Major Stories
Trash to Cash – New Anellotech Technology Tackles Plastics Pollution by Recycling Plastic Waste Into Chemicals
In New York, breaking news arrived that Anellotech is significantly expanding its program with Plas-TCat, a new process technology aiming to convert a wide range of plastic waste directly into chemicals – which can then be used to make new, virgin plastics. 95% of plastic packaging material is annually lost to the economy after a […]
The Competitive Edge: GlobalYeast
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? Industrial fermentation is at the core of advanced bio economy. Fermentation is known for its versatility, but also for the […]
Compostable coffee capsules, banana waste bioplastic, cocoa husk chocolate wrappers, cactus leather, and more: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of December 4th
The holiday season is in full gear for some and this means coming up with gifts for family and friends. For The Digest readers this week, there is no dearth of biobased alternatives to consider like leather alternative made from cactus which the entrepreneurs creatively named Desserto, or some sweet chocolate by an Indian-based chocolatier […]
Voting opens for the 50 Hottest Companies in the Advanced Bioeconomy 2020
http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07egrk4y2ek3nrl2p7/start Out of thousands of eligible organizations, who will make the Hot 50– who will get your vote? In Florida, The Digest announced the official opening of voting for the 50 Hottest Companies in the Advanced Bioeconomy for 2020. Voting Rules Voting is open to all registered subscribers of The Digest and invited selectors. […]
Avantium secures $27.5M funding for FDCA flagship plant
In the Netherlands, Avantium secured a significant financial milestone of €25 million (about USD $27.5 million) in its mission to fund its FDCA flagship plant. Thanks to this grant, Avantium are well on the road to make plant-based FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid) and PEF (polyethylene furanoate) commercially available and represents an important financing milestone for Avantium. […]
8-Slide Guides
On the Road to Success from Research to Product: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Cyclotron Road
Cyclotron Road is a partnership between the non-profit Activate.org and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab to empower scientists to advance their technologies from concept to first product through a fellowship program. It’s a home for hard tech innovators. Companies like Opus 12, MicroByre, Visolis, CinderBio, and others had their beginnings in Cyclotron Road, according to Tom […]
Enzymes Bring Biomass Value: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to MetGen’s Enzymes
Tailored hydrolysis enzymes have many benefits for biomass, especially since it’s a soup of the day and each unique substrate is a combination of feedstock. MetGen has this covered with their production strains and processes that streamline the chemo-enzymatic route to bioplastics and platform chemicals. Alex Michine, CEO at MetGen, gave this illuminating presentation at […]
The Thump at the Pump: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Gasoline vs. Ethanol
The debate of who rules – ethanol or gasoline – has been going on seemingly forever. Why does this debate drive everyone nuts? Which has the lower energy density? Which has the lower mileage? Does range really matter? What’s octane worth? Is there an octane sweet spot? E0 vs. E10, or how about E10 vs. […]
The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to “What’s holding back Advanced Biofuels?”
Advanced liquid biofuels play an important role in the low-carbon pathway for the transport sector laid out by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). IRENA’s low-carbon pathway to 2050 calls for a fivefold increase in consumption of biofuels, from 130 billion litres in 2016 to almost 650 billion litres in 2050. This means that new […]
Fuel from MSW and Biomass: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Velocys’ Aviation Fuel
For 17 years, Velocys has been working on XTL projects and their FT technology has operated on syngas derived from natural gas, landfill gas, coal and biomass. Philipp Stratmann, VP Biofuels at Velocys shared the latest from Velocys at the recent IATA Sustainable Aviation Fuel Symposium. Check out his slides to see how they are […]
The Latest World News
MSC says is first to use 30% biofuel blending in sea vesssels
In the Netherlands, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) says the company has started to use biofuel in its vessels calling in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Following successful trials with biofuel blends earlier this year, MSC has decided to continue bunkering responsibly sourced biofuel blends on a routine basis. The trials were completed with a minimal 10% […]
BPCL’s 2G ethanol plant in Odisha seen commissioned by end-2020
In India, the Denton Daily newspaper reports that BPCL’s second-generation ethanol plant under construction in Odisha should be commissioned by the end of next year, ramping up to produce 30 million liters of ethanol annually from rice straw. Burning of rice straw has caused major air pollution challenges in India, culminating in suffocating New Delhi […]
Thailand to phase out subsidies on biodiesel and E10-E85 blends
In Thailand, the Bangkok Post newspaper reports that Energy Fund Administration Institute plans to stop subsidizing E85 sometime in 2020 after a decade of trying to get motors to use the fuel. The agency is also planning to roll back subsidies on 10% and 20% ethanol blends as well as biodiesel. With the subsidies in […]
Platts survey shows Brazil ethanol production through H2 November at 672 million liters
In Brazil, Platts reports that its survey of analysts shows ethanol production through H1 November to be 672 million liters against its own estimates of 630 million liters and UNICA’s estimate of 712 million liters. As the sugarcane crush winds down, analysts estimate slightly more than 75% of the 10.58 million metric tons of cane […]
Lack of state cabinet holding up permission for 15 mills to start ethanol production from heavy-B molasses
In India, the Indian Express newspaper reports that 15 sugar mills in Maharashtra who had planned to divert sugar production towards ethanol through the use of heavy-B molasses are still waiting for permission to start producing ethanol. It is taking longer than expected for the state to finalize its cabinet who needs to sign off […]
R&D News
Göteborg Energi and Siemens take next steps in converting CHP plant to biofuels
