Sweet 16: the hottest slides on biofuels’ key technologies, regions, policies, from ABLC

Experts from Coca-Cola, Avantium, Virent, American Process, DSM, ICM, Imperium, Liquid Light, Maverick Synfuels, Beta Renewables, Algenol, Cool Plant, Clariant — as well as top management at the USDA and US Department of Energy were among the highlight presenters on the second day at ABLC, the annual bioeconomy leadership conference in Washington, DC.

ABLC this year looked at disruptive change —  from the development of new fuels and processing technologies, to advances in policy such as the Farm Bill’s Energy Title, and the emergence of opportunities in Brazil for advanced biofuels through the PAISS program.

Here are selections from the hottest slides presented at ABLC.

1. Coca-Cola

All about the 100% renewable Plant Bottle — the who and what of making renewable paraxylene, including a look at all the partnerships involved: and a stark warning on the how, which is to say “collaborate or die”.

2. Avantium.

Speaking of renewable paraxylene, here’s one of the contenders, Avantium — and progress towards scale.

 

3. Virent

Another paraxylene contender — this time, Virent — and a good summary of the company’s features and bennies.

4. American Process

Two routes to biomass here – and a whole bunch of potential products.

5. Liquid Light

Here’s a concept to use all the CO2 from ethanol plants to make ethylene glycol (MEG), with awesome looking financials for this player just now emerging from stealth.

6. Algenol

What’s not to like about a $1.27 per gallon biofuel – well on its way to a USDA loan guarantee?

7. USDA

Speaking of loan guarantees – here’s the latest from USDA on more than $510M in applications. Who will be the lucky winners? We hear Algenol and Beta Renewables are among those on the inside track.

8. Brazil

But if Brazil, rather than the US, is your preferred flavor – here’s a summary of the transformative PAISS program aimed at supporting the development of an advanced biofuels industry,

 

9. Department of Energy

Meanwhile, the US Department of Energy hasn’t been idle. Here’s a summary of the latest.

10. Maverick Synfuels

Tired of digester economics but have biogas to spare? Well, what about Maverick – producing methanol from biogas with a modular unit.

11. ICM

Where would you put your money, ICM asks, in touting its low-opex, low-capex approach to cellulosic fuels.

12. Clariant.

Meanwhile, Clariant is touting its own cellulosic ethanol approach — complete with a suite of add-on options that would put a Starbucks to shame.

13. Beta Renewables

Speaking of cellulose, there’s Beta. They’re big, they’re here — but how much more and how soon? Turns out, real soon, as in expansion this year – here’s a summary of the rapid progress by the Italians.

14. Imperium

Now, back to the drop-ins. You know them from biodiesel — Imperium, that is — but look at all the progress in renewable jet fuel.

 

15. Cool Planet

Speaking of drop-ins, what about Cool Planet and it’s renewable gasoline blendstock and Cool Terra biochar? Here’s the new commercial scale plant under construction now.

16. DSM

We’ll close on this note — part of a poignant presentation from DSM that challenged delegates to think about the future, the long-term, and see the move towards bio-based in that context. This one — “End of an Era” illustrated at the world before fossil fuels…and after.