by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A team of researchers have designed a project to develop a triple-bottom line sustainability (social, environment, economic) assessment tool for local government to evaluate trade-offs of different organic waste streams and energy conversion strategies that help achieve
National Laboratory
Back TO HOMEEngineered 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
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Fractionation of Forest Biomass Wastes
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A team of researchers have designed a project to support development of woody feedstocks forUniversity of Maine’s Thermal Deoxygenation pathway to produce renewable aviation fuel and chemicals. The goal of the project is to prepare woody
October 17, 2024 Read Full Article
DOE Invests $29 Million to Reduce Carbon Emissions
(U.S. Department of Energy) Projects Will Help Advance Carbon Dioxide Capture and Conversion Technologies -- The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) today announced $29 million for 12 research and development projects to fund two carbon management
October 16, 2024 Read Full Article
Biofuels and Batteries Gain From the System Dynamics Behind the Research
by Tim Meehan (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) How Modeling Feedback Loops Informs Analysis and Decisions Across Decarbonization Technologies -- "When you look at renewable energy, not everything is linear," said Swaroop Atnoorkar, an analyst at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) National
October 16, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Biomass Size Reduction, Drying and Densification
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Low-cost carbon resources (agricultural residues, forest residue, and non recyclable municipal and industrial wastes) exhibit consistent challenges. Inherent physical and chemical variability in feedstocks result in excessive process downtime, and uncontrolled costs with documented failures in the industry
October 16, 2024 Read Full Article
Higher Ethanol Blends: A Win for Corn Farmers, Consumers & the Environment
by Krista Swanson (National Corn Growers Association) Ethanol is a renewable transportation fuel that can be made from domestically grown corn. Over 98% of the gasoline currently sold in the United States contains ethanol, typically a blend that is 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline. Autos that
October 16, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Process Intensification in the Supply Chain
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A team of researchers have designed a project to utilize post-harvest physiology and chemistry tools during long-term storage and queuing to positively impact downstream processes through reduced chemical and energy input. They aim to enhance anatomical fractionation,
October 15, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to PEM CO2 Electrolyzer Scale-up
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Twelve is developing and scaling a platform for a reactor that electrochemically transforms biogenic CO2. The company’s core innovation is a membrane electrode assembly that enables CO2 electrolysis. In this project, the company aims towards mass
October 14, 2024 Read Full Article
Cometstock: Comstock Fuels Yields Are Headed for the Stars. Why?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Feedstock costs look more like 50 cents a gallon at the yields, based on $60 per ton for waste biomass, that have been in our reporting this year, and that’s transformative. So, it’s a comet. Why,
October 14, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Electrolyzers for CO2 Conversion from BioSources
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Researchers have initiated a project to develop electrolyzers that can convert CO2 from biorefineries to produce useful products, and save the cost of air capture. Yet, research still has not been done on testing with CO2
October 11, 2024 Read Full Article
Fueling the Future! ???? Reminder to Register for the BRIDGES Bioenergy 101 Virtual Workshop --- October 17, 2024 --- ONLINE
(U.S. Department of Energy) Registration is now open for the Bioenergy Research and Education Bridge Program (BRIDGES) Bioenergy 101 Virtual Workshop hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT). Discover new teaching strategies, resources, and more at
October 10, 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 Polymer Products from Lignin
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Today, lignin from pulp and paper is converted to polymer products through sulfonation. An industry goal, and the goal of this Ingevity / USC / Sandia project, is commercial products from lignin that provide 20% reduction
October 09, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Production of Bioproducts from Electrochemically-Generated C1 Intermediates
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) CO2 Electrolysis + Gas Fermentation: a CO2 to Chemicals Platform, that’s the goal of this Argonne National Lab, LanzaTech and Dioxide Materials, project. It aims for room Temperature CO2 electrolysis (Anion Exchange Membrane based technology), and
October 04, 2024 Read Full Article
Optimizing a Waste-to-Fuel Future for Aviation
by Karthikeyan K. Ramasamy (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) The U.S. aviation sector, responsible for around 2% of the nation’s annual carbon emissions, is a key target for decarbonization—but there are many technical and logistical hurdles remaining when conceptualizing an efficient, scaled future for
October 03, 2024 Read Full Article
Comstock Executes Exclusive License and Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory
(Comstock/Globe Newswire) World Class Innovation Team Set Sights on 100% Renewable Sustainable Aviation Fuel and Fossil Parity -- Comstock Inc. (NYSE: LODE) (“Comstock” and the “Company”) today announced the execution by Comstock’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Comstock IP Holdings LLC, of an Exclusive License
October 03, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Demonstration of Continuous Biobutanol Fermentation Integrated with Membrane Solvent Extraction
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Isobutanol (IBA), feedstock for an ASTM approved pathway for SAF production, can only be produced at low levels in fermentation (<2%) due to toxicity. Plus, there’s energy intensive recovery to consider – high heat input or
October 03, 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
Illinois Announces Incentives for SAF Project under Development at Previously Shuttered Ethanol Plant
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The government of Illinois on Sept. 30 announced Crysalis Biosciences Inc. will receive incentives under the state’s Reimagining Energy and Vehicles in Illinois (REV Illinois) program to support its sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) project under
October 02, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Conversion of Plastic-Derived Intermediates to New Monomers
