by Y.El Gnaoui, A.Frimane, N.Lahboubi, C.Herrmann, M.Barz, H.EL Bari (Cleaner Waste Systems) • Biological prehydrolysis and thermal treatment were used to improve anaerobic digestion. • The higher methane yield was reached at BPH 37 °C for 20 h followed 55 °C for 20 h. • Statistical
Pretreatment
Back TO HOMEEffect of Alkali-NaOH Pretreatment on Methane Production from Anaerobic Digestion of Date Palm Waste
by Nabila Lahboubi, Fadoua Karouach, Mohammed Bakraoui, Yasser El Gnaoui, Azzouz Essamri, Hassan El Bari (Ecological Engineering and Environmental Technology) Anaerobic digestion of the date palm empty fruit bunch is a promising technology for both solid waste management and biogas
August 24, 2022 Read Full Article
Effect of Thermal Pretreatment on the Kinetic Parameters of Anaerobic Digestion from Recycled Pulp and Paper Sludge
by Habchi Sanae, Lahboubi Nabila, Karouach Fadoua, Naim Ikram, Lahlou Yahya, Bakraoui Mohammed, Sallek Brahim, El Bari Hassan (Ecological Engineering and Environmental Technology) This paper investigates the influence of thermal pretreatment on kinetic parameters based on four kinetic models: Modified
August 24, 2022 Read Full Article
Mesophilic Anaerobic Digestion of Food Waste: Effect of Thermal Pretreatment on Improvement of Anaerobic Digestion Process
by Y. ElGnaoui, F.Karouach, M.Bakraoui, M.BarzbH. ElBari (Science Direct/Energy Reports) The treatment of food waste (FW) is an important challenge in developed and undeveloped countries due to the rapid disintegration of this waste. Hence biogas technology is used to produce energy and
August 24, 2022 Read Full Article
HF Sinclair Commenced Production of Renewable Diesel at The Artesia, New Mexico Renewable Diesel Facility
(Biofuels Central) HF Sinclair Commenced production of renewable diesel at the Artesia, New Mexico renewable diesel facility.... The Cheyenne renewable diesel unit (“RDU”) was mechanically complete in the fourth quarter of 2021 and fully operational in the first quarter of 2022,
August 15, 2022 Read Full Article
Quest for Feedstock: The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to the State of SAF
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This week on ABLC CONNECT, we networked and exchanged information about the world of Sustainable Aviation Fuel, and as part of the proceedings, we had the State of Sustainable Aviation Fuel presentation. The slides are
August 15, 2022 Read Full Article
The Feedstock Challenge
(Biofuels International) The processing of oils and fats into biofuels, regardless of whether they are waste oils or crude vegetable oils, requires pretreatment before the feedstock can be utilised in a biodiesel or hydrogenation process (HVO, HEFA, sustainable aviation fuel
August 12, 2022 Read Full Article
Petrobras and Vallourec Join to Invest in the Production of Bio-Oil from Eucalyptus Plantations
(PetroNotícias (Google Translation)) ... After trumpeting around the four corners that the company's focus would only be exploration and production, today (1st) it announces a partnership with Vallourec (one of the world leaders in premium tubular solutions) to evaluate opportunities
July 04, 2022 Read Full Article
Fabricating a Future for Biodiesel
by Ron Kotrba (Biobased Diesel Daily) With prices for cleaner feedstocks through the roof, Tactical Fabrication and Smisson-Mathis Energy have forged an all-inclusive, turnkey model for biodiesel production based on the least desirable and lowest-cost materials. After years of development, they
June 21, 2022 Read Full Article
Wood Fractionation Scale-up in Estonia: The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Fibenol
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) A full bioenergy value chain can be a beautiful thing. Check out this ABLC slide guide from Fibenol’s Chief Development Officer on how residual wood can be turned into valuable things like cellulosic sugars,
May 09, 2022 Read Full Article
Tharaldson Ethanol Plant Joins Opposition to North Dakota Soybean Crushing Project
by Jeff Beach (InForUm) The North Dakota Soybean Processors plant at Casselton, North Dakota, is expected to crush 42.5 million bushels of soybeans in the first year and is a joint venture between the Minnesota Soybean Processors and Louisiana-based CGB
May 04, 2022 Read Full Article
PBF Energy Expects Chalmette Renewable Diesel Production, Pretreatment Unit to Be Online Mid-2023
by Ron Kotrba (Biobased Diesel Daily) PBF Energy continues to advance its $600 million renewable diesel project at the Chalmette refinery in Louisiana, the company stated in its first-quarter earnings report. The project, located outside New Orleans, involves constructing a new
May 03, 2022 Read Full Article
Alfa Laval to Acquire Desmet, a World Leader in Edible Oil and Biofuel Processing
(Alfa Laval) Alfa Laval has signed an agreement to acquire Desmet, part of the Desmet Ballestra Group, a world leader in engineering and supplying processing plants and technologies for edible oils and biofuel sectors. The acquisition will strengthen Alfa Laval’s position
March 31, 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
Governor Glenn Youngkin Announces Perdue AgriBusiness to Invest $59.1 Million to Expand in the City of Chesapeake
(Governor of Virginia) Leading agriculture products company to increase production capacity, modernize soybean extraction facility -- Governor Glenn Youngkin today announced that Perdue AgriBusiness, a leading U.S. agriculture products and services company, will invest $59.1 million to expand its operation in the City of
March 25, 2022 Read Full Article
Greasezilla Partners with LEND Environmental to Produce Premium UCO and Brown Grease Biofuels in Los Angeles
(Greasezilla) Downey Ridge Environmental Company, developer of Greasezilla® fats, oils and grease (FOG) and used cooking oil (UCO) separation and processing system, is partnering with LEND Environmental to accelerate recycling of used cooking oil and grease trap waste across southern
March 17, 2022 Read Full Article
Sustainable Aviation Fuel and Renewable Diesel: The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to NextChem
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) NextChem and Saola Energy have partnered to provide renewable diesel sized to your feedstock supply. Find out how as well as how their tech obtains high yields in SAF production, how hydrogen solutions can further
March 12, 2022 Read Full Article
Near Net Zero 2G Ethanol and Cellulosic Sugar: The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Praj
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) How does Praj do simultaneous production of 2G ethanol and RNG from bagasse? What made the 3 cellulosic ethanol for Oil Marketing Cosin India successful? Where do Praj’s Celluniti and enfinity platforms fit in for
March 10, 2022 Read Full Article
Artificial Intelligence Predicts Algae Potential as Alternative Energy Source
by Blair Fannin (Texas A&M University/AgriLife Today) Jet fuel, animal feed among potential products from algae -- Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists are using artificial intelligence to set a new world record for producing algae as a reliable, economic source for
March 07, 2022 Read Full Article
Sweetwater Receives Final Acceptance of Commercial Sunburst Unit at Sweetwoods Project in Estonia
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... Estonia – a NATO country that borders Russia. U.S. based Sweetwater Energy received final acceptance of its first commercial Sunburst unit at the Sweetwoods Project in Estonia, proving that Sunburst has met all criteria—including
February 28, 2022 Read Full Article
Agilyx, Virgin Group, REG, Louisiana Green Fuels, Circular SynTech, and Others Advance on Waste-to-Fuels
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Just in the last few days, it’s been all about low carbon, lower carbon, net-zero carbon – and all of it from waste. Virgin Group and Agilyx’s strategic partnership to produce lower carbon fuel from
February 21, 2022 Read Full Article
Renewable Energy Group Announces Strategic Investment in Expanded Low Carbon Feedstock Processing in Europe
(Renewable Energy Group/Business Wire) Renewable Energy Group, Inc. (REG) (NASDAQ: REGI) will install a state-of-the-art pretreatment facility in Germany, enabling the company to refine some of the lowest carbon intensity, hardest to convert waste fats and oils for bio-based diesel production.
