by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... (W)hat are we eventually going to put in the tanks of these massive long-haul machines? It is a gigantic question involving gigantic aircraft, refineries, capital requirements, and energy loads—and aviation remains among the hardest
microorganisms/microbes
Back TO HOMETurning Fruit Waste into Food through Fermentation
(Bioengineer.org) Every year, the European Union discards more than 58 million tonnes of food, and a significant share of that mountain of waste consists of fruit that never makes it to a shopping trolley. Apples that are the wrong shape, peels
September 07, 2026 Read Full Article
Fungus Turns Farm Waste into Valuable Enzymes through Fermentation
(Bioengineer.org) A Heat-Loving Fungus Found in Rotting Rice Straw Turns Farm Waste into Industrial Enzymes—and a Hidden Cache of Bioactive Molecules Deep inside a pile of fermenting paddy straw in southern India, a heat-loving fungus has been quietly demonstrating a solution to
August 31, 2026 Read Full Article
TFTAK and ÄIO Launch DigiFoundry 2.0 to Advance Microbial Oil Production Technologies
(TFTAK) DigiFoundry 2.0 – Bioprocess Efficiency Increase via Digitalisation (DF2.0) is a three-year research and development project aimed at making microbial oil production more efficient, scalable and cost-competitive. Building on previous collaboration between TFTAK and ÄIO, the project will combine synthetic biology,
August 31, 2026 Read Full Article
Small Doses of Caustic Soda Increase Biogas Production from Banana Waste
by José Tadeu Arantes (Agência FAPESP) Low concentrations of caustic soda (sodium hydroxide, NaOH) are more efficient than high doses for preparing organic waste for biogas production. This finding increases methane production, reduces reagent consumption and, consequently, diminishes process costs
August 20, 2026 Read Full Article
Engineered Microbe Speeds CO2 Capture, Recovers Critical Metals
by Chris Dawson (Cornell Duffield College of Engineering/Cornell Chronicle) A genetically engineered bacterium can rapidly break down one of Earth’s most abundant minerals, opening a promising new pathway for simultaneously removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and recovering critical elements used in
August 19, 2026 Read Full Article
The Day Rome Bought Greece: Again Acquires Genomatica
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This week, Again announced the acquisition of Genomatica, uniting Again’s cutting-edge biomanufacturing scale-up capabilities with Geno’s world-class AI discovery and design platform. So, Rome bought Greece. That is one way to think about Again’s acquisition of Genomatica, announced
August 14, 2026 Read Full Article
Optimizing CKF Conversion
by Luke Geiver (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Valerie García-Negrón, a research chemical engineer with the Sustainable Biofuels and Coproducts Research Unit run by the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, has a key message for dry-grind ethanol producers. “Although the dry-grind process is mature,
July 23, 2026 Read Full Article
Energy PSUs Announce ₹12.5 Crore Butanol Challenge to Boost Biofuel Innovation Application DEADLINE August 15, 2026
(Chemical Industry Digest) India has taken another significant step towards strengthening its advanced biofuel ecosystem with the launch of the Grand Butanol Challenge. The nationwide initiative aims to accelerate indigenous bio-butanol production, promote deep-tech innovation, and support startups developing next-generation biofuel
July 22, 2026 Read Full Article
USDA NIFA Funds Biorefining, Bioenergy Projects
by Erin Krueger (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture on June 23 announced it has awarded $5.6 million to support 11 projects that focus on converting, treating, processing, refining or manufacturing products to utilize plant, animal
July 21, 2026 Read Full Article
Researchers from Incheon National University Develop a New Approach to Unlock Hidden Genetic Potential in Microbes
(Incheon National University/PR Newswire) Microorganisms are increasingly being engineered to manufacture valuable compounds ranging from medicines and food ingredients to biofuels and industrial chemicals. However, turning microbes into efficient production platforms requires extensive strain optimization. Finding the right genetic changes to
July 15, 2026 Read Full Article
Canada’s Microbial Fuel Factories: How University Researchers Are Turning Microorganisms into the Next Generation of Biofuels
by Tim Sandle (Digital Journal) As governments and industries search for alternatives to fossil fuels, biofuels remain one of the most promising routes toward decarbonising transportation, aviation and industrial processes. Yet traditional biofuels, produced from crops such as corn, wheat and sugarcane,
July 13, 2026 Read Full Article
Why Soil Carbon Markets Hinge On A Measurement Few Can Agree On
by Dara-Abasi Ita (Forbes) ... On June 24, Groundwork BioAg, an Israeli bio-agriculture company, announced the first verified carbon credits issued under Verra's VM0042 standard on American farmland: 19,568 units, third-party verified by SCS Global Services, with buyers already signed. The issuance
July 01, 2026 Read Full Article
Fuel-Performance Issues? Don’t Blame Biodiesel
by Karen Potratz (Michigan Advanced Biofuels Coalition/Biobased Diesel Daily) Moisture and microbial contamination are common culprits. -- Plugged filters. Sluggish acceleration. Gunky tanks. Too often, biodiesel unfairly takes the blame for these and other fuel-performance issues. In truth, high moisture content and microbial
June 30, 2026 Read Full Article
Meet EcoBOT: The Autonomous Lab Standardizing Plant-Microbe Research
by Linda VU (News from Berkeley Lab) To harness biological systems (plants and microbes) for next-generation energy production and advanced materials, researchers are looking to beneficial plant-microbe interactions. Because these are complex systems, it has proven difficult to reproducibly control exactly
June 30, 2026 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2026 Multi-Slide Guide to Cold-Chain Biomanufacturing Resilience
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The biomanufacturing industry faces severe, unpriced risks due to single-source dependencies in the cold-chain logistics of critical biological inputs like fermentation media, enzymes, and live cultures. With four major suppliers controlling over half the market, disruptions
June 30, 2026 Read Full Article
Hybrid Reactor System Optimizes Production by ‘Multitasking’ Microbes
by Chris Hubbuch (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Plant fibers are a potential renewable source of fuels and chemicals traditionally derived from petroleum. Plant sugars can be fermented into alcohols used as drop-in fuel or processed into jet fuel, while other parts
June 25, 2026 Read Full Article
Study Identifies Enzymes that Could Improve Isobutanol Production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
(Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Background/Objective -- Isobutanol is a fusel alcohol with advantages over ethanol as a biofuel or platform for sustainable aviation fuel. Some microbes naturally produce isobutanol at low levels with the enzyme 2-ketoacid decarboxylase (KDC), which converts 2-Ketoisovalerate