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Bio-Optimized Technologies to keep Thermoplastics out of Landfills and the Environment (BOTTLE) consortium is developing new chemical upcycling strategies for today’s plastics and redesigning tomorrow’s plastics to be recyclable-by-design. BOTTLE conducts high-impact research and development
September 26, 2024 Read Full Article
Biofuels at Sea: Marine Research Engine Plots Course for Future Passage
by Erin Webb (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) A marine research engine at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is providing scientists with valuable insights into biofuel design for large ocean-going vessels (OGVs) in a multi-lab project focused on reducing
September 26, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Biomethanation to Upgrade Biogas to Pipeline Grade Methane
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Renewable natural gas (RNG) is typically produced from biogas using gas separation technology – keeping the CH4 – venting the CO2. Upgrading CO2 present in biogas using naturally-occurring organisms can increase production 60 – 70%. In
September 24, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to SAF from Wet Wastes via Hydrothermal Liquefaction
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Wet wastes could provide up to 6 billion gallons of SAF and saves on expensive alternative disposal processes that can reach as high as $4 per gallon of fuel. In this project, researchers propose a method
September 23, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Catalytic Upgrading of Carbohydrates in Waste Streams to Hydrocarbons
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Paper sludge typically taken to landfills (50%), incinerated (20%) or spread on land as soil enhancement (10%). In total, there’s 8 million wet tonnes (4MT dry) of paper sludge that costs $240 million each year to
September 22, 2024 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Announced Notice of Intent Fiscal Year 2025 Core Laboratory Infrastructure for Market Readiness (CLIMR) Lab Cal
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) announced their Notice of Intent (NOI) to issue a call for proposals from DOE National Laboratories, plants, and sites for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Core Laboratory Infrastructure for Market
September 13, 2024 Read Full Article
Knowledge-Guided Machine Learning Can Improve Carbon Cycle Quantification in Agroecosystems
by Licheng Liu, Wang Zhou, Kaiyu Guan, et al. (Nature Communications) Accurate and cost-effective quantification of the carbon cycle for agroecosystems at decision-relevant scales is critical to mitigating climate change and ensuring sustainable food production. However, conventional process-based or data-driven modeling
September 13, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to the BOTTLE Consortium
Why should DOE work on plastics circularity? For one, ~2-3% of total energy consumption in the US is used to manufacture plastics, resins, and synthetic rubber. Also, plastic production generates ~3.8% of global GHGs. Finally, plastic production uses ~6% of
September 02, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Low-Pressure Hydrogenolysis Catalysts for Bioproduct Upgrading
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A team of researchers partnered with Visolis to develop a hydrogenolysis catalyst that can operate at low-pressures (≤ 5 MPa) and demonstrate conversion of a fermentation-derived C6 intermediate to a high value chemical monomer. The rewards? Risk and cost
August 30, 2024 Read Full Article
One-Stop Data, Tools for the Bioeconomy: The Bioenergy Knowledge Discovery Framework
by Erin Webb (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Stakeholders, such as farmers, industry, and local, regional, and national planners, have a powerful, free, and easy-to-access data portal at their command to unlock the power of bioenergy: the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Bioenergy
August 29, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Catalytic Upgrading of Biochemical Intermediates
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What are the best pathways to generating and upgrading biochemical intermediates. For example, wet waste to mixed volatile fatty acids in arrested methanogenesis. Or, sugars to butyric acid, or 2,3 butanediol. Tasks include mitigation of scalability
August 29, 2024 Read Full Article
Expanding the Feedstock Arsenal
by Katie Schroeder (SAF Magazine) ... According to U.S. DOE’s 2023 Billion-Ton Report, there is up to 1.5 billion tons of biomass available on a sustainable basis in the U.S. each year, from waste to forest residuals to ag waste. Currently
August 28, 2024 Read Full Article
Carbon Rebrand: The Carbon Transformation Technology Developed by California-based Twelve Splits Apart Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
by Lisa Gibson (SAF Magazine) The Carbon Transformation Technology developed by California-based Twelve splits apart carbon dioxide (CO2) at low temperatures using electrochemistry, creating foundational elements for fuels, chemicals and plastics. Twelve, founded in 2016, has partnered for demonstration projects to produce
August 28, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to the Agile BioFoundry
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) How can a public biofoundry develop and demonstrate capabilities that enable commercially-relevant biomanufacturing of a wide range of bioproducts by both new and established industrial hosts? The ABF has operated as a BETO-supported project since 2016.
August 28, 2024 Read Full Article
Getting Into the (Sea)Weeds: Exploring Algae Storage for Biofuel Conversion
by Lynn Wendt (Idaho National Laboratory/U.S. Department of Energy) ... Recently, ocean conditions have been causing this seaweed, known as sargassum, to flourish. The so-called Great Atlantic Sargassum belt stretches from the west coast of Africa to the Caribbean Sea. When
August 27, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Deconstruction and Chemical Catalysis
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Deconstruction is a major effort in BOTTLE (Bio-Optimized Technologies to keep Thermoplastics out of Landfills and the Environment) . Work spans exploratory catalysis (”fail fast”) to advancing promising approaches towards scale-up. There are a couple of routes:
August 21, 2024 Read Full Article
Department of Energy Announces 2024 Community Partners for Waste-to-Energy Technical Assistance Program
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) announced the 2024 community partners for the Waste-to-Energy (WTE) Technical Assistance for State, Local, and Tribal Governments Program. Funding collaborations between NREL and state, local, and Tribal government
August 19, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Upgrading C2 Building Blocks
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The ChemCatBio Consortium has a project focused on upgrading C2s. Specifically, to develop novel catalytic upgrading technologies that enable cost-competitive conversion of cellulosic ethanol to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). We aim to develop a commercially viable
