by Jared White (Brownfield Ag News) The president of the National Corn Growers Association says the organization is pushing the Trump administration to ensure corn is included in any new trade deal with India. Kenneth Hartman, Jr. tells Brownfield India’s 1.4 billion
genetically modified organism (GMO)
Back TO HOMEThe Digest’s 2025 Multi-Slide Guide to the State of Feedstocks & Advanced Agriculture
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This presentation from the ABLC Connect series on Digest TV assesses the current state of feedstock and advanced agriculture, noting high demand but a shortage of sustainable, affordable, reliable, and available sources. It highlights challenges like competition,
February 14, 2025 Read Full Article
Acelen Begins Unprecedented Macaúba Production Protocol
(Acelen) Innovative project that will produce 1 billion liters of renewable diesel and sustainable QAV per year starts in partnership with plant micropropagation R&D specialist -- Acelen, an energy company, is starting the first phase of the renewable fuels project -
February 12, 2025 Read Full Article
ARPA-E Announces $38 Million to Develop New Technologies to Reduce Ethanol-Related Emissions while Lowering Farmers’ Operating Costs
(U.S. Department of Energy ARPA-E) Program aims to reduce need for synthetic nitrogen fertilizer in corn and sorghum crop production -- Today (January 10, 2025), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) announced $38 million for 9 projects
January 15, 2025 Read Full Article
The Path to Zero
by Raakhee Mirchandani (Wall Street Journal/BookTV/C-Span) Author and Propane Education and Research Council CEO Tucker Perkins joined a panel discussion on climate change and reducing carbon emissions. The Wall Street Journal hosted this event. People in this video Bobby Cherian Senior Vice President Hyliion Jennifer Holmgren Chief Executive Officer
December 18, 2024 Read Full Article
USDA Must Do More to Regulate Genetically Modified Crops, Judge Rules
by Sarah Zimmerman (Agriculture Dive) A federal court overturned a 2020 rule that looked to accelerate innovation by allowing manufacturers to sidestep regulatory reviews. -- A federal court last week overturned a rule exempting genetically engineered plants from pre-market review, saying the
December 11, 2024 Read Full Article
Corn’s Next Step Change
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Developing a corn hybrid traditionally takes seven to 10 years, simply because of the nature of scalability generation to generation—it takes two generations to plant just one acre, Schnable says. But the enormous database
December 10, 2024 Read Full Article
Synthetic Biology Techniques Significantly Increase Purity of Specialized Plant Oils
(Kansas State University/Phys.Org) Some of the more commonly known and grown oilseed crops in the U.S. have long been canola, soybeans and sunflowers, but a breakthrough by Kansas State University biochemists could lead to the cover crops pennycress and camelina also
December 10, 2024 Read Full Article
APHIS Issues Regulatory Status Review Responses: Covercress, GCMBNA, Moolec, and MSU
(US Department of Agriculture) The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently reviewed the following plants modified using genetic engineering to determine whether they posed an increased plant pest risk as relative to non-modified comparator: Covercress,
November 25, 2024 Read Full Article
Finding Could Help Turn Trees Into Affordable, Greener Industrial Chemicals
(North Carolina State University News) ... Lignin, a polymer that makes trees rigid and resistant to degradation, has proven problematic. Now those NC State researchers know why: They’ve identified the specific molecular property of lignin — its methoxy content — that
November 19, 2024 Read Full Article
Researchers Use Bioengineered Cyanobacteria for Ethanol Production
by Jay Kakade (TechExplorist) Researchers successfully modified Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 to demonstrate enhanced cyanobacterial ethanol production -- Cyanobacteria are photoautotrophic prokaryotes, so researchers think they can naturally lower atmospheric CO2 levels. Research led by Bharat Kumar Majhi has shown that they can
November 13, 2024 Read Full Article
New Plant Engineering Method Promises to Dramatically Improve Biofuel and Bioproduct Development
(Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) The ability to genetically engineer plants is largely thanks to a microscopic helper: a bacterium called Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Agrobacterium in the wild causes damaging tumors in flowering plants, including some economically important crops, but its ability to insert
November 13, 2024 Read Full Article
CTE Global Adds New Advanced Performing Yeast to Its Product Offerings
(CTE Global/Ethanol Producer Magazine) CTE Global, a provider of effective yeast and enzymatic strategies for the production of biofuels introduces Innova Eclipse yeast to its portfolio. Innova Eclipse uses the most advanced technologies to push past fermentation limits, significantly reducing glycerol
October 29, 2024 Read Full Article
Engineered Yellow-Seeded Camelina Packs More Oil
(US Department of Energy) The Science -- Oils produced from nonfood crops can be converted into biofuels that can reduce the need for fossil fuels. In oilseed crops like canola, yellow-seeded varieties generally produce more oil than their brown-seeded counterparts. Camelina
October 18, 2024 Read Full Article
CRISPR/Cas9 Modifies Euglena to Create Potential Biofuel Source
(Osaka Metropolitan University) Mutant microalgae produce wax esters for biofuel feedstock with improved cold flow -- Modifying euglena for biofuel-ready wax esters: Genome editing of Euglena gracilis led to stable mutants that produced wax esters with shorter carbon chains, giving the esters
September 14, 2024 Read Full Article
More Green Downstream: Farmers Using a New Microbial Nitrogen Fertilizer
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Farmers using a new microbial nitrogen fertilizer from Pivot Bio have reduced carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by more than 932,500 metric tons since 2022. With feedstock accounting for half of the carbon intensity of a
September 05, 2024 Read Full Article
Casterra Announces the Completion of a Successful Castor Seed Growing and Harvesting Season in Brazil
(Casterra/PR Newswire) Castor seeds from Brazil will be ready for shipment during third quarter of 2024. Castor harvest season in Africa started as planned. -- Casterra Ag Ltd., a subsidiary of Evogene Ltd. (Nasdaq: EVGN) (TASE: EVGN), and a provider of an
August 01, 2024 Read Full Article
Dented Corn Ethanol: A Game Changer for India’s Biofuel Sector
by Dilip S. Patil (The Hindu Business Line) By integrating corn-based ethanol into its biofuel strategy, India can create a more secure, diversified, and sustainable ethanol production system -- India’s Ethanol Blending Program (EBP) aims to achieve 20 per cent ethanol blending by 2025,
July 29, 2024 Read Full Article
Co-Fermentation Process Making Significant Strides in Biofuel Research
(Oklahoma State University) Researchers in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology at Oklahoma State University continue to refine a co-fermentation process resulting in the production of butanol, a biofuel made from renewable resources that can be converted into jet fuel.