February 18, 2022 Read Full Article
SAF Is Soarin’: Neste, Shell, World Energy, Itochu, Aemetis, Vertimass Making Advances as Capacity Is Set to Ramp
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Big players with access to affordable capital, too — making the limiting barriers more about affordable feedstock and a drive to squeeze every point out of the Carbon Intensity by strategic siting of projects. Netse and
February 18, 2022 Read Full Article
Aemetis India to Acquire Site for Biodiesel and Sustainable Aviation Fuel Feedstock Refining Facility
(Aemetis) India biodiesel plant adds pre-treatment facility to convert crude tallow into refined tallow for biodiesel production and export of feedstock to California -- Aemetis, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMTX), a renewable fuels company focused on negative carbon intensity products, announced today that the
February 16, 2022 Read Full Article
An Important Message to Food Companies and Their Investors: Stop Paying to Landfill Waste
(Green Energy Biofuel/EIN Presswire) With Green Energy Biofuel, food companies that pay to landfill waste can turn cost centers into revenue streams and satisfy investors by going—and making—green. -- Despite ESG goals and investor pressure to go green, some of the
February 15, 2022 Read Full Article
South Dakota Soybean Processors to Build New Multi-Seed Crush Plant
(Biobased Diesel Daily) South Dakota Soybean Processors LLC announced plans Feb. 9 to construct a multi-seed processing plant near Mitchell, South Dakota. The plant will have the capacity to process 35 million bushels of soybeans annually, or the equivalent 1 million
February 15, 2022 Read Full Article
Behind the Hot Year for Biofuels M&A: 2021 Review and Outlook
by Bruce Comer, Frank Kim and Zak Putlak (Ocean Park/Biofuels Digest) As ethanol producers pursued mergers and acquisitions, and renewable diesel firms built and expanded plants, the biofuels industry increasingly focused on securing feedstocks. Producers seeking to consolidate, optimize or sell
February 11, 2022 Read Full Article
Will Sustainable Fuel Power Your Farm Equipment In 10 Years?
by Jenna Hoffman (AgWeb) ... With sustainable aviation fuel on the rise, (ProFarmer Policy Analyst Jim) Wiesemeyer begs the question of whether there will be a push to power farm equipment with renewable fuels. AgriTalk Host Chip Flory sees the possibility
February 10, 2022 Read Full Article
Marathon Announces Progress on Renewable Diesel Projects
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) Marathon Petroleum Corp. is working to optimize operations at its renewable diesel plant in Dickinson, North Dakota, and is ready to begin construction on the conversion of its refinery in Martinez, California. The company is also
February 10, 2022 Read Full Article
Greasezilla Grows to Godzilla Size – More than Doubles Operational Systems in 2022
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Like a feeding frenzy that doubles Godzilla’s size, in West Virginia, Downey Ridge Environmental Company, developer of Greasezilla FOG (fats, oils & grease) separation and processing systems will more than double the number of Greasezilla
January 31, 2022 Read Full Article
The European Waste-based & Advanced Biofuels Supply Chain
(European Waste-based & Advanced Biofuels Association/EurActiv) EWABA represents the interests of the European waste-based and advanced biodiesel supply chain. Our 35+ members are producers of biodiesel from used cooking oil, animal fats and other advanced waste feedstocks, waste collectors and technology providers. The
January 18, 2022 Read Full Article
Pre-treatment for the Production of Renewable Diesel
(Biofuels International) Desmet Ballestra Group expertise lies in the oils and fats industry and this has helped it play an important rose in the biofuels market. ... Desmet Ballestra Group was founded in 1946. We are a technology provider mainly focussing on
January 10, 2022 Read Full Article
The Key to a Successful Cellulosic Ethanol Project
by Mallikarjun Navalgund (Praj Industries/Biofuels Digest) ... Ethanol is a currently available solution and is being deployed to mitigate emissions from the transportation sector via the legacy energy infrastructure that has existed for over a century. The first generation(1G)/conventional ethanol industry
December 29, 2021 Read Full Article
Waste Not, Want Not: New Process Turns Manure into Fatty Acids
by Mark E. Griffin (University of Wisconsin--Madison) University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers have demonstrated a new process for transforming a plentiful Wisconsin waste into fatty acids, energy-rich molecules that can be used to make fuels and a wide range of important
December 28, 2021 Read Full Article
Sinclair Selects ARA’s HCU Pretreat for Renewable Diesel Project at its Sinclair, Wyoming Refinery
(Applied Research Associates/Globe Newswire) Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) today announced the licensing of its patented Hydrothermal Cleanup feedstock pretreatment technology (“HCU Pretreat”) to Sinclair Wyoming Refining Company (Sinclair) for the development of a 7,500 BPD renewable feedstock pretreatment unit at
December 14, 2021 Read Full Article
A Single, Oxygen-Driven Step to Separate Plants into the Ingredients for Biofuels and Chemicals
Jill Sakai (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Breaking down plant material for biofuels processing has always required multiple steps, especially when it comes to dealing with the tough, complex polymer lignin. Current methods use a multi-step pretreatment process that focuses
October 30, 2021 Read Full Article
Construction Begins on Nebraska Plant to Pretreat Animal Fats for Renewable Diesel
by Ron Kotrba (Biobased Diesel Daily) JST Global LLC, a joint venture between Tyson Foods and Jacob Stern & Sons, began construction on a facility in mid-September that will pretreat animal fats for the growing renewable diesel industry. The 6.5-acre project site
October 13, 2021 Read Full Article
Competitive Edge: Applied Biorefinery Sciences’ HWE Biomass Tech and Ethanol
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... In today’s Digest, find out how ABS is studying HWE (hot water extraction) for producing cellulosic ethanol, their development stage right now, HWE’s advantages over other cellulosic ethanol / biorefining technologies in five areas,
October 08, 2021 Read Full Article
Valmet to Rebuild Pretreatment System for Danish Biorefinery
(Biofuels International) Valmet is set to rebuild a pretreatment system for RE Energy’s biorefinery in Kalundborg, Denmark. The order was included in Valmet’s orders received of the second quarter 2021 and the delivery is planned for the first half of
October 06, 2021 Read Full Article
Successful Production of J2.4 Bioavtur, Pertamina Supports National Clean Energy Strategic Program
(Pertamina (Google Translation)) Pertamina prints a new milestone in the national aviation industry through the production of 'Bioavtur J2.4', an innovation of clean energy based on biofuels for air transportation modes. The trial of the use of Bioavtur J2.4 on the CN235
