Major Stories
Taking off: Velocys, Shell, British Airways, UK Government, New Energy Risk, Red Rock Biofuels, TCG Global, PQ, and Advanced Plasma Power figure in key renewable jet fuel project advances
New Energy Risk’s new performance insurance for TCG Global’s gasifiers and a significant project advance from Velocys in the UK are on the docket today. These companies and the news this morning are united as key project components in the Red Rock Biofuels project which breaks ground in Lakeview, Oregon next month, aiming to supply […]
The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of June 21st, 2018
The pace of invention and change is just too strong, we’ve realized, to highlight annual or even quarterly or monthly rankings and summaries of significant product and service advances. For now, we’re going to be tracking these on a weekly basis to keep pace with the changes. Here are the top innovations for the week […]
Where Are They Now?
In today’s Digest, we look at some of the industry rock star leaders of recent years who have moved on to other duties. Some have remained within the sector, in several cases in equally or more prominent roles — some are soaring with the eagles elsewhere. But they were always interesting, dynamic, sharp, worth knowing […]
Back to business: G20 energy minsters affirm drive towards renewables, innovation, cooperation
The cold snap that invaded the Patagonia resort town of San Carlos de Bariloche in recent days is fading now as the G20 Energy Ministerial wraps up and heads home. A light rain cleared the slush off the streets, and a brilliant sunset greeted those who delayed their departure until the weekend. A handful turned […]
Maine Developments – bio news mounts from the Pine Tree state
The stories are mounting and coming in from the North with the latest news from the Maine Technology Institute and Jackson Laboratory. And while super bullet proof wood is being created in another state by removing lignin and increasing wood’s density threefold and its strength elevenfold, the latest news is making us think how amazing […]
8-Slide Guides
Computational predictive biology: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Evogene
Evogene develops novel products for life science markets through the use of a unique computational predictive biology platform. Currently, the Company focuses on three key target markets: Seeds – addressing essential seed traits such as: yield, environmental stresses and resistance to insects and diseases; Ag-Chemicals – developing novel herbicides and insecticides; and Ag-Biologicals – developing […]
High-Performance: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Avantium
The company is now safely emerged from its celebrated IPO, and is embarked on the development of the first commercial plant project with its JV partner BASF — so, its been a big period and even more critical thresholds lie ahead for Avantium. Avantium’s YXY technology converts plant-based sugar into chemicals and plastics, including 2,5-furandicarboxylic […]
Succinic’s next season: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to BioAmber
BioAmber’s Mission? To be a fast growing producer of chemical intermediates that uses sugars instead of fossil fuels and sells competitively priced, sustainable chemicals with strong profit margins and the cleanest environmental footprint in the industry. In this overview of the company’s progress and promise, we’ve combined the most recent ABLC presentation by CEO Rick […]
Strategic Intent: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Novozymes
Novozymes is a world leader in biological solutions. Together with customers, partners and the global community, the company supplies innovations to the world’s leading companies across 40 markets. Best known for industrial enzymes, the company is highly active also in agriculture, biomass conversion, ethanol production and more. Here we have an illuminating look at Novozymes’ […]
Agriculturally advantaged traits: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Calyxt
Calyxt is pioneering a paradigm shift to deliver both healthier specialty food ingredients, such as healthier oils and high fiber wheat for consumers as well as agriculturally advantageous traits, such as herbicide tolerance to farmers. The technology enables Calyxt to precisely and specifically edit a plant genome to elicit the desired traits and characteristics, resulting […]
The Latest World News
Gevo signs supply agreement for alcohol-to-jet fuel with Avfuel
In Colorado, Gevo announced that it has entered into a long-term agreement to supply its renewable alcohol-to-jet fuel (ATJ) to Avfuel Corporation, effective July 1, 2018. Avfuel is a leading global supplier of aviation fuel and services to all industry consumer groups, servicing more than 3,000 locations worldwide. The Supply Agreement with Avfuel is Gevo’s […]
Thailand adjusts tax structure to promote B20 over B7
In Thailand, the government is changing the fuel tax scheme in order to make B20 cheaper than B7 to promote its consumption. A small tax will be added to B7 while the government will pick up an additional per liter subsidy financed through the Oil Fund. Promoting B20 is meant to help relieve some of […]
Local residents upset by plans to introduce biodiesel storage by United Riverhead Terminal
In New York state, local residents have come out against a proposal by United Riverhead Terminal to install biodiesel storage tanks that would allow it to blend 5% biodiesel with heating oil as required by state law as of July 1. The facility dates back to the 1950s and is currently zoned residential although it […]
WSU Tri-Cities researcher awarded $500,000 grant to study lignin
In Washington state, WSU Tri-Cities associate professor Xiao Zhang is targeting the use of lignin — a common material that makes the cell walls of plants rigid — to create affordable biofuels and bioproducts. Interested in the project, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture has granted Zhang, an associate professor […]
Indian Oil looking to invest $132.6 million in 2G ethanol plant in Uttar Pradesh
In India, the Business Standard newspaper reports that Indian Oil plans to invest $132.6 million in second-generation ethanol facility that will use crop waste, likely sugarcane, as feedstock in Uttar Pradesh. The project could end up being a joint venture between the oil company and the state’s sugar mills association. If the ethanol project doesn’t […]
R&D News
University of Michigan researchers find diverse algae species mix boosts oil yield and stability
