by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Whether it is Mixed C6-C5 Corn Stover Hydrolysate Sugars to Produce Butyric Acid with In-situ Product Removal, or Non-Biological Conversion of Mixed C6-C5 Corn Stover Hydrolysate Sugars to Furans (Furfural, HMF), opportunities abound in biobased
National Laboratory
Back TO HOMEThe Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to the Upgrading of C2 Intermediates
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Ethanol is an attractive feedstock for middle distillate fuels and chemical products. How do we unlock the potential not only for ethanol-to-jet, but for C3+olefin (ETO) opportunities, and more. Dehydrate, oligomerize, hydrogenate – the path
September 20, 2022 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Advanced Catalyst Synthesis and Characterization
by Jim Lane (Biofuel Digest) Accelerated catalyst and process development cycle enabling demonstrated performance enhancements in half the time. That’s the bold goal of a DOE project aimed at providing a fundamental insight leading to actionable recommendations for critical catalysis challenges by
September 19, 2022 Read Full Article
Brown Announces $2.5 Million for Biofuel Research at The Ohio State University
(Office of Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH)) Today (September 13, 2022), U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced that the Department of Energy has awarded a $2.5 million grant to The Ohio State University (OSU) for research on the creation of new biofuel
September 15, 2022 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Catalytic Upgrading of Pyrolysis Vapors
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Catalytic fast pyrolysis is a versatile technology pathway for the direct liquefaction of biomass and waste carbon sources. In this slide deck from NREL’s Mike Griffin, we explore the Potential for high carbon yields to
September 15, 2022 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Utilizing Electricity to Produce Intermediates from CO2 and Biomass
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This project funded by the US Department of Energy and led by NREL’s Josh Schaidle aims to Guide existing and future research and development efforts by defining key technical challenges, risks, cost/carbon intensity drivers, and
September 14, 2022 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Formate Utilization for Value-Added Products
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) How do we utilize CO2 with cheaper renewable energy? What products can we make? Those are the questions explored in this project funded by the US Department of Energy’s BETO office and led by Jonathan
September 13, 2022 Read Full Article
Biomass Feedstock Preprocessing Solutions: The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Idaho National Laboratory
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Idaho National Lab’s very own Bioenergy Program Lead, Lynn Wendt, shared this illuminating slide guide at ABLC on how they are working on mitigating risk from beginning to end with biomass feedstocks, how to respond
September 12, 2022 Read Full Article
RFA, Growth Energy Slam Inaccurate Reuters Report on Ethanol GHGs
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Renewable Fuels Association and Growth Energy are slamming a Reuters article published on Sept. 8 that recycles highly misleading claims about the greenhouse gas (GHG) impact of U.S. ethanol plants. The Reuters article, in part, cites the
September 12, 2022 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Improving Formate upgrading by Cupriavidus necator
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The project goal is to develop the natural formatotroph, C.necator, as a robust microbial chassis for efficient formate conversion to value-added products in support of CO2 capture. The project is funded by the US Department
September 09, 2022 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Novel Cell-Free Enzymatic Systems for CO2 Capture
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) To develop, innovate, and reduce costs of CO2 Separations using enzyme-based technology to accelerate CO2 capture alternative solvents with low regeneration energy. That’s the goal of this project funded by the US Department of Energy’s
September 08, 2022 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Integration of CO2 Electrolysis with Microbial Syngas
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) By producing valuable products out of CO2, this project will incentivize CCU to realize carbon circular economy opportunities. That’s the promise of this project funded by the BETO Office at the US Department of Energy
September 07, 2022 Read Full Article
Green Plains, Tallgrass and PNNL Awarded DOE Funding for Sustainable Aviation Fuel Technology
(Green Plains) Green Plains Inc. (NASDAQ:GPRE), Tallgrass, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) today announced they have been awarded funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to advance sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) technology as part of the federal agency’s effort
September 06, 2022 Read Full Article
DOE Announces $540 Million for Research Activities into Clean Energy Technologies
by JimLane (Biofuels Digest) From Washington comes news that the U.S. Department of Energy will make more than $540 million in awards for university- and National Laboratory-led research into clean energy technologies and low-carbon manufacturing. The goals Earlier this year, the DOE SC
August 25, 2022 Read Full Article
SoCalGas Constructing Hydrogen Fueling System for Transit Agency
by Ariana Fine (NGT News) Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) has begun construction of an advanced hydrogen generation system at SunLine Transit Agency in Thousand Palms, Calif. The project, called H2 SilverSTARS, will produce hydrogen from renewable natural gas (RNG) and help
August 23, 2022 Read Full Article
NREL Study: Refineries Increase Revenue and Reduce Carbon Footprint with Renewable Propane
(Propane Education & Research Council/CISION PR Newswire) Major refiners like Chevron see value in commercializing renewable propane -- A new study by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) shows biorefineries can increase their financial returns by selling renewable propane versus using it as
August 18, 2022 Read Full Article
DOE Announces $2 Million to Help Bring Clean Energy Technologies to Market
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) has announced the selection of two projects totaling more than $2 million for its Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF). The TCF facilitates stronger partnerships among DOE facilities, private sector companies, and other
August 18, 2022 Read Full Article
Three-Part Co-Processing Series to Lower Carbon Footprint of Transportation Fuels
(U.S. Department of Energy) Upgrading bio-oils with petroleum feedstocks at existing refineries—known as “co-processing”—could offer a fast pathway for lowering the carbon footprint of today’s transportation fuels. In this three-part blog series, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
August 12, 2022 Read Full Article
What Happened at the 2022 CAAFI Bienennial General Meeting?
(Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative ) There’s more attention on SAF now than ever before. There’s also a lot going on in the SAF space from near-term commercialization, policy pushes, feedstock development, pathway approvals, airline, airport and business aviation engagement,
August 12, 2022 Read Full Article
Unlocking the Mystery of Catalyst Poisoning
by Asanga Padmaperuma (U.S. Department of Energy) A research team from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory investigates how potassium in biomass feedstocks poisons a catalyst. Their discovery allowed researchers to better understand catalyst health and regeneration during the conversion of feedstocks into
August 12, 2022 Read Full Article
Not Just Bread and Beer—Microbes Can Ferment Carbon Dioxide to Make Fuel, Too
by Erik F. Ringle (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Scientists Mapped Out a "Bicyclic Carbon Fixation" Pathway for Speeding Up Gas Fermentation in Specialized Bacteria -- ... Certain species of bacteria ferment carbon dioxide (CO2) gas to make their own nutrients
August 10, 2022 Read Full Article
En Route to Market: Alder Fuels and NREL Partner to Scale Sustainable Aviation Fuel Technology for Commercial Use
by Erik F. Ringle (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) A critical pathway for producing large quantities of low- to negative-carbon sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is en route to market following a collaborative research and development agreement between the National Renewable Energy Laboratory
August 09, 2022 Read Full Article
Ethanol-Basher Scores 100%...in Idiocy -- Anti-Ethanol Writers Must Go!
by Marc J. Rauch (The Auto Channel) ... The focus of my presentations was to talk about the urgent need to educate consumers and consumer influencers about the benefits of ethanol fuel. Almost simultaneous with my plane touching down in my home
August 02, 2022 Read Full Article
Found: The ‘Holy Grail of Catalysis’ — Turning Methane into Methanol under Ambient Conditions Using Light
by Paul Boisvert (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) An international team of researchers, led by scientists at the University of Manchester, has developed a fast and economical method of converting methane, or natural gas, into liquid methanol at ambient temperature and
July 26, 2022 Read Full Article
Victor Tango Foxtrot – The Pursuit of Affordable Sustainable Aviation Fuels at Scale
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In aviation fuels as elsewhere in life, it’s sustainable, affordable, available, pick two out of three. You can find affordable SAF, but not in big volumes. You can find as much unaffordable SAF as you like. as
July 21, 2022 Read Full Article
Boeing and Alder Fuels Partner to Scale Sustainable Aviation Fuel Globally
(Boeing/CISION PR Newswire) - Conversion of sustainable forest and agricultural residues can displace the need for typical jet fuel by up to 75 percent in the U.S.; - Boeing will support testing and qualification of Alder Fuels' SAF on its airplanes -- Boeing
July 19, 2022 Read Full Article
Forget Saudi Arabia — Biden Should Have Gone to South Dakota: Letters to the Editor for July 17
by Doug Sombke (South Dakota Farmers Union/Argus Leader/Governors' Biofuels Coalition) President Biden’s visit to Saudi Arabia to beg for more oil seems unnecessary to us — he could have saved himself a long trip by coming to see what is being
July 19, 2022 Read Full Article
Both Ends of the Bridge at Once: The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to the DOE’s Co-Optima Project
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What’s the perfect fuel, and the perfect vehicle? Can we optimize both at the same time, instead of optimizing one at a time? Researchers associated with the Co-Optima project aim to identify low carbon fuel-engine
July 18, 2022 Read Full Article
PNNL: New Artificial Enzyme Breaks Down Tough, Woody Lignin
(Pacific Northwest National Laboratory/Ethanol Producer Magazine) A new artificial enzyme has shown it can chew through lignin, the tough polymer that helps woody plants hold their shape. Lignin also stores tremendous potential for renewable energy and materials. Reporting in the journal Nature
July 15, 2022 Read Full Article
Utilizing Biorefinery Waste Gas: The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to NREL
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) NREL’s waste gas researchers are rethinking industrial flue gas from a waste to a feedstock, with the help of LanzaTech. Find out how the integration of CO2 electrolysis with microbial syngas upgrading to utilize biorefinery
July 15, 2022 Read Full Article
Badass POP Missile Fuel Arrives from Berkeley’s Labs: Will America Keep a Hold of Them?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Simulation data from Sandia suggests “that POP fuel candidates are safe and stable at room temperature and will have energy density values of more than 50 megajoules per liter after chemical processing. That’s 56 percent more
July 12, 2022 Read Full Article
ANL: Can Farms Produce to the Max and Still Reduce GHG Emissions?
by Kristen Mally Dean (Argonne National Laboratory/Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... With new practices, farmers can make farms a net sink of CO2, helping the U.S. reach its goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. Sustainable intensification is a two-prong approach many think
July 08, 2022 Read Full Article
Whatever Happened to Cellulosic Ethanol?
by David Kramer (Physics Today) Technological immaturity, falling oil prices, overoptimistic investors, and regulatory uncertainty are blamed for the failure of a promising biofuel technology to perform as hoped. -- Despite a decade and a half of big US federal investments
July 06, 2022 Read Full Article
Bacteria for Blastoff: Using Microbes to Make Supercharged New Rocket Fuel
by Aliyah Kovner (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) ... Well aware of the advantages biology has to offer, a group of biofuel experts led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) took inspiration from an extraordinary antifungal molecule made by Streptomyces bacteria to
July 04, 2022 Read Full Article
Biofuel Revolution: Could Common Bacteria Found in Soil Fuel Jet Planes
by Trenton Doyle (NZ Herald) New research has found a way to make explosive compounds using bacteria commonly found soil - which could pave the way for cleaner alternatives to jet fuel. And with fuel prices at record highs, some scientists
July 01, 2022 Read Full Article
Can Farms Produce to the Max and Still Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions?
