Major Stories
Plant and algae-based tuna, lignin plastic alternative, rice husks in architecture, seaweed T-shirt and lube, jute and kenaf composites and more: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of March 21st
The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of March 21st In today’s Digest, plant and algae-based tuna, lignin plastic alternative, rice husks in architecture, seaweed T-shirt and lube, jute and kenaf composites — these and more, ready for you now at The […]
Brazil’s GranBio Acquires USA’s American Process
Acquisitions are often big news but the latest announcement of Brazil-based GranBio’s acquisition of Georgia-based American Process Inc. is particularly fascinating. The acquisition of American Process Inc’s technologies, intellectual property portfolio and physical assets strengthens GranBio’s market position in the deployment of highly competitive industrial processes for conversion of biomass to renewable fuels, chemicals, and […]
Biomanufacturing as a Service: Culture Biosciences lands Series A for its bioreactors accessed via the Cloud
In California, a new company has launched called Culture Biosciences and today we’d like to take you inside it. It’s a story about making the bioeconomy radically more efficient at the point of developing and deploying product, by offering Biomanufacturing-as-a-Service. This month, Culture Bio, based in the industrial biotech hub of South San Francisco, nabbed […]
Light My Fire and prickly pear bioplastics, biobased paraxylene, black phosphorus biocomposite, Tide and Terracycle’s eco-box and more: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of March 14th
The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of March 14th. In today’s Digest, Light My Fire and prickly pear bioplastics, biobased paraxylene, black phosphorus biocomposite, Tide and Terracycle’s eco-box. #1 Light My Fire moves entire product line to biobased plastics In Sweden, […]
Hot 50: The Best Photo votes for March 2019
Here are our 30 favorite Photo Votes submitted in the past month in the 50 Hottest Companies in the Advanced Bioeconomy voting, which concludes March 15th.
8-Slide Guides
Disruptive Technologies: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Praj Industries
Praj Industries is an end-to-end solutions provider in the ethanol arena from concept to commissioning and feedstock handling to effluent treatment. They have technology and engineering solutions for biofuels, biochemicals and water. Dr. Pramod Kumbhar, Chief Technology Officer at Praj Industries offers this illuminating overview of their latest achievements and developments including bench and pilot […]
Methane to Chemicals: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to iMicrobes
Industrial Microbes upgrades methane to various multi-carbon chemicals using synthetic biology. Noah Helman, CSO and Co-Founder of iMicrobes gave this illuminating overview of methane as a feedstock, the breakthrough in active MMO in E.coli that has allowed easier methane to methanol conversion, and more at ABLC Global 2018 in San Francisco
Biomass for Bioenergy: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to IEA Bioenergy
International Energy Agency is 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 Australia, and Task Leader for the IEA Bioenergy Task on Biomass Supply, gave this illuminating overview […]
Beginning with the End in Mind: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Due Diligence
Lee Enterprises Consulting is the world’s largest bioeconomy consulting group with over 100 subject matter experts (SME’s) in all areas of the bioeconomy. Doug Rivers, Ph.D., from Sunflwr Consulting and a member of Lee Enterprises Consulting, offers this overview of considerations for due diligence, figuring out where your technology readiness level is, risk mitigation tips, […]
Disruptive Technologies: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Praj Industries
Praj Industries is an end-to-end solutions provider in the ethanol arena from concept to commissioning and feedstock handling to effluent treatment. They have technology and engineering solutions for biofuels, biochemicals and water. Dr. Pramod Kumbhar, Chief Technology Officer at Praj Industries offers this illuminating overview of their latest achievements and developments including bench and pilot […]
The Latest World News
Philippines plastic manufacture goes bio with starch-based biodegradable plastics
In the Philippines, D&L Industries, a food and plastic input manufacturer, has launched a new product in partnership with Japanese firm Showa Denko as an alternative to the conventional plastic bag. The new product is the Bionolle Starcla, an environmentally-friendly bag made from 100% plant-based materials. Bionolle Starcla is a starch-based biopolymer that can be […]
GoodFuels teams with VARO Energy subsidiary for biodiesel for deep-sea vessels
In the Netherlands, GoodFuels is on a roll with yet another announcement, this time that VARO Energy subsidiary REINPLUS FIWADO Bunker and GoodFuels have extended their partnership to improve availability of bio fuel oil (BFO) to deep sea vessels leaving from Rotterdam, the companies have announced. The new deep sea proposition, which will help to […]
Ethanol production falls only slightly despite Midwest floods
In Washington, Platts reports that Energy Information Administration data shows that despite flooding across the Midwest that has inhibited flow of ethanol and feedstock as well as production in some cases, as well as those who have idled production due to low prices, production only fell by 2,000 b/d last week to an average of […]
EPA looking at issuing partial hardship waivers for some of the 39 applications received in 2018
In Washington, Reuters reports that the Environmental Protection Agency has decided to compromise on the issue of hardship waivers for small oil refineries, deciding it will issue partial waivers for some of the 39 applications it received for 2018 compliance. Only once has the EPA granted a partial waiver in the past and that was […]
ICCT report says policies must not “pervert” in their attempts to support aviation biofuels
In Germany, the International Council on Clean Transportation has released a new working paper that says that policies supporting the use of cellulosic and other waste stocks would do more to support the efficient development of aviation biofuels rather than directly prioritizing the use of aviation biofuel which it says can create perverse incentives by […]
R&D News
Chinese researchers develop energy-dense aviation biofuel from cellulosic feedstock
