Major Stories
Circular economies, from California to Sweden: Neste’s wheeling, rolling, moving, flowing
In California, waste feedstock from the city of Oakland is now being converted to Neste MY Renewable Diesel and fuels the city’s fleet. The city, Neste, fuel distributor Western States Oil and local collectors for used cooking oil joined forces to gather waste cooking oils from restaurants and other businesses in the Oakland metropolitan area […]
Beyond beef with no cow, sunflower crop waste for phone cases and binders, BASF’s bioactives from rambutan tree, repurposing wastewater algae, Nouryon’s biopolymer for hair care, and more: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of April 17th
The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of April 17th. In today’s Digest, beyond beef with no cow, sunflower crop waste for phone cases and binders, BASF’s bioactives from rambutan tree, repurposing wastewater algae, Nouryon’s biopolymer for hair care — these and […]
Queensland’s quest for a circular bioeconomy
It’s the land of the Queen, and Queensland, Australia is investing big in the bioeconomy. Named in honor of Queen Victoria who allowed separation of the colony from New South Wales back in 1859, it’s now the 2nd largest and 3rd most populous state in Australia. With over 5 million people, it’s often called the […]
Coffee without the coffee bean, bioplastic burial pods, fruit and algae clothing, soy straws, and more: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of April 12th
The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of April 12th In today’s Digest, coffee without the coffee bean, bioplastic burial pods, fruit and algae clothing, soy straws — these and more, ready for you now at The Digest online. #1 Coffee without […]
The Advanced Bioeconomy: New Fortunes 2019
Let’s turn to New Fortunes 2019 – our overview of what we believe will be the 24 hottest market segments in the near term – places to focus your innovations and to unlock value – and we hope these are valuable in the discussions during ABLC week.
8-Slide Guides
Putting CO₂ Emissions to Work: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Opus 12
Opus 12 has developed a device that recycles CO₂ into cost-competitive chemicals and fuels. Their technology bolts onto any source of CO₂ emissions, and with only water and electricity as inputs, transforms that CO₂ into some of the world’s most critical chemical products. Opus 12 was one of six clean energy startups selected from around […]
India’s Ethanol Scenario: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Praj
Praj Americas, Inc., subsidiary of Praj industries ltd, is a unique technology and engineering company in the ethanol arena in the Americas. What started off as an entrepreneurial venture three decades ago, the parent company, Praj Industries, is today a leader in India in the field of bio-based technologies and engineering with presence all over […]
Sustainable Super JET Fuels: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to High Performance Fuels
Researchers from several labs and universities like Georgia Tech, Sandia National Labs, University of Dayton, and others are working together on Engine Optimized Sustainable Drop-in JET High Performance Fuels (HPF). Anthe George manages the Biomass Science and Conversion Technologies department at Sandia National Laboratories and gave this illuminating overview of how there is a price […]
The Latest on Biogas: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Biogas
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. Terry Mazanec, Principal of T-MAZ LLC and Executive Vice President at Lee Enterprises Consulting gave this illuminating overview of biogas production, treatment and utilization, potential, and more, at ABLC Global 2018 in […]
BioAg of the Future: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Novozymes BioAg
Novozymes is the world leader in biological solutions focusing on enzymes and microbes. Since 2000, they have brought more than 100 new molecules to market to address specific industry and customer challenges. We account for 2/3 of the entire global investment in developing enzymes, and dedicate 13-14% of our total revenue to R&D. With 48% […]
The Latest World News
Former DuPont employee gets 42 months in prison for stealing trade secrets
In Iowa, Josh Harry Isler, age 55, from St. Ansgar, Iowa, was sentenced Wednesday in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids to serve 42 months’ imprisonment as a result of his July 11, 2018, pleas of guilty to one count of trade secret theft and one count of making a false statement to the […]
Growth Energy releases new biofuels-focused high school curriculum
In Washington, Growth Energy, in partnership with the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE), announced the release of their new curriculum aimed at educating high school students to the world of biofuels. The curriculum is the first industry-supported biofuels curriculum that provides students a guided in-classroom experience and will offer ag educators the tools needed […]
Novozymes sees 2G as a big opportunity for India
In India, Novozymes’ VP for biorefining commercial told the Business Standard newspaper that the country’s push towards 2G ethanol will not only help it achieve energy independence, but it will also create jobs in rural areas that are so desperately needed. The country’s biomass surplus is enough to produce 30 billion liters per year but […]
Indonesia’s B30 trials should be done by October
In Indonesia, the Jakarta Post reports that the national biodiesel associations expects road trials on B30 to be completed by October, with 40,000 kilometers of the trials already completed as of mid-April. Engine damage, tailpipe emissions and fuel efficiency are all being monitored as part of the testing program underway with Energy and Mineral Resources […]
Malaysia looking at opportunities for palm oil in aviation biofuel
In Malaysia, the palm oil board believes that palm oil could be a good feedstock for aviation biofuels and trials are currently going on with an unidentified American company in Chicago to test the possibility. The country’s palm oil industry is suffering from oversupply and is looking at ways to use the fuel while improving […]
R&D News
WPI researchers develop novel process to produce isobutanol cheaper
In Massachusetts, taking a step closer to a “green” replacement for fossil fuels, a research team that includes a chemical engineer at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has developed a novel process using an unusual solvent and an exotic microorganism that may make it possible to manufacture isobutanol and other biofuels more economically. In a paper […]
