atherton (Forbes) ... The process patented by Los Alamos uses a byproduct of ethanol production, letting America's love of fueling vehicles with corn fuel even more dangerous vehicles. ... The U.S. Navy pursued a cheaper, biofuel alternative for JP-10 for
June 03, 2020 Read Full Article
Wheels Keep Turning on Innovations for More Efficient and Clean Vehicles
(Department of Energy) While approximately 30% of today’s new cars can boast fuel economy of at least 30 miles per gallon, there is still the opportunity for further efficiency gains. Top scientists, engineers, and analysts with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Co-Optimization
June 03, 2020 Read Full Article
Smart Farms of the Future: Making Bioenergy Crops More Environmentally Friendly
by Julie Chao (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Berkeley Lab launches three new projects to advance sustainable agricultural practices ... The three projects, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), leverage Berkeley Lab’s strengths in artificial intelligence, sensors, and ecological biology.
June 03, 2020 Read Full Article
DEM-COM: LanzaJet Takes off on Non-Stop Flight to Scale
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) After what could be considered a lengthy out-of-town tryout, LanzaJet is now officially launched as a LanzaTech spin-off — Suncor Energy and Mitsui & Co. are investing $15 million and $10 million, respectively, to establish the new venture.
June 03, 2020 Read Full Article
The New and Improved Tomahawk Missile Now Runs on Corn
by Kyle Mizokami (Popular Mechanics) The new fuel blend uses feedstocks instead of petroleum in an effort to limit the military's dependence on fossil fuels. -- Modern cruise missiles are powered by turbine engines running off JP-10. -Scientists at Los
May 30, 2020 Read Full Article
Bioproducts Promise Better Biofuel Economics
(Chemical Processing) Biofuels cost-competitive with fossil fuels would result if crops produce a valuable chemical that can be recovered economically, note researchers at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), Berkeley, Calif. The researchers now have determined exactly how
May 27, 2020 Read Full Article
Positive Results Achieved from NREL's Use of Industry-Relevant Ozone Treatment to Deconstruct Biomass
by Zia Abdullah (U.S. Department of Energy/National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Achieves high sugar yields with low enzyme loadings; Deconstructing Biomass with a Common Pulp and Paper Industry Method -- Ozone treatment (aka "ozonolysis") of lignocellulose pulp is a widely practiced method for
May 26, 2020 Read Full Article
Just Because It's in Popular Science That Doesn't Mean It's True: An Open Letter to Jennifer Lu and Popular Science Magazine
by Marc J. Rauch (The Auto Channel) ... The reason I'm contacting you today, in 2020, is because yesterday I received a message from a reader who disagrees with my advocacy of ethanol based upon your article. In my reply to
May 26, 2020 Read Full Article
3 Things that Need to Happen for Sustainable Aviation Fuel to Take Off
by Lloyd Ritter (Green Capitol LLC/Biofuels Digest) A timely new report came out recently on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), “Ready for Takeoff: Aviation Biofuels Past, Present, and Future,” written by the Atlantic Council (herein AC). The key takeaways are three-fold. First, aviation
May 26, 2020 Read Full Article
Onboard Separation Technology Set to Improve Fuel Economy
by Lynne Roeder (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) PNNL invention partitions ethanol from gasoline to enable octane on demand; could also lower emissions -- ... Designed to work with a car’s existing fuel, the onboard separation technology is the first to
May 25, 2020 Read Full Article
Rapid Screening Method Targets Fatty Acids in Yeast; Key to Sustainable Bioproducts
(Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation) Scientists engineering valuable microbes for renewable fuels and bioproducts have developed a fast, efficient way to identify the most promising varieties. Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign developed a novel mass spectrometry-based
May 21, 2020 Read Full Article
Amid Oil Price Crash, a New Hope for Biofuels
by Tina Casey (Triple Pundit) ... (T)there are reasons to be optimistic about the future of biofuels, as the field continues to evolve remarkably from where it was a decade ago. ... Rather than letting the rest of the plant go to waste, the
May 19, 2020 Read Full Article
DOE Funds CCUS Project at Ethanol Plant, Opens New CCUS FOA
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Department of Energy on April 24 announced plans to award funding to a carbon capture and storage (CCUS) project under development at an Illinois ethanol plant. The agency is also soliciting applications for
May 18, 2020 Read Full Article
NREL Tool Quickly Provides Answers for Chemical Reactions
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory) In the same manner that pocket calculators made math faster and easier, a new machine-learning tool developed at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has significantly speeded up calculating the thermodynamics of chemical reactions. Developed as part
May 18, 2020 Read Full Article
Algae Education and the Future of the Bioeconomy
by Christy Sterner (U.S. Department of Energy) How ATEC leads the way toward educating the next generation of bioeconomy professionals. The Algae Technology Educational Consortium (ATEC) is a collaboration between the Algae Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy's Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), and the National Renewable Energy
May 15, 2020 Read Full Article
Resources for R&D, Pre-Commercial/Demo, Commercial Phases: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Federal Programs Supporting the Bioeconomy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) If you missed the DigestConnect webinar last week, check out the slide guides from Bill Hagy’s presentation on what federal programs and resources are available for biofuels, biopower, biochemicals and biobased products throughout all stage
May 12, 2020 Read Full Article
Can U.S. Homegrown Sorghum Help the Ag Industry Get through Covid-19?