June 25, 2026 Read Full Article
Modeling Zymomonas Mobilis Membrane Interactions with Lignocellulosic Inhibitors
(Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Background/Objectives -- Bioenergy crops can be deconstructed using physical or chemical processes into small molecules for biological conversion to biofuels and products. Zymomonas Mobilis is one such microbial chassis that is resistant to ethanol stress but may
June 25, 2026 Read Full Article
Purdue Agricultural Engineers Harness Microbial Activity for Biofuels Production
by Steve Koppes (Purdue University) Converting aquaculture sludge with a natural microbial process into a viable renewable biofuel presents a mind-numbing chess match of biochemical variables. This process — anaerobic digestion — involves microbes operating in a no-oxygen environment. “Although the anaerobic
June 02, 2026 Read Full Article
UMeWorld Advances Regional SCO Development Strategy through Ongoing Southern China Industrial Biotechnology Initiatives toward Commercial Scale
(UMeWorld/Globe Newswire) UMeWorld Inc. (OTCID:UMEW) (“UMeWorld” or the “Company”) today (May 21, 2026) announced continued advancement of its regional Single Cell Oil (“SCO”) development strategy through ongoing industrial biotechnology initiatives and collaborative development activities in Southern China as part of the
May 26, 2026 Read Full Article
The Hum of Microbial Bioelectricity
(World Bio Market Insights) Microbial fuel cells can power drones, sensors, and wastewater treatments -- Microbes could be the future of renewable energy, thanks to biobased fuel cells now being tested by the US military. Electricity-generating microbes can sustainably power sensors and drones
May 23, 2026 Read Full Article
Engineered Microbes Turn Biodiesel Waste into Plastic Ingredient at 300-Liter Scale
(The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)/Tech Xplore) Naphtha, an essential feedstock for the petrochemical industry, has faced sharp price increases and supply instability in recent years, driving demand for sustainable alternatives. The KAIST-Hanwha Solutions Future Technology Research Institute,
May 22, 2026 Read Full Article
The LanzaTech/DTU Deal: The Nimble Evolution of the Bioeconomy’s Wascally Wabbit
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... This month, in a quieter but not entirely unrelated struggle, LanzaTech and Technical University of Denmark (DTU) announced plans to establish a next-generation C1 biofoundry in Europe. On May 5, DTU and LanzaTech unveiled a multi-year
May 19, 2026 Read Full Article
Emerging and Promising Applications which Lead to Reducing CO2 Emissions – Driven in Part by the Locations of Production Plants
by Sam A. Rushing (Advanced Cryogenics Ltd./Biofuels Digest) Despite recent announcements whereby the EPA will no longer consider CO2 a hazardous gas; the end result from this is devastating to the environment, our economy, and our lives. On the other hand,
May 05, 2026 Read Full Article
Biochar Unlocks Cleaner Hydrogen Production by Overcoming a Key Fermentation Barrier
(Shenyang Agricultural University/EurekAlert!) A new study reveals how a simple, low-cost material could significantly boost the production of clean hydrogen fuel from waste. Researchers have demonstrated that biochar, a carbon-rich material made from biomass, can overcome one of the biggest challenges
May 01, 2026 Read Full Article
Researchers Develop Method to Make Renewable Natural Gas Directly from Waste
by Tina Hilding (Washington State University) A pilot study of a new method for treating sewage sludge from a wastewater treatment plant efficiently created renewable natural gas while reducing the cost of the treatment. The work, reported in the Chemical Engineering Journal, could help
April 27, 2026 Read Full Article
Dual Approaches Pinpoint Genes for Better Biofuel Production
by Chris Hubbuch (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) New technique can speed innovations in biomanufacturing, medicine, and agriculture -- By combining two complementary techniques, University of Wisconsin–Madison scientists have developed a way to efficiently pinpoint genes that help microbes tolerate harsh conditions
April 03, 2026 Read Full Article
Just Add Water: Diluting Organic Solvent Can Lower Cost of Bioproducts
by Chris Hubbuch (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Study combined lab experiments and computational modeling to identify the best solvent system for a process that converts plant material into high-value chemicals -- Plant fibers are a potential renewable source of fuels and
April 03, 2026 Read Full Article
A ‘Shocking’ Carbon Discovery in Sweden’s Forests
(Stanford University/EurekAlert!) A new study finds old-growth forests in Sweden store far more carbon than the industrial tree plantations that are rapidly replacing them, with soil accounting for most of the difference. The world’s northern forests act as massive carbon vaults, locking
March 24, 2026 Read Full Article
Microbes as the New Nitrogen: Innovations in Soil & Crop Science
by Joel Stone (Climate Systems Solutions) Biotechnology is rapidly enabling microbial products that can partially replace synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, with multiple commercial solutions already in the market and a strong emerging cohort of synthetic-biology platforms such. Why Replace Synthetic Nitrogen? Synthetic nitrogen fertilizers
March 24, 2026 Read Full Article
The Incredible Shrinking Biorefinery: How ISU, BioMADE, and Schmidt Sciences Are Compressing the Biomanufacturing Plant
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In the real world, researchers at Iowa State University may have just done something surprisingly similar for the bioeconomy. They’ve taken what normally requires an entire biomanufacturing facility — fermentation, extraction, and separation — and compressed it
March 11, 2026 Read Full Article
These Microbes Don’t Always Play Well Together, but the Combination Could Cut Cost of Biofuel
by Cesareo Contreras (Northeastern Global News) “The core technology we’re working on here can be summed up by asking the question — can it be that two microbes are better than one?” said Northeastern Chemical Engineering Professor Ben Woolston. It’s well understood in
February 20, 2026 Read Full Article
Bioeconomy 101: A Primer
(American Energy Society/Energy Today) Few industrial sectors are as ubiquitous yet as underappreciated as the bioeconomy. This article is for readers who seek a foundational understanding of the bioeconomy, and how it involves fuels, chemicals, and materials, from pharmaceuticals to food production,
February 16, 2026 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2026 Multi-Slide Guide to Feedstock-Efficient Biomanufacturing
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This guide presents a breakthrough in decoupling energy generation from carbon metabolism in E. coli. By engineered expression of oxygen-tolerant hydrogenase and formate dehydrogenase, researchers achieved 86% and 98% efficiency in replacing acetate oxidation with external electron
February 13, 2026 Read Full Article
With R$ 148.5 Million, BNDES Supports Bioo's Biomethane Plant in Paraná.
