Major Stories
The Kodak Moment: The world’s airlines consider their low-carbon options in an era of flight-shaming
“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.” — Anne Dudley Bradstreet For the airlines, which met this past week in New Orleans for the Sustainable Aviation Fuels Symposium, it’s a Kodak Moment. As in the moment when Kodak […]
Pyrolysis Party and who’s the pilot steering the ship? BTG and GoodFuels to invest in world’s 1st marine biofuel refinery based on pyrolysis oil
There’s a party on the water and BTG and GoodFuels are the ship’s pilots steering the way to sustainable biofuel. In the Netherlands, BTG and GoodFuels are preparing for major investment in a new biorefinery to support shipping’s low carbon fuels demands. Biomass technology group BTG will set up a new company that can convert […]
Hollywood sends materials to anaerobic digester, poop to paper, hydrogen from seawater, Kanye’s algae foam kicks, Hellman’s seaweed sachets, and more: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of November 15th
Even Hollywood is going green these days with the latest Bond movie sending 30 tons of food and biodegradable materials to anaerobic digester to generate electricity! And elephant poop is getting turned into upscale stationary paper. A revoluntionary catalyst is developed that is opening up hydrogen from seawater. And your Hellman’s may packets may now […]
Two great organizations, one amazing event: The US Department of Energy and The Digest join forces to co-sponsor ABLC 2020
And a special meeting and program with the US Biomass Research & Development Board at ABLC 2020 In Florida, The Digest announced that the Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference (ABLC 2020) will be held March 25-27, 2020 at the Mayflower Marriott Hotel in Washington, DC, and that the US Department of Energy has joined as the […]
Whose side is Trump on? The fight continues…corn country and oil country still battling it out in Washington, DC
As if it wasn’t crazy enough already all around the U.S. politically, it’s getting even more crazy in D.C. where the battle continues over the RFS. It’s a back and forth game of Trump’s promises to help farmers and agriculture and support ethanol and biofuels, EPA giving small refinery waivers to big oil companies, then […]
8-Slide Guides
The IRENA View: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to the potential of hydrogen fuel for hard-to-decarbonise energy uses
The International Renewable Energy Agency has examined the potential of hydrogen fuel for hard-to-decarbonize energy uses, including energy-intensive industries, trucks, aviation, shipping and heating applications, in a new report. According to IRENA, the decarbonisation impact depends on how hydrogen is produced. Current and future sourcing options can be divided into grey (fossil fuel-based), blue (fossil […]
When Negative is Good – Carbon Negative: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Gevo’s Biojet Fuel
Noone wants to be negative…unless they are talking about carbon negative of course. The aviation industry has been all abuzz about lowering their carbon footprints for years, then carbon neutral, now carbon negative. According to Gevo’s Timothy Cesarek, EVP & Chief Commercial Officer, the carbon footprint of jetfuel has the potential to be driven to negative with […]
Better Biofuels with Biomass: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Axens and the BioTfueL Project
BioTfueL, originally launched by Total, is a project to produce biofuels via thermochemical conversion and includes several partners that work together on this. Axens Solutions recently spoke at ABLC NEXT about the project, how biomass feedstock is torrefied and then converted into syngas in a gasifier. Once the syngas has been cleaned and conditioned, it […]
Like Fine Wine, Smellin’ Fine: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Anellotech’s Aromatics
Fine wine takes time but it’s so worth it when you gather that first aroma of a freshly opened bottle…and Anellotech shows us that the wait is worth it when it comes to technology too. Their thermal catalytic biomass conversion, or Bio-TCat Process, is making aromatic chemicals and fuels more cost competitive. Check out their […]
17 Trillion Pounds of Plastic – How much is Biodegradable?: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Algenesis’ Algae Polymers
Science by Nature and Nature by Science is what it’s all about for Algenesis. Their goal is for 100% renewable, biodegradable, recyclable polyurethane that can be used for everything from flip flops to surfboards. Michael Burkart from UC San Diego and Algenesis Materials shared this illuminating presentation on the whole polyurethane synthesis and recycling cycle […]
