Biobased Chemical

July 14, 2014

$5 million waste biomass processing plant planned in Michigan

BY Anna SimetFound In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsBioCycle plans to make use of agricultural scrap and waste materials and other biomass sources as manufacturing precursors, via a $5 million bioprocessing facility that is currently in final financing stages. READ MORE

July 11, 2014

Lux Research: Lignin-derived chemicals to hit market in 2021

BY Lux Research Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsAs lignin supplies rise on the back of growing cellulosic feedstock utilization, commercialization opportunities of up to $242 billion are emerging in 13 select chemicals, says Lux Research. READ MORE

July 11, 2014

ITA accepting nominations for export advisory committee

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Pellets, Power, Thermal, Biogas, Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsThe International Trade Administration recently published a notice in the Federal Register announcing it is reestablishing the renewable energy and energy efficiency advisory committee and accepting nominations for its membership. READ MORE

July 11, 2014

Cobalt, Andritz sign agreement for cellulosic n-butanol

BY Cobalt Technologies Inc. Found In:ChemicalsCobalt Technologies Inc. signed an exclusive global cooperation and supply agreement with Andritz Inc. to integrate its proprietary lignocellulosic pretreatment process for the production of n-butanol with Andritz's customized pretreatment systems. READ MORE

July 10, 2014

EU announces bioenergy funding under 2 major initiatives

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Pellets, Power, Thermal, Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsThe European Union has announced funding under two major initiatives that will benefit bioenergy projects, including EUR 1 billion in NER 300 funding and a new public-private partnership that aims inject EUR 3.7 billion into the biobased economy. READ MORE

July 10, 2014

DOE loan guarantee program targets biofuels, waste-to-energy

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Pellets, Power, Thermal, Biogas, Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsThe U.S. Department of Energy has officially opened a loan guarantee solicitation, making up to $4 million available for innovative renewable energy and energy efficiency projects located in the U.S. that avoid, reduce or sequester greenhouse gases. READ MORE

July 09, 2014

NC funds 6 cellulosic biofuel, bioenergy research projects

BY Holly JessenFound In:Pellets, Power, Thermal, Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsNorth Carolina recently awarded six projects a total of $500,000 through the state's Bioenergy Research Initiative, which is a program of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. READ MORE

July 09, 2014

Ceres licenses DNA browser software to Bayer CropScience

BY Ceres Inc. Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsCeres Inc., an agricultural biotechnology and seed company, has announced that the company has licensed its Persephone genome visualization application to Bayer CropScience. The software was originally developed for in-house use by Ceres. READ MORE

July 08, 2014

Report highlights economic impact of the US bioscience industry

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsA new report published Biotechnology Industry Organization and Battelle indicates the U.S. bioscience industry demonstrated strong growth from 2011 to 2012, has navigated the economic recession better than most industries, and is once again growing. READ MORE

July 03, 2014

Trellis Earth restarts Cereplast plant with fresh business plan

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:ChemicalsTrellis Earth Products Inc. has acquired the assets of bioplastics company Cereplast Inc., which filed for bankruptcy earlier this year. The bioplastic production facility in Indiana will restart immediately with an improved business plan. READ MORE

July 03, 2014

Researchers use supercomputer to improve catalysts for biofuel

BY National Science Foundation Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsScientists from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory are using the National Science Foundation-supported Stampede supercomputer to improve biofuel production by determining how certain enzymes break down cellulose. READ MORE

July 02, 2014

Joule announces EPA clearance for modified cyanobacteria

BY Joule Unlimited Inc. Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsJoule Unlimited Inc. has announced that the U.S. EPA favorably reviewed its microbial commercial activity notice (MCAN) for Joule's first commercial ethanol-producing catalyst. READ MORE

July 01, 2014

EPA publishes methane reduction proposal for new landfills

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Power, Thermal, Biogas, Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsOn June 30, the EPA published proposed rule to update its air standards for new municipal solid waste landfills. A separate advance notice of proposed rulemaking seeks public input on whether to update emissions guidelines for existing landfills. READ MORE

June 30, 2014

Water-cleanup catalysts tackle biomass upgrading

BY Rice University Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsRice University researchers have found palladium-gold nanocatalysts can convert glycerol, a waste byproduct of biodiesel production, into high-value chemicals. The research team is led by chemical engineer Michael Wong. READ MORE

June 30, 2014

Proterro receives patent for photobioreactor

BY Proterro Inc. Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsThe U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued Patent No. 8,728,783 to Proterro Inc., protecting the company's proprietary photobioreactor, a novel element in Proterro’s patented sugar-making process. READ MORE