August 16, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Agile BioFoundry Technoeconomic and Lifecycle Analysis
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Agile BioFoundry carries out techno-economic and life cycle assessments (TEA/LCA) to quantify the economic and environmental performance of selected fermentative routes, to quantify the economic and environmental performance of selected fermentative routes, and to Develop process
August 14, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Adsorption-Based In-situ Product Recovery
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Multiple bioproducts of interest to projects require separations innovations. A team of researchers set a goal to recover acid products using anion exchange and simulated moving bed chromatography, and to develop an ISPR system for the
August 12, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to 2,3 -Butanediol Separations
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) 2,3-butanediol (BDO) is a common component in fermentation broths present in low concentrations. Recovery/separation of 2,3-butanediol poses many challenges due to inherent limitations such as its high affinity with water and issues with energy-intensive evaporation and
August 09, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Better SAF via Adsorptive De-Nitrogenation
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Hydrothermal liquefaction provides a straightforward approach to producing SAF, yet there’s nitrogen in the upgraded biocrude, and it has to come out. Meanwhile, bad news, nitrogen in hydrotreated biocrude consists of a large variety of nitrogenated
August 08, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Membrane Separation Processes and Materials
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Membrane-based separation processes can provide an energy and carbon-efficient alternative separation strategy for decarbonization of transportation and industry. However, the technology is not currently optimized for the bioprocessing industry and has scalability issues due to lack of mechanical
August 07, 2024 Read Full Article
Now Available! U.S. Department of Energy Sustainable Aviation Fuel State-of-Industry Report
(U.S. Department of Energy) The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), released the first two parts of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) State-of-Industry Report. The report focuses on how to achieve the near-term fuel production
July 31, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Vertimass
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Proprietary Vertimass Technology can lower costs of sustainable fuels for aircraft and light and heavy duty vehicles while providing a new route to renewable chemicals. Rapid development and deployment of novel Vertimass technology for conversion of
July 31, 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
Updated Algae Report Analyzes National-Scale Prospects for Converting Microalgae to Biofuels and Bioproducts
(U.S. Department of Energy) A new report from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories investigated the economic and environmental sustainability implications of siting and deploying large-scale microalgae farms for cultivation and conversion to biofuels and bioproducts. The report, “Economic,
July 24, 2024 Read Full Article
DOE Issues Notice Of Intent to Fund Industrial Partnerships across the Bioenergy and Bioproducts Value Chain
(U.S. Department of Energy/SAF Magazine) The U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office's Feedstock- Conversion Interface Consortium intends to issue an industrial partnership call (IPC) to allow collaboration between industry stakeholders and FCIC researchers. These partnerships will address the cost and risk impacts of
July 24, 2024 Read Full Article
Committed to Bioenergy Sustainability, BETO Program Manager Addresses Mitigating Environmental Impacts
by Andrea Bailey (U.S. Department of Energy) Accelerating the widespread adoption of bioenergy technologies that can offer equitable and affordable solutions to decarbonize the transportation, industrial, and agricultural sectors is a priority for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO). BETO
July 22, 2024 Read Full Article
NREL Publishes Assessment of BQ-9000 Biodiesel Properties for 2023
(Clean Fuels Alliance America) he National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) released the seventh in a series of reports documenting the quality of biodiesel from U.S.- and Canadian-based producers that participate in the BQ-9000 program. The comprehensive report, authored by Robert L.
July 19, 2024 Read Full Article
Turning Agricultural Trash to Treasure
by Lauren Biron (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) New funding will help Berkeley Lab and partners improve how the diverse agricultural waste in California’s Northern San Joaquin Valley can be used to make sustainable bioproducts and biofuels -- Agricultural residues and wastes from
July 19, 2024 Read Full Article
BETO Selects 13 Small Businesses to Develop Innovative Bio-Based Products and Biomass Processing Technologies
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced awards for the FY24 Phase I Release 2 of the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program. Across DOE, 229 projects in 39 states received $52 million to pursue
July 18, 2024 Read Full Article
Community College Internships (CCI) Building Your STEM Future Application DEADLINE October 2, 2024
Are you a community college student seeking opportunities to expand your technical skills and expertise while exploring career pathways in STEM? Then the Community College Internship (CCI) program is for you! Each year, students from around the country participate in CCI
July 18, 2024 Read Full Article
New Study Shows U.S. Oilseed Feedstock Production Exceeds Existing Federal Renewable Fuel Requirements; Domestic Feedstocks to Support Additional 1.4 Billion Gallons of U.S. Biofuel Production by 2030
(National Oilseed Processors Association) The National Oilseed Processors Association commissioned S&P Global Commodity Insights to review the present and future availability of biofuel feedstocks to support U.S. biofuel production and consumption. -- A new study shows feedstocks produced within the U.S.
July 15, 2024 Read Full Article
A New Catalyst Can “Recycle” Carbon Dioxide into Useful Chemicals
(University of Chicago) Research by Argonne, University of Chicago scientists aims to turn CO2 into resource -- Carbon dioxide is leaking from industrial operations into the atmosphere, causing a cascade of dangerous changes to Earth’s climate. But some scientists wondered if
July 12, 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
Where Will the Reductions Come From? High Octane BioEthanol to the Rescue
by Doug Durante (Clean Fuels Development Coalition/Biofuels Digest) The evidence seems overwhelming that Electric Vehicles are not going to be able to meet the timeline predicted by the Biden Administration and consequently, fail to provide the reductions in pollution the U.S.