In China, researchers at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics have developed an energy-dense drop-in aviation biofuel using cellulosic feedstocks that they say will allow planes to fly further than using conventional aviation fuel, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions during takeoff and landing. With 10% more energy density than conventional aviation fuel, the researchers […]
University of Finland research develops device to measure radioactive methane
In Finland, a researcher at the University of Finland has taken a first step towards creating a precise measuring device for radioactive methane. The new method is an optical one based on spectroscopy. Previously, radioactive methane has been measured with accelerator mass spectrometry, involving expensive and huge machines. Optical measuring could be a cheaper and […]
Berkeley Lab researchers show sustainable aviation biofuel can be competitive with A1 Jet
In California, a new analysis by scientists at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) shows that sustainable plant-based bio-jet fuels could provide a competitive alternative to conventional petroleum fuels if current development and scale-up initiatives continue to push ahead successfully. “Techno-economic analysis and life-cycle greenhouse gas mitigation cost of five routes to […]
Slovenia’s BioApp to become research focal point for developing smart biomass materials with Italy
In Slovenia, ERDF-funded BioApp platform has become the focal point for research ideas on developing smart biomass materials in the cross-border region of Slovenia and Italy. The EU produces over 25 tons of plastic waste every year. In response, Slovenian and Italian scientists have joined forces to develop the BioApp platform with funding from the […]
High-level switches that control wood formation have applications in biofuels
In North Carolina, researchers at North Carolina State University uncovered how a complex network of transcription factors switch wood formation genes on and off, which has applications for modifying wood properties for timber, paper and biofuels, as well as making forest trees more disease- and pest-resistant. The new study upends ideas about transcriptional regulatory networks […]
Policy & Policymakers
Bolivia gives green light and $2 billion support for GM soy to produce biodiesel
In Bolivia, Spain’s EFE news agency reports that the government has deregulated the use of GM soy on 250,000 acres as well as $2 billion funding for funding and infrastructure so farmers may grow feedstock in the Santa Cruz region as feedstock for biodiesel production. Droughts and floods have caused more than $168 million in […]
Brazil will only extend ethanol quota for US if US takes more sugar
In Washington, Reuters reports that Brazil and the US haven’t made progress on negotiations regarding a renewal of the ethanol quota for US exports to Brazil that expires in a few months due to Washington’s lack of interest in negotiating further sugar market access in exchange. The Brazilian agriculture minister told Reuters in an interview […]
Malaysia wants EU to suspend anit-palm oil policy until its scientific voracity can be proven
In Malaysia, the Bernama news agency reports that the country’s palm oil council says the European Union’s sustainability criteria for biofuels banning the oil’s use due to allegedly high indirect land use change impacts should be suspended until the ILUC rule can be proven to be scientifically-based and non-discriminatory. In response to the EU’s rule […]
US-Brazil trade tensions could rise over ethanol TRQ issue
In Washington, MercoPress reports that the US won’t budge on allowing Brazil to export more limes that are facing phytosanitary trade barriers until the issue of the ethanol import quota and tariff is dealt with. When US ethanol exports pass 150 million liters per quarter, a 30% tariff is slapped on them, which US ethanol […]
Malaysia joins Indonesia with WTO threats to the EU over palm oil
In Malaysia, over the weekend, the government threatened to challenge the European Union via the World Trade Organization if the EU continues to phase out palm oil from transportation fuel. Malaysia’s foreign ministry responded to the EU’s plan to phase out palm oil that was published on Wednesday as a “calculated political act” aimed at […]
Other Recent Articles
Biopower prototype under development to use cocoa waste for rural Ghana
In Ghana, the UK’s University of Nottingham has teamed with the Ghana Cocoa Board and a local university to develop a biopower prototype that will use cocoa waste as feedstock. With only 15% of rural Ghanaians having access to power, the small-scale unit costing $50,000 to build could be a real game changer in cocoa-growing […]
Port of Seattle and Washington state coalesce for sustainable aviation fuels
By Fred Felleman, Port of Seattle Commissioner Special to The Digest Despite our reputation as environmentally progressive and determined protectors of the climate, Washington state has not kept up with its neighbors to the north and south when it comes to a clean fuel standard or supply. We know how to make the fuel. Washington […]
New study shows biofuels accounts for nearly 3% of Iowa’s GDP
In Iowa, a new study by ABF Economics and commissioned by IRFA shows biofuels create 48,000 Iowa jobs more than $2.5 billion in Iowa household income and that found that biofuels account for over $5 billion of Iowa’s GDP, or roughly three percent. While the study found the ‘importance of the biofuels industry to agriculture […]
GoodFuels fuels first inland vessel from CCT on 100% biofuel
In the Netherlands, GoodFuels and partner REINPLUS FIWADO Bunker have fueled the ‘For Ever’, the first inland vessel from Combined Cargo Terminals (CCT) that runs fully on 100% sustainable biofuel. With this delivery feasibility of using 100% sustainable biofuels in inland vessels is demonstrated – thereby realizing a significant CO2-reduction. Up to a sustainable course […]
Midwest storms wreak havoc on ethanol trade and potentially production
In Nebraska, Platts reports that last week’s major storm that saw flooding and blizzards across the Midwest lead to major disruptions of ethanol supplies around the region as well as getting product to deficit markets on the coasts and in the southern states, with trouble especially for western states. Disruptions to rail lines appears to […]
Zimbabwe Bio Energy still on the docks after a decade under development
In Zimbabwe, the Development Trust of Zimbabwe is still working to develop a joint venture project with Cutstar Investments for an 100,000-acre sugarcane project aimed at ethanol production called Zimbabwe Bio Energy, located at Nuanetsi Ranch. The project was first announced back in 2008 and in 2010 South African press reported about initiatives to relocate […]