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) It’s been only two years since the Environmental Protection Agency approved sorghum oil as an eligible feedstock under the Renewable Fuel Standard, but a lot has happened since then. The EPA’s announcement marked a significant step
May 11, 2020 Read Full Article
Competitive Edge: HelioBioSys, Inc.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) We formed HelioBioSys to reduce the carbon footprint of fuels and other biomaterials. We initially targeted ethanol production via a genetically modified cyanobacterium but realized this process was not commercially viable. We then developed and patented
May 08, 2020 Read Full Article
Big Oil Overreaches on COVID-19 Bailout
by Jim Talent (The Gazette) ... Oil companies have requested special access to a $600 billion lending facility at the Federal Reserve, and the administration seems keen to deliver. The president just announced that the Secretary of Energy and Secretary
May 07, 2020 Read Full Article
EIA Proposes to Collect Data on Biogas, RNG Production Public Comment DEADLINE: June 29, 2020
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. Energy Information Administration could soon begin publishing data related to the production of biogas and renewable natural gas (RNG). The agency has proposed to modify an existing information collection focused on natural gas to
May 06, 2020 Read Full Article
Featured Project: Purdue University Elevated Solar Panels
(Indiana Agriculture Coalition for Renewable Energy) Our first featured renewable energy project is a joint project between PU Chemical Enginering and PU Agronomy Department at the Sustainable Food, Energy and Water Systems (SFEWS) research project in West Lafeyette. ... “This research will
April 30, 2020 Read Full Article
Trump Poised to Offer Bridge Loans to Ailing Oil Companies
by Saleha Mohsin, Ari Natter and Jennifer A. Dlouhy (Bloomberg/RigZone) The Trump administration may announce as soon as Thursday a plan to offer loans to the ailing oil industry possibly in exchange for a financial stake, according to two people familiar
April 30, 2020 Read Full Article
Vale Male: Big Changes at the BioEnergy Technologies Office
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... If you’ve noticed that DOE is taking on a much more fundamental bit of science than we’ve seen in the past decade — a move away from catalyzing demonstrations and scale-up and towards more fundamental
April 30, 2020 Read Full Article
The Competitive Edge: Marine BioEnergy, Inc.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... We can add capacity for energy by turning to the massive spaces in the open oceans to gather sunlight to grow abundant, competitive biomass for carbon-neutral fuels. For scale, we need 220,000 square kilometers to
April 24, 2020 Read Full Article
De-risking Capital Market Investment in Biomass
(Ecostrat) The Biomass Supply Chain Risk Standards are a step-change advancement in the state-of-the-science for assessing biomass feedstock risk. They de-risk capital market investment in biofuels, biopower, biochemicals and bioproducts. The Standards enable capital to better structure around feedstock risk. With
April 23, 2020 Read Full Article
As Price of Oil Drops, Trump Orders Plan to Help U.S. Energy Companies: Energy Secretary Says Funds from Fed’s Main Street Loan Program Might Be Needed to Help Oil Companies
by Will Englund (Washington Post) President Trump said Tuesday he has ordered his administration to come up with a plan to provide federal assistance to the oil and gas industry in the United States, which has been staggered by the
April 22, 2020 Read Full Article
Potential Feedstocks, Biofuel Markets, Corn and Cellulosic Ethanol: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Increasing Feedstock Production for Biofuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Biomass Research and Development Board published a report that looks at how to address the constraints surrounding availability of biomass feedstocks for biofuels. Four questions guide the analysis: What feedstocks and at what price? What is the
April 22, 2020 Read Full Article
Earth Day 2020: 4 Green Shoots to Celebrate amongst the Devastation
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As I write, the May contract for West Texas Intermediate is selling for -$40.21 a barrel, or a negative cost of $240 per tonne. Let’s put that in context, you can throw unmixed useless garbage into