July 02, 2024 Read Full Article
Scientists Engineer Yellow-Seeded Camelina with High Oil Output
(Department of Energy Brookhaven National Laboratory/EurekAlert!) A high-yielding version of this oilseed crop could help meet the increasing demand for biofuels -- Efforts to achieve net-zero carbon emissions from transportation fuels are increasing demand for oil produced by nonfood crops. These plants
June 13, 2024 Read Full Article
BASF Sells Bioenergy Enzymes Business to Lallemand
(BASF) BASF has sold its bioenergy enzymes business based in San Diego to Lallemand's subsidiaries, Danstar Ferment AG and Lallemand Specialties Inc. This includes the Spartec® product portfolio and related technologies in development. Lallemand will integrate the business and associated employees in
June 03, 2024 Read Full Article
Mastering Fundamentals: First Step for Promising New Sustainable Vehicle Fuels
by Aishwarya Krishnamoorthy (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Two NREL Reports Detail Findings on Fundamental Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME) Fuels Research in Partnership With ExxonMobil and Genomatica -- While the demand for climate-warming fuels like petroleum and diesel is expected to peak before
May 21, 2024 Read Full Article
EPA, FDA, and USDA Issue Joint Regulatory Plan for Biotechnology
(U.S. Food and Drug Administration) In response to President Biden’s Executive Order 14081, “Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation for a Sustainable, Safe, and Secure American Bioeconomy,” the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and
May 08, 2024 Read Full Article
The Eco-Friendly Fuel of the Future
(Mazda) A carbon-negative crop that can contribute to the mitigation of climate change, algae are also a viable source of biofuel. Working with Hiroshima University, Mazda is making significant inroads into its future use. Seaweed is synonymous with Japanese cuisine and has
April 10, 2024 Read Full Article
ZeaKal Delivers Synergistic Innovation to Enhance Sustainability of Corn Production
(Oklahoma Farm Report) ZeaKal today (March 19, 2024) announced the successful development of its groundbreaking PhotoSeed™ technology in corn, improving the crop’s oil and sustainability profile without compromising yield or protein. With the immediate implementation of PhotoSeed corn’s route to market, ZeaKal aims
March 20, 2024 Read Full Article
Startup Making Biofuel from Seeds Expands in S. America & Africa
by Sara Miller (NoCamels) An Israeli company that engineers castor beans to produce high yields for biofuel has signed strategic agreements with existing and new seed producers in South America and Africa, in order to increase production capabilities. Casterra engineers special varieties of castor
March 05, 2024 Read Full Article
Beast Mode Yeast Load, Least MO’d; Novonesis’ New Innova Delta, Non-GM Yeast for Biofuel Producers
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Denmark, Novonesis, formerly Novozymes, has launched its latest and most exciting development in yeast technology— Innova Delta. Yes, they’re back in Beast Mode, and the beast mode yeast loads now have that new twist to them,
February 17, 2024 Read Full Article
Microbial Division of Labor Produces Higher Biofuel Yields
by Diana Yates (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign/Phys.Org) Scientists have found a way to boost ethanol production via yeast fermentation, a standard method for converting plant sugars into biofuels. Their approach, detailed in the journal Nature Communications, relies on careful timing and a tight
February 05, 2024 Read Full Article
EU Parliament’s Environmental Committee Supports Relaxing Rules on Genetically Modified Plants
by Samuel Petrequin (Associated Press) Lawmakers on the European Parliament’s environment committee on Wednesday backed a proposal to relax rules on genetically modified plants produced using so-called new genomic techniques, prompting strong criticism from environmental groups. The issue of genetically modified organisms
January 31, 2024 Read Full Article
Free Classroom Curriculum Resources from GrowNextGen
(GrowNextGen) Explore, download and share these proven real-world educational resources to help bring science and agriculture to life in your classroom. Relevant and engaging, you’ll find useful, easy-to-implement lesson plans and activities. GrowNextGen was launched in 2014 with funding from the Ohio
January 23, 2024 Read Full Article
Law Library of Congress Publishes Report on Selected Issues in Biotechnology Regulation
by Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton (Bergeson & Campbell) The Law Library of Congress published a November 2023 report entitled Selected Issues in Biotechnology Regulation: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, England, European Union, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore,
January 22, 2024 Read Full Article
In His Third Resolution, Vilella Inaugurated a New Stage for Local Biotechnology: He Approved the First GMO Yeasts for the Production of Bioethanol
(Bichos de Campo (Google Translation)) The Secretary of Agriculture, Fernando Vilella, honored his declared devotion to the bioeconomy from the first day of the new year: this Tuesday, January 2, a resolution was published in the Official Gazette that with his
January 02, 2024 Read Full Article
Agricultural Game-Changer on the Horizon for Canola
by Kristi Cox (Seed World) Promising research showing yield increase of a whopping 250% in experimental plants. -- Future canola could see big yield gains thanks to innovative work at the University of Guelph (U of G). Initially, Michael Emes and Ian Tetlow,
December 22, 2023 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2023 Multi-Slide Guide to Terviva
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Terviva is a food and ag innovation company partnering with farmers to grow pongamia, a climate-resilient tree which produces abundant, protein- and oil-rich legumes. Pongamia is uniquely suited to meet today’s environmental challenges. Chief Business Officer
December 21, 2023 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2023 Multi-Slide Guide to Industrial Microbes
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) iMicrobes designs and builds microorganisms, including industrial strains of bacteria and yeast to produce chemicals from natural gas and carbon dioxide. Their green, bio-based methods are “more cost effective than sugar or oil, helping to make
December 11, 2023 Read Full Article
Biomass to Liquid Fuels: We Need Commercial Scale Gen 2 Success
by Doug Rivers (Lee Enterprise Consulting/Biofuels Digest) ... And while advances have been made in the materials handling and pretreatment of these feedstocks, commercial scale attempts produce ethanol have been met with multiple and highly visible failures measured in at least hundreds
December 04, 2023 Read Full Article
Review Article Shows Key Role of Brazil in Research on Sugarcane for Bioenergy
(EurekAlert!) The study by researchers at the University of São Paulo also shows that genetic engineering techniques need to be improved in order to increase ethanol production without expanding crop acreage, a strategy considered crucial to cope with climate change Peer-Reviewed Publication FUNDAÇÃO
November 29, 2023 Read Full Article
U.S. Delegation Visits India to Search for New Outlets for U.S. Ethanol
(U.S. Grains Council) A three-person delegation recently visited India from the U.S. to search for new outlets for exports to the fifth-largest market for U.S. ethanol during the 2022/23 marketing year. The team was comprised of Mark Heckman, ethanol services director at
November 28, 2023 Read Full Article
Biofuel Is Good, But Could It Be Great?