(BNDES News Agency (Goggle translation)) --With resources from the Climate Fund, the unit in Toledo (PR) is expected to prevent 80,000 tons of CO2 equivalent per year from entering the atmosphere. --Produced using organic waste from the agro-industry, the renewable
February 11, 2026 Read Full Article
UP Team Finds Viable Biofuel Source at Mount Makiling
by Bella Cariaso (The Philippine Star) As the country looks for sustainable energy sources, a team of experts from the University of the Philippines found that oleaginous yeast isolated from the Mount Makiling Forest Reserve (MMFR) can be a viable source
February 07, 2026 Read Full Article
Microbial System to Convert CO₂ into Eco-Friendly Butanol
by JooHyeon Heo (Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology/Phys.Org) ... Microbial conversion offers a sustainable solution, as microbes naturally consume CO₂, producing useful compounds with minimal energy and without relying on expensive catalysts. A joint research team from UNIST and the
February 06, 2026 Read Full Article
Genetic Toolkits Boost Biofuel Production
by Nicole Etter (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) GLBRC co-investigator Jason Peters has patented tools for exploring the DNA of microbial workhorses -- Biofuel production has a surprising key ingredient: bacteria. These microbes devour plant material, like leaves and stems from native
January 30, 2026 Read Full Article
Applications Open for NOSTER & Science Microbiome Prize DEADLINE February 14, 2026
(Science Magazine) No one walks alone. Every human is enveloped by and contains trillions of microorganisms. The past decade’s research has revealed the essential nature of the relationships with these other organisms for healthy development and adult life. Research on the
January 21, 2026 Read Full Article
Dual Approaches Pinpoint Genes for Better Biofuel Production
Chris Hubbuch (Wisconsin Energy Institute/Agri-View) By combining two complementary techniques, University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists recently developed a way to efficiently pinpoint genes that help microbes tolerate harsh conditions found in industrial fermentations, technology that could enable breakthroughs in biotechnology. Microbes, such
January 13, 2026 Read Full Article
Top 10 Biofuel Producers In 2026
by Chakraborty (Inventiva) The global energy landscape is undergoing a profound transformation as the world races to meet ambitious climate targets and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. In this transition, biofuels have emerged as a critical bridge technology, offering renewable alternatives
January 12, 2026 Read Full Article
Scientists Explore Turning Tobacco into Sustainable Biofuel
by Daniela Castillo Monagas (World Bio Market Insights) Researchers at Henan Agricultural University are exploring a new use for tobacco plants, aiming to produce bioethanol instead of cigarettes. The study, led by scientists at the National Tobacco Cultivation, Physiology and Biochemistry
January 07, 2026 Read Full Article
Scientists Uncover How Microbial Consortia Break Down Lignin
by Zhang Nannan (Chinese Academy of Sciences/Phys.Org) Researchers from the Institute of Applied Ecology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a "top-down" synthetic microbiome strategy to enrich microbial consortia capable of efficient lignin degradation from straw compost and straw-returning
December 29, 2025 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2025 Multi-Slide Guide to Mango Materials and PHA Technology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Mango Materials is addressing plastic pollution by producing Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), a biodegradable and often carbon negative material, under the brand YOPP™. This material is produced via a microbial process utilizing methane emissions, such as biogas captured from
December 25, 2025 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2025 Multi-Slide Guide to Integrated Dynamics
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Integrated Dynamics focuses on next-generation biorefineries by leveraging rugged, naturally advantaged microbes known as hyperthermophiles. These microbes grow in temperatures above 85ºC, which implicitly excludes microbial contaminants—a critical advantage, as up to 10% of ethanol ferments are compromised. Hyperthermophiles
December 22, 2025 Read Full Article
Microbes Turn Hazardous Waste into Valuable Products
by Chris Hubbuch (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Making fuels and other products from plants requires treating the plant fibers to break apart sugars and other parts of the plant cell wall. The leftover liquid (or liquor) from the process must be
December 17, 2025 Read Full Article
Biochar Boosts Clean Energy Output from Food Waste in Novel Two-Stage Digestion System
( Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University/Biomass Magazine) A new study from researchers at the University of Western Australia and Universitas Brawijaya has found that adding biochar to advanced food waste recycling systems can significantly increase the clean energy yields of hydrogen
December 03, 2025 Read Full Article
How an Industrial Microbe Converts Carbon Monoxide into Biofuel
(Max Planck Society/Phys.Org) How do you turn toxic waste into fuel? Ask the microbe. A team of scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, together with a colleague from the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics,
November 04, 2025 Read Full Article
The Man in Black and the Petroleum Relapse: As CVR Energy Retreats, Innovation Arrives from Berkeley
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Late in the season, under a slate Oklahoma sky, CVR Energy looked at its cards, and folded. Like a gambler with a hand gone wrong, the company announced it would stop making renewable diesel at its Wynnewood refinery —
November 04, 2025 Read Full Article
UBC Researchers Discover Microbes Turning Food Waste into Energy
by uyen (University of British Columbia Vacouver Campus) When 115,000 tonnes of food waste hit Surrey’s processing facility each year, an invisible army goes to work—billions of microbes convert everything from banana peels to leftover pizza into renewable natural gas (RNG).
