by Jonathan Male (US Department of Energy) ... From expanding the potential of diverse microbial systems to enhancing the biocatalytic capabilities of enzymes, the application of biotechnology is accelerating the development of the advanced biofuel industry. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy
microorganisms/microbes
Back TO HOMEUsing Microbial Consortia May Boost Success of Biotechnologies
(Phys.Org) Around the world, researchers are studying microbes to see if these tiny organisms can be used to solve a host of problems, from cleaning up toxic waste to providing renewable energy. Unfortunately, attempts to develop biotechnologies often fall short
March 18, 2016 Read Full Article
Patent Awarded for Cellulose-Digesting Bacteria that Make Ethanol
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Maryland, The US Patent and Trademark Office issued patent number 9,193,979 for ethanol-tolerant microorganisms that convert cellulosic biomass to ethanol. The patent describes using the microorganisms to produce ethanol from crop or waste biomass
November 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Engineering Microorganisms for Bio-Based Products: The Digest’s 2015 8-Slide Guide to enEvolv
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) enEvolv engineers microorganisms to produce bio-based products. We work with partners in therapeutics, nutrition, energy and specialty chemicals to improve existing strains and develop novel ones. Our technologies harness and accelerate evolution – enabling us
November 23, 2015 Read Full Article
New Biobased Projects Around the World
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Who’s building what, where, now. 29 projects in construction or in commissioning in Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Australia, and the Americas Despite low oil prices, first-gen biofuels and advanced biofuels continue to develop, and
November 18, 2015 Read Full Article
Methane-Munching Platform Microbe: The Digest’s 2015 8-Slide Guide to Intrexon Energy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Intrexon’s proprietary methanotroph bioconversion platform has the potential to transform the gas-to-liquids (GTL) industry through use of optimized microbial cell lines to convert natural gas into higher carbon compounds such as isobutanol and farnesene under
November 10, 2015 Read Full Article
Marginal Soil Can Make for Good Biofuel Crops
(Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) Switchgrass, a perennial native to the tallgrass prairie, is one of the most promising bioenergy crops in the United States, with potential to provide high-yield biomass on marginal soils unsuitable for traditional agricultural crops. New research by
October 23, 2015 Read Full Article
GranBio, Solvay JV Acquires Cobalt Technologies’ Assets
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) We can now affirmatively report that SGBio, a joint venture between the Solvay Group and GranBio, has acquired assets from Cobalt including the bank of microorganisms and intellectual property related to patents, trademarks, processes, operating
October 15, 2015 Read Full Article
The Building Block Builders: The Digest’s 2015 8-Slide Guide to BioAmber
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From the company’s IPO Prospectus: “Our proprietary technology platform combines industrial biotechnology, an innovative purification process and chemical catalysis to convert renewable feedstocks into chemicals that are cost-competitive replacements for petroleum-derived chemicals. The development of our
September 23, 2015 Read Full Article
Grant to Help Increase Biofuels Yield while Limiting Fertilizer Use
(Michigan State University) Michigan State University has earned a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to better understand how biofuel crops acquire nitrogen, insights that could help maximize yields while minimizing fertilizer use. Sarah Evans, an integrative biologist
September 10, 2015 Read Full Article
One Darn-Hot Renewable Chemicals Play: The Digest’s 2015 8-Slide Guide to Verdezyne
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Verdezyne is a privately held industrial biotechnology company that is developing and commercializing novel genetically engineered microorganisms for use as “factories” to manufacture renewable chemicals. Verdezyne’s unique microorganisms permit greener, cleaner and more cost effective
September 09, 2015 Read Full Article
Researchers Propose 2nd Law of Thermodynamics-Based Process to Select and Develop Microorganisms for Optimal Biofuel Production
(Green Car Congress) Researchers at the University of Maryland are proposing a new process to isolate and to direct the evolution of microorganisms that convert cellulosic biomass or gaseous CO2 and H2 to biofuels such as ethanol, 1-butanol, butane, or
August 17, 2015 Read Full Article
BESC Creates Microbe that Bolsters Isobutanol Production
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Another barrier to commercially viable biofuels from sources other than corn has fallen with the engineering of a microbe that improves isobutanol yields by a factor of 10. The finding of the Department of Energy’s BioEnergy Science
August 17, 2015 Read Full Article
The Three Microb-eteers: Methanogens, Methanotrophs, Acetogens and Knallgas Bacteria
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Which microbes achieve a better, faster, cheaper transformation of the world around us? ... Down there in the mud, too small to be seen with the naked eye, are some of your new best friends.