The Latest World News
Project Liberty taken back into R&D mode due to RFS uncertainty
In Iowa, POET-DSM Advanced Biofuels, LLC, a joint venture of Royal DSM and POET, LLC announced that it will pause production of cellulosic biofuels at Project LIBERTY and shift to R&D focused on improving operational efficiency. This step is a result of EPA challenges with the implementation of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The joint […]
Malaysia’s B20 implementation to ramp up very slowly in 2020
In Malaysia, the local press reports that the primary industries minister announced the B20 mandate will roll out in phases from next year, beginning first in Langkawi, Labuan, Sarawak and Sabah. Langkawi will be the first region with the blend, starting some time during the first quarter while Labuan will be in April, Sarawak will […]
Amerra fails to entice fellow creditors of Clealco to buy mill for a song
In Brazil, Reuters reports that Amerra Capital Management’s attempt to buy Clealco’s Queiroz sugar mill for $47 million was rejected by the bankrupt company’s creditors who are owed more than $238 million, even though Amerra is one of those creditors, saying that the mill wasn’t valued properly. Clealco, who declared bankruptcy in July, has two […]
Construction of Red River Biorefinery nearing completion
In North Dakota, the Grand Forks Herald newspaper reports that construction of the Red River Biorefinery that plans to produce ethanol from sugarbeet tailings and potato waste is nearing completion. With an eye on California and other markets with Low Carbon Fuel Standards that put a higher price tag on biofuels produced from waste feedstock, […]
California and Oregon LCFS credits break record highs
In California, the Financial Times reports that the state of California reported last week prices for its Low Carbon Fuel Standard credits soared to record highs in September and October to more than double the level seen two years ago while credits in Oregon September credits were nearly four times the level of two years. […]
R&D News
NovoNutrients joins Chevron Technology Ventures Catalyst Program making protein through carbon capture
In California, NovoNutrients, a Silicon Valley-based innovator making protein through carbon capture and utilization, has been selected by Chevron Technology Ventures to join its Catalyst Program. NovoNutrients transforms industrial emissions that are primarily CO₂ into additives and high-performance protein ingredients, initially for fast-growing aquaculture feed markets. The Catalyst Program is a conduit for maturation of […]
Auburn University professor lands Fulbright scholarship to study biofuels in Brazil
In Alabama, Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM) Distinguished Research Professor of Industrial and Environmental Microbiology Ben Okeke has earned a Fulbright U.S. Scholar grant to study sustainable strategies for the production of renewable biodiesel fuels. His research study offers benefits for biofuel, agricultural and other industries. The Fulbright grant provides support for Okeke to conduct […]
Fish feed from forest and food side streams
In Finland, VTT’s deep-tech incubator teams come up with two solutions to meet the need for new sustainable fish feed. Enifer Bio’s solution is based on the use of dilute side streams from the agro- and forest industries, and Volare’s solution focuses on the valorisation of food-industry side streams. The forest industry previously produced large […]
Princeton researchers discover genetic switch in yeast to boost isobutanol production
In New Jersey, yeast only creates a tiny amount of isobutanol. Now researchers at Princeton University have discovered a genetic switch that significantly ramps up production. The findings, published Nov. 13 in the journal Cell Systems, showed that the researchers were able to increase isobutanol production by roughly five times over that of standard yeast […]
Argonne researchers develop highly selective adsorbent material to boost bioproduction efficiencies
In Illinois, researchers from two divisions at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory who have joined forces to develop a highly selective adsorbent material called EZ Select to tackle inefficiencies in bioproduct extraction. Combining the laboratory’s expertise in biosciences with its manufacturing know-how, the technology demonstrates the power of partnership. In bioproduct […]
Policy & Policymakers
New E4tech study shows Europe’s ethanol industry could be supplied without exceeding crop-based cap