September 10, 2021 Read Full Article
Coproducts Revenue Rising
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) New benchmarking information points strongly toward a growing percentage of overall plant income streaming from ethanol’s ancillary outputs. Data from 65 participating facilities show revenue from coproducts averaged 27% of total plant revenue in
August 27, 2021 Read Full Article
Recent Innovations in Turning Agricultural Waste into Biofuels
by Raj Shah and Amanda Loo (altenergymag.com/Koehler Instrument Company) Wastes from fields and wastes from processing are the two kinds of agricultural wastes. Field wastes are present after harvesting crops and include stems, leaves, and stalks, and waste after processing
August 19, 2021 Read Full Article
Competitive Edge: Bio2oil
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Bio2oil was founded with the aim of commercializing the Hydrothermal Liquefaction technology (HTL). It’s a process that converts biomass to liquid fuel in the presence of water. We focus on getting the process efficient and
July 16, 2021 Read Full Article
A Tweaked Yeast Can Make Ethanol from Cornstalks and a Harvest’s Other Leftovers
by Nikk Ogasa (Science News) The process could tap underused sources of renewable fuels -- ... But by tweaking a gene in common baker’s yeast, researchers have engineered a strain that can defuse those deadly by-products and get on with the
July 08, 2021 Read Full Article
Energycane Produces More Biodiesel than Soybean at a Lower Cost
(University of Illinois/EurekAlert!) Bioenergy from crops is a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. New crops such as energycane can produce several times more fuel per acre than soybeans. Yet, challenges remain in processing the crops to extract fuel efficiently. Four new studies
July 08, 2021 Read Full Article
Pretreating Nuisance Green Algae with Lye, Urea Increases Bacterial Production of Biogas
(American Institute of Physics/Phys.Org) For more than 60 years, algae have been studied as a potential feedstock for biofuel production, but the cellulose in their cell wall makes it hard to access the critical molecules inside and convert them to biogas. In
July 01, 2021 Read Full Article
Getting It Renewable Ready
by Tom Bryan (Biodiesel Magazine) As renewable diesel producers source an array of low-quality, low-carbon inputs, they’re tapping biodiesel’s seasoned pretreatment technology providers for customized feedstock preparation solutions, both on and offsite. From used cooking oil (UCO) and distillers corn oil
June 17, 2021 Read Full Article
ICM Becomes Exclusive Distributor of Visionary Fiber Technologies’ Fiber Reactor
(ICM/Intrado) ... The continuous flow process is designed to extract significantly more impurities than traditional separation methods, resulting in a clean distillers corn oil that can be sold directly to renewable diesel refineries, bypassing pretreatment at their site. With VFT’s
June 16, 2021 Read Full Article
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) from Liquefaction
by John Holladay and Zia Haq (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and U.S. DOE, Bioenergy Technologies Office) In November 2020, PNNL facilitated an international workshop on HTL for SAF production. Present an overview of findings • Quick overview of HTL • Details from the
June 08, 2021 Read Full Article
One-Step Peracetic Acid Pretreatment of Hardwood and Softwood Biomass for Platform Chemicals Production
Chandan Kundu, Shanthi Priya Samudrala, Mahmud Arman Kibria & Sankar Bhattacharya (Scientific Reports) Lignocellulosic biomass is an attractive renewable resource to produce biofuel or platform chemicals. Efficient and cost-effective conversion systems of lignocellulosic biomass depend on their appropriate pretreatment processes.
June 01, 2021 Read Full Article
Greasezilla Announces $8 Million Investment from Sheltowee CleanTech Fund for New Site Development
(Greasezilla) Greasezilla is actively seeking new FOG (fats, oils and grease) processing locations nationwide for joint ventures with government and private operators -- Downey Ridge Environmental Company, developer of Greasezilla™ FOG separation and processing systems, announces that Sheltowee CleanTech Fund I, LLC, is
May 25, 2021 Read Full Article
SAF: Bioethanol Production from Sunflower Biomass
(UABIO) ... In Ukraine, there are about 20 producers of bioethanol with a total capacity of over 300 thousand tons/year, but there are only 8 companies with a total capacity of 128 thousand tons/year that really produce bioethanol. Raw materials for bioethanol
May 24, 2021 Read Full Article
Greasezilla Network Distributes Advanced Biofuel Globally
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In West Virginia, Greasezilla developed an international distribution network to manage sales of its advanced biofuel byproduct on behalf of its customers. Greasezilla systems produce a Brown Grease Advanced Biofuel in nearly every region of the
May 10, 2021 Read Full Article
Biomass to Sugar Conversion Mechanisms: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Pretreatment and Enzymes for Biofuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Get the latest on thermochemical pretreatment and enzymatic reactions for biofuels and biochemicals production from Rajesh Gupta from Lee Enterprises Consulting in this illuminating slide guide. From lignocellulosic and algal biomass, comparison of popular pretreatment
April 21, 2021 Read Full Article
Earth Day Series Day 11: Microbial World for Renewable Fuels and Chemicals Production
by Anahita Bharadwaj* (Advanced Biofuels USA) The versatile world of microorganisms is a perfect source for the production of a variety of biobased fuels, chemicals and materials. Microorganisms have the ability to break down biomass, components of these biomass or other
April 11, 2021 Read Full Article
From Sawdust to Ethanol and Green Chemicals
by Eva-Marie Byberg and Ylva Strömstedt (Sekab BioFuels & Chemicals/EurActiv) In the High Coast area of Sweden lies a company committed to tackling climate change by making use of the residues from the forestry industry. With a unique technology ready
March 19, 2021 Read Full Article
5 Key Tech Takeaways: Highlights from Tech Presented at ABLC 2020
by Iacovos Vasalos (Center for Research and Technology-Hellas/Biofuels Digest) This report summarizes highlights from the ABLC 2020 Biofuels Digest Virtual Conference, which took place in July 7-10, 2020. (And if you haven’t already registered for this year’s ABLC Digital on May 3-7,
March 10, 2021 Read Full Article
Continued Success for SoBT Researchers with Climate-Friendly Industrial Methodologies
(Dublin City University) A consortium led by researchers based in the School of Biotechnology at DCU continues to redefine the methodology employed in the distilling industry, towards improving sustainability in the workflows which are commonplace in distilleries the world over. Asst.