July 08, 2024 Read Full Article
Leading Scientists Urge Court to Reject Faulty Land Use Change Arguments
(Renewable Fuels Association) The nation’s leading experts in agricultural economics and biofuels lifecycle analysis urged the D.C. Circuit Court last week to reject erroneous claims made by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) in its lawsuit challenging EPA’s 2023-2025 Renewable Fuel Standard volumes. In its
July 08, 2024 Read Full Article
Garbage Could Replace a Quarter of Petroleum-Based Jet Fuel Every Year
JoAnna Wendel (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Understanding where Americans produce the most garbage—and where the busiest airports are—can inform where to build waste-to-fuel facilities -- Every year, the nation’s aviation industry uses around 22 billion gallons of jet fuel, which produces about
July 03, 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
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to the State of SAF
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) As presented in the weekly online series ABLC Connect, this presentation looks at headwinds and tailwinds impacting the development and deployment of sustainable aviation fuels, including commodity and carbon prices, mandates, incentives, technology trends, policy and
June 11, 2024 Read Full Article
Biofuels Update in Ohio
by Matt Reese, Dale Minyo and Dusty Sonnenberg (Ohio's Country Journal) ... In 2024, Ohio is celebrating 16 years of in-state, large scale ethanol production. “The appropriate thing to do is to celebrate 16 years because that 16th birthday is when
June 06, 2024 Read Full Article
Analyses Reveal Hidden Opportunities for Lower Cost, Lower Emissions Biofuels
by Zia Abdullah (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) As Illustrated by Two National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Studies, Careful Planning and Creative Biomass Sourcing Can Yield Big Advantages -- Companies must negotiate a host of factors when moving biofuel technologies from the lab
June 05, 2024 Read Full Article
Applications Open for DOE Boost DEADLINE June 14, 2024
Building Ventures Around Community Energy Challenges -- Empowering entrepreneurs with business and technical skills in the lean startup model, focusing on validating their business models through customer discovery. Fostering innovation through generating new business models to address national and community energy problems
May 29, 2024 Read Full Article
U.S. Department of Energy Announces Four Additional Projects to Help Industry Address Bioenergy and Bioproduct Challenges
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) awarded $2.18 million in funding to four additional projects as part of the Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium (FCIC) 2023 Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) call. Funded and led by BETO, the
May 23, 2024 Read Full Article
Understanding Bifurcating Enzymes Could Lead to More Efficient Renewable Fuel and Chemical Production
by Justin Rickard (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) With Support From DOE’s Basic Energy Sciences Program, NREL Researchers Unravel the Atomic-Level Mysteries of Flavin-Based Electron Bifurcation -- ... There are multiple ways that organisms control and manipulate energy for cellular metabolism and
May 23, 2024 Read Full Article
Conversion of Organic Waste to Sustainable Aviation Fuel via Carboxylic Acids
(ChemCatBio) This study demonstrates conversion of organic waste to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) using microbial conversion followed by catalytic upgrading. Carboxylic acids produced by microbes are upgraded to SAF over commercially available catalysts. This research reports a catalytic process to convert waste
May 22, 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
Growth Energy Responds to New York Times Citing Lark in Climate Forward Newsletter
(Growth Energy) The letter below was submitted to the editor of the New York Times after a recent subscriber-only newsletter included debunked claims about the environmental impact of bioethanol in a piece about sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). A May 2 newsletter on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
May 15, 2024 Read Full Article
Japanese Media Team Visits U.S. Ethanol Production Chain In Illinois
(U.S. Grains Council) Last week, the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) led a group of Japanese journalists interested in biofuel production on a tour of several U.S. ethanol plants and organized meetings with supply chain leaders and policymakers to help the Japanese
May 10, 2024 Read Full Article
NREL Biomass Technology a Cornerstone of SAFFiRE Renewables Biofuel Pilot Plant Going Up in Kansas
by Erik F. Ringle (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) On its path to opening a facility designed to turn agriculture residue into a scalable biofuel business, SAFFiRE Renewables, LLC plans to break ground on its pilot plant near Liberal, Kansas, in late 2024. In 2023,
May 10, 2024 Read Full Article
Algae: King Of Renewable Biofuels Or Fad Gone By?
by Grace Wu (Environmental Magazine) In recent years, algae has emerged as a potential renewable and less pollutive energy resource. Some species have high levels of fat, carbohydrates and proteins that can produce up to 30 times more energy than other
May 02, 2024 Read Full Article
UK Researchers Lead a National Team, Transforming Solid Waste into Aviation Fuel
by Jordan Strickler (University of Kentucky) In a move towards sustainable energy and waste management, the University of Kentucky has launched a pioneering research initiative that seeks to turn everyday trash into high-quality sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). Titled "Surface Enhanced Smart Preprocessing
April 26, 2024 Read Full Article
EPA Approves Registration of Vertimass Green Gasoline Blends
(Vertimass) VertiGas20, a renewable gasoline product, is now registered to be sold as 20% blends in conventional gasoline to help mitigate transportation carbon emissions -- Vertimass is pleased to announce that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved registration for
April 24, 2024 Read Full Article
Earth Day Spotlight: BETO Technology Manager Focuses Work on Agricultural Sustainability, Environmental, and Equity Justice Impacts
(U.S. Department of Energy) ... BETO Technology Manager for Renewable Carbon Resources (RCR), Dr. Chenlin Li, is a DOE innovator supercharging the clean energy revolution with a commitment to stewardship of the planet’s natural resources. BETO’s RCR Program focuses on facilitating availability, reducing
April 22, 2024 Read Full Article
Argonne’s Decarbonization Scenario Model Analyzes Ambitious Pathways to Net-Zero Carbon Emissions
(Argonne National Laboratory/Business Wire) -While the world would love to have a quick fix, there is no one specific pathway to stop or slow the rate of climate change. “The approach must take into account the transitioning energy demands across the economy,
April 19, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Current and Future Availability of Sustainable Biomass
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Oak Ridge National Lab, in partnership with the US Department of Energy, aims to collect, review, and distribute the best available and citable global data on current biomass uses, and potential future availability as consistent as
April 17, 2024 Read Full Article
BRIDGES Office Hours --- Various dates in April-June 2024 --- ONLINE
Connect with National Laboratory Experts to Energize Your End-of-Year and Summer Bioenergy Learning -- Receive guidance on implementing innovative, renewable energy summer learning programs based on national laboratory case studies and evidence-based best practices for educators and students! Register today for upcoming
April 15, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Nzyme2HC and Renewable H2 Production
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Renewable H2 production that requires ~40% less electricity than state-of-the-art electrolysis> That’s the promise of early-stager Nzyme2HC. As the company puts it, “The amount of electricity required to produce green H2 must be significantly reduced. We
April 10, 2024 Read Full Article
AI is Accelerating Materials Science Discovery and Synthesis Exponentially