by Kristen Mally Dean (Argonne National Laboratory) Decarbonizing agriculture is critical for the U.S. to reach net zero emissions by 2050. A new data-driven approach looks at practices that are good for the earth and profitable for farmers. -- The
June 27, 2022 Read Full Article
Biofuel, Ag Groups Comment on SEC Climate Disclosures Rulemaking
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) ... Growth Energy’s comments focused on the calculation of biofuel GHG emissions. “The proposed rule would require many public companies to calculate and disclose GHG emissions from throughout their entire supply chain and production cycle,” Growth Energy
June 26, 2022 Read Full Article
Ethanol vs. Petroleum-Based Fuel Carbon Emissions
by Valerie Sarisky-Reed (U.S. Department of Energy) Biofuels have been proven to emit significantly lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than petroleum-based fuels, and recent scientific studies indicate that net-zero emission biofuels are not only possible, but achievable. Corn ethanol and other biofuels are
June 24, 2022 Read Full Article
The Biofuel Folks Might Like a Word about Your Corn Stover
by Brian O'Connor (No-Till Farmer) ... A study published in the Journal of Cleaner Production found that harvesting up to 30% of corn stover on a field for use in fuel products could increase revenues for growers and decrease the negative impact on the environment,
June 20, 2022 Read Full Article
Quantity in Search of Quality: Los Alamos National Laboratory Makes a Case for Improving Algae Genome Data
by Sheila Van Cuyk (U.S. Department of Energy) The potential for advancing algal biofuels and bioproducts relies on using algae strains that are best suited for industrial production. Genomic sequence data—the functional information in the DNA of a specific organism such as
June 16, 2022 Read Full Article
On the Road to a Net-Zero-Carbon Transportation Future
(U.S. Department of Energy) America’s car, truck, and train wheels keep turning, while planes and boats take to the skies and oceans, releasing 1.5 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere every year. Breakthroughs from the U.S. Department of Energy
June 14, 2022 Read Full Article
Plastic Waste in America Could Help Power Transportation and Industry
(U.S. Department of Energy) With funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) were able to calculate that America’s landfills hold nearly 44 million metric tons—or 97 billion pounds—of discarded plastic, a
June 02, 2022 Read Full Article
Southwest Airlines Invests in Sustainable Aviation Fuel Pilot Project Supported by the Department of Energy
(Southwest Airlines/PR Newswire) Carrier's first-of-its-kind investment supports the development of technology intended to commercialize sustainable aviation fuel -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) ("Southwest" or the "Company") today announces an investment into SAFFiRE Renewables, LLC (SAFFiRE), a company formed by D3MAX, LLC
June 01, 2022 Read Full Article
New Artificial Enzyme Breaks Down Tough, Woody Lignin
(Science Daily/DOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Study shows promise for developing a new renewable energy source -- An innovative artificial enzyme has shown it can chew through woody lignin, an abundant carbon-based substance that stores tremendous potential for renewable energy and
June 01, 2022 Read Full Article
SAF Production Expands for a Low-Carbon Future
by Scott Jenkins (Chemical Engineering Magazine) ... The current environmental and geopolitical situation is prompting petroleum refiners across the globe to evaluate their assets and explore how to adapt to a carbon-constrained future, and one in which the negative climate effects
May 30, 2022 Read Full Article
RFA Calls on EPA to Remove Controversial Studies from Peer Reviewed Congressional Process
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, a recent, highly publicized report led by Tyler Lark of the University of Wisconsin attacking the Renewable Fuel Standard is “more problematic than what we initially evaluated to be the case,” according to a new review
May 27, 2022 Read Full Article
Ethanol’s Own SAF Runway
by Luke Geiver (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The world’s major airlines are racing to decarbonize air travel by backing and using sustainable aviation fuel. Much of it is now being produced via plant-based oils in tandem with renewable diesel. Soon, it
May 23, 2022 Read Full Article
NREL Senior Research Fellow Honored for International Leadership and Innovation in Energy Chemistry
by Cassandra Sulmeisters (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Senior Research Fellow Bob McCormick was recently recognized with one of the highest honors by the American Chemical Society (ACS): the Henry H. Storch Award in Energy Chemistry for
May 09, 2022 Read Full Article
News Release: NREL Scientists Advance Renewable Hydrogen Production Method
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Perovskite materials may hold the potential to play an important role in a process to produce hydrogen in a renewable manner, according to an analysis from scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Hydrogen has emerged as
May 09, 2022 Read Full Article
The “Green Crude” SAF Alternative: The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Alder Fuels
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Alder Fuels’ Chief Technology Officer, Derek Vardon, shared this illuminating slide guide at ABLC highlighting how they are seeing a future of gathering energy instead of drilling for it and how the solution for
May 02, 2022 Read Full Article
15 AlgaePrize Teams Advance as Finalists
(U.S. Department of Energy) 15 teams are advancing as finalists in the U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) 2022–2023 AlgaePrize competition. Finalist teams were selected based on their 10-page research synopsis which described each team’s research plan for their proposed project
April 25, 2022 Read Full Article
Rural Partners Network Launched: Empowering Rural Communities to Access Federal Resources
(U.S. Department of Energy) The Rural Partners Network is a new collaboration to strengthen the link between federal agencies and rural communities. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) is proud to join this effort to help create jobs, build
April 23, 2022 Read Full Article
Co-Processing Cooperation: National Labs Working Together to Create Clean Energy Fuels
(U.S. Department of Energy) Since 2018, a multi-laboratory consortium, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and guided by an industrial advisory board, has focused on adding co-processing of bio-oils into existing refinery units with petroleum feedstocks to produce
April 22, 2022 Read Full Article
U.S. Biomethane Vehicle Projects Grow 85% in Two Years, Says Argonne
(Argonne National Laboratory) Made from organic waste, renewable natural gas is rapidly gaining ground as an alternative fuel source with the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Public and private interest in this low-carbon fuel has grown dramatically in
April 19, 2022 Read Full Article
Global Food Crisis Coming and Changes to GHG Modeling for Biofuels
(KIT) ...Two Senate Ag Committee members recently urged the EPA to update its greenhouse gas modeling for biofuels. Senators John Thune, of South Dakota, and Amy Klobuchar, of Minnesota, asked the EPA to adopt the Argonne National Lab's Greenhouse Gases, Regulated
April 16, 2022 Read Full Article
Thune, Klobuchar Urge EPA to Update Biofuel Emissions Modeling
(KLGR) Two Senate Ag Committee members recently urged the Environmental Protection Agency to update its greenhouse gas modeling for biofuels. Senators John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, and Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, asked the EPA to adopt the Argonne National Lab’s
April 07, 2022 Read Full Article
GTI’s Terry Marker to Be Honored with Prestigious Don Klass Award at Upcoming tcbiomass2022