February 17, 2021 Read Full Article
Biochemical, Deacetylation and Mechanical Refining Process: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to NREL’s Biomass Deconstruction
What does an ideal biomass deconstruction process need? Find out in this illuminating slide guide from Xiaowen Chen, Senior Chemical Engineer in the Catalytic Carbon Transformation and Scale-up Center at National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Also take a peek into NREL’s
February 05, 2021 Read Full Article
Holding Strong: U.S. Biodiesel Producers Surveyed
by Tom Bryan (Biodiesel Magazine) Biodiesel Magazine’s late-2020 survey of producers tells the story of a resilient, changing industry that’s taken mostly indirect hits from the pandemic. Many producers lowered, but later ramped back up, production in 2020. This publication’s survey
January 19, 2021 Read Full Article
IISc Researchers Turn Stubble into Ethanol
by Chiranjeevi Kulkarni (Deccan Herald) At a time when pollution from stubble burning has become a concern, researchers from IISc have devised a way to extract ethanol from it which is a valuable fuel. Professor T V Ramachandra and his doctoral
December 30, 2020 Read Full Article
Green Energy Biofuel Expands Waste Processing Capabilities, Seeks New Markets
(Bio-Based Diesel Daily/Green Energy Biofuel) Green Energy Biofuel stands ready to provide waste recycling solutions for a variety of businesses and industries in the Southeast by turning costly liabilities into savings. Companies can leverage Green Energy Biofuel to help meet their
December 29, 2020 Read Full Article
Greasezilla to Kick-off 2021 with New Installations
(Biofuels International) Downey Ridge Environmental Company, developer of Greasezilla, confirmed new installations will be completed in the next three months with at least 10 additional systems anticipated before the end of 2021. Chicago, New Orleans, Austin and Jacksonville will have
December 24, 2020 Read Full Article
Converting a Petroleum Diesel Refinery for Renewable Diesel
by Erin Chan (Burns & McDonnell) As refiners consider renewable, low-carbon alternatives, renewable diesel — refined from agricultural products using petroleum refinery processes — is gaining traction. Rather than constructing new grassroots renewable diesel production units, refineries with existing hydroprocessing
December 23, 2020 Read Full Article
Enzymatic Lignin Valorization: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to MetGen
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sugar-based bioplastics and lignin-based foams and composites are making it possible to transform the huge amount of oil based materials and products in our lives to biobased products. MetGen is making it happen with zero
December 22, 2020 Read Full Article
They Invest US $ 5 Million to Transform Sewage Waste into Biodiesel
(La Nacion (Google Translation)) The company Explora, which has its plant in Puerto General San Martín, Santa Fe, invested more than US $ 5 million in a new technology to transform sewage waste into biodiesel. In this way, it has already produced
December 01, 2020 Read Full Article
Feedstock Conversion Interface Consortium: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Feedstock Variability
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) We all know variability is inherent to biomass, but what can you do about it? Lots! This ABLC2020 slide guide dives into feedstock variability and the work FCIC is coordinating across an impressive 6 national
November 27, 2020 Read Full Article
West Coast Company Supports B.C.’s Green Targets by Turning Waste into Biofuel
(BIV.com) West Coast Reduction Ltd. was recycling long before environmental sustainability was a consideration. The company is now instrumental in helping B.C. achieve its greenhouse gas reduction targets by supporting next-generation biofuel production. West Coast Reduction is the largest supplier of liquid renewable
November 27, 2020 Read Full Article
Renewable Diesel, Jet Fuel Surge: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Greasezilla
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest)While you may have waste fats, oils and greases or FOG after this week’s turkey dinner, technology has unlocked it as feedstock for renewable diesel, biodiesel and jet fuel, and the world-wide search is on from
November 24, 2020 Read Full Article
Embrapa Agroenergia Starts Research to Produce Green Diesel from Poultry Carcasses
(Embrapa) Embrapa Agroenergia, in partnership with the company Haka Bioprocessos, headquartered in Catanduva (SP), starts this October research that may result in a green diesel obtained from the hydrogenation of bio-oil from bone waste from birds. The Unit will characterize the chemical
November 06, 2020 Read Full Article
Lowering Tech Barriers to Grow Bioeconomy: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Biofuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) There are major barriers in growing a bioeconomy, but Idaho National Laboratory is tackling some of those by applying artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve the supply of sustainable biomass feedstock for conversion to
November 06, 2020 Read Full Article
Neste to Acquire Bunge's Refinery Plant in Rotterdam to Increase Raw Material Pretreatment Capacity for the Production of Renewable Products
(Neste) Neste, the world's leading producer of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel produced from waste and residue raw materials, has agreed to acquire Bunge Loders Croklaan's refinery plant located in Rotterdam, the Netherlands for a purchase price of 258 million
November 04, 2020 Read Full Article
Hydrothermal Liquefaction Technology: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Steeper Energy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Hydrofaction is Hot! Don’t take our word for it – dive into this new slide guide from Steeper Energy’s CEO Perry Toms who takes us through the progress towards commercial scale of Steeper’s hydrofaction technology
November 04, 2020 Read Full Article
Greasezilla Announces Plans to Launch Hub-and-Spoke Regional Systems for Biodiesel Manufacturers in 2021
(Greasezilla) The FOG Separation System will provide biodiesel companies with a network of high-quality advanced biofuel feedstock to boost biodiesel production -- Downey Ridge Environmental Company, developer of Greasezilla™ announces it is in the final planning stages with several biodiesel manufacturers
October 27, 2020 Read Full Article
Sweden’s First Pyrolysis Oil Plant for Biofuel Production Proceeds with AFRY’s Support