April 22, 2020 Read Full Article
Getting Money to Survive and Thrive – Federal Programs and Resources Available to Support the Bioeconomy
by Bill Hagy (Lee Enterprises Consulting, Inc./Biofuels Digest) A series of PowerPoint Presentations outlining key Federal Financial Programs and Assistance that are available to support the domestic bioeconomy have been provided. This was not intended to be an” all inclusive” listing of
April 21, 2020 Read Full Article
States Ask EPA for Nationwide Biofuel Waiver to Help Oil Refiners Weather Coronavirus
by Laura Sanicola (Reuters) The governors of five U.S. states have asked the Trump administration for a nationwide waiver exempting the oil-refining industry from the nation’s biofuel laws to help it survive a demand meltdown caused by the coronavirus outbreak, according
April 16, 2020 Read Full Article
The United States Mineral Supply Insecurity and Dependence on Rare Earth Elements
by Jamil Hijazi (The Payne Institute for Public Policy) Despite the trade war with China and the outbreak of the Coronavirus, the United States of America (U.S) faces the continuous problem of resource dependence and resource insecurity of its processed Rare
April 14, 2020 Read Full Article
UC Researchers Discover Amount of Biofuel Needed to Match Price with Gasoline
by Tarunika Kapoor (Daily Californian) UC researchers published a study March 27 that found the exact amount of biofuel needed to match price with and potentially replace petroleum-based gasoline and other fuel sources, which could have broad environmental consequences. Published in the
April 10, 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
Lignin Research Yields Additional Answers into Bacteria's Role
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory/Phys.Org) A collaboration between the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and three other national laboratories has yielded new insight into the ability of bacteria to break down the hardy part of a plant known as lignin. The additional
April 09, 2020 Read Full Article
Bio-Restore Workshop Presentations and Workshop Summary Published
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) has released the "Bio-Restore Workshop Summary Report." This report summarizes the results of a BETO-sponsored public workshop held at Argonne National Laboratory on
April 08, 2020 Read Full Article
Making Biofuels Cheaper by Putting Plants to Work
(Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Biofuels are an important part of the broader strategy to replace petroleum-based gasoline, diesel, and jet fuels that we use today. However, biofuels have so far not reached cost parity with conventional petroleum fuels. One strategy to make
April 06, 2020 Read Full Article
Ahead of Stimulus Talks, Voters Back Relief for Renewables More Than for Oil and Gas
by Lisa Martine Jenkins (Morning Consult) -- 38% of voters support a bailout for the oil and gas industry, compared to 54% backing for a renewables industry bailout. -- Republicans are nearly as supportive of a renewables bailout (49%) as
April 03, 2020 Read Full Article
USDA, DOE, SBA Programs for Biofuels, Biopower, Biochem: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Federal Programs Supporting Commercial Scale Development
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Earlier this week we shared the latest federal programs supporting demonstration concept and today our focus is on federal programs supporting commercial scale development for biofuels, biopower, biochemicals and biobased projects. Check out this slide
April 03, 2020 Read Full Article
Scaling Algae for Carbon Capture and Biofuels
(Boss Magazine) ... What else algae can suck up, though, is carbon dioxide. When harnessed for carbon capture, algae could become a force in combatting climate change. ... Like other plants, algae take in carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. In fact,
April 01, 2020 Read Full Article
EERE Program Information Center Launches Application Submissions Pilot
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (EERE) will launch a new website to replace eXCHANGE for funding opportunity announcements and application submission. We are looking for volunteers to pilot the new process. Beginning
April 01, 2020 Read Full Article