by Kent Goeking (LEC Partners/Biofuels Digest) One of the key barriers to the economic and technical success of many advanced energy technologies is the sub-optimum performance of critical inorganic materials used as catalysts, electrodes, dielectrics, and photovoltaics. Oxide materials in particular,
April 08, 2024 Read Full Article
2023 Billion-Ton Report: An Assessment of U.S. Renewable Carbon Resources Informational Webinar --- April 16, 2024 --- ONLINE
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) will host a virtual informational webinar from 1:30pm – 2:30pm ET, on April 16, 2024, on the recently released 2023 Billion-Ton Report (BT23), an
April 05, 2024 Read Full Article
Terragia Secures $6M to Develop Cost-Competitive, Low-Carbon Biofuel Technology
(Trucking News/Terragia/Business Wire) The startup expanded its leadership team with climate tech veteran Kristin Brief joining as CEO, Lee Lynd transitions to CTO. -- Terragia Biofuel, a technology startup aiming to drive the next generation of biofuels, today announced it has raised
March 29, 2024 Read Full Article
Southwest Airlines Acquires SAFFiRE Renewables and Strengthens Focus on Sustainability
(Southwest Airlines) Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) announces the acquisition of SAFFiRE Renewables, LLC (SAFFiRE) as part of the investment portfolio of its wholly owned subsidiary Southwest Airlines Renewable Ventures, LLC (SARV). SARV is dedicated to creating more opportunities for Southwest® to obtain
March 29, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Feedstock Supply Chain Analysis
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) To meet its defossilization goals, the US needs cost-effective solutions to provide conversion-ready feedstocks. A team of researchers at Idaho National Laboratory have undertaken a project to look at advanced supply system designs that utilize active
March 25, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Triple Bottom Line Sustainability Indicators for Waste-to-Energy Supply Chains
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Development of a triple-bottom line sustainability (social, environment, economic) assessment tool for local government to evaluate trade-offs of different organic waste streams and energy conversion strategies can help achieve local/regional policy objectives over the current and
March 22, 2024 Read Full Article
ACT and NREL Forge Alliance to Drive Sustainable Aviation Innovation
(Aviation Climate Taskforce/PR Newswire) The Aviation Climate Taskforce, Inc. (ACT) and The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have joined forces through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to bolster the collaboration and impact of both institutions in driving sustainable
March 21, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to the Global Impacts of Enhancing Domestic Ecosystem Carbon Sinks
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) 30-50% of the CO2 removals needed for a net zero U.S. economy could come via domestic terrestrial carbon sink enhancements. What’s needed? A project supported by DOE aims to specify U.S. cropland carbon sink strategies and
March 20, 2024 Read Full Article
2023 Billion-Ton Report: An Assessment of U.S. Renewable Carbon Resources
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technology Office's (BETO) 2023 Billion-Ton Report (BT23) is the 4th in a series of assessments of potential biomass resources available in the United States. BT23 explores these resources in
March 19, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Feedstock Preprocessing
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A team of researchers is working to develop science-based design and operation principles informed by TEA/LCA that result in predictable, reliable, and scalable performance of preprocessing unit operations. The comminution and fractionation manuals that industry needs
March 18, 2024 Read Full Article
Treating and Valorizing the Aqueous Phase from Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL) --- March 19, 2024 --- ONLINE
Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) is becoming more and more popular as a process to efficiently valorize bio-based feedstocks, even those with a high moisture content. Besides biocrude, which represents the energy-dense product to be utilized in fuel production, relevant amounts of
March 11, 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
Computational Models Can Accelerate and Scale Up Biomass Conversion
(U.S. Department of Energy) Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Computational Science Center are hard at work enabling the conversion of biomass to fuels and products at industrial scale. Computational tools can model biomass conversion at scales ranging from small lab beakers to
March 07, 2024 Read Full Article
Research Says Biomass Pretreatment Makes Biofuel Practical
(New Energy and Fuel) A new University of California – Riverside (UCR) study found that introducing a simple, renewable chemical to the pretreatment step can finally make next-generation biofuel production both cost-effective and carbon neutral. The first step, breaking down the plant
March 07, 2024 Read Full Article
EcoFABs Could Lead to Better Bioenergy Crops
by Will Ferguson (Berkeley Lab) A greater understanding of how plants and microbes work together to store vast amounts of atmospheric carbon in the soil will help in the design of better bioenergy crops for the fight against climate change. Deciphering the
March 05, 2024 Read Full Article
Apply for Free Faculty Workshop This Spring! Integrating BRIDGES Bioenergy National Laboratory Case Studies --- May 15-17, 2024 --- Lemont, IL Applicaiton DEADLINE March 20, 2024
Apply today to help your students participate in the renewable energy transformation! The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will offer a free workshop for faculty May 15 – 17, 2024, to help cultivate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career pathways for college
February 29, 2024 Read Full Article
Clean Cities Coalitions 2022 Activity Report
by Mark Singer, Caley Johnson, and Alana Wilson (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) works with local Clean Cities coalitions across the country as part of its Technology Integration Program. These efforts help businesses
February 27, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Biomass Feedstock National User Facility Capabilities for MSW to SAF
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Biomass Feedstock National User Facility (BFNUF) offers technology and expertise to help the U.S. bioenergy industry overcome biomass challenges during scale up and integration of biomass preprocessing facilities. The BFNUF is a congressionally designated, national
February 22, 2024 Read Full Article
Bioenergy Pioneer Awarded DOE’s Highest Recognition and Leaves an Extensive Legacy in the Renewable Energy Industry
(U.S. Department of Energy) Kevin Craig retired in December 2023 after nearly two decades of service to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO). Starting as a chemical engineer analyzing coal and biomass gasification power systems and retiring as the
February 21, 2024 Read Full Article
RFA Honors Argonne Scientist Michael Wang with 2024 Award of Excellence
(Renewable Fuels Association) At the National Ethanol Conference today in San Diego, the Renewable Fuels Association presented its 2024 Award of Excellence to Dr. Michael Wang, an Argonne National Laboratory distinguished fellow, senior scientist, and director of the Systems Assessment Center
February 21, 2024 Read Full Article
The Pamplona Bioeconomy: Watch out, the Bulls Are Running
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The bioeconomy is on fire, and three tales reveal the extent to which the bulls are running. One in RNG, one in industrial furnaces, one in integrated cellulosic biorefining. ... Hot RNG From Illinois comes word that Ameresco has
February 21, 2024 Read Full Article
New Research Pathway Uses Renewable Electricity to Produce Formic Acid from Carbon Dioxide
(U.S. Department of Energy) This technology was developed in the BETO-funded CO2RUe consortium mission and can be used to produce sustainable aviation fuel. -- Identifying routes to efficiently convert carbon dioxide (CO2) to an intermediate chemical which can be further upgraded to
February 20, 2024 Read Full Article
Are First-Generation Biofuels Sustainable?