(AFRY) Pyrocell AB will build the first plant in Sweden for processing sawdust into renewable bio-oil at Kastet's sawmill outside Gävle in Sweden. The construction project is run by Pyrocell AB, which is a company jointly owned by Setra and
October 26, 2020 Read Full Article
Waste Not, Want Not: INL Studies Potential of Municipal Solid Waste for Biofuels
by J. Richard Hess (Idaho National Laboratory) ...Even though MSW (municipal solid waste) has great potential, not much was known about the cost and quality of feedstocks that could be derived from MSW or MSW blends for fuel production. In
October 19, 2020 Read Full Article
Biomass Pretreatment Innovations: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Forest Concepts
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) At ABLC Digital in July, Jim Dooley, Chief Technology Officer at Forest Concepts shared this illuminating presentation on the latest innovations in biomass pretreatments, how they maximize flowability, their crumbler solutions that can handle any
September 29, 2020 Read Full Article
Municipal Solid Waste to Jet Fuel: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Fulcrum
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Tackling two birds with one stone is what Fulcrum is doing with its trash to treasure fuel – dealing with waste disposal AND helping airlines reduce carbon emissions. Jim Macias, President and CEO of Fulcrum, shared this
September 23, 2020 Read Full Article
Biomass Feedstocks and Process Variability: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The U.S. Department of Energy leads the Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium, which is a collaborative effort among 9 labs to develop first-principles based knowledge and tools to understand and mitigate the effects of biomass feedstock and process
September 22, 2020 Read Full Article
Biomass Alliance for Logistics Efficiency and Specifications: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to BALES Bioenergy Feedstock Analysis
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Bale analysis, probes, core samples – measuring and analysis of bioenergy feedstocks is key. In this illuminating slide guide from ABLC Digital, the Idaho National Laboratory, Antares Group, ASDI, and B Hames Consulting share how bale
August 05, 2020 Read Full Article
Axens’ Futurol Cellulosic Ethanol Tech: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Overcoming Cellulosic Ethanol Challenges
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Axens has a range of renewable biofuels and biochemicals from renewable diesel and biojet fuel to cellulosic ethanol, ethylene, butadiene, and aromatics. But there have been challenges in the past with cellulosic ethanol that Axens has
July 28, 2020 Read Full Article
Ohio Company Purchases Beatrice Biodiesel Plant
by Scott Koperski (Daily Sun) ... Katie Merx, Marathon senior communications manager, said in an emailed statement that the company plans to use the former biodiesel facility to aggregate and pretreat agricultural feedstocks that are used to make renewable diesel. "The
July 21, 2020 Read Full Article
5 Ways to Reduce Costs in Integrated Biorefineries: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Enabling Lower-Cost Biofuels
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) just released a new report that outlines five specific, yet broadly applicable, areas of focus to reduce costs in an integrated biorefinery. This analysis builds upon ongoing R&D strategies to lower
July 13, 2020 Read Full Article
Joint Evolution: Technology Providers Have Adapted Their Pretreatment Offerings as the Biodiesel Industry Evolved to Rely More on Waste Feedstocks, and as Renewable Diesel Emerges.
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) ... Markus Dielacher, CEO of BDI-BioEnergy International, says many companies offering pretreatment systems came from the vegetable oil side. “They started with clean feedstock and it worked,” he says. “We came from the other side,
April 15, 2020 Read Full Article
Autothermal Pyrolysis: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Rethinking Thermochemical Processing
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Iowa State University is working on fast pyrolysis, and Robert Brown, Director of the university’s Bioeconomy Institute looks at how their work is making us rethink thermochemical processing. By looking at autothermal pyrolysis, and more, Brown
December 27, 2019 Read Full Article
Biofuels Production and Consumption in Denmark: Status, Advances and Challenges
by Sune Tjalfe Thomsen and Henning Jørgensen (IEA Bioenergy Task 39 Newsletter) 1. Status of transportation biofuel industry in Denmark -- In Denmark, a considerable part of the total energy demand is derived from renewable sources. In 2017, 26% of
December 06, 2019 Read Full Article
Commercializing Conventional and Advanced Transport Biofuels from Biomass and Other Renewable Feedstocks; Focus on Sweden
by Mahmood Ebadian, Jim McMillan and Jack Saddler (IEA Bioenergy Task 39 Newsletter) ... Task 39’s main focus remains on drop-in biofuels for heavy duty transport, i.e., transport sectors where substantial electrification isn’t foreseen in the near-to-mid-term. It is recognized
December 06, 2019 Read Full Article
Air Liquide Partners with ArcelorMittal in Pilot Project to Capture and Recycle Carbon
(Air Liquide) Air Liquide is partnering with ArcelorMittal in the first industrial scale demonstration plant to capture carbon gas from the steelmaking process and recycle it into chemicals, specifically advanced bioethanol*. In this project, Air Liquide Engineering & Construction will provide a
October 18, 2019 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Breakthroughs at the Bioenergy Research Centers
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Over 10 years (2007–2017), three Bioenergy Research Centers produced multiple breakthroughs in the form of deepened understanding of sustainable biomass production practices, targeted re-engineering of biomass feedstocks, development of new methods for deconstructing feedstocks, and
October 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Undergraduates Participate in Bioenergy Research at GLBRC
(Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Each year, the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) hosts a group of undergraduate students to participate in the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program, designed to immerse students in research. This summer, 11 undergraduate
October 11, 2019 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Fuel Pretreatment of Biomass Residues for Thermal Conversion