July 31, 2015 Read Full Article
At a Crossroads, Biofuels Seek a New Path Forward
by Richard Martin (MIT Technology Review) New microbes and new techniques show promise for advanced biofuels, but the industry is still years away from real progress. Attempting to chart a path forward for the beleaguered biofuels industry, a group of researchers
July 06, 2015 Read Full Article
Gina Lewin Explores How Ants Break Down Cellulose
by Silke Schmidt (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) ... In the summer of 2009, Gina Lewin participated in a National Science Foundation-funded program called Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU), which invites college juniors and seniors to join research projects around the country. At
April 09, 2015 Read Full Article
Biofuels Research Uncovers Natural Fungicide
by Krista Eastman (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Scientists at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) reported today (March 9, 2015) the discovery of a chemical compound called poacic acid that could eventually be used as a fungicide in
April 09, 2015 Read Full Article
UBC Research Looks to Boost Sustainable Bioenergy
(Canadian Biomass Magazine) Two new Genome BC-funded projects led by UBC researchers will harness microbial community research to help tackle sustainable development challenges in biofuel and BC shale gas development. The initiatives, led by UBC microbiologist Steven Hallam in collaboration with
November 19, 2014 Read Full Article
Cellulosics and the EU: Chasing Higher Rates, Yields, and More Value from Lignin
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The cellulosic scene in the EU is lively and well — greatly cheered by news of commercial-scale openings by POET-DSM, and Beta Renewables and the impending openings at Abengoa Bioenergy and DuPont. This week, the 4th
September 26, 2014 Read Full Article
Bacteria Found in Cow Rumens Could Be Harnessed to Process Biofuel
(University of Wisconsin-Madison) What do biofuels look like on the Wisconsin landscape? Some might think of corn or switchgrass. But what about that herd of cows? What you can’t see might fool you. Cows are walking natural biodigesters, says CALS
September 25, 2014 Read Full Article
AFM-IR Used to Study and Optimize Biofuel-Producing Microbes
(AZONano.com) Anasys Instruments reports on the publication in the Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters demonstrating the use of AFM-IR used by French researchers to identify best microbes for biofuel production. While the debate over using crops for fuel continues, scientists are
March 04, 2014 Read Full Article
The Digest's Bioeconomy Achievement Awards for 2013-14
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Beta Renewables, Abengoa, Enerkem, Proterro among the winners for Project of the Year — as residues and waste are keys to the big wins. For Fuel of the Year, Renewable Chemical of the Year, Product
January 03, 2014 Read Full Article
Monsanto and Novozymes Team Up to Provide Sustainable Bioagricultural Solutions
(Monsanto) The companies establish The BioAg Alliance to discover, develop and sell microbial solutions that enable farmers worldwide to increase crop yields with less input Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) and Novozymes (NASDAQ OMX: NZYM B) today announce a long-term strategic alliance to transform
December 11, 2013 Read Full Article
Space, the Biobased Frontier: Hot Biotechnologies for the Big Beyond
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Next-gen biofuels technologies may be key to making the International Space Station cost effective — not to mention, other destinations in the NASA agenda. Which may explain why a high-tech algae outfit, Evodos, is advertising
October 22, 2013 Read Full Article
Helping Bacteria Tolerate Biofuels
by Erika Gebel Berg (Chemical and Engineering News) Protein Engineering: Scientists evolve a bacterial protein pump that pulls butanol out of cells to make microbes into better biofuel factories Biologists can engineer microorganisms to make biofuels, such as butanol or octanol,
September 19, 2013 Read Full Article