Pre-Commercial Programs Supporting Biofuels, Biopower, Biochem: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Federal Programs Supporting Demonstration of Concept
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Last week we shared the latest federal programs in the R&D space and this week we focus on the federal pre-commercial programs supporting biofuels, biopower, biochemcials and biobased products. Check out this slide guide from
March 31, 2020 Read Full Article
The Algae Foundation — Looking Back and Moving Forward
by Ike Levine, Tiffany Cannis and Marissa Nalley (Algae Industry Magazine) In these turbulent times, when many educational programs are in limbo, we wondered what is happening to algae education? For a perspective, we asked leaders of the Algae Foundation
March 30, 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
Senate Passes Emergency Package without Green Provisions
by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico's Morning Energy) SENATE PASSES RELIEF PACKAGE: The Senate last night unanimously passed a mammoth $2 trillion coronavirus rescue package, POLITICO's Melanie Zanona, Sarah Ferris and Heather Caygle report. The measure, which is the biggest economic rescue package in
March 26, 2020 Read Full Article
Biodiesel’s Green Footprint for Fleets: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to the National Biodiesel Board’s Biodiesel Industry – Part 2
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Check out Part 2 of the National Biodiesel Board’s slide guide that focuses on biodiesel’s on-road heavy-duty emission benefits, why they consider biodiesel as “liquid solar energy”, how 3 billion gallons of biodiesel used in
March 26, 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
Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines: A Transportation Future with Science in the Driver’s Seat Mapping a Viable Route Forward for Affordable, Efficient, and Clean Fuels and Engines
by John Farrell, Robert Wagner, Chris Moen and Dan Gaspar (U.S. Department of Energy) ... For the past four years, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has been funding the CoOptimization of Fuels & Engines (Co-Optima) initiative, focused on identifying fuel
March 25, 2020 Read Full Article
Grassley Asks White House for Biofuel Support as SPR Fill Helps Oil Industry
by Meghan Gordon (S&P Global) US Senator Chuck Grassley, Republican-Iowa, urged the Trump administration Thursday to help the US biofuel industry weather plunging fuel prices and demand, just as the White House was seen as supporting domestic oil producers by
March 20, 2020 Read Full Article
Biomass, Food and Ag, Small Business R&D: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Federal R&D Programs for Biofuels, Biochem
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) There are several federal R&D programs out there supporting biofuels, biopower, biochemcials and biobased products. If you don’t know what they are, check out this slide guide from Bill Hagy at Lee Enterprises Consulting and
March 20, 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
PNNL Brews Up Batch of Biocrude Oil
by Asanga Padmaperuma (U.S. Department of Energy/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) ... Spent grain is also an attractive feedstock for producing high quality biocrude oil that can be refined into transportation fuel. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) researchers recently achieved a
March 18, 2020 Read Full Article
House Democrats Warn against Oil Industry Bailout
by Rebecca Beitsch (The Hill) A growing number of Democrats are voicing concern that the White House may pursue broad relief for the oil and gas industry amid sinking prices and the coronavirus pandemic. Twenty House Democrats sent a letter to President Trump on
March 18, 2020 Read Full Article
Researchers Building Stronger, Greener Concrete with Biofuel Byproducts
(Kansas State University) Kansas State University civil engineers are developing the right mix to reduce concrete's carbon footprint and make it stronger. Their innovative ingredient: biofuel byproducts. -- "The idea is to use bioethanol production byproducts to produce a material to use
March 17, 2020 Read Full Article
Why a Good Ethanol Education Program Is Needed Now, More Than Ever
by Marc J. Rauch (The Auto Channel) U.S. DOE and EPA are Screwing America (And No One Cares - Do You?) +VIDEO -- ... So, I did a Google search of his name (Daniel R. Simmons) along with the word "ethanol."