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) For some time it’s been widely thought amongst the Digestsceni that there's a need to ‘demonstrate to market actors and policy makers how existing bioenergy chains can be made more fuel flexible, efficient and cost
October 10, 2019 Read Full Article
Trash to Treasure: Scientists Convert Municipal Waste to Biofuel Precursors
by Emily Scot (Berkeley Lab) As the need for energy security grows, scientists are investigating nonfood biomass sources that can be used to create valuable biofuels and bioproducts. Among these sources is municipal solid waste (MSW) — in other words, trash
October 10, 2019 Read Full Article
Tolerating Even More: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Improving Yeast Tolerance to Lignocellulosic Feedstocks
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Wouldn’t it be great if we could boost fermentation of high-toxicity biomass hydrolysates? Well, folks are working on this via enhanced biocatalytic tolerance. At the recent DOE BETO 2019 Project Peer Review, Felix Lam and
October 04, 2019 Read Full Article
$73 Million, 35 Projects, Who Won, for What and Why: The DOE Bioenergy Technologies Office 2019 Project Selections
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the U.S. Department of Energy has selected 35 projects totaling $73 million for bioenergy research and development support. Funded through the DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, these projects will help reduce
October 02, 2019 Read Full Article
All About Algae: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Algal Biomass Yield Improvements
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Global Algae Innovations is working on a trifecta of goals: 1) to develop improved strains and cultivation methods to increase the algal biofuel intermediate yield by at least 70% AND 2) to develop new drying and
September 10, 2019 Read Full Article
From Lignin to Value: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to MetGen’s Enzymes
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) MetGen are pioneers in industrial enzymes for lignocellulosic biomass and are trying to empower industries to get the most out of biomass with their enzymatic technologies. Alex Michine, CEO of MetGen gave this enlightening overview of MetGen’s
August 22, 2019 Read Full Article
Replacing Crude Oil with Waste Plastics
(Neste) The aim is to proceed to an industrial scale trial during 2019. By 2030, Neste targets to process more than one million tons of plastic waste annually by 2030. Neste is already the world's largest producer of renewable diesel
August 19, 2019 Read Full Article
Vegan Renewable Diesel, Futurol Tech: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Axens’ Fuel Feedstocks
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Axens Solutions is covering the entire project development cycle and working on things like BioTfuel and Vegan which are renewable diesel and jet fuels, Futurol, a cellulosic ethanol using biomass enzymatic fermentation, Atol made from
August 14, 2019 Read Full Article
New Energy Blue Buys Inbicon’s Low-Carbon Fuel Technology
(Oil and Gas 360/New Energy Blue) NewEnergyBlue acquired exclusive rights to Inbicon bio-conversion technology throughout the Americas and will first employ it to turn North Dakota wheat straw into a high-value, carbon-neutral automotive fuel. The technology license was purchased from Ørsted, a Danish
August 13, 2019 Read Full Article
Supercomputing Improves Biomass Fuel Conversion
by Holly Ober (Univesity of California Riverside News) Researchers combine supercomputing with nano-imaging to reveal how to efficiently break down plant biomass and transform it into transportation fuels -- ... In order to access the energy-rich sugars found in the plant
August 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Neste Hosts Foundation Stone Ceremony for Singapore Expansion
(Neste) Following up from the EUR 1.4 billion investment to expand its renewable products production capacity in Singapore, Neste today held a foundation stone ceremony to officially mark the extension of the new production line. The construction started at the beginning
August 01, 2019 Read Full Article
Here Comes the Sun – Sunliquid Tech: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Clariant
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Clariant, a Switzerland based specialty chemicals company, has four business areas: Care Chemicals, Natural Resources, Catalysis and Plastics & Coatings. While the first half of the year has been challenging, Clariant was able to increase sales
July 29, 2019 Read Full Article
POET Outlines Lessons from 4-Year Long Startup of Project Liberty Cellulosic Ethanol Project
(Green Car Congress) Commercially viable cellulosic ethanol plants has proven devilishly difficult to bring to fruition. The primary outlier from the list of efforts that have shut down over the past few years is POET/DSM’s Project Liberty (earlier post). In an
July 22, 2019 Read Full Article
Streamlining the Biofuel Production Process
(European Commission) The production of biofuels like ethanol from non-food biomass is a lucrative prospect for the agricultural sector. However, due to the complexity and expense of the large-scale industrial process currently needed to produce such biofuels, they remain out of
July 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Making Every Carbon Count: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Praj
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Praj had a humble beginning as a supplier of ethanol plants, and today is a global company with a bouquet of sustainable solutions for bioenergy, high purity water, critical process equipment, breweries and industrial wastewater treatment. Dr.
July 02, 2019 Read Full Article
Rethinking Tomorrow and New Product Launches: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Novozymes
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Digest’s new “Stocks Worth Tracking” Multi-Slide Guide Series highlights hot companies that are making strides in the bioeconomy. Today’s “Stock Worth Tracking” is Novozymes. Novozymes has had 17 years of innovation driven growth with a
May 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Project LIBERTY: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to POET
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) POET has been turning one big idea after another into biofuel and renewable alternative product solutions for thirty years. They have grown from a single, humble refinery in Scotland, South Dakota, to one of the world’s
May 24, 2019 Read Full Article
Inside the Alliance between REG, ExxonMobil and Clariant that Is Revolutionising Cellulosic Biofuels.