by Treena Hein (Seed World) As demand rises for biofuels, plant breeders are working hard to increase biofuel feedstocks’ productivity and biofuel’s sustainability. -- ... (I)nfrastructure development and plant breeders’ efforts during the past decade have put biofuels on the map in
November 22, 2023 Read Full Article
Basics 2 Breakthroughs: Genetically Improving Sorghum for Biofuels
by Marilyn Sargent (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Bioscientist Anne Villacastin is using genetics to supercharge the growing power of sorghum, a cereal plant that humans have been cultivating for millennia. By adding genes from wheat, Villacastin and her colleagues at the Joint
November 16, 2023 Read Full Article
USDA-APHIS Determines that Yield10 Bioscience’s Stacked Herbicide Tolerant Camelina May Be Planted and Bred in the United States
(Yield10) -Herbicide Technology Critical to Enabling Large-Acreage Adoption of Camelina in North America -- Yield10 Bioscience, Inc. (Nasdaq:YTEN) (“Yield10” or the “Company”), an agricultural bioscience company, today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service’s (“USDA-APHIS’s”) Biotechnology Regulatory Services (“BRS”)
November 15, 2023 Read Full Article
GO Resources Learns Its Genetically Modified Safflower Seed Can Be Sold as Cattle, Bird Feed
by Lucinda Jose and Joanna Prendergast (ABC Rural) A genetically modified seed touted as a biofuel alternative has been sold into the birdseed market, despite claims doing so would be breaching "Commonwealth regulations". Super High Oleic Safflower seed, grown for the bio fuel market,
November 06, 2023 Read Full Article
Opinion: Climate Change and Hunger Are Here Now—a New Farm Bill Can’t Wait
by Beth Ellikidis (Biotechnology Innovation Organization/Agri-Pulse) ... One way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect our climate is by getting more of the energy we use from above the ground instead of beneath it. The biotech company LanzaTech genetically engineers microbes to
October 25, 2023 Read Full Article
Ingenza and Phibro Ethanol Accelerate the Green Fuel Transition
(Ingenza and Phibro Ethanol/EIN Presswire) Ingenza and Phibro Ethanol – a division of Phibro Animal Health Corporation – have joined forces to engineer a novel yeast strain that will increase yield in the commercial production of bioethanol under both challenging and conventional environmental conditions, further driving
October 18, 2023 Read Full Article
Biofuels Hold Promise as Alternative to Fossil Fuels
by Pitambara and Bishwa Bhaskar Choudhary (The Tribune) The govt should consider making a budgetary allocation to implement measures to promote wasteland for the cultivation of energy crops and impart technical know-how to farmers. Increasing the allocation and extending the term
October 16, 2023 Read Full Article
Proof-of-Concept Method Advances Bioprocess Engineering for a Smoother Transition to Biofuels
(Fujita Health University/Phys.Org) One of the primary goals of bioprocess engineering is to increase the yield of the desired material while maintaining high production rates and low raw material utilization. This optimization is usually accomplished by controlling the behavior of microorganisms
October 12, 2023 Read Full Article
Revolutionary Recycling Process Transforms Plastic Waste
(U.S. Department of Energy) Despite millions of Americans depositing their plastic waste into recycling bins, much of that waste, including flexible films, multilayer materials, and colored plastics, cannot be recycled cost-effectively. In fact, only 9% of plastics in the U.S. are
October 06, 2023 Read Full Article
Yield10 Bioscience Completes Harvest of a Majority of the 2023 Winter and Spring Camelina Grain Grown Under Contract, Generating Revenue from Biofuel Production
(Yield10 Globe Newswire) Begins revenue generation for “Camelina Seed Genetics to Biofuel” platform -- Yield10 Bioscience, Inc. (Nasdaq:YTEN) (“Yield10” or the “Company”), an agricultural bioscience company, today announced that the harvest of a majority of the winter and spring Camelina sativa ("Camelina”) grain produced
October 03, 2023 Read Full Article
Casterra Delivers First Shipment of Castor Seeds to Africa
(Casterra Ag/PR Newswire) This first shipment, valued at approximately US$1 million, is part of a framework agreement with a world-leading oil and gas company -- Casterra Ag Ltd. ("Casterra"), an integrated castor cultivation solution company and a subsidiary of Evogene Ltd. ("Evogene") (Nasdaq: EVGN) (TASE:
September 28, 2023 Read Full Article
Polyhydroxybutyrate Synthesis in Camelina: Towards Coproduction of Renewable Feedstocks for Bioplastics and Fuels
Meghna R. Malik, Nii Patterson, Nirmala Sharma, Jihong Tang, Claire Burkitt, Yuanyuan Ji, Matthew Martino, Andrew Hertig, Dirk Schweitzer, Oliver Peoples, Kristi D. Snell (Plant Biotechnology Journal) Plant-based co-production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and seed oil has the potential to create a
August 23, 2023 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2023 Multi-Slide Guide to the State of Biomass Feedstocks and Supply-Chains
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Here’s the State of Biomass Feedstocks and Supply-Chains presentation from the ABLC CONNECT series episode. Available supply, conventional crops, new crops and trees, cover crops, R&D initiatives, consortia — a comprehensive but compact look at the industry in
August 01, 2023 Read Full Article
Biofuel and Specialty Chemical Production from Waste By-products Using Genetically-Engineered Bacteria
(Columbia University) This technology is a genetically modified sulfur oxidizing and iron-reducing bacterial strain that can produce biofuels and specialty chemicals from waste by-products. Unmet Need: Method for managing waste while producing biofuels and chemicals Natural gas, a finite resource, must be replaced
August 01, 2023 Read Full Article
Crop Science Innovation Summit 2023: Bayer Sees More than Doubling of Accessible Markets and Potential to Shape Regenerative Agriculture on More than 400 Million Acres
(Bayer/PR Newswire) • Expectation to tap into more than 100 billion euros of value in accessible and ag-adjacent markets Unparalleled pipeline with estimated peak sales potential of more than 30 billion euros to promote regenerative agricultural practices and enable farmers to support both global food security
July 12, 2023 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2023 Multi-Slide Guide to Yield10 Biosciences
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Yield10 is now advancing camelina as a low Carbon Intensity biofuels feedstock crop. Long-term, they are looking at PHA camelina for high value PHA bioplastics. The commercial opportunity in relay cropping is huge too and
June 23, 2023 Read Full Article
Casterra Signs a Framework Agreement with a World Leading Oil and Gas Company to Sell Its Castor Seeds for Sustainable Biofuel Production, with Initial Purchase Orders of $9.1 Million
