Major Stories
Biofuel made from roadkill, cardboard café, wheat straw transformed to isobutene, 3D printed biobricks, algae plastic, and more: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of April 25th
The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of April 25th. In today’s Digest, biofuel made from roadkill, cardboard café, wheat straw transformed to isobutene, 3D printed biobricks, algae plastic — these and more, ready for you now at The Digest online. #1 […]
Earth Day 2019 – A look at carbon negative and carbon capture technologies, advancements, and possibilities
Some of us were born already, some of us just a twinkle in someone’s eye, but 49 years ago history was made with the very first Earth Day. What was a nationwide celebration and peaceful demonstrations for environmental reform in the U.S. by some estimated 20 million Americans, Earth Day events have now expanded to […]
Circular economies, from California to Sweden: Neste’s wheeling, rolling, moving, flowing
In California, waste feedstock from the city of Oakland is now being converted to Neste MY Renewable Diesel and fuels the city’s fleet. The city, Neste, fuel distributor Western States Oil and local collectors for used cooking oil joined forces to gather waste cooking oils from restaurants and other businesses in the Oakland metropolitan area […]
Beyond beef with no cow, sunflower crop waste for phone cases and binders, BASF’s bioactives from rambutan tree, repurposing wastewater algae, Nouryon’s biopolymer for hair care, and more: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of April 17th
The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of April 17th. In today’s Digest, beyond beef with no cow, sunflower crop waste for phone cases and binders, BASF’s bioactives from rambutan tree, repurposing wastewater algae, Nouryon’s biopolymer for hair care — these and […]
Queensland’s quest for a circular bioeconomy
It’s the land of the Queen, and Queensland, Australia is investing big in the bioeconomy. Named in honor of Queen Victoria who allowed separation of the colony from New South Wales back in 1859, it’s now the 2nd largest and 3rd most populous state in Australia. With over 5 million people, it’s often called the […]
8-Slide Guides
All About the Enzymes: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to METGEN
METGEN designs and markets novel enzymatic solutions for challenging and large industry sectors to meet specific customer needs. MetGen’s enzymes – MetZyme – are industrial, highly-active, natural catalysts that accelerate chemical reactions. They can survive in harsh industrial environments which enables novel applications and combination with other enzymes. MetGen uses advances in genetic engineering and […]
The Power of Protein: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Perfect Day
Perfect Day is giving cows around the world the perfect day to live happily with its cow-free dairy. Perfect Day’s technology developed a biomanufacturing platform to make key dairy ingredients – all without animals. Tim Geistlinger, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer at Perfect Day gave this illuminating overview of how they are creating animal-free dairy, disrupting […]
Power of Biology for Algae Biofuels: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Synthetic Genomics
Synthetic Genomics is a San Diego biotechnology company harnessing the power of living cells — nature’s most efficient machines — to create transformative medicines and bio-based products. Their teams of data and biological engineers have developed the leading set of synthetic biology capabilities, tools, and intellectual property to design and build biological systems. Michele Rubino, […]
REACHing for the stars: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Mercurius Biorefining
Mercurius Biorefining is developing its novel REACH process, which converts cellulosic biomass to hydrocarbons in the renewable diesel, aviation, and marine fuel ranges. Valuable by-products include bio-char and a bio-plastic monomer, FDCA. REACH (Renewable Acid-hydrolysis Condensation Hydrotreating) is a novel application of proven technologies which is both feedstock- and product-flexible. Sources of potential feedstock include […]
Putting CO₂ Emissions to Work: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Opus 12
Opus 12 has developed a device that recycles CO₂ into cost-competitive chemicals and fuels. Their technology bolts onto any source of CO₂ emissions, and with only water and electricity as inputs, transforms that CO₂ into some of the world’s most critical chemical products. Opus 12 was one of six clean energy startups selected from around […]
The Latest World News
Whitefox Technologies installs fifth ICE™ system
In Wisconsin, Whitefox Technologies Limited is proud to announce its fifth successful installation and start-up of its Whitefox ICE™ system at Ace Ethanol’s plant in Stanley, Wisconsin. One-third of all Wisconsin ethanol plants now have a Whitefox ICE™ system installed. Whitefox’s membrane solution is a key part of a wider project that will integrate with […]
Keystone Biofuels and co-owners found guilty of RIN fraud
In Pennsylvania, following a 14-day jury trial in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Ben T. Wootton, of Enola, Pennsylvania, and Race A. Miner, of Buena Vista, Colorado, were found guilty of one count of conspiracy to make false statements to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), six counts of making false statements to the EPA, one count of conspiracy […]
RFA first biofuel organization to join Field to Market
In Washington, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) announced that it has joined Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, a leading multi-stakeholder initiative working to unite the agricultural supply chain in defining, measuring and advancing the sustainability of food, fiber and fuel production in the United States. As an active member of Field to […]
Novozymes’ Q1 hit hard by Midwest flooding
In Denmark, Reuters reports that this winter’s heaving flooding in the US’s Midwest that knocked out significant ethanol production negatively impacted Novozymes’ Q1 bioenergy-based sales, losses which the company’s CEO doesn’t see as possible to recuperate later in the year. About 13% of the country’s total ethanol production capacity was impacted by the floods. Q1 […]
CONAB sees 2018/19 Brazilian ethanol production at record high of 33.58 billion liters
In Brazil, the Brazil-Arab news agency reports that CONAB estimates the 2018/19 crop will end with record ethanol production, jumping more than 23% on the year to 33.58 billion liters, above the previous record of 30.5 billion liters in 2015/16 crop. Overall cane production for the year fell about 1.3% to 625.2 million metric tons […]
R&D News
University of Illinois researchers develop way of using glycerol to reduce energy consumption of waste-based biofuel production