(World Bio Market Insights) The sustainability of first-generation biofuels have attracted controversy, with questions around their true emissions savings and their impacts on other environmental metrics like water pollution and water consumption. We look at recent scientific evidence on whether and how
February 14, 2024 Read Full Article
US Counties Are Blocking the Future of Renewable Energy: These Maps, Graphics Show How
by Elizabeth Weise, Stephen J. Beard, Suhail Bhat, Ramon Padilla, Carlie Procell, Karina Zaiets (USA TODAY) Across America, local bans, moratoriums and construction impediments are blocking wind and solar energy with increasing levels of red tape. ... The U.S. has set a goal
February 11, 2024 Read Full Article
New Genetic Strategy for Preventing Breakdown of Plant Oils Needed for Biofuels and Other Products
(Brookhaven National Laboratory/Phys.Org) Biologists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have demonstrated a new way to boost the oil content of plant leaves and seeds. As described in the journal New Phytologist, the scientists identified and successfully altered
February 08, 2024 Read Full Article
Funding Notice: Department of Energy Announces $29 Million to Drive Feedstock Innovation for Clean Energy Production DEADLINE March 14, 2024
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced $29 million in funding to drive research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) of low-carbon-intensity, purpose-grown energy crops critical to accelerating a clean energy economy. The Regional Resource Hubs for Purpose-Grown Energy Crops funding
February 08, 2024 Read Full Article
Byproduct of Biofuel Production Shows Potential for Insect Pest Management
by Rob Morrison (PCT) Researchers from the USDA-ARS Center for Grain and Animal Health Research, National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Michigan State University set out to determine whether byproducts from cellulosic biofuel production could be used to manage an array of
February 07, 2024 Read Full Article
OPINION: A Clean Transportation Fuels Standard Will Drive Down Emissions
by Travis Kellerman (Somos Solar/Albuquerque Journal) A critical piece of legislation is being considered this legislative session. HB 41, the Clean Transportation Fuels Standard bill, will revolutionize the clean fuel economy in New Mexico, accelerate the state’s transition to low- and
February 01, 2024 Read Full Article
On the Ground in Colorado, NREL Is Simulating Sustainable Aviation Fuel Combustion during Flight
by Erik F. Ringle (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Laboratory Supports Industry in Fine-Tuning Sustainable Aviation Fuel Chemistry Ahead of Seeking Approval for Widespread Airplane Use -- ... But changes are coming for jet fuel, and the aviation industry is actively inviting
February 01, 2024 Read Full Article
Understanding Nutrient Cycling between Algae and Bacteria Could Lead to Increased Biofuel Production
(Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory/Phys.Org) The interactions between algae and bacteria are essential to the primary productivity of Earth's oceans and surface waters. Bacteria can increase the productivity of algae by producing key factors, such as vitamins, iron-chelating molecules, and growth hormones.
January 31, 2024 Read Full Article
15 AlgaePrize Teams Advance as Finalists in 2023–2025 Competition
(U.S. Department of Energy) 15 teams are advancing as finalists in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) AlgaePrize 2023–2025 competition. -- Finalist teams were selected by a panel of judges who reviewed and scored the required 10-page research synopsis that
January 31, 2024 Read Full Article
Improving Operability in Cold Temperatures
by Scott Fenwick (Clean Fuels Alliance America/Biobased Diesel Daily) The latest edition of the Biodiesel Handling and Use Guide is a valuable resource for those who blend, distribute or use biodiesel. Winter comes with plenty of transportation challenges, from frozen roads
January 30, 2024 Read Full Article
LanzaJet Celebrates Grand Opening of Freedom Pines Fuels Plant, the World's First Ethanol to Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production Facility Government, Corporate, and Community
(LanzaJet/PR Newswire) Leaders Mark Historic Milestone as LanzaJet Launches Ground-breaking Next-Gen SAF Technology -- LanzaJet, a leading sustainable fuels technology company and sustainable fuels producer, today joined government officials, industry leaders, partners, and supporters to open LanzaJet Freedom Pines Fuels, the world's
January 24, 2024 Read Full Article
DOE Office of Technology Transitions Lab Call Concept Papers DEADLINE January 16, 3:00 p.m. ET
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is seeking applications for the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Core Laboratory Infrastructure for Market Readiness (CLIMR) Lab Call. An estimated $37.7M–$44.7M is expected to be available to fund all projects solicited in
January 10, 2024 Read Full Article
Roads to Removal- Geologic Storage & Transportation
(Livermore Lab Foundation) Geologic storage plays a crucial role in removing carbon from the atmosphere, offering a means of long-term storage for CO2. Building on existing comprehensive research on this topic, Roads to Removal researchers conducted a new analysis to determine
January 09, 2024 Read Full Article
Norfolk Southern Aims to Slash Emissions with Greater Use of Biofuels
by Joanna Marsh (Freight Waves) NS sets greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals for 2027 and 2034 -- Fuel management and consumption will be a key means to reduce GHG emissions, as fuel accounts for over 90% of NS’ scope 1 and 2
January 05, 2024 Read Full Article
Making the Case for Marine Biofuels
by Michael Kass (Oak Ridge National Laboratory/Biodiesel Magazine) The maritime industry is one of the most important transportation sectors, with more than 80% of all goods shipped via large container or cargo vessels that are powered using residual heavy fuel oil
January 02, 2024 Read Full Article
New BRIDGES Bioenergy Case Studies Resources Are Available for Your 2024 Curriculum!