March 13, 2020 Read Full Article
Biomass Fuels Can Significantly Mitigate Global Warming
(American Associates/Ben-Gurion University of the Negev/EurekAlert!) Biomass fuels derived from various grasses could significantly mitigate global warming by reducing carbon, according to a long-term field study by researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) and Michigan State University (MSU). In a
March 10, 2020 Read Full Article
EIA Projects U.S. Biofuel Production to Slowly Increase through 2050
(U.S. Energy Information Administration) The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Annual Energy Outlook 2020 (AEO2020) projects that U.S. biofuel production will slowly grow through 2050, primarily driven by economic and policy factors. In the Reference case, which reflects current laws and regulations, biofuels
March 10, 2020 Read Full Article
Call for White Papers: Directed Funding Opportunity for Collaboration with National Laboratories DEADLINE: April 19, 2020
(Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines (Co-Optima) initiative) The Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines (Co-Optima) initiative focuses on developing new high-performance fuels that, when combined with advanced combustion approaches, can boost engine efficiency and cut emissions. To accelerate adoption of new fuels
March 09, 2020 Read Full Article
New Diesel Engine Powered by Ethanol ClearFlame Engines Can Cut Diesel Emissions Burning Straight Ethanol
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) When ClearFlame Engines CEO B.J. Johnson told ethanol industry representatives about the potential ethanol market for the company's all-ethanol diesel engine, those at the recent National Ethanol Conference in Houston could have kissed him. While concerns
March 05, 2020 Read Full Article
Most Efficient Source of Fuel May Be Tiniest Organism
by Shelley Schlender (VOA) ... The tiny single-celled, plantlike organisms known as algae are more efficient than other organisms at converting sunlight and carbon dioxide into the raw materials needed for foods, products and fuels. And not just a few
March 03, 2020 Read Full Article
Hydrogen’s Technical, Demand and Economic Potential: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to NREL’s Hydrogen Potential – H2@Scale
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Did you know that the demand potential of the hydrogen market by 2050 is >9X? National Renewable Energy Laboratory recently presented the latest on the technical potential, demand, and economic potential of H2@Scale within the
March 03, 2020 Read Full Article
A Decade of Progress in California? Not for Its Recycling Rate
by Jim Stewart (Bioenergy Producers Association/Renewable Energy Project Development and Finance/Biofuels Digest) The volume of post-recycled municipal solid waste (MSW) being placed in California’s landfills has been steadily climbing for the past decade, during which time the state’s legislature, with its
March 03, 2020 Read Full Article
Improving Algal Strains with Genomics: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Genetic and Synthetic Biology Tools for Algae Productivity
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Wild type algal strains don’t have the productivity and robust growth characteristics needed to push algae forward as a biofuel feedstock, but researchers are working on changing that. Stephen Mayfield from the University of California
March 03, 2020 Read Full Article
KIST Develops Biofuel Production Process in Cooperation with North American Researchers
(Korea Institute of Science and Technology/EurekAlert!) Clean biofuel produced using genetic engineering and environmentally friendly solvents. International joint research by Korean, US, and Canadian research teams raises anticipation of the development of sustainable biofuel production technology -- Biofuel is often touted
March 02, 2020 Read Full Article
Congresswoman Angie Craig Leads Letter Reiterating Support for Biofuels, Reducing Carbon Emissions
(Office of Congresswoman Angie Craig (D-MN2)) Today, U.S. Reps. Angie Craig (MN-02) and Dave Loebsack (IA-02) delivered a letter signed by 11 members on the bipartisan Congressional Biofuels Caucus urging the Select Committee on Climate Crisis to include biofuels as a
February 27, 2020 Read Full Article
Seeing Starch: Novel Technique Enables Gentle Observation of Biofuel Materials
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a new method to peer deep into the nanostructure of biomaterials without damaging the sample. This novel technique can confirm structural features in starch,
February 27, 2020 Read Full Article
Biomass Sugars to Hydrocarbon Biofuels: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Enzymatic Hydrolysis Development Efforts
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Reducing cost and improving manufacturability of the biomass sugar platform through Continuous Enzymatic Hydrolysis (CEH) technology is one of the goals for NREL. James D. McMillan from NREL shared the latest research developments at the
February 26, 2020 Read Full Article
Optimizing Co-Product Production: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Alkaline-Oxidative Pretreatment of Woody Biomass
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Two birds with one stone – if you can get BOTH a clean sugar stream for the production of hydrocarbon fuels AND lignins that can feed multiple product streams, then you are talking economic viability. Eric L.