(Casterra/PR Newswire) Casterra is expected to deliver the initial orders of its proprietary castor seeds, developed using Evogene's GeneRator AI tech engine, during 2023 -- Casterra Ag Ltd. ("Casterra"), an integrated castor cultivation solution company and a subsidiary of Evogene
June 22, 2023 Read Full Article
Algae Are Versatile Organisms. Meet Three NREL Scientists Working to Unlock Their Full Energy Potential
byZia Abdullah (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Algae turn sunlight and carbon dioxide into biochemical energy. These researchers use genetic engineering, analysis, and material science to turn that energy into opportunity. Food, fertilizer, fuel, pollutant filter —the uses for algae are as
June 08, 2023 Read Full Article
Transforming Plants into Allies in the Fight against Climate Change
(U.S. Department of Energy/Oak Ridge National Laboratory/EurekAlert!) ... At the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, scientists are leading research to transform plants into key drivers of decarbonization, from creating biomass crops for new fuels to enhancing the ability
June 07, 2023 Read Full Article
Southern States First to Harvest Nuseed Carinata Cover Crop for Bioenergy
(Nuseed) Nuseed Carinata harvest is underway in the southern United States, starting near Tifton, Georgia. Nuseed has been working with growers in Florida, Georgia, and Texas to increase the sustainable contract production of the non-food oilseed for processing into certified sustainable
May 12, 2023 Read Full Article
DOC’s Bureau of Economic Analysis Releases Report on Developing a National Measure of the Economic Contributors of the Bioeconomy
by Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton (Bergeson & Campbell) President Joseph Biden’s September 12, 2022, Executive Order (EO) creating a National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative directs the U.S. Department of Commerce’s (DOC) Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) to assess “the
April 10, 2023 Read Full Article
APHIS Announces Draft Modified Microorganisms Guide Available for Public Comment [open for comment through May 22, 2023]
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is sharing a draft guide detailing the information requirements and process for submitting permit applications for microorganisms developed using genetic engineering and inviting public
April 07, 2023 Read Full Article
Shell and S&W Enter Joint Venture to Develop and Produce Sustainable Biofuel Feedstocks
(S&W Seed Company/PR Newswire) Equilon Enterprises LLC ("Shell") and S&W Seed Company (Nasdaq: SANW) ("S&W"), a global agricultural company, today announced the execution of an agreement to establish a joint venture (the "JV") for the purpose of developing novel plant genetics for oil
February 08, 2023 Read Full Article
Crop-Based Biofuels Still Play a Role in Clean and Affordable Energy
by Dawson Schmitt (The Heartland Report) ... Ukraine, a major producer of corn and wheat, could not ship grain from its ports in the Black Sea, a major transportation outlet for food exports. Since agriculture is global, U.S. prices reacted, increasing
February 03, 2023 Read Full Article
The Future of Science: Humanity Takes a Front Seat
by Lauryn Higgins (Technology Networks) ... One proposed approach is genetically modifying heat-resistant crops by “hacking” photosynthesis. ... Just this month, a study published in Nature described the discovery of two-million year old DNA from an ancient ecosystem in Finland where temperatures at that time
January 31, 2023 Read Full Article
Funding Opportunity Announced through Collaboration Between NSF and DOE DEADLINE April 18, 2023
(U.S. Department of Energy and National Science Foundation) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced a collaborative funding opportunity, “Accelerating Innovations in Biomanufacturing Approaches through Collaboration Between NSF and the
January 19, 2023 Read Full Article
Symbiotic CO2 Sequestration -- Bioengineered Microbial Community Working Together to Store Carbon
(Angewandte Chemie International Edition) Photosynthesis is a valuable natural system for sequestering carbon dioxide. However, simply forming biomass does not fully exploit this system. A Chinese team of researchers, whose study is published in the journal Angewandte Chemie, has now genetically engineered
January 03, 2023 Read Full Article
University of Missouri Is Helping the Aviation Industry Go “Green”
(Show Me Mizzou/University of Missouri) Using part of a $12.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, MU researchers are working with an interdisciplinary group to optimize green energy for aviation use. -- While biodiesel and ethanol are two
December 14, 2022 Read Full Article
K-State Scientists Receive Collaborative Grant to Advance Biofuel Production and gricultural Economy
(Kansas State University) Kansas State University researchers are part of a five-year collaborative grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to improve oilseed crops for use as biofuels and other bioproducts. Timothy Durrett, associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biophysics, and Ruth Welti, university
November 17, 2022 Read Full Article
Researchers Discover Method to Quickly Cultivate Microalgal Strain for Biofuel Production
by Lim Chang-won (Aju Business Daily) A state-run research body in South Korea has discovered a method to quickly cultivate a microalgal strain from cyanobacteria, known as blue-green algae, that can produce twice as much biofuel as other microorganisms due
November 03, 2022 Read Full Article
Why Scientists Want to Help Plants Capture More Carbon Dioxide
by Casey Crownhart (MIT Technology Review) Genetic tools that have helped create resilient crops could boost carbon removal, too. -- ... In the session, I sat down with Pamela Ronald, a plant geneticist at the University of California, Davis. She’s
October 25, 2022 Read Full Article
Research Team Receives $15.8M to Modify Poplar for Bioproducts
by Maria Lameiras (UGA Today) Cutting-edge technologies will enable researchers to reengineer poplar trees to produce alternatives to petroleum-based products -- A multidisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Georgia and two partner institutions have been awarded a $15.8
October 21, 2022 Read Full Article
Agile BioFoundry Selects New Collaborations
(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences and the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Systems at the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced the
October 13, 2022 Read Full Article
Mexico’s Proposed GMO Corn Ban Will Cost US Producers Billions
by Jody Heemstra (DRG News) A Mexican presidential decree to ban genetically modified corn in 2024 would have severe economic consequences for the U.S. and Mexican economies. A study from World Perspectives, Inc., says the move will result in a loss of
