High Hopes with Hemp Renewable Diesel

February 7, 2021 | Helena Tavares Kennedy

No, you won’t get high from inhaling your hemp renewable diesel’s vehicle emissions. But you may get a natural high from just thinking about this intriguing renewable fuel. One metric ton of hemp sequesters 1.5 metric tons of carbon dioxide, it matures in as little as 100 days, requires less water and pesticides than many other crops, 1 acre of industrialized hemp produces the same amount of oxygen as 5 acres of trees, and it even helps put nitrogen back into the soil. But can it really be made into renewable diesel? Yes, and as a drop-in, affordable fuel!

In today’s Digest, all about Cultiv8’s hemp renewable diesel, how hemp is exploding with possibilities and a look at other recent hemp news.

Background

First, what does Atlanta, Georgia-based Cultiv8 do exactly? They oversee cultivation, processing, manufacturing, financing, and commercial development that utilizes sustainable building materials made from industrial hemp. They use their hemp to manufacture biodegradable packaging products, biofuel, hempcrete, protein, and right now you can even buy 3- and 5-layer reusable hemp cloth masks! What a way to adapt to the times and offer relevant products for today’s pandemic.

They offer a co-op program with farmers making them feel like part of the Cultiv8 family. “As a part of the Cultiv8 family, farmers will be provided with all machinery and sensors for planting, cultivation, and harvest managed by our hemp smart farm software application,” according to the Cultiv8 website. “The application gives farmer operators complete control from pH levels to temperature.” A farmer needs to have a minimum of 25 acres and pass a soil test to be part of the program but Cultiv8 will build solar panels and greenhouses to aid in product growth and harvest, provide seeds, machinery, smart-technology, crop insurance and training. Farmers get 10% of the net profit from the end products.

And now Cultiv8 can say “As Seen on TV” with their appearance sometime this quarter on an upcoming episode of CNBC’s award-winning series, Advancements with Ted Danson, that will focus on recent advancements related to hemp.

Renewable Hemp Diesel

Ok, so hemp is great. We get that. But can it really be made into renewable diesel efficiently and cost-effectively? Cultiv8 notes several benefits like how it meets the same ASTM D975 specification as petroleum diesel, it can be blended with biodiesel and petroleum diesel and those blends can be used in any diesel engine without modifications – yep, it’s a drop-in renewable fuel. And hey, by the way, it helps in self-ignition of fuel and allows for easier starting, smoother running engines and reliable operation because of increased Cetane. It’s like a coffee caffeine jump for your engine.

Cultiv8’s hemp renewable diesel also passes the Clean Air Health Effects testing requirements and qualifies for various state biofuel tax incentives. Here is Cultiv8’s analysis of hemp renewable diesel chart:

Hemp is Hot!

While Cultiv8 has certainly caught our eye for its renewable diesel, it isn’t the only one making great advances in the hemp related markets.

In November 2020, Calyxt announced a research collaboration with NRGene that includes the adoption of NRGene’s cloud-based genomics platform to support key Calyxt’s research projects. Calyxt is leveraging its proprietary breeding techniques and TALEN technology to optimize product performance and transition hemp to a broad acre crop for use across food, industrial fiber and therapeutic applications.

In another nod to the exploding hemp industry and opportunities, the Digest ran a 5-article series from Lee Enterprises Consulting all about hemp in November and December 2020.

More on Part 1: Industrial Hemp Production – Cultivation and Management here.

More on Part 2: Bugs, Biology, Biodiversity – Hemp Agrochemicals and Pest Management here.

More on Part 3: 12 Ways to Reduce Risk When Scaling Up Biomass Feedstock Operations here.

More on Part 4: 5 Tools to Reduce Hemp Biomass Harvest Variability here.

More on Part 5: Hemp Offtake Agreements – Connecting Hemp Growers with Buyers here.