NUI Galway launches new waste-based biofuels research lab
In Ireland, NUI Galway has officially launched a new research laboratory, featuring the latest analytical equipment to characterize biofuels produced from organic waste as well as the microbial communities which produce these fuels. Professor Piet Lens will lead a team of 25 PhD and post-doctoral researchers in the Department of Microbiology at NUI Galway, which […]
Spain’s CENER working on valorizing organic MSW through EU-funded projects
In Spain, Biomass Department of CENER (National Renewable Energy Centre of Spain) is convinced of the need to move towards a circular bioeconomy, in which the society is capable of valorizing the wastes produced in an integral and cascade mode. On that regard, CENER is involved in 4 specific initiatives in order to develop the […]
Alabama governor awards Auburn University grant to study carinata viability
In Alabama, a $39,757 grant awarded by Gov. Kay Ivey will enable Auburn University to determine if an oilseed crop can be successfully grown and marketed in Alabama as a biofuel and become another cash crop for the state’s farmers. The study will determine not only if carinata can be successfully grown in the state, […]
Yeast strain can increase ethanol production by 15.5%
In India, researchers from the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, DBT-ICGEB Centre for Advanced Bioenergy Research discovered that a robust yeast strain can produce up to 15.5% more ethanol when glucose or lignocellulose biomass — rice and wheat straw — is fermented and has been isolated. With India’s biofuel target going from the […]
Policy & Policymakers
Minnesota state legislature closer to investing in Crookston biodiesel facility
In Minnesota, funding for a soybean crush and biodiesel facility in Crookston has passed a key hurdle in the Minnesota legislature. The proposed Soy Innovation Campus at the University of Minnesota Crookston will receive $5 million in funding as part of a bill authored by Sen. Torrey Westrom (R-Elbow Lake), who chairs the Senate Agriculture, […]
Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia call for support of biofuels as part of RED II
In Belgium, taking into account the commitments of the EU on climate change emerging from various binding documents, which have already been adopted such as the Paris Agreement, Directive of the European Parliament and the Council on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (RED II) as well as the proposed new […]
Aviation industry puts weight behind biodiesel credit extension thanks to biojet inclusion
In Washington, the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) led a coalition of top aviation organizations in penning a letter to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles Grassley and Ranking Member Ron Wyden in support of an extension of the biodiesel tax incentive under Section 40A included in the Tax Extender and Disaster Relief Act (S.617). The letters were jointly issued […]
Indonesia starts B100 trials in face falling palm oil demand from Europe
In Indonesia, the Antara news agency reports that the agriculture minister is pushing for the use of B100 as a way to counteract the strong likelihood that palm oil demand from Europe will fall off as a result of anti-indirect land use rules. On Monday, the minister launched a B100 trial in a four-wheeler tractor […]
EPA revives rule that could release biofuel waiver refiner names
In Washington, D.C., the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency moved forward in what is considered as a win for the corn industry with its first step in reviving part of a rule that could reveal the names of oil refineries that applied for exemptions that have been marking controversy recently. The waiver program has been critiqued […]
Other Recent Articles
Ethanol stocks fall as product moves out of the Midwest and exports rise
In Washington, Platts reports Energy Information Administration data shows that ethanol stocks fell for the third straight week last week to 22.2676 million barrels, down more than half a million barrels on the week, despite ethanol production averaging 1.016 million b/d, 14,000 b/d higher than the week before. Demand for exports are likely the main […]
Sumitomo Chemical partners with Zymergen on new multi-year specialty materials deal
In California, Sumitomo Chemical and Zymergen announced they have signed a multi-year partnership to bring new specialty materials to the market. This collaboration between the two companies will enable the development of new materials to meet consumer trends in high-tech industries. Today, electronics makers and consumers seek devices that are lighter, smaller, more battery efficient, […]
Enerkem closed another C$76.3 million in equity financing including Suncor Energy
In Canada, Enerkem Inc. announced the closing of a new round of financing totalling C$76.3 million. The financing comes from Enerkem’s existing investors, as well as a new investor, Suncor Energy Inc. This injection of additional capital will help foster the company’s growth by continuing the development of its other projects, including in Varennes, Québec, […]
Toyota’s hybrid ethanol Corolla to hit the Brazilian market in Q4
In Brazil, Toyota confirmed the new Brazilian Corolla will be the first vehicle in the world equipped with flex hybrid propulsion. Studies involving Toyota’s hybrid flex technology were announced by the manufacturer in March last year, while production confirmation came in December of the same year. Driving a new cycle of technological evolution in Brazil, […]
US Forest Service announces opening of tribal biomass demonstration projects program
In Washington, the US Forest Service announced programming for biomass demonstration projects on tribal lands. Indian Tribal Energy Development and Self-Determination Act Amendments of 2017 amends the Tribal Forest Protection Act of 2004 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA), to enter into contracts or agreements with Indian tribes, and, in Alaska, tribal organizations to […]
Philippine ethanol producers seek molasses imports to battle rising feedstock costs
In the Philippines, the Sun Star newspaper reports that ethanol producers are seeking permission to import molasses for feedstock due to the high prices of domestic molasses supplies. El Niño is expected to boost sugarcane yields for the next crop but this season was poor, leaving less molasses availability that has pushed up prices beyond […]