February 21, 2020 Read Full Article
Why the U.S. Faces a Steep Path to a CO2-Free Grid
by Peter Behr (E&E News) Nearly two dozen states and the District of Columbia have committed to slashing greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, with several planning at least an 80% cut. Some Democratic presidential candidates are outlining goals for the majority of
February 20, 2020 Read Full Article
Agile BioFoundry Directed Funding Opportunity for 2020
(Agile BioFoundry/U.S. Department of Energy) The Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO)-funded Agile BioFoundry (ABF) consortium is overseeing a Directed Funding Opportunity for industry partners to utilize ABF capabilities. Partners can use this funding to
February 19, 2020 Read Full Article
Chemistry Finding Could Make Solar Energy More Efficient
by Laura Arenschield (Ohio State News) Researchers have found a way to harness the entire spectrum of sunlight -- Scientists for the first time have developed a single molecule that can absorb sunlight efficiently and also act as a catalyst to
February 19, 2020 Read Full Article
Direct Funding Opportunity (DFO) for Computational Science to Enable Bioenergy DEADLINE March 31, 2020
(Consortium for Computational Physics and Chemistry (CCPC) of the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) of the U.S. Department of Energy) Overview: The Consortium for Computational Physics and Chemistry (CCPC) of the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) is offering directed funding assistance for interested
February 19, 2020 Read Full Article
OSU Receives $3.1 Million Research Grant to Improve Sorghum Data and Savings
(Oklahoma State University) Forage sorghum is being grown in Chickasha as part of the bio-energy research center work on using sorghum in the production of Cellulosic ethanol. Oklahoma received a $3.1 million grant to improve field-level data collection. -- A recent
February 19, 2020 Read Full Article
Call for White Papers: Directed Funding Opportunity for Collaboration with National Laboratories
(CoOptima.org/U.S. Department of Energy) The Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines (Co-Optima) initiative focuses on developing new high-performance fuels that, when combined with advanced combustion approaches, can boost engine efficiency and cut emissions. To accelerate adoption of new fuels and blendstocks
February 18, 2020 Read Full Article
Engineered Bacteria for Acetone and Drop-in Fuels from Syngas: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to LanzaTech’s Acetone Platform
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sean Simpson and Michael Köpke from LanzaTech and researchers from Oak Ridge National Laboratory are working on developing and scaling up a novel technology platform for direct conversion of biomass syngas to acetone, which can be
February 18, 2020 Read Full Article
Delta Commits $1 Billion to Become World’s 1st Carbon Neutral Airline
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Georgia arrives news that starting March 1st, Delta is making a $1 billion commitment over the next 10 years to mitigate all emissions from its global business going forward. Their goal? To invest the money
February 17, 2020 Read Full Article
Bringing Algal Biofuel Production to Scale: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Biocrude Production in Advanced Photobioreactor-Based Biorefinery
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Everyone wants more productive algal strains – but how do you get them? Can you advance the technology enough to get economical, large-scale algal biofuel production? Ron Chance and Paul Roessler, both of Algenol Biotech, shared this
February 13, 2020 Read Full Article
Improving Algae Line with Faster Production: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Cellular Metabolism
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Scott Twary from Los Alamos National Laboratory is working on how to design an integrated strain improvement platform for algae with faster production and to meet BETO’s mission goals of developing technologies for algae strain improvement
February 11, 2020 Read Full Article
Trump Budget Slashes Environmental, Clean Energy Funding
(Our Daily Planet) Yesterday, President Trump released his FY2021 budget, and the proposed cuts to federal agencies and research programs were severe.As Science Mag summarized, Trump’s budget proposes the following cuts: National Institutes of Health: a cut of 7%, or $2.942 billion,
February 11, 2020 Read Full Article
The U.S. Is Not Energy Independent
by Amy Harder (Axios Generate) A short new Energy Information Administration report provides a breakdown that's useful in light of all the discussion these days about the U.S. energy posture. Driving the news: The report shows that while late last year the U.S. became a consistent
February 07, 2020 Read Full Article
Trump Withholding $823 Million for Clean Energy, Democrats Say
by Ari Natter (Bloomberg) Unspent funds earmarked for electric cars, energy efficiency; Energy Department vows to spend funding at House hearing -- The Trump administration is withholding nearly a billion dollars for a clean energy program it has unsuccessfully tried to
February 06, 2020 Read Full Article
NRDC: DOE Is Flouting the Will of Congress by Delaying Clean Energy R&D
(Natural Resources Defense Council) The Department of Energy is flouting the will of Congress by delaying clean energy R&D and Congress should act quickly to prevent such ideologically driven efforts that thwart action to combat climate change, a Natural Resources Defense
February 06, 2020 Read Full Article
Researchers Work on Project to Develop Cleaner-Burning, Renewable Fuels
(TechXplore/University of Central Florida) Biofuels offer potential benefits as renewable fuels with cleaner emissions, but with thousands of types of biofuels to choose from, it makes it hard for the energy sector to focus on just a few for further development. That's