(GTI) GTI Senior Institute Engineer and Bioenergy Initiatives Manager, Terry Marker, will be presented with the prestigious 2022 Don Klass Award for Excellence in Thermochemical Conversion Science on April 20th at tcbiomass2022, being held in Denver, Colorado and co-hosted by the
April 05, 2022 Read Full Article
Not Your Average SOS: Research Methods to Respond to and Prevent Algae Crop Collapse
by Daniel B. Fishman and Anne Otwell (U.S. Department of Energy) National laboratories discover the telltale signs of algae distress to target effective treatments and mitigate crop collapse. -- Algae are an exciting renewable feedstock for the future of sustainable
April 01, 2022 Read Full Article
Bioconversion of Algae Proteins & Carbs: The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Sandia National Lab’s Algae Work
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) If you want to know what is being done to overcome current limitations for conversion of algae biomass to fuels and bioproducts by efficient utilization of proteins and carbohydrates, which are the dominant components of
April 01, 2022 Read Full Article
New Perspective Highlights Promise of Hybrid Approach for Cellulosic Biofuel Production
by S. Heather Duncan (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Scientists with the Center for Bioenergy Innovation at ORNL highlighted a hybrid approach that uses microbes and catalysis to convert cellulosic biomass into fuels suitable for aviation and other difficult-to-electrify sectors. -- The
March 31, 2022 Read Full Article
Separation Innovations & Tech: The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Bioprocessing Separations Consortium
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) 50-70% of bioprocessing costs are associated with separations, so there is a need to raise technical maturity of separations for biomass-derived intermediate and product streams while reducing costs and addressing the major separation challenges. So
March 31, 2022 Read Full Article
Argonne Researcher Tests New Approach to Lighten the Carbon Footprint of Locomotives
by Kristen Mally Dean (Argonne National Laboratory) Using hydrous ethanol as a dual fuel in internal combustion engines may help reduce greenhouse gases in the rail industry. -- ... Essam El-Hannouny, a principal mechanical engineer at the Department of Energy’s (DOE)
March 30, 2022 Read Full Article
AECOM Enters Strategic Partnership with Genifuel to Transform Algae and Wastewater Biosolids into Sustainable Aviation Fuel
(AECOM) AECOM, the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, today announced it has signed a strategic agreement with Genifuel Corporation to scale production of carbon neutral sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and biogas from wild algae and biosolids. The partnership employs a patent-pending
March 25, 2022 Read Full Article
New Bioprocesses for Lignin Valorization: The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to NREL’s Biological Lignin Work
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) NREL is focusing on commodity productswith sufficient market sizes to aid biofuels production (e.g., adipic acid), working with Lignin Util. & SepConfor lignin substrates, and developing innovative biocatalysts and bioprocesses for lignin valorization. Get all
March 25, 2022 Read Full Article
Three Partners, Two Problems, One Bioenergy Research Article Published
by Valerie Sarisky-Reed (U.S. Department of Energy) ... The journal Nature Biotechnology recently published a paper featuring cutting-edge work funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO). The article details a carbon-negative platform that uses microorganisms to convert carbon captured
March 24, 2022 Read Full Article
Greener Biofuel Production Beckons
(Chemical Processing) Novel electrocatalyst-based system operates at mild conditions and produces hydrogen -- A research team at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, Wash., has developed a patent-pending system that uses a flow cell bioreactor to turn carbon previously
March 24, 2022 Read Full Article
The Comment that Silenced the Crowd: Heard on the Floor at ABLC 2022
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Topsoe’s Mikala Grubb stepped in. “What we have is a solids to liquids conversion problem.” The room went quiet, quiet like a church. “750 delegates negotiating in a small hotel but you can hear a watch
March 22, 2022 Read Full Article
In Search of a Later Biomass Expiration Date
by Nichole Fitzgerald (U.S. Department of Energy) How Idaho National Laboratory's Dr. Lynn Wendt has come to understand and mitigate the detrimental impacts of biomass decay after harvest. -- Renewable biomass is one of the key clean energy resources that will
March 21, 2022 Read Full Article
oneworld® Alliance Members Plan to Purchase Up to 200 Million Gallons of Sustainable Aviation Fuel per Year from Gevo
(Gevo) oneworld® Alliance, a network of world-class airlines, and Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEVO) announced today that certain oneworld members plan to purchase up to 200 million gallons per year of sustainable aviation fuel (“SAF”) from Gevo (the “ oneworld Alliance SAF Purchase Goal”).
March 21, 2022 Read Full Article
Bioenergy Research and Development for the Fuels and Chemicals of Tomorrow
(Bergeson & Campbell) On March 16, 2022, the House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing on “Bioenergy Research and Development for the Fuels and Chemicals of Tomorrow.” According to the hearing charter, the purpose of the hearing
March 19, 2022 Read Full Article
Biofuels Leaders Agree Robust, Consistent Policy Needs to Support Decarbonization Goals
by Nicole Heslip (Brownfield Ag News) Leaders from the biofuels industry say the dialog between biofuels and refining communities is changing as efforts increase to decarbonize the economy. Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor says the U.S. simply cannot achieve its climate goals
March 19, 2022 Read Full Article
Argonne Pioneers New Processes to Create Materials for Batteries, Biofuels
(Newswise/Argonne National Laboratory) New chemical separations enable battery recycling, biodiesel -- When recycling cans and bottles, at some point it becomes necessary to separate out plastic from metal. When recycling car batteries, getting out the most valuable metals also requires a separation,
March 19, 2022 Read Full Article
Growth Energy Calls on DOE to Set the Record Straight on Anti-Ethanol Study
(Growth Energy) Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor sent a letter to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm calling on the department to address the most recent inaccurate and misleading study by Tyler Lark and others that claims to have been partially
March 16, 2022 Read Full Article
Beyond Corn: Panel Mulls Future of Bio-Based Fuels, Chemicals
by Mark Heller (E&E Daily) The House Science, Space and Technology Committee will hold a hearing this week on bioenergy. -- The House Science, Space and Technology Committee this week will peek into the future of biofuels — a future that's
March 14, 2022 Read Full Article
UNT BioDiscovery Institute Is One Step Closer to Sustainable Plant-Based Fuel
by Amy Brundeen (University of North Texas) ... Helping plants produce C-lignin could lead to crops that are useful for creating an economically feasible plant-based jet fuel, among other applications. The latest findings from (Richrd) Dixon’s lab at UNT’s BioDiscovery
March 12, 2022 Read Full Article
Ethanol Can Help Reduce Toxic Gasoline Aromatics
by Savannah Bertrand (Environmental and Energy Study Institute) Every gallon of gasoline sold in the United States contains toxic chemicals called aromatic hydrocarbons—mainly mixtures of BTEX chemicals, which stands for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene—that increase octane. Higher octane levels prevent engines from prematurely
March 09, 2022 Read Full Article
Outstanding Faculty in Discovery: Kilaz Aims for Sustainably Fueled Future