October 25, 2025 Read Full Article
Heard on the Floor at ABLC: The Economics of Urgency
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Keasling’s Mic Drop: Design for Scale, or Don’t Bother -- The crowd didn’t know who the “Secret Speaker” would be until he stepped onto the stage — but when Jay Keasling appeared, the room drew a collective
October 24, 2025 Read Full Article
Harnessing Municipal Wastewater as a Resource
((Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB Research News) Sewage treatment plants do more than just clean wastewater. They are also sources of raw materials. In the KoalAplan project, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB
September 26, 2025 Read Full Article
Skill Baby Skill: The World’s Best Advise on the Everests of Bio-Extraction and Bio-Innovation
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... It is about atoms — the reinvention of plastics, cement, fertilizers, magnets. Ninety-nine percent of a sustainable future, as IndieBio’s Alex Kopelyan and Berkeley Lab’s Todd Pray remind us, comes from rethinking what we already
September 26, 2025 Read Full Article
Pretreatment Methods Bring Second-gen Biofuels from Oilcane Closer to Commercialization
by April Wendling (Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI)) In collaboration with other Bioenergy Research Centers (BRCs), researchers at the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI) are developing industrially feasible techniques for second-generation biofuel production from oilcane,
September 05, 2025 Read Full Article
Thin Biofilm Can Transform CO₂ into Renewable Energy
by Kathrine Torday Gulden (NIBIO) NIBIO has contributed to developing a method for turning greenhouse gases like CO₂ or CO into biomethane – a renewable energy source. Using thin layers of microorganisms, so-called biofilms, greenhouse gases can be transformed into clean-burning fuel. Carbon-based
August 27, 2025 Read Full Article
Organic Recycling Systems’ Catalyst Validated for Boosting Biogas Production
by Prakash Jha (Bio Energy Times) Organic Recycling Systems (ORS) has achieved a major milestone in the field of Compressed Biogas (CBG) with its MethanoBoost Catalyst (MBC) receiving validation from the Sardar Swarn Singh National Institute of Bio-Energy (SSS-NIBE). The institute confirmed
August 27, 2025 Read Full Article
AgVault Develops Ethanol's Next Path to Value Creation Beyond Fuel
(AgVault/Ethanol Producer Magazine) With little to no efficiency gains remaining in the ethanol production process, AgVault has developed a next generation fermentation technology solution designed to significantly improve the profitability of existing ethanol production facilities. Using low-cost carbohydrate production from existing
August 12, 2025 Read Full Article
Inside the Search for Sustainable Aviation Fuels, Which Are on the Federal Chopping Block
Li Qiao (The Conversation) ... But these biofuels are harder to produce and more expensive, in part because the technologies are new, and in part because there are not yet logistics systems in place to collect, transport and process large quantities of source
August 11, 2025 Read Full Article
Storage and Maintenance Tips for Optimal Biodiesel Performance
Karen Potratz (Michigan Advanced Biofuels Coalition/Biobased Diesel Daily) High-quality fuel samples should be clear and bright. Keep in mind that even the best-quality fuel will fail if the tank or dispensing equipment is faulty or contaminated. Follow these best practices for trouble-free
July 02, 2025 Read Full Article
What Is Holding Back the Bioeconomy? In Conversation with Boston Bioprocess CEO Dr. Michael Tai
by Elaine Watson (Ag Funder News) While significant progress has been made in recent years to optimize microbial strains and drive efficiency in biomanufacturing, a disconnect between upstream and downstream work continues to hold back progress, claims Boston Bioprocess cofounder Dr. Michael Tai. Founded
June 27, 2025 Read Full Article
Turning Waste into Energy: New Enzyme Revolutionizes Biofuel Production
(São Paulo Research Foundation/SciTechDaily) The natural protein, known as CelOCE, was developed at the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials and is ready for immediate integration into industrial processes. Breaking down plant material into usable fuel has long been one
June 02, 2025 Read Full Article
Turning Sewage Water into Biofuel, Nutrients? Nagaland University Shows the Way
(India Today) Researchers at Nagaland University have recently developed a nature-inspired technology to turn wastewater into a source of biofuel, nutrients, and clean water. Nagaland University develops eco-friendly tech to recover resources from wastewater Nature-inspired methods turn wastewater into biofuel, nutrients, and clean
May 21, 2025 Read Full Article
If the Microbe isn’t Happy, Nobody’s Happy
by Mark Warner (Liberation Labs/Biofuels Digest) ... Years ago, I wrote a piece for Biofuels Digest imagining what a microbe might say about their startup employer on Glassdoor—equal parts satire and uncomfortable truth. Today, channeling my manufacturing roots, I return in the role of
May 19, 2025 Read Full Article
Homegrown Fuels Podcast with Bill Gibbons
by by Sue Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Special EPM Podcast Series hosted by Sue Retka Schill featuring Bill Gibbons -- During Bill Gibbon’s 37-year career at South Dakota State University he taught microbiology and researched useful microbes for producing biofuels, organic
May 08, 2025 Read Full Article
The Trump Administration Pauses a Moonshot Push to Grow Biofuel Crops with Less Fertilizer
by Celia Llopis-Jepsen (KCUR/NPR ) Scientists in Kansas, Missouri and other states were poised to start research to cut U.S. reliance on fertilizer imports, keep biofuel farming cost-competitive and tackle a potent greenhouse gas. The U.S. Department of Energy had a vision:
May 06, 2025 Read Full Article
Study: Microalgae and Bacteria Team up to Convert CO2 into Useful Products
by Diana Yates (Univeristy of Illinois Urbana-Champaign News Bureau) Scientists have spent decades genetically modifying the bacterium Escherichia coli and other microbes to convert carbon dioxide into useful biological products. Most methods require additional carbon sources, however, adding to the cost. A new
April 02, 2025 Read Full Article
Nigerian Scientist Yusuf Owolabi Makes Groundbreaking Advancement on Biofuel as Alternative to Fossil Fuels
by Shojobi Abisola (Daily Independent) Nigerian scientist, Yusuf Owolabi, has advanced research on turning agricultural wastes into biofuel, as alternative solutions to fossil fuels. There exists a consensus by nations of the world to accelerate emission reductions towards net zero by 2050, with
March 31, 2025 Read Full Article
Findings on Butanol Toxicity May Enable Cheaper Biofuel Production
by Michael Miller (University of Cincinnati/Phys.Org) One limitation of producing biofuel is that the alcohol created by fermentation is toxic to the microbes that produce it. Now scientists are closer to overcoming this obstacle. Researchers from the University of Cincinnati and the
March 05, 2025 Read Full Article
Enzyme Discovered from Brazilian Biodiversity Can Revolutionize Bio-refineries