by Luke Upton (BioMarket Insights) ... So we are happy to report a major update to an alliance between three major companies focused on advancing cellulosic biofuels, and speak exclusively to one of its key figures, Fernando Sanchez-Riera, Vice President Research
May 23, 2019 Read Full Article
Ireland's First Grass-Fed Biorefinery Hits the Road to Help Farmers Go Green
(European Science Communication Institute/Phys.org) A New Mobile Refinery Is Travelling Across The West Of Ireland To Turn Grass Into Sustainable Materials -- Along the windy west coast of Ireland a biorefinery on wheels is turning grass into a series of different
May 16, 2019 Read Full Article
Indian Perspective on Bioenergy: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to IndianOil Corp.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) IndianOil has a 33,000-plus work-force, extensive refining, distribution & marketing infrastructure and advanced R&D facilities. In the country’s pursuit of alternative sources of energy, IndianOil is focusing on CNG (compressed natural gas), Autogas (LPG), ethanol blended
May 15, 2019 Read Full Article
(A)lgae + (B)iomass = (C)onstructive: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Sandia National Labs
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sandia National Laboratories shares a famous acronym with Saturday Night Live but the work they have done is key to the future of the bioeconomy, having delivered essential science and technology to resolve the nation’s most
April 26, 2019 Read Full Article
Sioux Falls-Based Ethanol Producer Poet Awarded Millions by Arbitration Panel
by Jonathan Ellis (Argus Leader) Sioux Falls-based Poet has asked a federal judge to confirm a multi-million dollar arbitration award it received from a company that it claims botched an ethanol production system at a plant in Iowa. A panel of three
April 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Thermochemical Processes for Waste Recycling: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to KIT
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Karlsruhe Institute of Technology – The Research University in the Helmholtz Association has more than 9,000 employees and an annual budget of about EUR 785 million, making it one of the biggest research and education institutions
April 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Biomass for Bioenergy: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to IEA Bioenergy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) International Energy Agencyis an autonomous organization that works to ensure reliable, affordable and clean energy for its 30 member countries and beyond. Professor Mark Brown, Director of Forest Industries Research Centre – USC, IEA Bioenergy Exco Rep for
March 20, 2019 Read Full Article
Biomass Breakdown: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Sweetwater Energy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sweetwater Energy has developed a unique and patented technology for producing low-cost sugars and clean lignin fiber from multiple non-food plant materials to help meet the modern world’s increasing demand for biochemicals, bioplastics and biofuels. Jack Baron,
March 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Biorefineries Assessment: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to IEA Bioenergy Task 42
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) IEA Bioenergy Task 42 is working on the analysis and assessment of biorefining in the whole value chain in order to meet its mission to facilitate the commercialisation and market deployment of biorefinery systems & technologies. Johannes Lindorfer from
February 08, 2019 Read Full Article
Want a Bipartisan Push on Climate Change? Start With Unleashing American Biofuels
by Jeff Cosman (Morning Consult/Attis Industries Inc.) ... And in November, a letter from the Department of Energy, the EPA and the United States Department of Agriculture to Congress laid out a plan to encourage the use of efficient and carbon-neutral
February 06, 2019 Read Full Article
The Pursuit of Biofuels Evolution and Revolution: Attis Innovations’ Ambitions for Its Newly-Acquired Upstate New York Project.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... What especially caught industry attention was the teaser that “Attis will use the facility to produce low carbon cellulosic biofuels and plans to invest additional funds to enable it to meet growing demand in New
January 29, 2019 Read Full Article
January 2019 PyNe43 Newsletter Available
(Netzwerk Biotreibstoffe) It (January 2019 PyNe43 Newsletter) contains contributions on Electrocatalytic upgrading to stabilize pyrolysis oil Progress towards commercialization at pilot and demonstration scale Pyrolysis of forestry and fishery residue for rural applications. Overview on catalysts to upgrade pyrolysis oils.
January 28, 2019 Read Full Article
ExxonMobil and Renewable Energy Group Partner with Clariant to Advance Cellulosic Biofuel Research
(ExxonMobil/Renewable Energy Group/Globe Newswire) Partnership to expand on joint ExxonMobil and REG research into cellulosic biodiesel; Clariant’s sunliquid® technology to facilitate creation of compatible cellulosic sugars; Objective is to combine technologies into a single, integrated biodiesel production process ExxonMobil and Renewable Energy Group (REG)
January 23, 2019 Read Full Article
BTA International Completes Organic Waste to Biogas Plant in Quebec
by Ben Messenger (Waste Management World) BTA International GmbH, a specialist for the wet-mechanical pre-treatment and subsequent digestion of organic waste containing impurities, have completed a major waste to gas facility in Varennes, Quebec. ... The biogas is used to fuel the boilers
January 15, 2019 Read Full Article
Breaching the Biomass Problem: ORNL Team Provides Supercomputer-Aided Insights for How to Turn Plants into Fuel and Materials
by Jonathan Hines (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Humans have found uses for woody plants since time immemorial—tools, shelter, firewood. Today, scientists are working to add more major uses to the list: renewable, cost-competitive biofuel and value-added materials. Turning trees and waste
December 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Catalysis Rocking: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to ChemCatBio
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ChemCatBio is a research and development consortium dedicated to identifying and overcoming catalysis challenges for biomass conversion processes. Led by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories, we work with industry to rapidly transition R&D discoveries
December 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Investors Turn Kenya’s Troublesome Invasive Water Hyacinth into Cheap Fuel
by Benson Rioba (Inter Press Service) Water hyacinth is a weed and if not controlled on Lake Victoria, experts are concerned that the lake’s water levels might drop by 60 percent. -- Currently 30 square kilometres of Lake Victoria, which stretches to
December 21, 2018 Read Full Article
$$$ from Neste, Fulcrum, Others Making Renewable Diesel a Dream Come True
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... By The Digest’s estimates, there’s been close to two billion dollars in investments in renewable diesel lately. And the capacity just keeps growing. Between World Energy, Zymergen, Phillips 66 and REG, Diamond Green Diesel, Fulcrum, Red
December 17, 2018 Read Full Article
Energy Department Seeks Information on Algae, Biomass, and Waste Feedstock Research -- DE-FOA-00002020 FY 2019 Bioenergy Technologies Multi-Topic RFI DEADLINE: extended to January 18, 2019
(Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) is requesting information on research opportunities related to outdoor algae research, biomass characteristics and feedstock performance, and renewable energy
December 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Turning Grams into Tonnes: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant aims to enable the transition to a sustainable bio-based economy through development, scale-up and custom manufacturing of bio-based product and processes. Hendrik Waegeman, Head of Business Development at BBEU gave this illuminating overview of the
December 04, 2018 Read Full Article
Results Are In: Clariant’s Sunliquid Delivers 6X Lower Carbon Intensity than Fossil Gasoline
by Paolo Corvo (Clariant/Biofuels Digest) Clariant sunliquid technology delivers low carbon intensity score of 15 gCO2/MJ for the cellulosic ethanol produced using sunliquid technology from agricultural residues feedstock such as corn stover and wheat straw which is more than 6 times lower
November 07, 2018 Read Full Article
The Road to Feedstock Flexibility