October 06, 2022 Read Full Article
4H Club, Methane to the Rescue: The Calysta, Mango Materials, Industrial Microbes, T2C Energy Stories
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Biogas is an ancient thing, organisms have been making it for millenia – only in recent decades have we learned to capture and use it to generate on-site heat and power. ... ... This is the supply
September 13, 2022 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Bioeconomy Feedstocks
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) These slides were presented by Digest editor Jim Lane as part of the ABLC CONNECT episode on Feedstocks and the Bioeconomy Supply-Chain. Here, we explore the available volumes, prices, and distribution of key existing feedstock
September 12, 2022 Read Full Article
Biden Executive Order to Fund U.S. Biomanufacturing Industry
by Trevor Hunnicutt (Reuters) President Joe Biden will sign orders on Monday to push more government dollars to the U.S. biotechnology industry, aimed at reducing dependence on China for materials to generate clean energy, weave new fabrics and inoculate populations against
September 12, 2022 Read Full Article
Pretreating Soil with Ethanol Protects Plants from Drought
(RIKEN/Phys.Org) Ethanol can help plants survive in times of drought says a new study conducted at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science in Japan. Led by Motoaki Seki, researchers show that adding ethanol to soil allows plants, including rice
August 26, 2022 Read Full Article
Speed-the-Leaf: RIPE’s Photosynthesis Breakthru Offers a 20% Increase in Crop Yield
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)... Some years ago, the RIPE team went down the rabbit hole of transforming photosynthesis,”harnessing the sun to help the feed the world,” on the noble theory that if plants are more efficient, we’ll have more
August 23, 2022 Read Full Article
Sustainable Oils to Develop Camelina Varieties via Gene Editing
(Sustainable Oils/Biomass Magazine) Sustainable Oils Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Global Clean Energy Holdings Inc., an ultra-low carbon renewable fuel company that will use nonfood camelina as their primary fuel source material, on Aug. 8 announced a joint licensing agreement
August 10, 2022 Read Full Article
New-to-Nature Yeast Chromosome Could Be Game Changer for Industry
(ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology (CoESB)/Phys.Org) A completely new-to-nature yeast chromosome has been developed, paving the way for engineered yeast to be applied to an array of industrial applications. Scientists from the ARC Center of Excellence in Synthetic Biology,
August 09, 2022 Read Full Article
Researchers Enlist Sturdy Yeast to Help Make Cost-Effective Ethanol
(U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service) Yeasts play a key role in converting ("fermenting") sugars from plants into ethanol fuel. But not all yeasts are created equal. Some are better fermenters than others because they can tolerate the harsh conditions
August 05, 2022 Read Full Article
Beast Mode Yeast Load: Novozyme’s New Innova Apex, Turbo Are Ethanol Yield Monsters
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Novozymes’ new Innova Apex and Innova Turbo have arrived on the Innova yeast platform. They are companions to Innova Quantum. Usually, advances in yeast are told in terms of yield, but here’s an added twist
August 02, 2022 Read Full Article
Crop Science “Trait Factory”: The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Yield10 Bioscience
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Yield10 is now launching camelina as a low Carbon Intensity biofuels feedstock crop. Long-term, they are looking at PHA camelina for high value PHA bioplastics. The commercial opportunity in relay cropping is huge too and
July 22, 2022 Read Full Article
Can We Hack DNA in Plants to Help Fight Climate Change?
by Madeleine Stone (National Geographic) Using CRISPR genome editing on a few common crops, a team of plant and soil scientists seeks to vastly increase and speed up carbon storage to help fight climate change. -- ... we will also need to
July 19, 2022 Read Full Article
BSBios to Build Brazil's First Big Wheat Ethanol Plant as Crop Expands
by Ana Mano (Reuters) Brazil's largest biofuel producer BSBios will build the country's first big facility that uses wheat to make ethanol, which will increase, not diminish, food supplies, its chief executive said, amid a global discussion on prioritizing food
July 15, 2022 Read Full Article
Bacteria for Blastoff: Using Microbes to Make Supercharged New Rocket Fuel
by Aliyah Kovner (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) ... Well aware of the advantages biology has to offer, a group of biofuel experts led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) took inspiration from an extraordinary antifungal molecule made by Streptomyces bacteria to
July 04, 2022 Read Full Article
How CRISPR Rice Could Help Tackle Climate Change: Gene-Edited Rice Might Be Better at Trapping Carbon Dioxide
by Justine Calma (The Verge) Can gene-editing technology CRISPR create new crops that help fight climate change as they grow? That’s what a group of researchers hopes to do with $11 million in funding from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. The
July 01, 2022 Read Full Article
Quantity in Search of Quality: Los Alamos National Laboratory Makes a Case for Improving Algae Genome Data
by Sheila Van Cuyk (U.S. Department of Energy) The potential for advancing algal biofuels and bioproducts relies on using algae strains that are best suited for industrial production. Genomic sequence data—the functional information in the DNA of a specific organism such as
June 16, 2022 Read Full Article
Chinese Interest in US Ag Assets Could Pose Security Risks, Federal Report Says
by Noah Wicks (Agri-Pulse) China’s push to achieve self-sufficiency, which has incentivized the nation to purchase, and even steal, agricultural assets in other countries, could present risks to the economic and national security of the United States, warns a report by the
May 30, 2022 Read Full Article
UFOP Rejects Reduction of the Cap for Biofuels from Cultivated Biomass
(Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants) The GHG Quota Act regulates market balancing -- The Federal Environment Ministry's initiative to reduce the so-called cap on biofuels from cultivated biomass has met with incomprehension. The UFOP rejects the
May 09, 2022 Read Full Article
Viridos Awarded California Competes Grant, Bringing Investment of Nearly $75MM to Imperial Valley
(Viridos/Business Wire) La Jolla-based biotechnology company to bring more than 70 high-paying jobs to Imperial Valley as part of State of California incentive program -- Viridos, a privately held biotechnology company harnessing the power of photosynthesis to create transformative solutions to