(CNPEM) Unprecedented enzyme class prospected in Brazilian soil can increase biorefinery efficiency and accelerate the sustainable production of energy and chemicals -- A new enzyme class discovered in Brazilian soil represents one of the main advances in recent decades in the field
February 25, 2025 Read Full Article
Research Team Identifies Carbonate-Dissolving Microorganisms
(University of Nebraska Lincoln/Science Daily) A research team has shown that methanogens, micro-organisms ubiquitous in low-oxygen environments like aquifers, soil and even permafrost, can propel their growth by dissolving calcium carbonate, one of the Earth's most abundant minerals. The discovery paints
February 18, 2025 Read Full Article
UW–Madison Receives $5.5 Million DOE Grant to Cut Synthetic Nitrogen Fertilizer Usage in Bioenergy Crops
(University of Wisconsin-Madison/CALS News) A multi-institution research team led by the University of Wisconsin–Madison received $5.5 million from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) to develop a novel approach to cut synthetic nitrogen fertilizer use in
February 04, 2025 Read Full Article
UH-Hilo Working to Convert Agricultural Waste of Tropical Crops into Biofuel, Bioenergy
by Kelsey Walling (Big Island Now) The by-products and waste from papayas, pineapples, coconuts, ʻulu, macadamia nuts and Albezia trees may one day be converted to fuel and energy to help lower greenhouse gas emissions. The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo is collaborating with
February 03, 2025 Read Full Article
Flexible Feedstock: How Novonesis Is at the Forefront of New Biofuel Technologies
by Lauren Milligan (AgriBusiness Global) ... AgriBusiness Global recently spoke with Hans Ole Klingenberg, VP of Global Marketing at Novonesis, about the challenges, innovations, and collaborations for using enzymes and microorganisms in biofuel technology. ABG: What inspired Novonesis to develop Eversa Advance, and how
January 25, 2025 Read Full Article
Will 45Z Move the Needle for Greener Fertilizer?
by Cassidy Walter (Successful Farming) ... Last spring, the U.S. Treasury Department released guidance for the 40B Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Tax Credit, which included the creation of the USDA Climate Smart Agriculture Pilot Program. The program enabled corn farmers practicing
January 24, 2025 Read Full Article
Korean Researchers Develop Technology for Syngas Conversion to Ethanol
by Lee Jong-hyun (Chosun Biz) Breakthrough in efficient carbon conversion opens doors to renewable energy solutions -- ... A research team led by Professor Jang In-seop from the Department of Environmental and Energy Engineering at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST)
January 16, 2025 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2025 Multi-Slide Guide to Jupeng Bio
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This presentation deck is an overview of Jupeng Bio, a company specializing in biomass gasification and syngas fermentation to produce sustainable biofuels and other valuable products. The text traces the company’s history from its roots in
January 16, 2025 Read Full Article
Now Available! Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium Capstone Report
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) released the Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium (FCIC) Capstone Report. The report summarizes the FCIC’s goals, research activities, and achievements over the past three years. The U.S. Department of Energy
January 15, 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
CO2-Eating Bacteria Recycles Carbon from Chimney Smoke Directly into New Products
by Jesper Bruun Petersen (Aarhus University) New research from Aarhus University has revealed how we can make it much cheaper to capture and convert CO2 from industry for usable products. The research has just been published in Nature Communications. -- Researchers from Aarhus
January 10, 2025 Read Full Article
Illuminating the Elements Under Our Feet
(U.S. Department of Energy) Using a unique measurement tool, researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have expanded our knowledge of the elements in soil and plants. -- A vast field of tall, skinny trees sways in a light breeze. In the future,
January 09, 2025 Read Full Article
$7.8M Award Aims to Revolutionize Renewable Energy for Ocean Monitoring Devices
by Kimbra Cutlip (Maryland Today) UMD Researcher Leads Development of Advanced Fuel Cells Powered by Marine Microbes -- A University of Maryland researcher has received a $7.8 million award from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop and test a biologically
January 09, 2025 Read Full Article
Oil Made from Sugarcane Could Reduce Aviation Emissions by 50%, Says Study
( g1 Campinas and Region and EPTV (Google Translation)) Researchers from the National Biorenewables Laboratory (LNBR) of the National Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), in Campinas (SP) , discovered that sustainable fuel made from microbial oil derived from sugarcane has the
January 08, 2025 Read Full Article
New Initiative Aims to Strengthen the Bio-based Economy
(Novo Nordisk Foundation) A new comprehensive initiative at the Technical University of Denmark aims to accelerate the development of biosolutions and strengthen the bio-based economy. The Novo Nordisk Foundation is supporting the initiative with up to DKK 1.05 billion (€134.1 million). Our
January 06, 2025 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to LanzaTech and the Circular Bioeconomy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This presentation from LanzaTech, a company listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the ticker LNZA, outlines their vision for a circular carbon economy and their innovative approach to sustainable production. The presentation focuses on LanzaTech’s
December 27, 2024 Read Full Article
IIT Guwahati Develops Technology to Convert Methane and Carbon Dioxide into Eco-friendly Biofuel
(Hindustan Times/MSN) Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT Guwahati) developed an advanced biological method to convert methane and carbon dioxide into cleaner biofuels using methanotrophic bacteria. The research, co-authored by Prof Debasish Das and Dr Krishna Kalyani Sahoo,
December 11, 2024 Read Full Article
Unceasing Innovation: Yeast Suppliers to the Ethanol Sector
by Luke Geiver (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Yeast suppliers to the ethanol sector have steadily released new and improved products to better match the needs and wants of the industry. Using third-party yeast developers capable of selecting, testing or altering strains with
December 10, 2024 Read Full Article
Microbiologists Join the Battle against Climate Change
((University of Groningen/EurekAlert!) Micro-organisms, such as bacteria or algae, offer numerous potential solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change. They can capture and store carbon, for example in soils and oceans, or break down the potent greenhouse gas methane. Additionally,
December 01, 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
