Major Stories
Brazil slaps US with ethanol quota, 20 percent tariff
In Brazil, the Brazilian Chamber of Foreign Trade has approved a recommendation to impose a 20 percent tariff on U.S. ethanol imports after a 600 million liter tariff rate quota, according to postings from the Brazilian Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply Blairo Maggi. Local media are reporting this TRQ would be in place for […]
US slaps Argentine, Indonesian biodiesel producers with huge anti-dumping penalties
In Washington, the US Commerce Department issued a preliminary countervailing duty determination from the Commerce Department regarding subsidized biodiesel imports from Argentina and Indonesia. The Commerce Department found that Argentina and Indonesia provide subsidies to their biodiesel producers in violation of international trade rules. In addition, Commerce found “critical circumstances” to address the post-petition surge […]
Vertibirds are GO: DOE OKs Vertimass drop-in biofuels technology, clears path to demo scale
In California, Vertimass gained its intermediate technology validation with the US DOE’s Bioenergy Technology Office, which verified performance against negotiated milestones, provided progress on scale-up, and reviewed Vertimass’ estimated cost for their transformative catalytic technology. BETO verification effectively opens the door for Vertimass to move to demonstration scale of its technology for converting ethanol into gasoline, diesel, […]
Advances in carbon fiber and graphene tech: The higher purpose in higher value carbon products
Today we’d like to highlight advances in the production and use of higher-value forms of carbon as examples of a society slowly moving away from a hunter-gatherer culture in energy and materials and towards a pastoral and agricultural approach. Specifically we’ll look at clean, cost-efficient approaches of producing carbon fiber from biomass — including applications […]
Major study says “Cut cellulosic ethanol out”, RFA says “No Way Jose”
In Iowa, a new tractable multi-market model study finds that the RFS has substantially benefited the U.S. economy by lowering gasoline, crude oil prices, and crude oil imports, while increasing prices and benefits for corn and soy farmers and reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. But in their ‘what if there was no RFS?’ scenarios and […]
8-Slide Guides
Crossing the 3K threshold: The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to Sapphire Energy’s algae biofuels productivity
Back in 2014, Sapphire Energy and the US Department of Energy embarked on a project to advance Sapphire’s (then) biomass production technologies across three priority areas to meet a target of 2,500 gallons of oil per acre per year by 2018. Productivity is directly related to the economics of algal biofuels production. By improving average […]
The Leadership Challenge: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to building world-class bioeconomy teams
Great process? Great target economics? Great feedstock? That’s super. But no one will ever build a world-class business without competing effectively to build world-class team, so consider that Job #1. Each year, in partnership with the executive search firm Kincannon & Reed, the Digest conducts an extensive survey on leadership, team-building and companies. And at ABLC […]
DOE, DOD aim for take-off: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Biofuels in Defense and Aviation
In June 2011, the Secretaries of Agriculture, Energy, and Navy signed MOU to commit $510M (up to $170M from each agency) to produce hydrocarbon jet and diesel biofuels in the near-term. This initiative sought to achieve multiple, commercial scale integrated biorefineries, cost-competitive biofuel with conventional petroleum (w/o subsidies), domestically produced fuels from non-food feedstocks, and […]
Case Studies of Funding Bioeconomy Projects: US vs Around the World
Structuring and financing an International Bioeconomy Project is not for the neophyte or the faint of heart — =so advises Kilpatrick Townsend’s massively-experienced partner Mark Riedy. Where is it best to build? In this illuminating presentation from ABLC 2017, Riedy looked at regulatory uncertainty, returns, available supply chains and the risk therein, among many other factors that […]
Value Days at the Landfill: The Digest 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to unlocking polylactic acid from waste biogas
Methane in biogas offers a renewable alternative to natural gas as a feedstock and intermediate in bioprocesses. The US DOE is supporting a development effort led by NatureWorks in collaboration with Calysta to develop a commercially viable, disruptive fermentation process using methane in biogas and engineered methanotrophic bacteria for the production of lactic acid (HLA). Such a […]
The Latest World News
Analysts say sugar prices must fall much more before Brazil switches to ethanol
In Brazil, Australian analysts Green Pool say global sugar prices must fall much further from where they are now to have any sort of real impact on Brazilian mills to make them shift towards more ethanol production. Current sugar prices are around 13.41 cents per pound, below Sucden Financial’s estimate of the 14 cent ethanol […]
Swedish biodiesel sales rose 15% in June but ethanol slipped 4%
In Sweden, while biodiesel sales jumped 15% on the year to 152,265 cu m in June, ethanol sales slipped more than 4% to 19,736 cu m. HVO remains the main fuel in the biodiesel market, representing more than 82% of all biodiesel sold at around 125,408 cu m, an increase of 21% on the year. […]
Chinese ethanol exports soar six-fold in July
In China, ethanol exports soared to 19,814 cubic meters in July, up six-fold from the 3,297 exported during the same period last year and 8% higher than in June, as the country takes advantage of its spoiled corn stocks built up over several years to support farmers. More than 65% of the volume went to […]
European T2 ethanol prices fall to 18-week low as bearish trend continues
In the Netherlands, European T2 ethanol continues its bearish trend, hitting an 18-week low on the back of falling milling wheat prices and the upcoming liberalization of the sugar program that will bring on significantly more feedstock availability to the market come October. Fundamentals for the month haven’t changed, however, leaving the market to focus […]
Alexander & Baldwin trialing corn and sorghum as biogas feedstock
In Hawaii, as part of Alexander & Baldwin’s diversification into biofuels from its sugarcane past, the company began growing corn and sorghum a few months ago for feedstock that will produce biogas and in turn power the Kahului wastewater treatment facility. If the trial proves successful, the crops could be grown on as much as […]
R&D News
Enzymes found in landfills could be key for breaking down cellulosic material
