Category: Top Stories

Brain regeneration, data storage with biocomputers, plastic from waste gases, bamboo diapers, gene-edited wheat, jackets from bison fluff : The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of November 29th

November 30, 2018 | Jim Lane

The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of November 29th. #1 Brain regeneration can happen thanks to silk biomaterial In Spain, researchers from the Polytechnic University of Madrid developed a silk biomaterial that can increase the survival of transplanted stem cells into […]

The New Waste Business Model: Evaluation of Existing and Projected WtE projects

November 28, 2018 | Jim Lane

By Andrew Grant, member, Lee Enterprises Consulting Special to The Digest This article addresses the due diligence requirements for the increasing variety of waste-to-energy projects investors are now considering. The topics apply to both early and later development stage project assessment. Twenty-five years ago, the North American and European waste-to-energy business model was well-established, with […]

Bioprocess Capital Costs

November 27, 2018 | Jim Lane

By Mark Warner, PE, Founder, Warner Advisors LLC Special to The Digest Discussion of biotechnology capital costs is often a controversial topic, on par with discussing politics at the Thanksgiving dinner table; why the facilities are so expensive and a disbelief of the forecasted costs. As a seasoned veteran in the battle, trust me when I […]

ABLC 2019 announced: 120+ speakers, 500+ delegates head for Washington in April 2019 for real networking, real projects, real opportunities

November 26, 2018 | Jim Lane

In Florida, The Digest announced that the Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference (ABLC 2019) will be held April 3-5, 2019 at the Mayflower Marriott Hotel in Washington, DC, and outlined the agenda, themes and announced a first wave of event speakers. More about ABLC The event website, agenda and conference details including registration and the 2 […]

Algae ‘blooms’ in automotive industry

November 25, 2018 | Helena Tavares Kennedy

Mazda is investing in it. Honda is using it for R&D and potential byproducts. Algenol, AlgaEnergy and others grow and develop it. Euglena began producing it for biojet fuel at its new biofuel refinery plant in Japan. The U.S. government has a whole R&D department that is looking at this stuff. The list goes on. […]

Financing a Biomass Project When Commercializing New Technology

November 22, 2018 | Jim Lane

By Glenn Farris, Member of Lee Enterprises Consulting, Inc. Special to The Digest If you are planning to develop, or are already developing, a biomass to energy project involving the commercialization of new technology, you have a tough job in front of you. Financing a biomass-to-energy project is never easy, especially when commercialization of new […]

Tuna without the fish, Toyota’ ethanol hybrid, biodegradable microbeads, sky-cleaning walls, biobased FDCA, food waste bioplastics: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of November 22nd

November 21, 2018 | Jim Lane

The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of November 22nd.. #1 Microbe-filled fibers lead to new biodegradable fabric In New York, PrimaLoft, Inc. expanded its suite of biodegradable technologies with the introduction of PrimaLoft Bio Performance Fabric, the first 100% recycled, biodegradable […]

A fuel value over $7.00 per gallon, and everyone’s chasing it: The birth of USA Bioenergy and the surge in renewable diesel

November 20, 2018 | Jim Lane

In California, we are now seeing project flow projecting a sustainable $7.63 price for renewable diesel in the California market, where the Low Carbon Fuel Standard stacks on top of the RIN values from the federal Renewable Fuel Standard. That’s market value, not subsidy. Though some die-hards might still insist that renewable fuels should only […]

Beyond the Cow: ICYMI, BYND IPO PDQ, and Perfect Day AKA Muufri JDA w/ ADM, FYI

November 19, 2018 | Jim Lane

It’s Thanksgiving week in the United States but we are feasting alternatively on acronyms here in Digestville. I.E., e.g., ICYMI, BYND IPO PDQ, and FYI Perfect Day AKA Muufri JDA w/ ADM. As they said at Bletchley Park, let’s get out the Enigma machine and decode. In New York and California this week, the nutrition […]

‘Breakthrough’ harvesting solution, growing market, potential beyond biodiesel – all good signs for castor oil’s future

November 18, 2018 | Helena Tavares Kennedy

A ‘breakthrough’ mechanical harvesting solution for castor bean plants was developed by Evogene and agricultural equipment manufacturer, Fantini s.r.l., resulting in the removal of a major bottleneck in the conversion of castor beans into a fully modernized commercial crop. With field trial yield losses decreasing significantly (we are talkin’ up to 50% decrease) as a […]