In Belgium, Europe’s need for better-performing, low-carbon fuels to reduce emissions from existing and new cars could be met by the ethanol industry, within the RED II framework, that is without exceeding the cap on crop-based biofuels and as a response to the advanced biofuels sub-target, according to new research. A study by sustainable energy […]
Agriculture Secretary says lack of ethanol exports more damaging to industry than SREs
In Washington, AgWired reports that the Agriculture Secretary told the National Association of Farm Broadcasting annual convention last week that he has the facts to prove that the ethanol industry is suffering more from a lack of exports than from demand destruction resulting from the Environmental Protection Agency’s approval of 31 small refinery hardship waivers […]
French PM Philippe calls for new vote on palm oil tax break for biofuel producers
In France, lawmakers and environmentalists were upset about a palm oil tax break for companies using it as a source of biofuel, like Total, that went through parliament without debate, prompting French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe to call for a new vote, as reported in International Business Times. The tax break was sponsored by lawmakers […]
Brazil to implement B12 by March
In Brazil, Reuters reports the country is boosting its biodiesel blend again to 12% in March, having just raised it to 11% in September. The country has its eyes on 15% by 2023 but is also discussing higher targets. Already tests are underway on the impacts of 20% and 30% biodiesel, similar to what Asian […]
Manitoba canola farmers call for B5 nationwide to reduce exports
In Canada, the Calgary Herald newspaper reports that Manitoba canola farmers are trying to encourage Alberta to boost its biodiesel blending mandate to 5% from the current 2% in an effort to absorb some of the canola that is no longer exported to China as a result of a trade war that has so far […]
Other Recent Articles
Summer sales of E15 were up 46% on the year
In Washington, Growth Energy announced that summer sales of E15 – a fuel with 15 percent renewable biofuel often sold as Unleaded 88 at the pump – are up 46 percent in 2019 compared to 2018 on a per-store basis. Additionally, for the first time, this past summer saw the number of stores offering Unleaded 88 […]
Azelio to provide 120MWe of energy storage to Biodico’s mobile biofuels project
In Sweden, Azelio has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Biodico for a modular biofuel project in Atascadero, California. The MoU frameworks a collaboration over a capacity of about 120 MWe of Azelio’s energy storage technology in the US market until 2024. This capacity is distributed along the following timeline: 13 kWe in 2021 (Atascadero […]
Pacific Ethanol Pekin renegotiates CoBank loan payment to December 15
In California, Pacific Ethanol reported that Pacific Ethanol Pekin, LLC, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Pacific Ethanol, Inc., has entered into an amendment to extend the waiver and payment deferral terms of its credit agreements with CoBank, ACB through December 15, 2019. Neil Koehler, Pacific Ethanol’s president and CEO, stated, “We appreciate CoBank’s support of […]
Etihad Airways teams with Boeing on “Greenliner” which will include biofuel flights
In the UAE, Etihad Airways and Boeing announced a first-of-its-kind ‘eco partnership’, in which a specially-themed Boeing 787 Dreamliner will be used to test products, procedures and initiatives designed to reduce aircraft carbon emissions. The ‘Etihad Greenliner’, to be introduced early next year, will be used by both companies to explore and assess environmental sustainability […]
Velocys delivers FT reactors and catalyst for Japanese biomass-to-jet demo project
In the UK, Velocys announced it has constructed and now delivered Fischer-Tropsch (FT) reactors and catalyst to Toyo Engineering Corporation (Toyo) for use in a biomass-to-jet fuel demonstration facility in Nagoya, Japan. Toyo is currently constructing the bio-jet fuel facility as part of a consortium of Japanese companies. The order for Velocys was previously announced […]
HollyFrontier to invest $350 million in renewable diesel production
In Texas, HollyFrontier plans to construct a new renewable diesel unit (RDU) at its Artesia refinery. The RDU will have a production capacity of approximately 125 million gallons a year and allow HollyFrontier to process soybean oil and other renewable feedstocks into renewable diesel. This investment will provide HollyFrontier the opportunity to meet the demand […]