White House Releases Report on Growing U.S. Biomanufacturing Capacity for the American Bioeconomy
(White House) The global bioeconomy is projected to expand at a rapid pace in the coming decade due to advancements in key technology areas, such as the ability to program microbes to act as microscopic factories by manipulating their DNA. The
November 19, 2024 Read Full Article
Novel Electro-Biodiesel a More Efficient, Cleaner Option to Existing Alternatives
by Beth Miller (Washington University) Joshua Yuan, Susie Dai and colleagues at WashU and Texas A&M create biodiesel with electrocatalysis and bioconversion -- Researchers in the labs of Joshua Yuan in the McKelvey School of Engineering and Susie Dai at the University
November 15, 2024 Read Full Article
Pivot Bio Launches Weekly ‘N-SIGHTS from the Farm’
(Pivot Bio/Ag News Wire) Harvest Vidcast and Digital Hub Highlight PROVEN® 40 Microbial Nitrogen Performance -- Pivot Bio has introduced “N-SIGHTS from the Farm,” a digital hub providing real-time harvest data and weekly agronomic insights that showcase how Pivot Bio PROVEN® 40
November 13, 2024 Read Full Article
The Renaissance of Anaerobic Digestion
by Alexandra Arndt (Digester Doc/Biomass Magazine) Scientific advances of the past decade are ushering anaerobic digestion (AD) into a new era in which the technology can deliver more than just biogas, unlocking unprecedented efficiencies in clean energy production, revolutionizing environmental impact
October 15, 2024 Read Full Article
Argonne Technology Converts Waste Streams into Biofuel that Dramatically Reduces Carbon Emissions from Jets
by Beth Burmahl (Argonne National Laboratory) Technology uses wastewater from breweries and dairy farms to cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 70% -- New Argonne technology creates sustainable aviation fuel that significantly cuts carbon emissions compared to conventional jet fuel. -- ... Now
October 10, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to CO2 Valorization via Rewiring Carbon Metabolic Network
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Developing Carbon Negative Biorefinery with Gas-fermenting Bacteria is the focus of this project, focusing on Acetogens as model gas-fermenting anaerobes, with high energy efficiency and fast electron/carbon consumption making them potentially a new chassis for the
October 02, 2024 Read Full Article
Lessons from the Kitchen: of LanzaTech, a Protein Shake, New Markets, and Scooby-Doo
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) LanzaTech is back in the news with a budding venture based in manufacturing single-cell protein — usually a side product — as the main product for a new set of biorefineries they have in the pipeline. Plus,
October 02, 2024 Read Full Article
Breakthrough in Biofuel Production: Rhodococcus Strain N1-S Transforms Succinic Acid Production
(Nanjing Agricultural University The Academy of Science/EurekAlert!) Rhodococcus aetherivorans strain N1-S boosts succinic acid yields by 6.5 times, promising a more efficient path to sustainable biofuels -- As the global push for sustainable biofuels intensifies, lignocellulosic biomass has emerged as a
September 26, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Novonesis, the Investment Perspective
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A handful of industrial biotechnology companies have the strength and purpose to make it as a public company — others remain private, are acquired, or wind down. What makes companies able to succeed with public investors?
September 13, 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
GAFT Secures $S1 Million Funding from Temasek Foundation by Winning the Liveability Challenge 2024
(GAFT) GAFT has emerged as the grand prize winner of The Liveability Challenge 2024, triumphing in the Climate Change track. This remarkable achievement secures us a phenomenal S$1 million in funding! This funding allows us to showcase our process to produce fatty acids
August 31, 2024 Read Full Article
Eating Feces: Capybara Behavior Helps Discover Organism for 2G Ethanol
by Marina Favaro (Tudo EP (Google Translation)) Protozoan present in animal feces produces enzymes capable of degrading biomass -- ... Research has found that protozoa of the species Muniziella cunha found in the digestive system of capybaras produce enzymes capable of degrading biomass. Recently published in
August 14, 2024 Read Full Article
Biofuels Can Power the Biggest Ships: Five Things to Know about Expanding Their Use
by Zia Abdullah (U.S. Department of Energy) ... Propelling massive ships around the world requires lots of energy created by burning thousands of gallons of fuel. The industry uses an estimated 2.5 billion barrels of fuel every year—primarily heavy fuel oil made from
August 08, 2024 Read Full Article
Advancing Circular Bioeconomy with Biomass Feedstocks
(Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research) Teams of researchers working to develop the science to create energy, animal feed, and other essential products from sustainable materials have been selected to join the Virtual Institute on Feedstocks of the Future (VIFF). The institute is
July 26, 2024 Read Full Article
NREL Research Dives Deeper Into the Mysteries of Energy Control in Electron-Bifurcating Enzymes
by Justin Rickard (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Understanding the Catalytic Mechanism of This Unusual Class of Enzymes May Be a Precursor to More Efficient Catalysis in the Production of Fuels and Chemicals -- In 2019, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) senior scientist Cara
July 24, 2024 Read Full Article
Cowboy Clean Fuels Announces Transformative Financing and Commercial Progress
(Cowboy Clean Fuels/PR Newswire) Cowboy Clean Fuels Announces Final Close of $13 Million Series B to Commercialize Technology for Scalable, Simultaneous Production of Renewable Natural Gas and Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide. -- Cowboy Clean Fuels (CCF), an advanced climate tech and energy
July 24, 2024 Read Full Article
Innovative Manure Solutions for Sustainable Dairy Farming
by Lori Captain (Green Biz/Dairy Management Inc.) ... Methane is emitted on dairy farms in two ways — enteric methane is produced in the cow’s rumen through its digestion process and released through their mouths; methane is also emitted through the
July 23, 2024 Read Full Article
Scaling up the Bioeconomy Workforce: Welcoming a New Wave of Bioprocessing Graduates
by Katy Christiansen (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) As a recent college graduate, Javier Santana was working in the petrochemical industry when he decided to make a career change. Seeking more opportunities for innovation, he turned to biomanufacturing — a growing industry
July 10, 2024 Read Full Article
Scientists Gain New Molecular-Level Insights into Breaking Down Plant Material for Biofuels
(U.S. Department of Energy/NewsWise) Compared to biofuel crops like corn, breaking down cellulose from nonedible plant parts or grasses grown on marginal lands is slow and inefficient. Cellulose is the building block of plant cell walls. However, using these non-food plants could help
July 03, 2024 Read Full Article