Oxygen for High Altitudes: 17 Biofuels Ventures Raise $434M in Equity
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Despite the sluggish economic recovery and questions over policy stability — biofuels ventures have been busy raising lots of capital. In the past 6 months, $434 million. Who got what, where, when and why? ...supplemental oxygen,
April 08, 2013 Read Full Article
Algenetix Raises $2M in Series A Funding Round, Aims to Boost Algae Oil Accumulation
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, Algenetix, an industrial biotech company incubated from the pipeline of Kapyon Ventures has closed $2.0M in Series A-1 funding to further commercialize its PhotoSeed platform. The groundbreaking technology vastly improves oil productivity in microbes
April 05, 2013 Read Full Article
Lawrence Berkeley Lab Says Principle Proven on New Ionic Liquid Pretreatment Process for Biofuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Lawrence Berkeley Lab has developed a new technology that enables the engineering of host microorganisms suitable for biofuel processing using ionic liquid pretreatment. It may also enable fermentation under septic conditions, since invasive organisms are
January 28, 2013 Read Full Article
15 Biobased Companies in the 2012 Cleantech 100
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...15 biobased and biofuels companies were named to the Global Cleantech 100 by the Cleantech Group, which said that it examined more than 6,000 companies in the Cleantech 100 process. Overall, nine of the companies
October 03, 2012 Read Full Article
Hey Kids! Grab Your Scissors and Glue! Fun, Transformative Things to Do with Bacteria!
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Of all the microbes we know – and, basically, the human body is a boutique hotel for hosting them, with researchers now estimating that for every human cell in a body, there are at least
July 05, 2012 Read Full Article
The SuperFriends and Their Planet-Saving Microbial Biofuel Powers
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In the world at large, they are generally called pests. We call them ‘magic bugs’. They are like the SuperFriends of Saturday morning cartoons – Nature has certainly endowed them with magic powers. ...Too often, public
November 04, 2011 Read Full Article
Computer Software Helps Engineer Organisms
by John Roach (MSNBC) Could lead to microbes that produce drugs and biofuels A computer software program is outfitting biotechnology companies with the ability to determine the genetic plans they need to engineer microorganisms for the production of products such as
July 22, 2011 Read Full Article
AE Biofuels Announces Acquisition of Industrial Biotechnology Company Zymetis
(Bradenton) Company Expands Technology Portfolio to Include Production of Renewable Chemicals and Advanced Fuels by the Conversion of Existing Ethanol and Biodiesel Production Facilities AE Biofuels, Inc. (OTC:AEBF), a global advanced biofuels company, announced today that it has completed the acquisition
July 06, 2011 Read Full Article
his Microbe's For You: Brewery Waste Becomes Scientific Fodder For Producing Liquid Biofuels
(Red Orbit) Gaining new insight into how efficiently the microbes in large bioreactors produce methane from brewery waste, Cornell scientists hope to use their new knowledge to shape these microbial communities to produce liquid biofuels and other useful products. The scientists
March 01, 2011 Read Full Article
Bovine Bellies Yield Clues for New Biofuels
by Maggie Fox (Reuters) Researchers looking for better ways to make biofuels turned to experts at breaking down grass -- cattle -- and found more than a dozen new compounds in their guts that might help make new, cheap sources
February 06, 2011 Read Full Article
LS9, Inc., U.C. Berkeley, and JBEI Make Major Breakthrough in Cellulosic Fuels Production
LS9, the Renewable Petroleum Company(TM), today announced a major breakthrough in the ability to make cellulosic-derived advanced biofuels. A collaborative team of researchers from LS9, Inc, the University of California at Berkeley, and the U.S. Department of Energy's Joint BioEnergy