by Chris Abrams (Biodiesel Magazine/Imerys Filtration) Imerys personnel have spent much of 2018 talking about new and diverse feedstocks for biodiesel production, and how to help biodiesel manufacturers incorporate them into their existing processes. Here is an overview of that discussion. ... We
October 31, 2018 Read Full Article
Valmet to Supply BioTrac System to Cellulosic Plant in Romania
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Valmet has announced it will supply its BioTrac biomass pretreatment system to Clariant for use in its 500,000-ton-per-year (16.74 MMgy) sunliquid cellulosic ethanol plant in Podari, Romania. The facility is expected to begin operations in
October 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Concept to Construction and Exports are Crucial
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) In the U.S. ethanol industry, three plants are under construction, while a fourth makes its way through the permitting process. -- In an industry with more than 200 existing plants, four new projects is a
October 24, 2018 Read Full Article
Researchers Find Value in Unusual Type of Plant Material
by Mark E. Griffin (University of Wisconsin-Madison/Phys.Org) An ideal biorefinery would turn renewable crops into a variety of fuels and products with little waste. A significant challenge in realizing this vision is what to do with lignin, a fibrous and difficult-to-break-down material
October 09, 2018 Read Full Article
The Idaho Team that Lopped $1 a Gallon off the Cost of Fuel, and How They Did It
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Idaho, researchers at Idaho National Laboratory have have cut the modeled cost of harvesting, storing, transporting, and preprocessing biomass from $149.58/dry ton to $82.86/dry ton. As INL’s Kevin Kenney explained, “when applying least-cost formulation and blending
September 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Researchers Discover How to Protect Yeast from Damage in Biofuel Production
by Chris Barncard (University of Wisconsin-Madison) Some chemicals used to speed up the breakdown of plants for production of biofuels like ethanol are poison to the yeasts that turn the plant sugars into fuel. Researchers from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and several
August 13, 2018 Read Full Article
Lessons on the Road to GoBig: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to POET-DSM Cellulosic Ethanol
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In November we reported that POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels achieved a major breakthrough in cellulosic biofuels production at its Project LIBERTY plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa. The company has solved the critical challenge in pretreatment, overcoming what has been
August 07, 2018 Read Full Article
Pretreatment of Lignocellulosic Wastes for Biofuel Production: A Critical Review
by DollyKumari and RadhikaSingh (Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews) ... Lignocellulosic waste is becoming popular as a feedstock for biofuel production. The can be converted into usable form for biofuel production by using a suitable pretreatment method. Different pretreatment methods have
July 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Algae for the Advanced Bioeconomy: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Cellana
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Cellana uses the most productive plants on earth—marine microalgae—to photosynthetically produce its ReNew line of Omega-3 EPA and DHA oils, animal feed, and biofuel feedstocks. Cellana’s patented ALDUO system, a series of photobioreactors coupled with open
July 17, 2018 Read Full Article
Seeking a Friend for the End of Unreliability: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the Feedstock Conversion Interface Consortium
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What is the Feedstock Conversion Interface Consortium and why does it exist? The Why is simple. #1 issue plaguing High and Low Temperature IBR projects is consistent operability of preprocessing and primary deconstruction. In response, researchers have joined
July 06, 2018 Read Full Article
5 Minutes With… Dhivya Puri, Senior Technical Lead at Fiberight.
by Dave Songer (Bio-Based World News) “The milestones and professional growth I've achieved in this role are above and beyond what I could have accomplished in academia within the same time frame.” Fiberight is a UK- and US-based small and medium-sized enterprise
July 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Zero to 10 Million in 5 years
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Slow to start and with fewer gallons than targeted through the Renewable Fuel Standard, cellulosic ethanol is showing signs of steady growth. -- Cellulosic ethanol production has been gaining momentum in the past five years,
June 27, 2018 Read Full Article
USDA Grants Hood $100,000 for Biofuels Project
(Hood College) The United States Department of Agriculture has awarded Hood College Professor of Biology Craig Laufer $100,000 over an 18-month period to fund research and development of cost-effective biofuels. Successful completion of this project would qualify Laufer’s lab for larger
June 22, 2018 Read Full Article
New Algae Biofuel Production Method Could Someday Compete with Petroleum
by Philip T. Pienkos (R&D Magazine) ... This time, the leading force was not the DOE (U.S. Department of Energy), but the investment community acting in the belief that the power of modern biotechnology could be brought to bear against the
June 18, 2018 Read Full Article
NREL Finds Easier Ways to Deconstruct Biomass
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory/Ethanol Producer Magazine) If there's an easier, more efficient method, science will find a way. That's certainly the case in producing cellulosic biofuels, which, at least for now, requires a two-step process to free the sugars trapped in
June 07, 2018 Read Full Article
The Carbon Rescuers: 20 Top Waste Projects and Breakthroughs that Capture Used Carbon from the Waste Pile for New Uses
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In these top 20 projects, we usually say that we are using waste, but really we are converting something from a state of waste to a state of value — and that’s not just good for
June 05, 2018 Read Full Article
One Commercial, Two Commercial, Three Commercial, Four: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Clariant’s Sunliquid Cellulosic Ethanol Technology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Clariant’s sunliquid technology for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into sugars, followed by fermentation to cellulosic ethanol, is flexible to be used to convert different feedstocks on a regional basis, for example corn stover in North
May 24, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Fulcrum BioEnergy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Fulcrum BioEnergy has developed a “game-changing process for converting municipal solid waste that would otherwise be landfilled, into renewable transportation fuels including syncrude, jet fuel and diesel”. The company recently broke ground on its first commercial
May 23, 2018 Read Full Article
Industrial Enzyme Frontiers: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to MetGen
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) MetGen’s MetZyme enzymatic solutions cover the entire bio-based value chain from feedstock to high-value chemicals and enable the use of cellulosic feedstocks as well as the creation of entirely new bio-based materials. Alex Michine and the MetGen
May 21, 2018 Read Full Article
Estonian Forest Magic: Sweetwater, Graanul to Build First Commercial Biorefinery for cellulosic sugars, lignin
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Sweetwater Energy and Europe’s largest wood pellet producer, the Tallinn, Estonia-based AS Graanul Invest, said that they will build a commercial-scale integrated biorefinery that will produce clean cellulosic sugars and highly pure lignin from 50,000
May 07, 2018 Read Full Article
Upgraded Aemetis Plant in India Completes Biodiesel Production Using Lower Cost, High FFA Waste Feedstock
(EconoTimes/Aemetis) Pre-treatment Unit Passes First Production Tests Required to Supply BP Singapore Under Three-year Agreement -- Aemetis, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMTX) announced today that its Universal Biofuels subsidiary completed the production of high quality distilled biodiesel from lower quality, high Free Fatty Acid (FFA) waste
April 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Equipment Needs to Study Mixing of Fibrous Materials
by Gregory T. Benz (Lee Enterprise Consulting/Biofuels Digest) There are many sources of organic fibers that can be used as feedstock for biofuels and renewable chemicals. The author has tested many lignocellulosic materials for fluid flow and mixing characteristics. Examples include