(U.S. Department of Energy) New resources and 2024 Office Hours are available to help educators incorporate the Bioenergy Research and Education Bridge (BRIDGES) Program into their classroom curricula. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and Idaho National Laboratory (INL),
January 02, 2024 Read Full Article
U.S Department of Energy Awards Team Led by Ginkgo Bioworks Funding to Develop Algal Crop Protection Solutions
(Ginkgo Bioworks) Algae-based biotechnology can be used to drive forward clean energy solutions, such as sustainable aviation fuel, yet scaling algal biotechnologies for such purposes faces major barriers; The DOE has awarded a Ginkgo-led team — which also includes partners from Pacific
December 20, 2023 Read Full Article
DOE Issues Notice of Intent to Advance Low Carbon Feedstocks for Clean Energy Technologies
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office announced its notice of intent (NOI) to issue a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) that will drive the research and development (R&D) of low-carbon, purpose-grown energy crops leading to the deployment
December 18, 2023 Read Full Article
Dimensional Energy Secures $20 Million Series A Funding
(Dimensional Energy/Business Wire) Global leader in carbon utilization technology will use funds to accelerate sustainable aviation fuel production and the decarbonization of our economy. -- Dimensional Energy, Inc., a global leader in cutting-edge carbon utilization technology, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production and
December 14, 2023 Read Full Article
Carbon Removal, at County Scale
by Charlotte Levy (Carbon 180/Medium) Roads to Removal charts the future of US carbon removal through a magnifying glass -- Roads to Removal is the latest brainchild of the Department of Energy and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory — and it’s unlike any report
December 13, 2023 Read Full Article
Accelerating Global Sustainable Waste Management: LanzaTech and Tadweer Explore Transforming Solid Waste into Sustainable Aviation Fuel
(LanzaTech) Feasibility study aims to advance the US and UAE's bilateral partnership for accelerating clean energy by laying the groundwork for bolstering waste management’s role in a circular carbon economy -- LanzaTech Global, Inc. (NASDAQ: LNZA), the carbon recycling company transforming waste
December 13, 2023 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2023 Multi-Slide Guide to Gevo
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Gevo addresses the market need of reducing greenhouse gas emissions with sustainable alternatives, and is commercializing the next generation of advanced, bio-based renewable fuels with sustainable aviation fuel, renewable premium gasoline, and renewable natural gas that
December 13, 2023 Read Full Article
A Clear Road Ahead (ClearFlame Engine Technologies)
by Katie Schroeder (Ethanol Producer Magazine) In the pursuit of decarbonization, diesel, the energy-dense fuel that powers industrial and commercial transport globally, is difficult to replace. ClearFlame Engine Technologies has developed a solution to this problem, using a cheaper and lower-carbon
December 13, 2023 Read Full Article
U.S. Department of Energy Announces Clean Energy Achievements at COP28
(U.S. Department of Energy) This week, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy David M. Turk traveled to Dubai, United Arab Emirates for the 28th Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), where he led the U.S.
December 12, 2023 Read Full Article
DOE Releases First in Series of Reports Highlighting Pathways toward Clean Hydrogen EarthShot
(U.S. Department of Energy) Deputy Secretary of Energy Turk Announces Report’s Findings at COP28 -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the findings of a report highlighting ways to achieve the Department’s goal of making hydrogen an affordable, abundant source
December 07, 2023 Read Full Article
ETHANOL: A Low-Cost Solution Available Today to Help Countries Meet Their COP Climate Commitments
(Renewable Fuels Association) ... One energy source—ethanol—is already cutting GHG emissions in the U.S. and many other countries. But with the right policies and commitments, ethanol and other renewable fuels can play a much larger role in future emissions reductions by
November 30, 2023 Read Full Article
Newly Identified Algal Strains Rich in Phosphorous Could Improve Wastewater Treatment
by Justin Rickard (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Several algal strains with high capacities for phosphorus accumulation were isolated from wastewater. These strains have the potential to boost phosphorus recovery in wastewater treatment systems along with recovering harmful or valuable metals. Phosphorus in
November 29, 2023 Read Full Article
Maritime Decarbonization Action Plan Workshop --- December 11, 2023 --- ONLINE
The U.S. DOE, in partnership with DOT, EPA, and HUD, is developing a Maritime Decarbonization Action Plan as a supplement to the U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization. The Plan includes pathways to decarbonizing vessels, adopting new fuels, decarbonizing ports
November 29, 2023 Read Full Article
America’s First Hydrogen-Powered Ferry Is Set to Sail
by Maria Gallucci (Canary Media) Switch Maritime aims to start operations early next year in San Francisco. It just raised $10M to help take zero-emissions ferries nationwide. -- America’s first hydrogen-fueled ferry is set to launch in San Francisco early next year after more
November 17, 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
Ethanol as a Renewable Building Block for Fuels and Chemicals
by Robert A. Dagle, Austin D. Winkelman, Karthikeyan K. Ramasamy, Vanessa Lebarbier Dagle, and Robert S. Weber (Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research) Three factors, (i) the ethanol “blend wall”, which limits its market as a transportation fuel, (ii) advances in production efficiency,
November 16, 2023 Read Full Article
Applications Open for Barbara McClintock Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship DEADLINE November 21, 2023
(Sandia National Laboratories) Are you interested in research at the forefront of biological sciences? Are you interested in research that will lead to transformative breakthroughs in fundamental science and technologies from a national security perspective? If so, you could join our
November 08, 2023 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2023 Multi-Slide Guide to HTL Technology Scale-up
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) HTL represents a processing technology that precludes the need to evaporate or dry the waste feed prior to conversion to fuel. In fact HTL requires that the feed be aqueous. HTL enables the conversion of the