May 06, 2022 Read Full Article
Bunge and CoverCress Inc. Announce Commercial Partnership to Meet Growing Demand for Renewable Fuel Feedstocks
(Bunge/CoverCress/Business Wire) Bunge, Chevron Make New Investments in CoverCress Inc. -- Bunge (NYSE: BG) and CoverCress Inc. (“CCI”) announced today a unique commercial partnership to bring a new renewable oilseed and animal feed crop to market. The agreement establishes a long-term
April 29, 2022 Read Full Article
Turning Carbon Dioxide into Sustainable Fuel: United and Oxy Low Carbon Ventures Announce Collaboration with Biotech Firm to Create New Fuel Sources
(United Airlines/PR Newswire) Houston-based Cemvita Factory's synthetic biology process has the potential to create a new way to produce sustainable fuel for aviation; United has invested in more SAF production than any other airline -- United Airlines Ventures (UAV) and Oxy
March 29, 2022 Read Full Article
Three Partners, Two Problems, One Bioenergy Research Article Published
by Valerie Sarisky-Reed (U.S. Department of Energy) ... The journal Nature Biotechnology recently published a paper featuring cutting-edge work funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO). The article details a carbon-negative platform that uses microorganisms to convert carbon captured
March 24, 2022 Read Full Article
Converting CO2 to Fuels: The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Phytonix
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Bruce Dannenberg, CEO of Phytonix shared this illuminating slide guide at ABLC Connect highlighting how Phytonix utilizes cyanobacteria engineered via synthetic biology to produce 1-butanol and potentially other higher alcohols. And there’s a sister company,
March 22, 2022 Read Full Article
UNT BioDiscovery Institute Is One Step Closer to Sustainable Plant-Based Fuel
by Amy Brundeen (University of North Texas) ... Helping plants produce C-lignin could lead to crops that are useful for creating an economically feasible plant-based jet fuel, among other applications. The latest findings from (Richrd) Dixon’s lab at UNT’s BioDiscovery
March 12, 2022 Read Full Article
Carbon-Negative Production of Acetone and Isopropanol by Gas Fermentation at Industrial Pilot Scale
by Fungmin Eric Liew, Robert Nogle, Tanus Abdalla, et al. (Nature Biotechnology) Many industrial chemicals that are produced from fossil resources could be manufactured more sustainably through fermentation. Here we describe the development of a carbon-negative fermentation route to producing
February 21, 2022 Read Full Article
Synthetic Biology Spotlight: Amyris
by Chris Calvey (National Renewable Energy Lab/Biofuels Digest) ... Simply put: synthetic biology is a revolutionary new field of science which involves genetically modifying lifeforms – usually simple ones like bacteria or yeast – and redesigning them to do something interesting
February 01, 2022 Read Full Article
Glowing Yeast Lights the Way to Better Biofuels
by Tom Garlinghouse (Princeton University/Phys.Org) Deploying a technique that promises to supercharge the development of biofuels, researchers at Princeton University have found a way to make yeast cultures glow when producing next generation fuels that could power cars and airplanes. The glowing
January 31, 2022 Read Full Article
The Hottest Biofuels Companies of 20 Years Ago Are Now Doing Something Completely Different
by Annie Hammang (Slate) ... Amyris also isn’t alone in this shift; Solazyme, Lanzatech, Neste, LiveFuels, LS9, and Pacific Biodiesel are all biofuel companies that also got their start in the early aughts and have since expanded their business into cosmetics, fragrances, and household cleaners. From
January 12, 2022 Read Full Article
Gene Editing Produces Breakthrough Canola Variety
by Jeff Melchior (Alberta Farmer) Shorter, highly branched canola plants with more pods show the power of the cutting-edge technology -- University of Calgary researchers have used gene editing to bring to life a new shorter, highly branched variety of canola that
January 12, 2022 Read Full Article
State of Advanced Biofuels & Biorefining
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Check out remarks from Jim Lane, Editor & Publisher of The Digest on rationale, forecast, the top news and storylines, feedstocks, genetics, crops, supply chain and more on the state of advanced biofuels and
November 30, 2021 Read Full Article
Feeding Sugar to Bacteria May Lead to Less Harmful Fuel for Cars, Trucks
by Sommer Brokaw (UPI) Sugar can be transformed into hydrocarbons found in gasoline by feeding glucose to strains of E. coli that don't harm human health, according to a study published Monday in the journal Nature Chemistry. "Making biofuels from renewable resources like glucose
November 24, 2021 Read Full Article
Future Looking Brighter: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Novozymes Q3
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Things are looking up! Novozymes raised its full-year outlook for 2021 thanks to stronger performance than expected. With double digit organic sales growth in 3 of their 5 business areas, 8 new products launched including 4
November 02, 2021 Read Full Article
Pell-Mell at NREL : Two Bio Breakthroughs at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... So, here’s what our intrepid team led by Jeffrey Blackburn and Wei Xiong did. Knowing that plants have two systems inside them for photosynthesis, and that the second doesn’t play well with others, the genetically engineered cyanobacteria to shut
October 26, 2021 Read Full Article
CRISPR: A Climate Change Resilience and Food Safety Milestone
by Jeffrey Wang (Global Food Safety Forum/Biofuels Digest) Developing a sustainable global food system that ensures access to a sufficient supply of nutritious, diverse and safe food for all, and simultaneously limits the impact on the environment, is one of the
October 13, 2021 Read Full Article
Need to Boost Biofuel Production to Reduce Dependence on Import of Crude Oil and Fuel Gases: Nitin Gadkari
(Economic Times) Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday stressed the need to enhance the production of biofuel in the country by using the stubble of certain crops to reduce the dependence on the import of crude oil and fuel gases
October 11, 2021 Read Full Article
Pluton Biosciences Gets $6.6M in Seed Funding, Bayer AG Soil Deal and More
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Pluton is a large body of intrusive igneous rock according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, and “breaking ground” and being “ground breaking” is just what Pluton Biosciences is doing with their novel microbes. They are making
October 11, 2021 Read Full Article
Exxon Sees Green Gold in Algae-Based Fuels. Skeptics See Greenwashing.