APHIS Releases Preview of Request for Information on Options for Reducing Regulations for Modified Microbes DEADLINE September 3, 2024
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) he U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will soon invite public comment for 60 days on a Request for Information (RFI) once published in the Federal Register. The RFI will explore options
July 01, 2024 Read Full Article
Introducing CirculAir: A New Pathway for Sustainable Aviation Fuel from LanzaJet and LanzaTech
by Jimmy Samartzis (LanzaJet) As Chief Executive Officer of LanzaJet, two of the most frequent questions I get asked are: “What is LanzaJet’s relationship with LanzaTech?” and “Why pursue the Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) pathway over all the others?” These two questions are crucial to understanding
June 28, 2024 Read Full Article
The Most Sustainable Feedstocks for Precision Fermentation
(World Bio Market Insights) Over the last several years, precision fermentation has attracted attention as a manufacturing methods that could drastically lower the environmental impacts of everyday products, from edible proteins to animal feed and cosmetics ingredients. Precision fermentation is a biomanufacturing
June 26, 2024 Read Full Article
Biotechnology, Design and Story, and the Persistence of the Plastics Problem
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Well might you ask, why is there a BioDesign Challenge? For one thing, at such an event, you notice something about young people: how impressively organized and thoughtful they are. ... There’s no app for solving our bigger
June 25, 2024 Read Full Article
Biofuels Help Drive Economic Impact
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) has just released a new report on “The Economic Impact of the U.S. Industrial Bioeconomy” that spotlights economic activity tied to the transformation of renewable biomass into fertilizers, bioplastics, biofuels, bio-lubricants, and other industrial bioproducts. “Our
June 11, 2024 Read Full Article
Circe Bioscience Licenses Technology to Decarbonize Industry with Microbes Developed at Wyss Institute at Harvard University
by Lindsay Brownell (Wyss Institute at Harvard Office of Technology Development) Novel gas fermentation approach enables engineered microbes to eat greenhouse gases and produce valuable products for multiple uses -- The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University announced that Circe,
May 21, 2024 Read Full Article
How Cow Manure Is Fueling a Biogas Revolution
byMax Perez (Impakter) Pioneering a circular bioeconomy, Mexican startup Sistema.bio empowers farmers worldwide to transform manure into clean energy, biofertilizers, and a sustainable future -- The world’s overflowing landfills and mounting piles of organic waste pose a severe environmental threat. As food
May 18, 2024 Read Full Article
For Sustainable Aviation Fuel, Researchers Engineer a Promising Microorganism for Precursor Production
(U.S. Department of Energy) Pseudomonas putida is a useful microorganism for producing the sustainable aviation fuel precursor isoprenol due to its ability to use renewable sources of carbon. -- Sustainable aviation fuels made from renewable sources of carbon could reduce carbon dioxide
May 10, 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 Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Cemvita
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) We’ve engineered microbes that turn the waste such as CO2 into helpful compounds, therefore closing the carbon/waste loop and address those recovery and production processes that, in current heavy industry, creates waste and emission outputs. Cemvita’s Pedro
May 03, 2024 Read Full Article
Yeast Fuel, Developed by Chula's Faculty of Science Soon to Expand Its Production for the Aerospace Industry
(Chulalongkorn University/PR Newswire) Researchers from Chulalongkorn University have made use of forage grass to feed microorganisms and convert the resulting fat into jet fuel. They aim to expand petroleum-based oil replacement production to reduce impacts on human health and the environment. -- Yeast is a
April 24, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Gold Hydrogen
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Recently, Cemvita launched the Gold Hydrogen program for subsurface biomanufacturing of Hydrogen, noting that “With thousands of depleted oil wells in the US and more around the world, Gold Hydrogen represents a unique opportunity to work
April 23, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to BioVeritas
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) BioVeritas uses some of the same technology with different market goals as the famed Terrabon of days gone by — carboxylic acids made from waste biomass, with fuel precursors and a slew of interesting renewable chemical
April 03, 2024 Read Full Article
Strengthening the EU’s Bioeconomy Strategy with Four Policy Recommendations
(European Commission/CORDIS) From policy briefs to social media campaigns, PROMICON points the way to a sustainable bio-based economy. -- The EU-funded PROMICON project has released its first policy brief supporting the 2018 EU Bioeconomy Strategy’s goal to create a sustainable, circular and
March 28, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to an Efficient, Cost-Effective Anaerobic Digester
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A high production cost of renewable natural gas results from slow disintegration and hydrolysis of recalcitrant feedstocks in conventional AD leads to low productivity; low methane content of biogas produced from AD requires downstream purification; and
March 11, 2024 Read Full Article
Soil Carbon Capture Sequestration, Low Carbon Intensity Scores and the Small Water Cycle: The Symbiotic Connection
by Joel Stone (LEC Partners/Biofuels Digest) Soil Carbon Capture Sequestration (SCCS), low carbon intensity (low CI) scores and the Small Water Cycle are connected through various ecological and hydrological processes that occur within terrestrial ecosystems. SCCS refers to the process of
March 04, 2024 Read Full Article
Producing Transportation Fuels, Electrical Power, and Chemicals in a Circular Bioeconomy
Timothy J. Donohue (National Academy of Engineering) Renewable raw materials can be exploited as alternatives to fossil fuel–based liquid transportation fuels, electrical power, and chemicals. -- Among today’s greatest challenges is the development of sustainable and cost-effective ways to produce sufficient transportation
February 19, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to LanzaTech
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Since 2005, LanzaTech has been working to create this closed-loop system using waste carbon to make the things we use in our daily lives. LanzaTech is changing how people think about carbon, creating value and new
February 17, 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
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Windfall Bio
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Founded in 2023, Windfall Bio is developing the first-ever solution for capturing and transforming climate-harming methane emissions into living organic soil nutrients. CEO Josh Silverman gave this presentation at ABLC Next 2023 on the targets, the team, the