by John O'Malley (Purdue University) Gozdem Kilaz, associate professor of engineering technology, has been recognized for her contributions to the research mission in Purdue University’s Polytechnic Institute. In May 2021, Kilaz received the college’s Outstanding Faculty in Discovery Award. Kilaz holds bachelor’s
March 08, 2022 Read Full Article
To the (Climate) Rescue: From First Blip in Chromatogram to Deployment at Industrial Pilot Scale
by Fungmin Eric Liew (Lanza Tech/Nature Bioengineering Community) Industrial waste gas can serve as feedstock to manufacture fuels and chemicals through gas fermentation. Our work describes a collaborative and multidisciplinary team effort to engineer gas-utilizing microbe to produce acetone and
March 08, 2022 Read Full Article
Now on Broadway: LanzaTech’s $2.2B SPAC Merger Takes the Advanced Bioeconomy’s Biggest Hit to an Even Bigger Stage
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Illinois, news arrived that LanzaTech will go public in a merger with the NASDAQ-traded blank check firm AMCI Acquisition Corp II. The deal is reported to value the company at $2.2 billion. The transaction is expected
March 08, 2022 Read Full Article
Energy Vision/Argonne Analysis Shows Growth in US Renewable Natural Gas Industry
(Energy Vision) Expanding RNG Could Be a Key Strategy for Cutting Methane Emissions and Tackling Climate Change -- The sustainable energy NGO Energy Vision today released its latest assessment of the US renewable natural gas (RNG) industry, performed on behalf
March 07, 2022 Read Full Article
Delegations From Latin America, Mexico Visit U.S., Attend Ethanol Events
(U.S. Grains Council/GrainNet) As part of ongoing market development efforts in Chile, Guatemala, and Mexico, and to increase ethanol use in Colombia, the U.S. Grains Council (USGC)hosted a delegation comprised of key government and industry representatives last week. The group attended the National Ethanol Conference (NEC) in New Orleans before visiting the Denver area
March 04, 2022 Read Full Article
Composition and Yield of Non-Cellulosic and Cellulosic Sugars in Soluble and Particulate Fractions during Consolidated Bioprocessing of Poplar Biomass by Clostridium thermocellum
by Ajaya K. Biswal, Neal N. Hengge, Ian M. Black, Melani A. Atmodjo, Sushree S. Mohanty, David Ryno, Michael E. Himmel, Parastoo Azadi, Yannick J. Bomble & Debra Mohnen (Biotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts) Terrestrial plant biomass is the primary renewable
March 02, 2022 Read Full Article
Beyond Fossil Carbon? Green Electricity Is Opening Doors to Low-Emission Alternatives for Making Fuels and Chemicals
by Erik F. Ringle (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) With Extensive Data, Broad Analyses, and Detailed Models, NREL Scientists and Collaborators Stake the Boundaries of Producing Chemicals and Fuels From Carbon Dioxide, Biomass, and Renewable Electricity -- ... In fact, growing supplies of
February 28, 2022 Read Full Article
De-Risking Biorefinery Scale-up and Startup: The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to FCIC
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium is led by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and coordinates efforts among 9 labs – big ones like NREL, ORNL, Sandia, INL and others. Check out the
February 28, 2022 Read Full Article
Impact of Ethanol-Blended Fuel in Vehicles: The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to NREL’s Ethanol Study
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) National Renewable Energy Laboratory’sstudy looks at the impact of ethanol-blended fuel at various blending levels (10%, 15%, and 20% vol.) on “in-operation” vehicles built to differing emissions and manufacturing standards around the world – focusing
February 24, 2022 Read Full Article
Carbon-Negative Production of Acetone and Isopropanol by Gas Fermentation at Industrial Pilot Scale
by Fungmin Eric Liew, Robert Nogle, Tanus Abdalla, et al. (Nature Biotechnology) Many industrial chemicals that are produced from fossil resources could be manufactured more sustainably through fermentation. Here we describe the development of a carbon-negative fermentation route to producing
February 21, 2022 Read Full Article
From the Lab to the Sky: Five Things to Know about Biofuel-Powered Flights
(U.S. Department of Energy ) On December 1, 2021, a United 737 Max 8 carried more than 100 passengers from Chicago to Washington, D.C.—just one of roughly 87,000 flights over the United States that day. Reporters and TV crews gathered to
February 12, 2022 Read Full Article
LanzaJet and Marquis Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Partner to Build an Integrated Sustainable Fuels Plant in Illinois
(LanzaJet) This partnership will utilize carbon capture and sequestration, renewable energy, and other innovative practices to bring lower-cost, low carbon-intensity sustainable aviation fuel, renewable diesel, and other sustainable hydrocarbons to the global market and help accelerate the decarbonization of various
February 10, 2022 Read Full Article
Garbage Changing the Game? How Municipal Waste Is Becoming a Bioenergy Champion
by Michelle Goff (Idaho National Laboratory) As our global need for sustainable fuel grows, bioenergy is one resource that holds the key to unlocking a cleaner, more renewable energy future. Idaho National Laboratory (INL) bioenergy researcher Rebecca Brown is leading new research that supports
February 10, 2022 Read Full Article
Alder Fuels CEO Bryan Sherbacow Wins the 2022 Global Bioeconomy Leadership Award for 2022
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Florida, The Daily Digest announced that Alder Fuels CEO Bryan Sherbacow will receive the 2022 Global Bioeconomy Leadership Award and will give the Global Leadership Address at ABLC 2022, the Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference, on
February 08, 2022 Read Full Article
Accelerating Innovations in Biomanufacturing Approaches through Collaboration between NSF and the DOE BETO Funded Agile BioFoundry (NSF-DOE/ABF Collaboration) DEADLINE: April 4, 2022
(U.S. Department of Energy) The Agile BioFoundry (ABF), a biomanufacturing consortium funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), is partnering with the National Science Foundation (NSF) to fund new research. This new funding opportunity is
February 07, 2022 Read Full Article
Process Removes Biofuel Contaminants from Wastewater and Generates Hydrogen to Fuel Its Own Operation
by Karyn Hede (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory/Phys.Org) ... "The currently used methods of treating biocrude requires high-pressure hydrogen, which is usually generated from natural gas," said Juan A. Lopez-Ruiz, a PNNL chemical engineer and project lead. "Our system can generate
February 02, 2022 Read Full Article
Equipment Manufacturers, Fleets Highlight Importance of Biodiesel in Future Program Plans
(National Biodiesel Board/Clean Fuels Alliance Americ) Clean Fuels Recognized as Essential Part of a Low-Carbon Transportation Future -- The National Biodiesel Board this week announced its transition to a new name, Clean Fuels Alliance America, reflecting the organization’s progressive vision and
January 30, 2022 Read Full Article
FPT Industrial Wins the "Researcher of the Year" Award for Its Outstanding Impact on Biodiesel Research
(CNH Industrial) In November, FPT Industrial was honored with the “Researcher of the Year” Award for its outstanding impact on biodiesel research and technical efforts in 2021 at the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) Biodiesel Technical Workshop, held in Kansas City. This prestigious
January 18, 2022 Read Full Article
3 Ways the Catalyst Property Database Can Accelerate Biofuels Research
by Zia Abdullah (U.S. Department of Energy) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) researchers have developed a public, online library of catalyst data. It could be fertile ground for breakthroughs in catalytic technologies needed to turn renewable biomass or waste materials
January 12, 2022 Read Full Article
Which Is More Important To Biofuels – The Soil Or The Crop?