by Christopher M. Matthews (Wall Street Journal) The oil giant, under pressure to address climate change, says it is getting closer to making the biofuel viable -- Some scientists regard Exxon Mobil Corp.’s long-running quest to turn algae into a transportation
October 06, 2021 Read Full Article
Government to Make It Mandatory for Vehicle Manufacturers to Make Flex-Fuel Engines: Nitin Gadkari
(India TV News) Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said that the government will make it mandatory for all the vehicle manufacturers to make flex-fuel engines, after it gets permission from the Supreme Court (SC). Flex-fuel, or flexible fuel, is an alternative
October 01, 2021 Read Full Article
Auburn-Led Research Team Develops Biochemical Breakthrough for Renewable Fatty Acid Ester Production
by Jeremy Henderson (Auburn University) On-going, Auburn-led research into biofuel and biochemical production just got a lot more eyes on it. Supported by a $2 million U.S. Department of Energy award issued in 2018, as well as funding from the
September 08, 2021 Read Full Article
State of Renewable Chemicals & Biomaterials
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Want to know who's doing what, where, how and with whom in renewable chemicals and biomaterials? Then check out this State of Renewable Chemicals & Materials top story highlighting what you need to know. In today's Digest,
September 07, 2021 Read Full Article
Breakthrough Methods Help Integrate Renewable Hydrogen with Waste Carbon Dioxide to Produce Clean Fuels, Chemicals, and More
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory) ... NREL is validating utility-scale hydrogen-production processes that could provide tomorrow’s clean fuels and chemical feedstocks to produce low-carbon, high-value products. New IP To Simplify Renewable Hydrogen Reactions Renewable hydrogen could fit into future low-carbon energy systems like
September 06, 2021 Read Full Article
A Once Defunct Sarnia Bioplastics Plant Has Risen from the Ashes
by Troy Shantz (The Sarnia Journal) A failed Sarnia bioplastics plant has been resurrected and is once again turning Ontario corn syrup into a key ingredient of biodegradable plastics. BioAmber was the flagship for a cluster of fledgling bio-based “green” companies in
September 02, 2021 Read Full Article
Renewable Propane from Marine Sediment Bacteria: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to SHV Energy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Propane is usually made from oil refining, but it doesn’t have to be! SHV Energy found bacterial species from a marine sediment that are capable of producing propane. Find out how through gene sequencing they
August 31, 2021 Read Full Article
More of the Fuel, Twice the Food: Microbiogen’s Yeast Breakthrough
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) For years, it’s been ‘food vs fuel,” a claim that has plagued ethanol producers, that somehow producing fuel from crops would lead to less food production, and anti-ethanol forces painted pictures of mass starvation and land
August 04, 2021 Read Full Article
$1.5M DOE Grant Targets Engineering of Cyanobacteria as Biofuel Production Platform
(Vanderbilt University School of Engineering) A new, $1.5 million Department of Energy grant brings together experts from three institutions to parse the metabolism of a blue-green algae that holds great promise for biofuel production. The team, led by Professor of Chemical and
July 22, 2021 Read Full Article
MicroBioGen's Game-Changing Second-Generation Bioethanol Research
by Melody Labinsky (Farm Weekly) For Australian biotechnology company MicroBioGen, the solution to creating more commercially viable bioethanol 'just grew on them'. The company has been able to demonstrate the production of both high-protein food and low carbon bioethanol from non-food material
July 15, 2021 Read Full Article
LanzaTech and lululemon Partner to Create the First Fabric Using Recycled Carbon Emissions
(LanzaTech) Partnership includes India Glycols Limited and Far Eastern New Century -- Biotechnology company LanzaTech today announced it has partnered with lululemon athletica inc. (NASDAQ:LULU), an athletic apparel company, to create the world’s first yarn and fabric using recycled carbon emissions
July 13, 2021 Read Full Article
A Tweaked Yeast Can Make Ethanol from Cornstalks and a Harvest’s Other Leftovers
by Nikk Ogasa (Science News) The process could tap underused sources of renewable fuels -- ... But by tweaking a gene in common baker’s yeast, researchers have engineered a strain that can defuse those deadly by-products and get on with the
July 08, 2021 Read Full Article
Energycane Produces More Biodiesel than Soybean at a Lower Cost
(University of Illinois/EurekAlert!) Bioenergy from crops is a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. New crops such as energycane can produce several times more fuel per acre than soybeans. Yet, challenges remain in processing the crops to extract fuel efficiently. Four new studies
July 08, 2021 Read Full Article
Weather-Resistant Crops: the Bioenergy Fuel of the Future
(Bio Market Insights) ... Finding a way to increase crop yields without encroaching on either food crops or natural habitats is a novel challenge, but it is one that may soon have a solution. Researchers from Queensland University of Technology’s Centre
July 07, 2021 Read Full Article
Engineered Yeast Could Expand Biofuels' Reach
by Anne Trafton (Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Phys.Org) To try to expand biofuels' potential impact, a team of MIT engineers has now found a way to expand the use of a wider range of nonfood feedstocks to produce such fuels. At the
June 28, 2021 Read Full Article
Transforming CO2 and Sugars Into Biofuel With a $2.7 million grant, UD researchers using microbes to make valuable chemicals
(University of Delaware) In the quest to reduce carbon emissions into the atmosphere and curb climate change, University of Delaware researchers are turning to an interesting ally: bacteria that consume biomass sugars and CO2. With a $2.7 million grant from the U.S.
June 23, 2021 Read Full Article
How President Biden’s Climate Plan Will Affect Cover Crops
by Lana Bandoim (Forbes) ... In his (President Joe Biden's) speech, he revealed paying farmers for planting cover crops that will help remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Cover crops include Camelina, rye, buckwheat and several others. Yield10 Bioscience, an agtech company
June 22, 2021 Read Full Article
Single Gene Boosts Climate Resilience, Yield and Carbon Capture in Crops
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have discovered a single gene that simultaneously boosts plant growth and tolerance for stresses such as drought and salt, all while tackling the root cause of climate change by enabling plants
June 11, 2021 Read Full Article
“What Questions Should We Be Asking About Cell-Based Meats?” A Fellow Responds.
by Andrew Stout (New Harvest) Last month, Forbes contributor Errol Schweizer published a list of questions about cell-based meat, requesting more information from cell ag stakeholders about issues like growth media, antibiotics, and food safety. Andrew Stout, a PhD candidate in
June 03, 2021 Read Full Article
Stinkweed to False Flax: Oilseeds Race to Reap Biofuel Bonanza
by Rod Nickel and Karl Plume (Reuters) ... Botanists, businessmen, farmers and federal lawmakers, they all gathered to peer at the waist-high plant usually considered a pest and uprooted on sight because of its foul odor, toxicity and the grim taste
June 02, 2021 Read Full Article
Commentary: The Double Standard for Plant-Based Products
(Hoosier Ag News/MNC) ... Today’s plant-based meats are far more complicated. Two of the most popular brands, Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, utilize pea protein or soy protein concentrate in their burgers, both of which closely mimic the texture and taste
June 01, 2021 Read Full Article
Earth Day Series Day 11: Microbial World for Renewable Fuels and Chemicals Production
by Anahita Bharadwaj* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The versatile world of microorganisms is a perfect source for the production of a variety of biobased fuels, chemicals and materials. Microorganisms have the ability to break down biomass, components of these biomass or other
April 11, 2021 Read Full Article
Net Zero Drop-In Fuels: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Gevo