In Sweden, by 2030, the ambition is that all district heating in Gothenburg, Sweden, will be produced by renewable or recovered energy sources. With this in mind Göteborg Energi and Siemens have come together in a cooperation agreement with the aim of testing state-of-the-art gas turbine technology that enables the operation of renewable fuels in […]
AMOÉBA publishes complete genomic analysis of an amoeba
In France, AMOÉBA, producer of a biological biocide, capable of eliminating bacterial risk in water and human wounds, and a biocontrol product for plant protection, reports the complete sequencing and genome analysis of the Willaertia magna C2c Maky amoeba. The project was completed with the collaboration with the Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire de Méditerranée Infection in Marseille. […]
TERI findings changing biodiesel production process can reduce tailpipe emissions
In India, changing the process of producing biodiesel could help reduce tailpipe emissions of nanoparticles, contributing to improving air quality, according to a collaborative study by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), the Finnish Meteorological Institute, and Tampere University, Finland. TERI, supported by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) of GoI, and the Finnish research collaboration […]
Yale researchers convert CO2 and water into methanol with electricity
In New Jersey, Yale researchers developed a catalyst that converts carbon dioxide and water into methanol using electricity. It’s a type of catalyst called a heterogeneous molecular electrocatalyst — “heterogeneous” because it’s a solid catalyst material operating in a liquid electrolyte, and “molecular” because the active site of the catalyst is a molecular structure. Researchers […]
Argonne researchers find clues to how much corn stover required for healthy soil
In Illinois, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory are conducting pivotal research that will help keep soil healthy now and into the future. Scientists have long known that corn residue or stover — meaning the aboveground portions of the corn plant remaining after harvest — plays a critical role in […]
Policy & Policymakers
European Commission extends biodiesel AD duties on Indonesia for five years
In Belgium, Bloomberg reports that the European Commission is published in its Official Journal the five year extension on anti-dumping duties for Indonesia biodiesel imports, a move that is wide expected to create further trade tension between the bloc and the Southeast Asian country who is fighting against Europe’s pushback on palm oil for biodiesel. […]
Iowa Governor Directs Agencies to Buy Diesel Vehicles with B20 Support
In Iowa, Governor Kim Reynolds issued an Executive Order requiring state agencies to purchase diesel engines and vehicles with manufacturer support for at least a 20 percent blend of biodiesel (B20). The move is hailed as a potential driver of increased support for B20 and higher blends with diesel equipment and engine companies in the […]
US-Japan trade agreement to promote increased ethanol, DDGS and corn exports
In Japan, the final US-Japan Trade Agreement solidifies trade with Japan by maintaining a zero duty on imports of corn for feed and eliminating a three percent tariff for corn other than feed. Japan will also eliminate U.S. sorghum tariffs, which are as high as three percent, and reduce a mark-up on barley for feed. […]
Democratic Senators express concerns to EPA administrator about 2020 RFS proposal
In Washington, Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), led a public comment letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler expressing concern over the proposed supplemental rule establishing the Renewable Fuel Standard’s (RFS) 2020 […]
Iowa governor signs executive order requiring manufacture’s OK for B20 in all new diesel vehicles
In Iowa, Governor Kim Reynolds signed Executive Order 5 (EO5) requiring all new contracts for the purchase of state vehicles with diesel engines to have written support from the manufacturer to use B20 biodiesel (a blend of 20% biodiesel and 80% petroleum-based diesel) or more. Gov Reynolds signed the executive order at the Iowa Farm […]
Other Recent Articles
Air New Zealand launches trial of edible coffee cups
In New Zealand, Air New Zealand has begun trialing edible coffee cups with customers in the air and on the ground as it explores new and innovative ways to meet its sustainability challenges. The airline currently serves more than eight million cups of coffee each year. The ‘twiice’ edible cup trial backs up Air New Zealand’s recent switch to […]
9 Hot New CO2 Applications
By Sam A. Rushing, President – Advanced Cryogenics Special to The Digest BACKGROUND The CO2 industry expands organically, say 3% annually in some markets. The best way to grow more rapidly in the industry, is via the development and implementation of new and unique applications in a wide variety of markets. CO2 applications, of a […]
10th consecutive week of expanded ethanol production output
In Washington, DC, the Renewable Fuels Association reports that ethanol production ticked 1,000 barrels per day (b/d) higher, or 0.1%, to 1.060 million b/d—equivalent to 44.52 million gallons daily and the tenth consecutive week of expanded output. The four-week average ethanol production rate rose by 1.2% to 1.046 million b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate […]
Share of domestic rapeseed in processing declines
In Germany, UFOP reports that as in the previous year, the small rapeseed harvest has reduced the share of rapeseed from Germany in processing. The remaining demand will be covered by imports from other EU countries and the Ukraine. Supply of rapeseed depends foremost on the domestic harvest volume and consumption. One of the world’s […]
New biomass fueled cooking system launched by Enki Stove
In Italy, Enki Stove is using their patented technology, toroidal pyrolytic system, to transform any biomass into a clean flame, perfect for any use like cooking or heating. Enki Stove Technology transforms any biomass (pellets, wood, dry organic waste) in a powerful flame, up to 1000 °C degrees. A special geometric shape improves the pyrolytic […]
Haldor Topsoe and Sasol collaborate on single-point licenses for gas-to-liquids solutions
In Denmark, Sasol and Haldor Topsoe entered into a collaboration agreement to offer single-point licensing of proven and bankable gas-to-liquids solutions to produce diesel, kerosene and naphtha from natural gas. The Sasol-Topsoe partnership is a response to growing worldwide demand for efficient solutions to monetize natural gas reserves. Today, Topsoe and Sasol announced that they […]