In the UK, landfill sites should be considered one of the great untapped resources in the search for new enzymes for biotechnology, and could fuel more efficient biofuel production. A new research paper in mSphere by biologists at Bangor and Liverpool universities has for the first time identified the enzymes which degrade natural materials such […]
UC San Diego researchers create epidermal biofuel cell to power electronics from sweat
In California, a team of engineers has developed stretchable fuel cells that extract energy from sweat and are capable of powering electronics, such as LEDs and Bluetooth radios. The biofuel cells generate 10 times more power per surface area than any existing wearable biofuel cells. The devices could be used to power a range of […]
Sandia lab working with HelioBioSys to scale up cyanobacteria production
In California, a Bay Area company has patented a group of three single-celled, algae-like organisms that, when grown together, can produce high quantities of sugar just right for making biofuels. Sandia National Laboratories is helping HelioBioSys Inc. learn whether farming them on a large scale would be successful. HelioBioSys founders say they chose to grow […]
New approach for potato waste to ethanol conversion
In Pennsylvania, researchers from Penn State found a more efficient and less expensive way to convert potato waste into ethanol, which is good news for the more than 20 potato chip manufacturing companies located in the region. By adding a bioreactor of mold and yeast while breaking down potato peels and residuals from complex carbohydrates […]
Illinois to demo biofuel production from grasses collected from highway roadsides
In Illinois, the Illinois Department of Transportation has approved implementation of a renewable energy demonstration project using grasses collected from mowing highway rights-of-way (ROW). The work will implement the findings of a three-year study by a multi-disciplinary team including the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center at the Prairie Research Institute of the University of Illinois. The […]
Policy & Policymakers
Biogas and advanced biofuels industry ask EPA to support cellulosic biofuels
In Washington, the American Biogas Council, BIO, Advanced Biofuels Business Council and the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas have written a letter to the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency urging the Renewable Fuel Standard continue to be administered in a way that promotes demand for cellulosic biofuels that truly generate D3 RINs rather than […]
New New Zealand fuel standards to allow higher biofuel blending
In New Zealand, new fuel standards set to come in October 2 will boost maximum volume of methanol blends to 3% from the current 1% and to 7% for biodiesel from the current 5%. The shift is expected to result in an increased demand for biofuel. The new rules will also bring sulfur limits in […]
Department of Commerce postpones biodiesel anti-dumping investigation until October 19
In Washington, the Department of Commerce is postponing its preliminary determinations regarding antidumping duty (AD) investigations on biodiesel from Argentina and Indonesia to October 19 following a request from the National Biodiesel Board Fair Trade Coalition and its individual members on July 6. Section 733(b)(1)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), […]
Algae derived biofuel in the works for Serbia thanks to NATO funding
In Serbia, scientists are using a three year research project supported by the NATO Science for Peace and Security Program to commercially produce algae-derived biofuel as a way to improve their energy security. They are working with Belgrade’s Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, Manchester University in the United Kingdom and Baylor University in the United States. […]
Nebraska’s governor touts future of E15 at AEC annual convention
In Nebraska, the governor waved the flag for higher ethanol blends during the American Ethanol Coalition’s annual conference in Omaha, saying the value addition that come from ethanol not only creates jobs but attracts investment to rural communities that in turn keep them strong. He says ethanol is at the heart of the state’s “golden […]
Other Recent Articles
D4 RINs and soy oil prices spike following duty announcement on biodiesel imports
In Illinois, D4 RINs spiked to the year’s high of $1.20 following the news that the Department of Commerce would lob anti-dumping and countervailing duties on biodiesel imports from Argentina and Indonesia, up from $1.11 ahead of the announcement, but they slipped back to $1.15 as the market absorbed the news. Soy oil prices also […]
Czech water authorities blame increased biofuel production for higher pollution levels
In the Czech Republic, the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (CHMU) has called out increasing demand for biofuels and the resulting increase in corn and rapeseed production as the cause of growing pollution levels in waterbodies across the country. In its annual report looking at 249 pollutants in 675 wells and springs, the institute questions the environmental […]
Malaysian oil palm producer offers $175.1 million for 11,600ha in Sabah
In Malaysia, oil palm producer Boustead Plantations has made an offer to buy 11,600 ha in Sabah for $175.1 million from Pertama Land & Development that has been accepted. The company’s Q2 results improved thanks to higher fresh fruit bunch production as well as improved palm oil prices but it expects prices to fall back […]
USTDA awards South African company grant for LanzaTech feasibility study
In South Africa, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency awarded a grant to Swayana (Pty) Ltd, a Pretoria-based energy project developer, for a feasibility study that will use innovative U.S. technologies to convert waste gas – also known as off-gas – into a valuable commodity at a plant in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province. The project […]
Oshawa Port Authority must pay FarmTech C$4.2 million for canceling ethanol project
In Canada, an arbitrator mandated the Oshawa Port Authority pay FarmTech nearly C$4.2 million after it decided to cancel the company’s proposed ethanol plant project following an agreement made in 2012. The local city council as well as environmental groups opposed the project. The arbitration award has thrown the port into the red, seeking ways […]
EPA awards Al-Corn Clean Fuel with right to produce D6 RINs
In Minnesota, the Environmental Protection Agency has awarded Al-Corn Clean Fuel with the efficient producer designation, allowing it to generate D6 RINs using a dry mill process at its Claremont facility. The designation is awarded when the lifecycle emissions analysis of the fuel produced demonstrates greenhouse gas emissions reductions to be 20% or higher. The […]
