Major Stories
Letter from Route 12 and the Pacific Northwest: from waste streams, a bioeconomy rising
In Washington state, there’s a new mill near the city of Dayton that is the first to use waste straw to make pulp for paper products, and biopolymers; and, a new project near Granger turning dairy waste into pipeline-quality renewable natural gas; also, a proposed project for Cosmopolis using sulfite pulp waste liquor to make […]
Letter from Europe: The Bioeconomy’s Journey to Yes through the Valley of No
In Europe this past week we’ve had European Commission’s own and massive EU Sustainability Week, the ART Fuels Forum, and the Paris Air Show, and if you were trying to get anywhere quickly along the Paris-Brussels corridor, it was a tough 7 days. It’s easy to describe the atmosphere as “electric” since much of the […]
SAF taking off in Brazil with Boeing, RSB, WWF collaboration
Boeing announced a big bucks $1 million investment into the Brazilian bioeconomy, working with WWF and RSB. But these three amigos aren’t big cowboy movie stars from the silent era, but like the comedic Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, and Martin Short, these three powerhouses realize that working together gets a heck of a lot more done than working […]
The Competitive Edge: Mercurius Biorefining
Q: What was the reason for founding your organization – what was the open niche you saw that could be addressed with a new product or service? What was the problem, or gap, or opportunity? Mercurius Biorefining, Inc. was established to produce profitable drop-in fuel (Diesel and Jet Fuel) from nonfood biomass feedstocks. Mercurius is […]
Hemp product of the year, BASF’s sun protection, saving kiwi with algae, biodegradable polyester fashion, renewable surfactants, and more: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of June 19th
As summer gets hotter, bioeconomy inventions and changes are getting hotter too. Here are the top innovations for the week of June 19th – from hemp face cream and hemp protein powder to saving the kiwifruit industry from a devastating bacteria outbreak with algae. In today’s Digest, hemp product of the year, BASF’s sun protection, […]
8-Slide Guides
Magnificent Methanogens: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Trelys
Trelys’ technology is based on the bioconversion of hydrogen and carbon dioxide using methanogenic archaea. While Trelys is currently focusing on feed amino acids, this technology provides an avenue to a wide variety of products and we got a sneak peek into some of those. David Anton, CEO from Trelys offered this revealing presentation on […]
Fighting Forest Fires with Biofuels: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Red Rock Biofuels
Red Rock Biofuels produces drop-in, renewable, low-carbon jet and diesel fuels. RRB makes the long-commercialized Fischer-Tropsch process economic at the biomass scale. By using forest and sawmill residues, Red Rock reduces the risk of catastrophic wildfires by removing waste biomass from overgrown forests. Terry Kulesa, CEO of Red Rock Biofuels revealed details on their process […]
Renewable Polymer Plant: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Avantium
Avantium, a renewable chemicals company, develops and commercializes biobased plastics, chemicals, and fuels. The company offers polyethylene furanoate (PEF), a biobased and recyclable polymer that is used in various applications, such as packaging of soft drinks, water, alcoholic beverages, fruit juices, and food and non-food products. Marcel Lubben, Managing Director of Avantium, shared the latest […]
Hawaii’s Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot!: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Tropical Feedstocks
The University of Hawai’i is on top of the latest research on Hawaii’s tropical agriculture, its hot zone and tropical feedstocks for the bioeconomy. Peter Matlock, Strategic Advisor for Aviation Fuels and Special Projects for Joint BioEnergy Institute and who is developing the Institute for Tropical BioEconomy at the University of Hawaii, Hilo, gave this […]
Not Just for Go/No-Go Decisions: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Due Diligence for Bioeconomy Projects
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 and others from LEC gave this illuminating presentation on due diligence in the bioeconomy, how it varies depending on the nature and stage of the project, how due diligence fits […]
The Latest World News
Australia’s Toowoomba tires-to-fuels plant in jeopardy after Govt no-no’s $5M grant
In Australia, Green Distillation Technologies is advising that a decision by the Queensland Government to not support a Resource Recovery Grant for the proposed Toowoomba tyre recycling plant has placed the project in jeopardy. “The tyre recycling plant was planned to be built at the Wellcamp Business Park based on our world-first Australian technology that […]
Chevron, CalBio, California dairy farmers partner for renewable compressed natural gas
In California, Chevron, California BioEnergy (CalBio) and California dairy farmers will deploy digesters on dairy farms to create renewable compressed natural gas (R-CNG), a clean vehicle fuel. Under the partnership, Chevron funding will bolster R-CNG infrastructure investments while helping bring the fuel to market in California. The project aims to unlock new income streams for […]
Aromyx raises $3M in seed round, has the company cracked the code for sensing taste, smells?