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Low-carbon, drop-in fuels with a pathway to “net zero” is what Gevo is all about. Capturing renewable energy and transforming it into energy dense, liquid hydrocarbons that can be drop-in fuels is a game changer,
April 08, 2021 Read Full Article
Oxy Low Carbon Ventures, Cemvita Factory Announce Plan to Develop Pilot Plant for Innovative CO2-to-Bio-Ethylene Technology
(Oxy Low Carbon Ventures/PR Newswire) Oxy Low Carbon Ventures (OLCV), a subsidiary of Occidental (NYSE: OXY), and bio-engineering startup Cemvita Factory today announced a plan to construct and operate a one metric ton per month bio-ethylene pilot plant, applying a jointly developed
April 07, 2021 Read Full Article
The First ‘Cash Cover Crop’ Edges Closer to Commercialization
(CoverCress Inc./PR Web) CoverCress Inc. announces $8 million in partner funding for new low carbon oilseed. -- Midwestern farmers are one step closer to the prospect of growing a new cover crop that will generate a cash margin while supporting regenerative
March 25, 2021 Read Full Article
Genome Scalpel Invented for Industrial Microalgae to Efficiently Turn CO2 into Biofuel
(Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters/EurekAlert!) A single-celled alga undergoes genome surgery to remove non-essential parts. This can lead to a most efficient cellular factory for producing sustainable biofuels from sunlight and carbon dioxide. Researchers from the Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess
March 18, 2021 Read Full Article
The Green Secrets of Goat Poop – Smarter Materials, Better Medicines, and Sustainable Biofuels
(Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory/SciTechDaily) Microbes found in the goat gut microbiome could help humans convert plant material into valuable, eco-friendly commodities. Converting the tough fibers and complex sugars in plants into biofuels and other products could be humanity’s ticket to smarter materials,
March 16, 2021 Read Full Article
The Sage of Hastings-on-Hudson: The Wit and Wisdom of Ron Cascone
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In New York, Ronald F. Cascone died on Friday, March 5th from complications of COVID and after a long battle with esophageal cancer. He was 77. Cascone was known around the world as one of
March 08, 2021 Read Full Article
Termite Gut Microbes Could Aid Biofuel Production
(American Chemical Society/EurekAlert!) Wheat straw, the dried stalks left over from grain production, is a potential source of biofuels and commodity chemicals. But before straw can be converted to useful products by biorefineries, the polymers that make it up must be
February 18, 2021 Read Full Article
Scientists Discover Plants' Roadblock to Specialty Oil Production
(Brookhaven National Laboratory/EurekAlert!) Research solves longstanding problem and opens path for growing crops to produce industrially important high-value fatty acids -- Hundreds of naturally occurring specialty fatty acids (building blocks of oils) have potential for use as raw materials for making
February 12, 2021 Read Full Article
The 50 Hottest Companies in the Advanced Bioeconomy — Agriculture and Nutrition, 2021
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, the 2021 50 Hottest Companies inAgriculture and Nutrition was published today (December 31, 2020), as voted by invited international Selectors and subscribers of The Daily Digest, the world’s most widely-read bioeconomy daily. The annual rankings
January 01, 2021 Read Full Article
Renewable Fuels Are Taking off…but Can They Supply the Massive Demand?
by Cameron Begley and Allan Green (Spiegare) In the accelerating push to decarbonise aviation and marine transport fuels, constraints around the sustained availability of fats and oils feedstocks are already emerging. Recent breakthroughs in feedstock engineering technology from Australia presents a promising
December 30, 2020 Read Full Article
No Rapeseed Methyl Ester Means Noticeably Less Rapeseed Meal
(UFOP/Biobased Diesel Daily) The German and European feed markets benefit significantly from the production of rapeseed-based biodiesel fuels. Rapeseed meal is generated as a joint product of oil production in this value chain. According to the Union zur Förderung von
December 29, 2020 Read Full Article
This Biotech Startup Is Making Palm Oil-Substitutes and Omega-3s from Carbon Emissions
by Kristin Toussaint (Fast Company) Instead of having more carbon go into the atmosphere, making our planet warmer and speeding up the effects of climate change, you might soon be able to eat those emissions. Biotech company LanzaTech has successfully
December 22, 2020 Read Full Article
Milk without the Cow, Cultured Meat, Silk Soap, Lab-Grown Shoes, and More: The Digest’s Top 8 Innovations for the Week of December 18th
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) “Think of the children” who won’t know that meat comes from life, not from labs, says the France ag minister who poo-poo’d cultivated meat, yet Israel’s prime minister championed cultivated meat calling it a “powerhouse”
December 18, 2020 Read Full Article
Engineers Go Microbial to Store Energy, Sequester CO2
by Blaine Friedlander (Cornell University/Science Daily) By borrowing nature's blueprints for photosynthesis, bioengineers have found a way to efficiently absorb and store large-scale, low-cost renewable energy from the sun - while sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide to use later as a biofuel. By
December 17, 2020 Read Full Article
Stop Arguing over GMO Crops
by Sarah Garland (Scientific American) The vast majority of the scientific community agrees on both their safety and their potential to help feed the world sustainably -- ... In order for global agriculture to rapidly become more sustainable and climate resilient,
December 15, 2020 Read Full Article
Your Amazon Boxes Could Be Turned into Biofuel: A New Microorganism Munches on Cardboard to Create a Source of Energy.
by Mark Wilson (Fast Company) ... The problem is that recycling centers, with so much excess cardboard, just toss the material into a dump. But what if we could do something else—anything else—with all these boxes? Like fuel a car?
December 02, 2020 Read Full Article
ORNL Joins Effort to Make Plastic More Recyclable
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) From soda bottles to car bumpers to piping, electronics, and packaging, plastics have become a ubiquitous part of our lives. Advancements in materials have made plastics low cost, flexible, hygienic, lightweight, durable and readily available. While some
November 27, 2020 Read Full Article
Research Creates Hydrogen-Producing Living Droplets, Paving Way for Alternative Future Energy Sources
(University of Bristol) Scientists have built tiny droplet-based microbial factories that produce hydrogen, instead of oxygen, when exposed to daylight in air. The findings of the international research team based at the University of Bristol and Harbin Institute of Technology
November 27, 2020 Read Full Article
Carbios Will Knock Your Socks off, Produces First Clear Plastic Bottles from Enzymatically Recycled Textile Waste
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Carbios will knock your socks off with their enzyme tech that is now converting textile waste and your old polyester socks and sweaters into clear plastic bottles. We’ve heard of clothing made from plastic bottles
November 23, 2020 Read Full Article
Coaxing Crops to Create Animal Proteins, Cucumber Peels for Food Packaging Polymers, and More: The Digest’s Top 8 Innovations for the Week of November 20th
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Cucumber peels converted into cellulose nanocrystals with potential to be used in food packaging, bamboo and sugar waste tableware that biodegrades in 60 days, a new pen design with edible ink and compostable materials, coaxing
November 20, 2020 Read Full Article
Microbe 'Rewiring' Technique Promises a Boom in Biomanufacturing
(Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory/Phys.Org) Researchers from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have achieved unprecedented success in modifying a microbe to efficiently produce a compound of interest using a computational model and CRISPR-based gene editing. Their approach could dramatically speed up the
November 11, 2020 Read Full Article
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