Major Stories
Edible barcodes, DARPA’s modified crops, insects, Pivit Bio raises $70M, rice straw ethanol, renewable concrete, automated indoor farming, biobased hairstyling, silkworms making spider silk: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of October 17th
The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of October 17th In today’s Digest, edible barcodes, DARPA’s modifying crops, insects, Pivit Bio raises $70M, rice straw ethanol, renewable concrete, automated indoor farming, biobased hairstyling, silkworms making spider silk — these and more, ready […]
Landfill-to-Anything-Soon, Puleeze: in search of new energy, materials from waste
The names seem less settled than the markets or science: is it biogas, biomethane, renewable natural gas, or RNG? Whatever your preferred name, you don’t have to burn it to make it hot — methane of the kind generated from waste landfills and farm waste is on the march. And much of it propelled by […]
Canadian Marijuana Legalization Day – Can Pot Save Synthetic Biology From the Next Biotechnology Crater?
By Sam Nejame Special to The Digest This Wednesday, October 17th, is Canadian Marijuana Legalization Day. For the first time Canadians will be able to legally buy pot for recreational use countrywide. Edibles, which are harder to regulate, will come later. From a Synthetic Biology perspective, it’s the infused edibles and drinks that are most […]
Alt-Shift: as alternatives to alternatives, RNG and fuel cell tech markets come clearer, closer
In California, on the final day of California’s 2018 legislative session, a bill sponsored by the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas that would pave the way for a state renewable natural gas procurement program was approved by the Legislature, passing 29-10 in its reconciliation in the Senate. It’s material progress in a key market for […]
Covestro covers it all – From $1.7B investment in MDI and first thermoplastic polyurethane based on CO2 technology to biobased aniline…
Covestro, which you may know as the former Bayer MaterialsScience (part of Bayer Group’s chemicals and plastics unit) prior to 2015, is leading several innovations in the biobased sector with a flurry of announcements over the past week that is sure to impact the bioeconomy. Not only are they financially successful, achieving the best financial […]
8-Slide Guides
The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Honeywell’s UOP and biomass-to-fuels
Honeywell’s UOP has developed a renewable jet fuel processing technology, a renewable diesel process, as well as a joint venture, Envergent Technologies, that will market technologies and equipment for generating power, transportation fuel and heating oil from biomass using pyrolysis. UOP also owns a Renewable Energy & Chemicals business that produced green diesel using its Ecofining […]
The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to 26 advantaged biobased chemical platforms
The problem: The vast number of potential chemicals and products that could be made from biomass makes prioritization of research difficult for optimizing market viability, cost competitiveness, environmental benefits, and supply chain development. The project: This CEMAC/DOE initiative studied 160 potential chemicals, and the list was pared to 26 candidates for further evaluation. The goal: To understand […]
Waste Makes Haste: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Fulcrum BioEnergy
Fulcrum BioEnergy has developed a “game-changing process for converting municipal solid waste that would otherwise be landfilled, into renewable transportation fuels including syncrude, jet fuel and diesel”. The company recently broke ground on its first commercial project in Nevada, and more about that here. Fulcrum’s innovative business model combines large volume MSW feedstock agreements with […]
Dutch Treat: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the Netherlands and the Bioeconomy
IEA Bioenergy Task 42’s goal is to contribute to the development and deployment of integrated biorefineries as part of highly efficient sustainable value chains (co-)producing food/feed ingredients, chemicals, materials, fuels, power and/or heat out of sustainably sourced biomass (wood, crops, residues, etc.) as base for a global BioEconomy. Berend Vreugdenhil of ECN gave this illuminating overview […]
The Wonders Down Under: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Australia and the Bioeconomy
IEA Bioenergy Task 42’s goal is to contribute to the development and deployment of integrated biorefineries as part of highly efficient sustainable value chains (co-)producing food/feed ingredients, chemicals, materials, fuels, power and/or heat out of sustainably sourced biomass (wood, crops, residues, etc.) as base for a global BioEconomy. Geoffrey Bell of Microbiogen gave this illuminating overview […]
The Latest World News
SLV Biopro secures 40%+ offtake contract for proposed Colorado ethanol project
In California, Greenbelt Resources Technology announced that Biofuels and Energy, LLC (B&E), a New Mexico-based project development company planning to utilize Greenbelt’s proprietary technology for its SLV Biopro Project, has secured offtake agreements in excess of 40% of the projected bioethanol production of the Colorado project. The SLV Biopro Project located in San Luis Valley, […]
Sylvatex and Trucent scaled up and blended MicroX renewable blendstock
In Michigan, Sylvatex Inc. and Trucent recently announced successful scale up and blending of MicroX renewable blendstock from an optimized distillers corn oil (DCO) to free fatty acid (FFA) hydrolysis process. The scale up followed completion of development, construction and operation of a pilot system that was undertaken as part of the joint development agreement […]
Annellotech planning scale up of Bio-TCatTM technology
In New York state, Anellotech confirmed significant progress in its Bio-TCatTM technology development program and has begun planning for scale-up design and engineering of a commercial plant with its process development and design partner IFPEN and commercialization, engineering, and licensing partner Axens. Its patented Bio-TCat thermal-catalytic technology produces a mixture of benzene, toluene and xylene […]
UK offering travel bourses for aviation biofuel mission to the US
In the UK, Innovate UK and the Knowledge Transfer Network invites SMEs in the Sustainable Aviation Fuel supply chain to apply to take part in a mission to the USA to create strategic business connections. The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Special Interest Group (SAF SIG) and Innovate UK is offering SMEs the opportunity to apply to […]
Bearish ethanol production data pushes CBOT December corn near to 100-day moving average low
In Illinois, Reuters reports that bearish ethanol production data as well as technical selling pushed CBOT December corn futures to $3.74-1/4 per bushel on Wednesday, barely keeping above the next support level of $3.72, the low end of the 100-moving average. Even though ethanol production was the lowest since April last week, stocks still built […]