by James Conca (Forbes) ... Plants take carbon from the air, build cells, then release some of the carbon into the soil through roots and root exudates. Some have suggested that growing biofuel crops in marginal soils, which generally have low carbon content,
January 11, 2022 Read Full Article
See How E15-Compatible Your Station Is Right Now
(FlexFuelForward.com/National Renewable Energy Laboratory) You don’t need x-ray vision to see if your fueling infrastructure is compatible with E15. Just use Flex Check to search components by manufacturer, model number, or component category (such as: above ground equipment, above ground tank,
January 11, 2022 Read Full Article
Charting a Course toward Cleaner Shipping
by Christina Nunez (Industry Today) Research suggests that swapping heavy fuel with fuel made from wood waste, waste fats, oils and greases could cut planet-warming emissions. ... Using batteries instead of heavy fuel oil to propel gigantic cargo ships, which annually
January 06, 2022 Read Full Article
JBEI’s Aviation Program: The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Joint BioEnergy Institute
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) 6 DOE National Labs and 6 Universities are partners with the Joint BioEnergy Institute to help transform the maximum amount of carbon available in bioenergy crops into biofuels and bioproducts. From the importance of jet
January 03, 2022 Read Full Article
Top 10 Digest Stories of 2021
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... In fact, in terms of news stories, there was more good news than bad in 2021 and a look at what you, the Digest readers, found most interesting and intriguing in 2021 shows just
December 31, 2021 Read Full Article
New Energy Vision Report Analyzes Non-Petroleum Fuel Options for Waste & Recycling Fleets
(Waste Advantage Magazine) The sustainable energy NGO Energy Vision published a new report on waste and recycling collection truck fleets, entitled The Refuse Revolution. It assesses various alternative fuels and new vehicle technologies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other
December 29, 2021 Read Full Article
NREL Seeks Applications for 2022 Executive Energy Leadership Program DEADLINE: January 14, 2022
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Colorado, the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is seeking applicants for its 2022 Executive Energy Leadership Program—otherwise known as Energy Execs. Energy Execs provides industry and community leaders an opportunity to
December 28, 2021 Read Full Article
Higher Performance, Carbon Negative Plastics, Maybe for Less: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to ReSource Chemical
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Emerging out of stealth and the hallways of Activate along Berkeley Lab’s Cyclotron Road is ReSource Chemical, seen recently on the ABLC stage. What makes this interesting are three factors: 1. Higher Performance, Carbon Negative Plastics.
December 27, 2021 Read Full Article
New Request for Information on Renewable Fuel Scale-Up and Demonstration Released by DOE DEADLINE: January 31, 2022
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has released a new Request for Information (RFI) on the scale-up and demonstration of renewable fuels. The RFI, titled “Overcoming Barriers to Renewable Fuel Scale-Up and Demonstration,” seeks input from biofuels
December 23, 2021 Read Full Article
INL Researchers Investigate Loblolly Pine Flow Issues
by Lynn Wendt (Idaho National Laboratory) ... Loblolly pine, or more specifically the pine residue from commercial tree harvesting in Southern U.S. forests, has the potential for a major impact on bioenergy infrastructure. Its low cost and widespread abundance have
December 20, 2021 Read Full Article
Ethanol Producers, Advocates Aim for Net-Zero Ethanol by 2050
by Susanne Retka Schill (Great Plains Institute) As US and world leaders engage on climate change and carbon reduction efforts, leaders in the American ethanol industry have announced pledges and efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The country’s largest
December 16, 2021 Read Full Article
Forget Sci-Fi—This NREL Biotechnology Could Actually Help Colonize Mars
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory) In the Push To Settle the Red Planet, One Startup Company Thinks NREL’s Ethylene-Emitting Cyanobacteria Offer Otherworldly Potential -- Do not expect to breathe freely in the oxygen-lean Martian air. At about 95% carbon dioxide (CO2) by
December 13, 2021 Read Full Article
Inclusive Energy Innovation Prize Funding Opportunity
by Annabelle Swift (Clean Energy Business Network) The impacts of climate change have not fallen evenly across the U.S., with low-income populations and populations of color facing disproportionately higher exposure to pollution and risk. These communities have also been full of innovators
December 10, 2021 Read Full Article
Getting Biobased Investments Going: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Ecostrat & BDO Zone Initiative
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Everyone talks about “moving the needle” on jobs, decarbonization and social justice, but how do you tackle all 3 at once? Check out Ecostrat’s slide guide from ABLC in San Francisco on what BDO Zones
December 10, 2021 Read Full Article
The Economics of Poop for Creating Biofuels
by Asanga Padmaperuma (U.S. Department of Energy) Techno-economic analysis is the first to model PNNL technology across wastewater facilities -- Wastewater—American households produce billions of gallons of it daily, from flushing toilets to cleaning clothes. But wastewater is not just a waste. The
December 09, 2021 Read Full Article
New Technique Improves Conversion of Carbon Dioxide Into Liquid Fuels
(Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) A copper surface coated with layered thin films helps to create useful chemicals from a polluting greenhouse gas -- Carbon dioxide (CO2), a product of burning fossil fuels and the most prevalent greenhouse gas, has the potential to
December 03, 2021 Read Full Article
Competitive Edge: Nzyme2HC’s Hydrogen Tech
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... There was no existing way to produce Hydrogen that was simultaneously renewable (no CO2 emissions) and price-competitive with fossil (Steam Methane Reforming of Nat Gas). If one wants demand for FCVs (Fuel Cell Vehicles)
December 03, 2021 Read Full Article
PNNL Bioenergy Team Releases Report on Path to Sustainable Aviation Fuel
by Mary Ann Showalter (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Bioenergy experts identify critical areas, opportunities for bringing technology to aviation industry -- A report has been published summarizing a workshop designed to accelerate the commercialization of hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) technology for producing
December 02, 2021 Read Full Article
Sustainable Aviation Fuel Pilot Program Receives Additional $350,000 Funding
(U.S. Department of Energy) The Bioenergy Technologies Office has awarded an additional $350,000 in funding to scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to develop a pilot scale system for turning biomass into sustainable aviation fuel. The NREL team has published new
December 01, 2021 Read Full Article
New International Collaboration Aims to Start Large-Scale Production of E-fuels in Sweden
by Tony Harrington (GreenAir Online) A major partnership has been formed by SAS Scandinavian Airlines, Swedish energy company Vattenfall, Shell Aviation and LanzaTech to explore the large-scale production in Sweden of synthetic sustainable aviation fuel, using carbon dioxide recycled from
November 30, 2021 Read Full Article
Agile BioFoundry and ABPDU Join Efforts to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
(Agile BioFoundry) The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) supports groundbreaking technologies from the DOE national laboratories and industry partners. Two of these partners, the Agile BioFoundry and Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts Process Development Unit (ABPDU), are joining forces to advance biomanufacturing
November 30, 2021 Read Full Article
Research Pushes Auto Industry Closer to Clean Cars Powered by Direct Ethanol Fuel Cells