February 04, 2020 Read Full Article
Advanced Algal Systems: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Photosynthetic Production of Biodiesel by Cyanobacteria
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office’sBioenergy Technology Incubator 2 project is looking at how to directly produce ‘drop in’ ready biofuel (ethyl or methyl laurate) by cyanobacteria using CO2, water, and light as the
February 04, 2020 Read Full Article
LLNL Report Lays out Technology Pathways for California to Become Carbon-Neutral and Then -Negative by 2045; 3 Pillars of Negative Emissions
(Green Car Congress) Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientists have identified a suite of technologies to help California to become carbon-neutral—and ultimately carbon-negative —by 2045. To achieve the goal of carbon-neutrality, California will likely have to remove on the order of 125 million
February 03, 2020 Read Full Article
Yucky Scum May Someday Fuel Cars, Planes and Trains because of PNNL Researchers
by Steven Ashby (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory/Tri-City Herald) Algae is often seen as a yucky muck, but it may soon join crop waste and cooking oils as an important ingredient in the recipe for renewable biofuels. At the Department of Energy’s Pacific
January 31, 2020 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Announces Collaboration with the International Motor Sports Association
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today (January 24, 2020), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) announced a collaboration to encourage the development of advanced fuels and efficient technologies in motorsports. This collaboration was formalized through
January 31, 2020 Read Full Article
Rural America’s Bioeconomy: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Rural Energy for America Program, The Farm Bill
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Between droughts, trade wars, and more, Rural America has had so many challenges, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture is trying to help with various Rural Business-Cooperative Service’s programs including investment of approximately $2 billion across
January 31, 2020 Read Full Article
Light-Based Chemistry Could Increase Energy Density of a Renewable Fuel
(Photonics/Los Alamos National Laboratory) Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory used photochemical [2 + 2] cycloaddition to upgrade biomass-derived acetone — common nail polish remover — to higher-mass hydrocarbons, and produced a product that can be blended with conventional jet
January 30, 2020 Read Full Article
WEBINAR: Forest System Health: Evaluating Trade-offs for Water, Fire, Biofuels, and Fish
by Mark Wigmosta (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory/CAAFI) READ MORE
January 30, 2020 Read Full Article
More than Biomass: Purposefully Grown for Ecosystem Services
Cristina Negri, John Quinn, Jules Cacho, Colleen Zumpf, Shruti Khadka Mishra, and Patty Campbell (Argonne National Laboratory/CAAFI) ... Responsible innovation: “taking care of the future through collective stewardship of science and innovation in the present”* ( *Stilgoe, Owen, and MacNaghten.
January 30, 2020 Read Full Article
Interfacing with R&D and Industry: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to BETO’s Advanced Development & Optimization
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) We are always trying to optimize – optimize processes, efficiencies, cost, value, and more, but did you know that the U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office has a program just for this sort of thing?
January 29, 2020 Read Full Article
MU Research Puts Green Algae on the Front Line to Replace Fossil Fuel
by Mariana Labatte (Innovations in Agriculture Missourian Extension) MU computer science professor Jianlin Cheng sees the future of energy in green algae. The small aquatic plants that add a layer of scum to ponds and pools have a beneficial side — green
January 28, 2020 Read Full Article
DOE Project at U of I Will Measure Bioenergy Crop Carbon Emissions
(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment) The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded a $3.3 million grant to a multidisciplinary research team at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to develop a precise system for measuring
January 27, 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
Energy Department Announces Up to $64M to Advance H2@Scale in New Markets DEADLINE: February 25, 2020
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today (January 23, 2020), the U.S. Department of Energy announced up to $64 million in funding to advance innovations that will build new markets for the H2@Scale initiative. This investment will support transformational research and development (R&D), innovative
January 27, 2020 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Announces Nearly $300 Million for Sustainable Transportation Research
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today (January 23, 2020) at the Washington Auto Show, Under Secretary of Energy Mark W. Menezes announced the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) investment of nearly $300 million in funding for research and development of sustainable transportation
January 24, 2020 Read Full Article
How Plastic Can Fit in a Circular Carbon Economy: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Recycling and Upcycling Plastics
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) We’ve seen the staggering numbers, 78 million tons of annual plastics production, 98% virgin feedstock, and only 14% gets collected for recycling. So what do we do about it? Jay Fitzgerald from the Bioenergy technologies
January 24, 2020 Read Full Article
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