R&D News
Chinese researchers discover gene the controls stem juiciness in sorghum
In China, through careful genetic analysis of a large, diverse panel of sorghum varieties, scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences discovered the gene controlling the stem juiciness trait in sorghum, as described in this month’s issue of the Plant Cell. The dry gene product appears to function as a master switch that controls the […]
EU BIOWAYS project collects data regarding public perception of bio-based production
In Belgium, EU-funded BIOWAYS conducted an EU-wide online survey alongside analysis of relevant studies which helped them to collect qualitative and quantitate data regarding the public perception on bio-based products. The online questionnaire was translated in seven languages and evaluated public perception and engagement with bio-based products, the benefits of utilizing them and reasons that […]
Texas A&M AgriLife Research scores grant to research use of waste products from cellulosic biofuel production
In Texas, a $2.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office to Texas A&M AgriLife Research will help researchers investigate potential discoveries for waste products used in lignocellulosic biofuel production, turning them into valuable agents used in producing commercial products such as biodiesel and asphalt binding agents. Their work will include […]
VTT researchers team with partners to accelerate European bioeconomy
In Finland, the whole of Europe is feverishly looking for new ways to use farm, forest and fishery resources more responsibly and sustainably and to promote the production of the best possible raw materials in order to increase the availability of food, energy and biomaterials. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd, the Finnish Forest […]
Red-hued yeasts hold clues to producing better biofuels
In Wisconsin, a team based at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center found clues in red-hued yeasts that could help harness the synthesis pathway for large-scale production of isobutanol as a biofuel. A red pigment called pulcherrimin, naturally produced by several strains of wild yeasts, is synthesized in part through […]
Policy & Policymakers
NBB sends letter to EPA seeking end to demand destruction for biodiesel
In Washington, the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) delivered a letter to Environmental Protection Agency Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler asking that the agency fully account for small refinery exemptions in the annual Renewable Fuel Standard rules and “end the demand destruction for biodiesel.” The letter also asks EPA to set RFS biomass-based diesel volumes for 2020 […]
Democratic congressmen send letter to EPA over widespread issuance of hardship waivers
In Washington, Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Danny Davis (D-IL) led a letter signed by 17 of their colleagues to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) expressing concern over the Trump Administration’s widespread issuance of waivers to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). With transportation emissions representing the bulk of U.S. greenhouse emissions, the decision to flout RFS […]
RFA hosting webinar looking at impacts of year-round E15
In Washington, on the heels of President Trump’s announcement that a rulemaking will begin soon to allow E15 year-round across the country, there has been a great deal of misinformation and confusion about what this means to fuel suppliers, retailers, and consumers. RFA will offer an one-hour webinar to discuss what this announcement means for […]
EPA seen announcing E15 and RIN reforms by February
In Washington, Platts reports that the Environmental Protection Agency plans to announce its reform proposals for not just year-round E15 but also for RIN trading reforms by February. The EPA says that if it announces rules by February then the process could be finalized in time for year-round E15 sales to begin by June 1, […]
Indian Air Force to start using ethanol blend in aircraft
In India, in an effort to meet the government’s call to increase the use of biofuels, the Indian Air Force will start using ethanol blended air turbine fuel in its aircraft. A government official told Sputnik, “We have discussed the plan to use ethanol blended air turbine fuel on the Indian Air Force jet at […]
Other Recent Articles
European Commission experts on the ground looking at Malaysian palm oil sustainability
In Malaysia, in response to an anti-palm oil sentiment in Europe due to real or perceived environmental challenges with the way oil palms are grown, the European Commission will hold an in-country consultation next week including four expert panels and site visits to plantations in an effort to better understand the reality on the ground. […]
Fargo Biodiesel Terminal opens
In North Dakota, Targray announced the opening of its Fargo Biodiesel Terminal, a 24/7 fuel distribution center serving wholesale fuel buyers throughout the Fargo-Moorhead metro area. Centrally located in West Fargo, North Dakota, the new terminal will provide local fuel retailers, distributors and fleet managers with greater access to biodiesel, a bio-based renewable fuel that […]
Indian Oil Company gets 50 acres from UP government for 2G ethanol plant
In India, the Times of India reports that the Uttar Pradesh cabinet has given the green light to the Indian Oil Company to supply it with 50 acres where it can locate its proposed waste-based ethanol plant. The 30-year lease for the facility was one of the final steps required before the company could move […]
The Andersons buys out the rest of Lansing Trade Group
In Ohio, The Andersons, Inc. announced that it has entered into a merger agreement with Lansing Trade Group, LLC, its long-time affiliate, to acquire the 67.5% of Lansing equity that it does not already own for cash and stock currently valued at a total of approximately $305 million. In addition to paying approximately $175 million […]
D3MAX has started construction of its facility at Ace Ethanol’s plant
In Wisconsin, D3MAX LLC and Ace Ethanol LLC announced they have started construction of the first D3MAX facility at Ace Ethanol’s plant in Stanley, Wisconsin. Ace Ethanol will be the first ethanol producer to integrate the patented D3MAX technology with its existing corn dry mill. Earlier this year, Ace Ethanol received approval from its board of directors and […]
EPA to adopt final E15 rules by May
In Washington, Platts reports that the Environmental Protection Agency will adopt final rules for year-round E15 blending by May as well as for fuel economy standards by March, a move that will freeze Obama-era clean fuel standards and create an additional demand for fossil fuels of 500,000 barrels per day. The EPA proposal for E15 […]