by Steve Lundeberg (Oregon State University/TechXplore) Alternative-energy research at Oregon State University is charting a path toward the mass adoption of clean cars powered by direct-ethanol fuel cells. Zhenxing Feng of the OSU College of Engineering helped lead the development of a
November 30, 2021 Read Full Article
ACE Supports Policies to Credit Ag, Biofuels for Net-Zero GHGs
(American Coalition for Ethanol/Ethanol Producer Magazine) During its Nov. 10 meeting, the American Coalition for Ethanol board of directors voted to support new policies that credit farmers and ethanol producers for activities helping ethanol reach net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by
November 23, 2021 Read Full Article
Researchers Engineer Microorganisms to Tackle PET Plastic Pollution
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Biological Conversion Makes It Possible To Upcycle Polyester Into Performance-Advantaged Bioproducts -- From overflowing landfills to floating garbage islands in the oceans to microplastics in remote wilderness areas, billions of tons of discarded plastic have created a
November 22, 2021 Read Full Article
1st of Kind Project Near Tri-Cities May Pave Way for Global Greenhouse Solutions
by Steven Ashby (Tri-City Herald) ... Scientists at DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory are among those conducting research related to carbon capture and storage. Building on their first-of-its-kind demonstration project to inject CO2 into the basalt in nearby Wallula, Wash., they are
November 22, 2021 Read Full Article
DiviGas, Neste, Toyota, Ballard, COP26 Pledges, PNNL, NREL, Others Are Hot on Hydrogen
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) It’s been a hot week for hydrogen with DiviGas securing $3.6 million in seed funding for the commercialization of a new next-generation polymeric hydrogen separation membrane that is a filter at a molecular level that
November 22, 2021 Read Full Article
New Website for CCPC Launched!
(U.S. Department of Energy) We have liftoff! The relaunch of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Consortium for Computational Physics and Chemistry (CCPC) website features updated content on this breakthrough research that uses high-performance computing to accelerate development and scale-up of
November 18, 2021 Read Full Article
ACE Supports Policies to Credit Ag, Biofuels for Net-Zero GHGs
(American Coalition for Ethanol/Ethanol Producer Magazine) During its Nov. 10 meeting, the American Coalition for Ethanol board of directors voted to support new policies that credit farmers and ethanol producers for activities helping ethanol reach net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by
November 17, 2021 Read Full Article
New Study Demonstrates Ethanol Blend Compatibility of Vehicles Around the World
(U.S. Grains Council/GrainNet) A new study conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is out now that shows all vehicles in the study countries are highly likely to be compatible with E10. Motorcycles and scooters similarly analyzed in India and Indonesia have full compatibility with
November 12, 2021 Read Full Article
Electrofuels Advance: Vattenfall, SAS, Shell, LanzaTech, US Air Force, Emerging Fuels Technology and Twelve Advance on Power-to-Liquids via Waste CO2
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It’s a simple idea, using renewable electricity to induce carbon dioxide and hydrogen to form a hydrocarbon. Hydrocarbons, you know, the stuff we burn as liquid fuel and from which we make plastics, fabrics, flavors, fragrances,
November 09, 2021 Read Full Article
GREET the Dawn of a New Day in Sustainable Aviation Fuels
by Meltem Urgun-Demirtas (U.S. Department of Energy) ... Innovative thinkers at Argonne, led by Michael Wang, developed the Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies (GREET) model in the mid-1990s to evaluate and compare the energy and environmental
November 08, 2021 Read Full Article
From the Lab to Jet Engines: New Software Tools Will Speed up Biojet Fuel Development
by Katy Christiansen (Department of Energy) ...The first tool, Feedstock to Function, addresses one of the biggest hurdles involved in starting biojet fuel research: knowing whether a molecule could be viable as a fuel. “During early stage development, we are often missing
November 08, 2021 Read Full Article
Alcohol-to-Diesel Drop-in Fuels: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to LanzaTech’s Winterized Diesel
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Baby, it’s cold outside, and LanzaTech is working on a flexible Alcohol-to-Diesel process for producing drop-in, renewable diesel fuel blendstocks from biomass-derived ethanol, including cold weather uses. From the tech behind it to the latest
November 08, 2021 Read Full Article
SAS, Vattenfall, Shell and LanzaTech to Explore Synthetic Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production
(Vattenfall/CISION) Vattenfall, SAS, Shell and LanzaTech will together investigate the production of the world's first synthetic sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) using the LanzaJetTM "Alcohol to Jet" technology on a large scale in Sweden. Instead of using virgin fossil material in the production process, the synthetic SAF will be
November 03, 2021 Read Full Article
National Corn Growers Association Announces Winners of the Consider Corn Challenge III Contest
Today, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) announced the Consider Corn Challenge III winners at the Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference in San Francisco, California. The six winners were chosen because their technologies can improve a product or process, scale-up and produce biobased materials
October 31, 2021 Read Full Article
With NREL’s Feedstock Research, Algae and Garbage Could Be Ingredients for Zero-Emissions Fuels of the Future
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory) In theory, over 1 billion tons of biomass could be sustainably collected and processed into biofuels by 2030 in the United States, according to U.S. Department of Energy analysis. But turning that theory into practice hinges on improvements
October 31, 2021 Read Full Article
What Pathways Draw Down CO2 the Best?: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to the Bioeconomy’s Carbon Drawdown
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The National Academy of Sciences concluded that bioeconomy pathways are among the largest potential contributors to carbon drawdown, which is essential to avoiding the worst long-term impacts of climate change. The goal of a Lawrence
October 30, 2021 Read Full Article
Heard on the Floor at ABLC 2021 – October 28
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ABLC 2021 continues today with its theme of ““building a bridge to Net Zero” after a flurry of announcements buzzed around the floor yesterday, as the 560 delegates grappled with the immense opportunities and supply chain
October 30, 2021 Read Full Article
Deere Invests in Ethanol Diesel Engine: ClearFlame Secures $17 Million to Commercialize Ethanol Diesel Engine Tech
by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) Count John Deere among the companies investing in a startup company developing a heavy-duty truck engine able to run on straight ethanol. ClearFlame Engine Technologies announced Thursday it had secured another $17 million in funding
October 29, 2021 Read Full Article
NREL, Electric Hydrogen Partner on Renewable Hydrogen Technology
by Ariana Fine (NGT News) The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and clean hydrogen company Electric Hydrogen have signed an agreement to develop high-performance electrolyzer components, helping to scale clean hydrogen and invent new opportunities for decarbonization. The three-year, $3.6 million collaboration will diagnose
October 29, 2021 Read Full Article
Geospatial Analytical Framework for Biofuels’ Water Sustainability: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Bioenergy Water Management
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) How can we produce bioenergy in a manner that increases water use efficiency, lowers regional water stress, and mitigates nutrient and sediment loss? That’s the question Argonne National Lab researchers are working on with their
October 28, 2021 Read Full Article
First of a Kind Bagasse to Ethanol Project in India.