November 07, 2023 Read Full Article
The Potential of Agrivoltaics for the U.S. Solar Industry, Farmers, and Communities
by Michele Boyd (U.S. Department of Energy) Large-scale solar energy installations are a relatively new form of development in many rural areas. Solar energy development can create clean energy, jobs, and other economic benefits in these communities. At the same time, the
November 06, 2023 Read Full Article
Ethanol Industry Still Waiting on Tax Guidance
by Carah Hart (Brownfield Ag News) The CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association says the U.S. Treasury Department still hasn’t issued additional guidance on federal tax credits from the Inflation Reduction Act. Geoff Cooper tells Brownfield he’s expecting an announcement anytime. “By
November 02, 2023 Read Full Article
House Biofuels Caucus Introduces GREET Act
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) House Biofuels Caucus Co-chairs Dusty Johnson (R-SD) Adrian Smith (R-NE), Angie Craig (D-MN), and Mark Pocan (D-WI) this week introduced the Adopt Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) Act to direct the Environmental Protection Agency
November 02, 2023 Read Full Article
Newly-Engineered Enzymes Can Help Plants Produce More Biofuels
by Loukia Papadopoulos (Interesting Engineering) ... In order to improve the efficiency of converting grass plant biomass into biofuels and other bioproducts, plant biologists at the DOE's Brookhaven National Laboratory have created a new type of enzymes that optimizes plants’ ability to develop biomass. These
October 30, 2023 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2023 Multi-Slide Guide to Technoeconomic Analysis and Life-Cycle Assessment for Separations
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Bioprocessing Separations Consortium is a National Laboratory-led effort, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office, that is dedicated to identifying and overcoming separations challenges associated with the conversion of biomass into fuels
October 30, 2023 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2023 Multi-Slide Guide to Volatile Products Recovery
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Bioprocessing Separations Consortium is a National Laboratory-led effort, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office, that is dedicated to identifying and overcoming separations challenges associated with the conversion of biomass into fuels
October 27, 2023 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2023 Multi-Slide Guide to Adsorption-based ISPR for Bioproducts
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Bioprocessing Separations Consortium is a National Laboratory-led effort, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office, that is dedicated to identifying and overcoming separations challenges associated with the conversion of biomass into fuels
October 26, 2023 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2023 Multi-Slide Guide to Adsorptive De-Nitrogenation as a Pathway to SAF
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Bioprocessing Separations Consortium is a National Laboratory-led effort, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office, that is dedicated to identifying and overcoming separations challenges associated with the conversion of biomass into fuels
October 25, 2023 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2023 Multi-Slide Guide to Butanediol Separations
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Bioprocessing Separations Consortium is a National Laboratory-led effort, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office, that is dedicated to identifying and overcoming separations challenges associated with the conversion of biomass into fuels
October 24, 2023 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2023 Multi-Slide Guide to Feedstock Material Handling
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A recent DOE project with the Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium analyzed a primary challenge in the design of a biorefinery — — the storage, transport, and reactor feeding of the biomass feedstocks, as material handling/feeding is prone
October 19, 2023 Read Full Article
NREL Analysis Shows Midwestern Electrofuels Could Become Energy Superheroes
by Zia Abdullah (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) More ethanol, fewer emissions, land with multiple purposes—there are several advantages of using renewable electricity to increase the carbon efficiency of biorefineries. -- ... Made from carbon dioxide (CO2) from industrial waste gases or directly
October 18, 2023 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2023 Multi-Slide Guide to Feedstock Variability
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A recent DOE project with the Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium analyzed the initial distribution of feedstock critical material attributes (CMAs) and strategies to manage this variability. Understanding key sources of biomass variability (e.g., growth conditions, harvest
October 18, 2023 Read Full Article
Alder Renewables Unlocks Carbon-Negative SAF via Miscanthus Breakthrough
by Tim Obitts and Derek Vardon (Alder Renewables/Biofuels Digest) • Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) produced from miscanthus Alder Renewable Crude (ARC) can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 110% compared to conventional fossil jet fuel.* A purpose-grown energy crop, miscanthus can store roughly half
October 18, 2023 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2023 Multi-Slide Guide to Electrocatalytic CO2 Utilization
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Low-temperature CO2 electrolysis is a promising pathway to produce low carbon intensity fuels and chemicals, offering advantages in scalability, process efficiency, and intermittent operation. Significant risks must be overcome for CO2 electrolysis to help meet 2050 decarbonization goals A
October 16, 2023 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2023 Multi-Slide Guide to the Economics and Sustainability of CO2 Utilization Technologies with TEA and LCA
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A recent DOE project aims to perform techno-economic analysis (TEA), life cycle analysis (LCA), and water analysis of CO2 utilization (CO2U) technologies to address their costs and energy/environmental sustainability implications and to present economic and environmental
October 13, 2023 Read Full Article
.jpg)
Our Sponsors
FREE Subscription! Advanced Biofuels USA events calendar; policy and actions; education newsletters