February 14, 2024 Read Full Article
As Decarbonisation Momentum Builds, So Does Biofuel Usage
by John Snyder (Riviera) Based on samples tested in 2023, VPS reports biofuel usage more than doubled year-on-year, reaching 558,000 metric tonnes -- While biofuels represented less than 1% of the marine fuels tested in 2023, interest in their use is rising
February 14, 2024 Read Full Article
Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits Announces Partnership with Braskem Focused on the Development of Bio-based Chemicals
(Lallelmand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits) New Technological and Commercial Partnership Focuses on Sustainable Chemicals with Negative Carbon Footprints -- Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits (LBDS), a leading global fermentation ingredients supplier to alcohol producers, today announced a new partnership with Braskem
January 23, 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
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
The Digest’s 2023 Multi-Slide Guide to Aequor and Anti Biofilm, Anti-Fouling Technologes
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Aequor’s natural chemicals uniquely kill a broad spectrum of bacterial and fungal pathogens at all stages of growth – including biofilm (the first and often only resistance response of microorganisms). This is significant because every antimicrobial-resistant
November 24, 2023 Read Full Article
Biodiversity Centre Asked to Revive Research on Mukah Red Yeast Strain for Biofuel
by Galileo Petingi (Borneo Post) ... Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the research on the yeast collected from soil in Mukah was done almost three decades ago by South African researchers. “I was informed of an interesting
November 15, 2023 Read Full Article
Oldendorff Study Finds Biofuels Stability and Degradation Issues
by Marcus Hand (Seatrade Maritime News) A study commissioned by German shipowner Oldendorff Carriers shows stability and degradation issues for biofuels. -- ... As part of a 2019 research agreement between Oldendorff and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Center for Bits
November 08, 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
Chemicals from Thin Air: Gas Fermentation and the Future of Bio-manufacturing
(World Bio Market Insights) Bacteria can metabolise sugars in milk or wheat into wondrous forms like sourdough bread, sauerkraut, beer and cheese. Modern industrial fermentation uses similar techniques: it cultivates biochemicals in the bodies of microorganisms for drugs, proteins, nutraceuticals, and
October 18, 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
36 Characters in Search of an Author: The Quest for a National Energy Solution, Part 1
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The problem of renewable molecules is not hard to understand. Molecules that are sustainable and affordable are not available. Those that are sustainable and available are not affordable. If they are available and affordable, they are not
October 10, 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
United Signs Agreement to Buy up to One Billion Gallons of Sustainable Aviation Fuel from Cemvita
(Cemvita/Business Wire) Cemvita designs synthetic microbes that have the potential to convert CO2 into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) -- Cemvita Corporation announced an offtake arrangement with United Airlines for up to 1 billion gallons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from Cemvita’s first full-scale SAF
September 18, 2023 Read Full Article
Researchers Track Yeast Population Dynamics in Fuel Bioethanol Production
by Julia Moióli (FAPESP/Phys.Org) Researchers at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil, in collaboration with colleagues at Harvard University in the United States, conducted an innovative study of the DNA and population dynamics of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the yeast used
August 31, 2023 Read Full Article
Australian Biotech MicroBioGen Announces Publication of Peer-Review Article on Reducing the Carbon Intensity of Food and Fuel Production whilst Lowering Impacts of Biofuels on Land Use
(MicroBioGen/PR Newswire) Australian industrial biotechnology and yeast innovation technology solutions leader MicroBioGen has announced the publication of its peer-review article, 'Reducing Carbon Intensity of Food and Fuel Production Whilst Lowering Land-Use Impacts of Biofuels' in Fermentation, an international, scientific, peer-review journal on fermentation process and technology
August 10, 2023 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2023 Multi-Slide Guide to the State of Renewable Chemicals and Materials
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Here’s the State of Renewable Chemicals and Materials presentation from the ABLC CONNECT series episode.The Value Stack, planned capacity, mandates, incentives, major players and their recent activities, pathways, mandates around the world, molecules, and markets. It’s a comprehensive
July 25, 2023 Read Full Article
Microbial Electrosynthesis – Scientists Discover That Bacteria Can Produce More Chemical Substances Than Thought
(SciTechDaily/Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI)) How bacteria use carbon dioxide and electricity to produce useful chemical -- In the field of microbial electrosynthesis, microbes utilize CO2 and electricity to generate substances like alcohol. The precise biological mechanisms
July 01, 2023 Read Full Article
Feedstocks of the Future for a Circular U.S. Bioeconomy: A Summary from a Stakeholder Convening
(Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research) The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) and Schmidt Futures partnered for a convening to identify strategic research opportunities to advance the circular bioeconomy—an economy that uses waste as inputs and is enabled by
June 13, 2023 Read Full Article
First Experimental Confirmation that Some Microbes Are Powered by Electricity
(Leibniz-Institut für Naturstoff-Forschung und Infektionsbiologie - Hans-Knöll-Institut (Leibniz-HKI)/Phys.Org) In microbial electrosynthesis, microorganisms use CO2 and electricity to produce alcohol, for example. How this process works biologically, however, has only been speculated about, until now. Researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Natural
June 01, 2023 Read Full Article
The Pathways to Biofuels: A Survey of Why We Should Stop Fretting
byMichael Barnard (CleanTechnica) We have enough waste biomass feedstock to fulfill all of our transportation needs, and the market and a bunch of bright people will figure out which ones are cheapest and lowest impact. ... And in this future world of
May 24, 2023 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2023 Multi-Slide Guide to LanzaTech
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) With proven technology at the nexus of two mandated markets, industrial and consumer — LanzaTech has been on fire in recent months. Here’s more on their commercial operating plants, plants scheduled to complete construction in