(LanzaTech) LanzaTech to work with Spray Engineering Devices Limited on Sustainable Ethanol Project -- Spray Engineering Devices Limited (SED), a multidisciplinary engineering company dedicated to sustainable development, is partnering with LanzaTech in a first of a kind bagasse to ethanol project
October 27, 2021 Read Full Article
Pell-Mell at NREL : Two Bio Breakthroughs at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... So, here’s what our intrepid team led by Jeffrey Blackburn and Wei Xiong did. Knowing that plants have two systems inside them for photosynthesis, and that the second doesn’t play well with others, the genetically engineered cyanobacteria to shut
October 26, 2021 Read Full Article
SoCalGas’ Biomethanation Reactor System to be Used in Maine Dairy Digester
(SoCalGas) The reactor is part of a $5 million project funded by the Department of Energy -- SoCalGas’ biomethanation reactor system will be used to help produce renewable energy as part of a power-to-gas demonstration. This system will be installed at
October 19, 2021 Read Full Article
Better Fuels & Better Vehicles: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This just released slide guide looks at the Co-optimization of Fuels & Engines initiative’s accomplishments, what might come next for internal combustion engine research in a rapidly changing world, factoring in increased vehicle electrification and
October 19, 2021 Read Full Article
Algae: As Different from Each Other as They Are from You and Me
by Amanda Barry (Los Alamos National Laboratory) ... When we talk about algae, we’re really talking about a diverse group of organisms that thrive in a plethora of environments, from seawater to freshwater, from pulp mill ponds to hot springs.
October 18, 2021 Read Full Article
Argonne National Laboratory Releases 2021 GREET Update
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Argonne National Laboratory’s Systems Assessment Center on Oct. 11 announced the 2021 release of the suite of GREET models, an analytical tool that stimulates the energy use and emissions output of vehicle and fuel combinations. Major
October 13, 2021 Read Full Article
Plug-in Cars Are the Future. The Grid Isn’t Ready.
by Will Englund (Washington Post) ... Seventy-four times last year, the wind across Upstate New York dropped so low that for stretches of eight hours or more barely any electricity was produced. Nearly half the year, the main transmission line
October 13, 2021 Read Full Article
NREL, Electric Hydrogen Partner on Renewable Hydrogen Technology
by Ariana Fine (NGT News) The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and clean hydrogen company Electric Hydrogen have signed an agreement to develop high-performance electrolyzer components, helping to scale clean hydrogen and invent new opportunities for decarbonization. The three-year, $3.6 million collaboration will diagnose
October 12, 2021 Read Full Article
US Secretary of Energy Granholm and US Senator Ossoff Visit LanzaTech Innovation Hub in Georgia and Site of the World’s First LanzaJet Sustainable Fuels Plantl
(LanzaTech) Visit highlights the potential of rural America to create domestic supplies of sustainable fuels and chemicals. -- LanzaTech and LanzaJet welcomed Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm and Senator Jon Ossoff to the Freedom Pines Biorefinery in Soperton, Georgia. [caption id="attachment_149372"
October 12, 2021 Read Full Article
NREL Process for Renewable Butyric Acid Good for Environment, Cheaper Biofuels
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) developed a fully integrated process to produce a promising precursor for diesel and jet fuel from lignocellulosic biomass, and for less expense than the selling price of the same
October 12, 2021 Read Full Article
LanzaTech to Trial SAF Production from Waste Carbon Dioxide
(Biofuels International) LanzaTech is partnering with the Energy Department’s Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) to build and operate a pre-pilot facility to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This will be made from biogenic waste carbon dioxide (CO2) such as is emitted from corn refining,
October 08, 2021 Read Full Article
DOE Announces Nearly $8 Million for National Laboratory H2@Scale Projects to Help Reach Hydrogen Shot Goals
(U.S. Department of Energy) Tthe U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced nearly $8 million for nine cooperative projects that will complement existing H2@Scale efforts and support DOE’s Hydrogen Shot goal to drive down the cost of clean hydrogen by 80% within the decade. The
October 07, 2021 Read Full Article
Blended Ethanol Has a 43.4 g/MJ Carbon Intensity Rating or Lower When Accounting for Aromatics Reduction
(Biofuels Central) Two studies conducted by Transport Energy Strategies (TES) and THiggins Energy Consulting show that gasoline blended with ethanol lowers carbon intensity (CI) even more than what is modeled and what is shown in recent studies. A key finding in both
October 06, 2021 Read Full Article
Biofuels Offer a Cost-Effective Way to Lower Shipping Emissions
by Christina Nunez (Argonne National Laboratory) Swapping heavy fuel oil with fuel made from wood waste, waste fats, oils and greases could drastically cut planet-warming emissions from the shipping industry by 40 to 93%. -- Marine shipping traffic has grown steadily