In Illinois, University of Illinois chemical engineers have assessed the technical and economic feasibility of a new electrolysis technology that uses a cheap biofuel byproduct to reduce the energy consumption of the waste-to-value process by 53 percent. The new findings are published in the journal Nature Energy. The new study proposes glycerol—an organic byproduct of […]
NTU Singapore researchers develop way to boost oil seed yield by up to 15%
In Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) scientists have developed a sustainable way to demonstrate a new genetic modification that can increase the yield of natural oil in seeds by up to 15 per cent in laboratory conditions. The new method can be applied to crops such as canola, soybean and sunflower, which are […]
Duke University researchers develop robotic system that sniffs ethanol leaks
In North Carolina, engineers at Duke University are developing a smart robotic system for sniffing out pollution hotspots and sources of toxic leaks. Their approach enables a robot to incorporate complex calculations of airflows in confined spaces made on the fly, rather than simply guide the robot to ‘follow its nose’. Their approach combines physics-based […]
NTU scientists discover sustainable way to increase seed oil yield in crops
In Singapore, Nanyang Technological University scientists developed a sustainable way to demonstrate a new genetic modification that can increase the yield of natural oil in seeds by up to 15 per cent in laboratory conditions. The new method can be applied to crops such as canola, soybean and sunflower, which are in a multi-billion dollar […]
WPI researchers develop novel process to produce isobutanol cheaper
In Massachusetts, taking a step closer to a “green” replacement for fossil fuels, a research team that includes a chemical engineer at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has developed a novel process using an unusual solvent and an exotic microorganism that may make it possible to manufacture isobutanol and other biofuels more economically. In a paper […]
Policy & Policymakers
Nevada looks to add 5 cent tax on biodiesel and renewable diesel as well as fossil diesel
In Nevada, biodiesel and renewable diesel are included in the proposed legislation that would see a 5 cent per gallon tax lobbed on diesel by rural counties starting Jan. 1, 2020. The bill has passed the state’s senate and will now move onto the assembly for passage. Funds raised by the taxes in areas with […]
More than 25,000 comments received so far for EPA’s proposed E15 rule
In Washington, with less than a week left before the public comment period closes, more than 25,000 comments have been received on the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rule to allow year-round E15 blending under the 1-psi Reid Vapor Pressure waiver. The proposed rule was published on March 21 and the agency expects to be able […]
National Farmers Union worried proposed EPA rule will make it harder to sell higher ethanol blends
In Washington, as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) works towards allowing year-round use of E15 gasoline, National Farmers Union (NFU) is concerned EPA’s proposed rule will make it harder for retailers to sell higher level blends of ethanol. In a letter to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, NFU President Roger Johnson urged EPA to rewrite […]
EPA Reopens REGS Rule to Address SREs
In Washington, D.C., the Renewable Fuels Association reports that on April 11, EPA initiated the process for reviving one provision within the Nov. 2016 Renewables Enhancement and Growth Support (REGS) rule in an effort to provide more transparency regarding small refinery exemptions (SREs) from the RFS program. EPA had proposed to codify a determination that […]
Minnesota state legislature closer to investing in Crookston biodiesel facility
In Minnesota, funding for a soybean crush and biodiesel facility in Crookston has passed a key hurdle in the Minnesota legislature. The proposed Soy Innovation Campus at the University of Minnesota Crookston will receive $5 million in funding as part of a bill authored by Sen. Torrey Westrom (R-Elbow Lake), who chairs the Senate Agriculture, […]
Other Recent Articles
Advanced Biofuels Association seeks preliminary injunction against EPA over SREs
In Washington, the Advanced Biofuels Association (ABFA) filed a motion on Wednesday for a preliminary injunction to prevent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler from granting any additional small refinery exemptions (SREs) to release obligated parties from compliance with the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) until the resolution of its pending lawsuit against EPA. […]
New Energy Risk provides performance insurance to allow for financing of plastics-to-fuel project
In California, New Energy Risk has provided RES Polyflow, a leading plastics-to-fuel technology company, with a performance insurance program for its ground-breaking Ashley, Indiana plant. The project will be the United States’ first commercial-scale plastics-to-fuel project. Once completed, the facility will convert 100,000 tons of plastic into 18 million gallons of fuel and six million […]
Royal Farms and Protec complete first phase of project through E85 implementation
In Maryland, Royal Farms and Protec Fuel Management, LLC (Protec) announced the completion of the first phase in a sustainability initiative designed to offer customers renewable fuel options that save money and dramatically reduce pollution with E85 Flex Fuel and Regular 88. The new fuels are the latest addition to Royal Farms’ ongoing sustainability efforts […]
SEKAB to provide technology for planned Nordfuel biorefinery
In Finland, the Nordfuel biorefinery is planned to open in Northern Finland in 2021, producing bioethanol and biofuel from soft wood residues, following an investment of EUR150 million. Swedish clean-tech company SEKAB E-Technology will provide the technology. Since March this year, SEKAB is demonstrating the Celluapp technology and the specific forest residue that will be […]
Marquis backs out of planned $500 million Illinois ethanol plant citing pending legislation
In Illinois, local press reports that Marquis Inc. has pulled the plug on its planned $500 million ethanol plant in Scott County ahead of a deadline at the end of the month to release its options on 800 acres of land for the project. In a press release, the company’s CEO reported said that pending […]
Pacific Biodiesel unveils Maui’s first industrial hemp farm
In Hawaii, Maui Now reports that Pacific Biodiesel unveiled the island’s first commercial hemp farm on Earth Day following three years of jumping through legal hoops to get permission to grow the crop. Hemp covers 10 acres as part of the company’s wider 150-acre biofuel crop site that includes it’s now-famous sunflower farm. Although the […]