In California, Aromyx has closed a $3M Series Seed equity financing round. The round was led by Ulu Ventures with participation from Rationalwave Capital Partners, Merus Capital, CE Venture Capital, Stanford University and Radicle Growth. The investment will be used to grow the scientific team, as well as to continue to execute on a number […]
Global Bioenergies raises €17m for Isobutene advances
In France, Global Bioenergies successfully closed its capital increase, launched on 20 June 2019 and conducted through a public offer without preferential subscription rights and without priority subscription period for shareholders (the “Offer”), for a total amount (issue premium included) of approximately €17m. With the addition capital, the company will complete the development of the […]
US Senators urge EPA to update ethanol science
In South Dakota, a group of bipartisan Senators sent a letter urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to publicly announce its intent to review and incorporate the latest “Greenhouse gas and Regulated Emissions and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) modeling into an updated life cycle assessment for corn ethanol. U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) […]
R&D News
Biochips ready for Next-Gen Sequencing: researchers
In Washington, a group of researchers from Seoul National University have explored the role of biochips in driving next-generation sequencing. Biochips are essentially tiny laboratories designed to function inside living organisms, and they are driving next-generation DNA sequencing technologies. This powerful combination is capable of solving unique and important biological problems, such as single-cell, rare-cell […]
DOE looking for nominations for Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee
In Washington, the Department of Energy has called for nominations to its Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee, applications for which are due on June 30. Nominations this year are needed for the following categories in order to address the Committee’s needs: (D) 2 prominent engineers or scientists from government (non-federal) or academia that […]
Fanshawe receives nearly C$2 million to establish bioeconomy center
In Canada, Fanshawe has received nearly C$2 million over five years from the Government of Canada to establish a research hub focused on the agri-food industry. With this funding, Fanshawe will establish the Centre for Bioeconomy within the recently opened Centre for Advanced Research and Innovation in Biotechnology (CARIB). While federal and provincial policy looks […]
NREL’s new nitrides could prove useful for many applications
In Washington, D.C., scientists at NREL; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL); University of Colorado, Boulder (CU); and other partner institutions around the country created a large stability map of the ternary nitrides, highlighting nitride compositions where experimental discovery is promising, and other compositions where nitride formation would be unlikely. For chemists attempting to create new […]
Iowa State University researchers find biochar ideal for slow-release fertilizer
In Iowa, Iowa State University researchers weren’t looking for a slow-release fertilizer that could feed crops while protecting water quality, but they may have found one. Researchers looking to add value to biochar – a solid, porous co-product of heating corn stalks and other sources of biomass to produce liquid bio-oil in a process called […]
Policy & Policymakers
NBB to EPA’s Wheeler: Refinery exemptions destroying demand for biodiesel, renewable diesel
In Washington, The National Biodiesel Board advised EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler in a letter of economic damage to the biodiesel and renewable diesel industry from the agency’s retroactive small refinery exemptions under the Renewable Fuel Standard. The letter takes issue with the Administrator’s recent comment that the approval of year-round E15 sales will make up […]
Senators call on EPA to update outdated environmental analysis on ethanol
In Washington, U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), both members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, led a bipartisan group of senators urging the EPA to update an outdated environmental analysis on ethanol in order to improve foreign sales opportunities. ‘During the past five years, ethanol has been the […]
NBB tells EPA that small refinery exemptions hurting biodiesel too
In Washington, the National Biodiesel Board sent a letter to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, highlighting the economic damage to the biodiesel and renewable diesel industry from the agency’s retroactive small refinery exemptions under the Renewable Fuel Standard. The letter takes issue with the Administrator’s recent comment that the approval of year-round E15 sales will make […]
Trump asks EPA to review expansion of biofuel waivers
In Washington, D.C., back from his Midwest tour hearing from frustrated corn farmers and biofuel industry representatives, President Trump requested that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency review the expanded use of waivers that exempt small refineries from the Renewable Fuel Standard. According to Reuters, sources said that as soon as Trump returned from the Midwest […]
National Corn Growers Association airs ads asking Trump to stop letting EPA give away hardship waivers
In Washington, National Corn Growers Association has begun airing an advertisement calling on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to follow President Trump’s commitment to farmers and stop giving Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) waivers to big oil companies. These waivers negatively impact farmers by undercutting the RFS and reducing corn demand. The ad features NCGA First […]
Other Recent Articles
Del Taco adds Beyond Burritos after Beyond Taco sales hit 2MM mark
In California, Del Taco said that it will introduce Beyond Burritos after huge sales for the new Beyond Taco product utilizing Beyond Meat’s alternative meat products. “The enthusiasm shown by our fans during the first weeks of our Beyond Meat offerings was undeniable,” said John Cappasola, President and Chief Executive Officer of Del Taco. “To […]
Epitome Energy’s biodiesel plan set back a year after city’s loan deal falls through
In Minnesota, Epitome Energy’s hopes for a speedy build to its proposed soybean crushing and biodiesel production facility in Crookston has seen a setback following legal scrutiny on a $1.25 million interest-free loan agreed to by the city council. The loan would breech statutory limits on business subsidies for the community that has just $3 […]
Analysts see Brazilian mills boosting use of cane towards even more ethanol in H1 June
In Brazil, a Platts survey reports that a survey of analysts estimates mills shifted their cane crush even more towards ethanol during the first half of June, an increase of 1.4 percentage points to 64.1% of the total 42.9 million metric tons of cane they expect were crushed during the period. A total of 2.11 […]
Irish agriculture minister cautious about biogas plans due to seasonality of feedstock
In Ireland, Agriland reports that the country’s agriculture minister is taking a wait-and-see attitude towards the development of a biogas industry to fuel public transport in major cities like Dublin, saying that the level of subsidy required to get production off the ground and to commercial scale might not be the best use of funds. […]
Brazilian mega-giant Odebrecht granted bankruptcy protection
In Brazil, Reuters reports that corporate giant Odebrecht filed for bankruptcy protection last week which was approved the next day by a judge so it could start restructuring $13 billion in debt, one of the largest in-court bankruptcies in all of Latin America. The company won’t be letting go of its stakes in ethanol producer […]
Indian car manufacturers look at E10, E20 and M3 but later than government wants it
In India, the Press Trust of India reports that the country’s automobile manufacturers association is calling for E10 and 3% methanol blending (M3) by 2025 not only for passenger vehicles but also for two-wheeled vehicles. In a white paper it released recently, the Society for Indian Automobile Manufacturers said that it could work to develop […]