In Michigan, a diverse mix of species improves the stability and fuel-oil yield of algal biofuel systems, as well as their resistance to invasion by outsiders, according to the findings of a federally funded outdoor study by University of Michigan researchers. U-M scientists grew various combinations of freshwater algal species in 80 artificial ponds at […]
DOE announces $40 million for 31 microbe-based research projects benefiting biofuels and bioproducts
In Washington, on June 18 the U.S. Department of Energy announced $40 million in funding for 31 projects to advance research in the development of microbes as practical platforms for the production of biofuels and other bioproducts from renewable resources. The projects will further the ongoing revolution in biology and biotechnology, and will increase our […]
Researchers find way to improve electron transfer in enzymatic biofuel cells
In Asia, team of researchers with members from institutions in Singapore, China and the U.K. has found a way to improve electron transfer in enzymatic biofuel cells. In their paper published in the journal Nature Energy, they describe their technique and how well it works. Huajie Yin and Zhiyong Tang with Griffith University in Australia […]
ORNL researchers find additional biofuel and bioproduct uses for enzymes
In Tennessee, for decades, biologists have believed a key enzyme in plants had one function—produce amino acids, which are vital to plant survival and also essential to human diets. But for Oak Ridge National Lab researchers, this enzyme does more than advertised. They had run a series of experiments on poplar plants that consistently revealed […]
Researchers create artificial leaf that converts carbon dioxide into energy and fuel
In India, researchers at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore are taking a queue from companies like LanzaTech and found a new way to create energy using carbon dioxide. By using sunlight, along with Copper Aluminum Sulphate and Zinc Sulphide, they were able to convert carbon dioxide salts into a fuel source. According to Crazy […]
Policy & Policymakers
EPA announcement reassigning waived RINs likely postponed after oil uproar
In Washington, Friday’s planned announcement by the Environmental Protection Agency administrator and the Secretary of Agriculture at a farm in Missouri on Friday that RINs waived would be re-allotted to other refineries will likely be postponed after uproar by the petroleum industry. So now the last minute deal must be rejigged but it won’t likely […]
Zimbabwe boosts ethanol blend to 20% thanks to increased supplies
In Zimbabwe, the government has pushed mandatory ethanol blending back up to 20% from the previous 15% to reflect increased supply availability of ethanol from Green Fuel. With gas prices currently running at $1.44 per liter, it is hoped that higher ethanol content will help to bring down consumer prices. Green Fuel remains the sole […]
EPA administrator believes he has statutory right to approve year-round E15
In Iowa, Reuters reports that the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency said during a charm offensive in the Midwest that he believes his agency has the statutory authority to grant year-round E15 sales, a process that would require rulemaking along with a notice and comment period. The administrator has come under heavy fire for […]
EPA says it’s on track to publish 2019 and 2020 RVOs soon
In Washington, Platts reports that the Environmental Protection Agency confirmed it is close to announcing renewable volume obligations for 2019 advanced biofuels and ethanol and 2020 requirements for biodiesel. The interagency review process should be finalized this week and the announcement will be made shortly thereafter. The agency is keeping to the established timetable in […]
Bosnian government reaches deal with fuel distributors
In Bosnia, fuel distributors in Bosnia’s autonomous Bosniak-Croat Federation agreed a deal with the regional government to cut fuel prices after drivers repeatedly blocked roads in protest against rising prices, a government minister told Reuters. The Federation government decided to take action after traffic jams disrupted life in several Bosnian cities after prices were first […]
Other Recent Articles
Forest Concepts awarded $1.8 million BETO grant to improve biomass processing
In Washington state, Forest Concepts LLC has been awarded a $1.8 million cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office to address the critical issues of poor flowability, high friction, and highly variable physical properties that have plagued the biomass industry. Biomass materials have a wide range of moisture contents that are […]
ADM and DuPont team up to develop, produce and market cellulase enzymes
In Illinois, Archer Daniels Midland Company and DuPont Industrial Biosciences announced a collaboration to develop, produce and market cellulase enzymes for operators of grain-based ethanol plants. Cellulase enzymes assist in hydrolyzing the corn kernel fiber, which consists mostly of cellulose and hemicellulose carbohydrates. Once the fiber is broken down, more sugars can be liberated and […]
ePure study shows European ethanol delivers 70% average GHG emissions savings
In Belgium, European renewable ethanol delivered an average of more than 70% greenhouse-gas savings compared to fossil fuels in 2017, according to new certified data from European ethanol producers. The number represents the latest of a string of annual increases in the climate-change-fighting potential of European ethanol, which has shown improved performance every year since […]
Brazilian Senate approves bill allowing direct hydrous ethanol sales
In Brazil, RTT News reports that the country’s Senate has given the green light for direct hydrous ethanol sales to fuel stations in a 47-2 vote but the House is yet to give its approval. The idea is to cut out middlemen in an effort to lower prices at the pump but the bill only […]
EPA could re-allocate RIN requirements during RVO announcement Friday
In Washington, Reuters reports that the Environmental Protection Agency could announce re-allotments of RIN requirements waived under the hardship waiver program to other refiners as early as Friday, a move that would reduce the potential 1.8 billion gallon ethanol glut left when smaller refiners were granted waivers. The EPA has tripled the volume of waivers […]
Growth Energy says E15 could boost ethanol demand by 350 million gallons by 2021
In Washington, more than 2,800 retail sites will offer E15 by 2021, generating approximately 350 million new ethanol gallons annually, according to a one-pager released by Growth Energy. The report touts the immense success of E15 and the accomplishments of Prime the Pump, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping build the infrastructure and distribution of […]