June 27, 2014

DOE funds bioenergy projects at 4 universities

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsThe U.S. Department of Energy recently awarded $100 million to Energy Frontier Research Centers with the goal of accelerating scientific breakthroughs needed to build the new energy economy. Several of EFRC awards will benefit bioenergy research. READ MORE

June 27, 2014

JBEI GT collection: A new resource for advanced biofuels research

BY Joint BioEnergy Institute Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsResearchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Joint BioEnergy Institute have unveiled the first glycosyltransferase clone collection specifically targeted for the study of the biosynthesis of plant cell walls. READ MORE

June 26, 2014

Model may help growers mitigate costly droughts

BY University of Florida Found In:Pellets, Power, Thermal, Biogas, Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsA University of Florida-created model may help growers plant at optimal times and avoid crop-destroying drought, which can cost millions of dollars in a given year, according to one of the tool's creators. READ MORE

June 25, 2014

USDA REAP sinks $3.4 billion into rural economies

BY Anna SimetFound In:Pellets, Power, Thermal, Biogas, Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsThough the USDA Rural Energy for America Program has been hugely successful since it was first implemented in the 2002 Farm Bill, numerous changes have been implemented over the years in order to maximize program value. READ MORE

June 24, 2014

Supreme Court issues its decision on EPA's GHG Tailoring Rule

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Pellets, Power, Thermal, Biogas, Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsOn June 23, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision on the U.S. EPA's Tailoring Rule. It did not, however, address the uncertainty faced by those in the biomass industry with regard to the EPA's treatment of biogenic emissions. READ MORE

June 24, 2014

Stora Enso acquires U.S.-based biotechnology company

BY Stora Enso Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsStora Enso has acquired 100 percent of the shares of Virdia, a developer of extraction and separation technologies for conversion of cellulosic biomass into refined sugars and lignin. The upfront debt-free transaction value is about $33 million. READ MORE

June 20, 2014

Spero Energy wins DOE grant for its lignin catalysis technology

BY Purdue Research Park Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsA Purdue Research Park-based company whose one-step, patent-pending technology could improve the efficiency of alternative fuel production has received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy. READ MORE

June 20, 2014

Calysta demonstrates conversion of methane to lactic acid

BY Calysta Inc. Found In:Biogas, ChemicalsCalysta Inc. recently announced it has successfully fermented methane into lactic acid under a research collaboration with NatureWorks. Lactic acid is the building block for NatureWorks Ingeo lactide intermediates and polymers. READ MORE

June 19, 2014

Genera, partners collaborate for advancement of advanced biofuels

BY Katie FletcherFound In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsGenera Energy Inc. has partnered with academic and industrial institutions with the goal of demonstrating the production of advanced biofuels from sustainable sources of lignocellulosic biomass. READ MORE

June 19, 2014

Pennsylvania offers funding for renewable energy projects

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Pellets, Power, Thermal, Biogas, Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsThe Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority is offering approximately $12.5 million in funding to support alternative and renewable energy projects in the state, including biomass, solar, wind and hydro projects. READ MORE

June 19, 2014

Byogy Renewables invests in AusAgave Australia

BY Byogy Renewables Inc. Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsByogy Renewables Inc. has invested in a strategic partnership with AusAgave Australia as part of the upstream integration of multiple feedstocks to develop low cost sugars for the production of renewable fuels and chemicals. READ MORE

June 18, 2014

ABO announces Matthew Carr as new executive director

BY Algae Biomass Organization Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsThe Algae Biomass Organization has announced Matthew Carr as its executive director. Carr most recently served as managing director of the industrial and environmental section at the Biotechnology Industry Organization. READ MORE

June 17, 2014

USDA-ISU report validates cellulosic biomass sustainability

BY Poet-DSM Advanced Biofuels LLC Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsFive years of soil nutrient data gathered at Poet-DSM Advanced Biofuels LLC's Project Liberty site are consistent with more than 500 site-years of additional soil research, experts at USDA and Iowa State University have determined. READ MORE

June 16, 2014

USDA announces funding for 2 Farm Bill bioenergy programs

BY USDA Found In:Pellets, Power, Thermal, Biogas, Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsAgriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced up to $14.5 million in funding for two USDA bioenergy programs made available through the 2014 Farm Bill. USDA also announced the availability of its new Bioeconomy Tool Shed. READ MORE

June 13, 2014

Ceres begins field evaluations of its biotech traits in sugarcane

BY Ceres Inc. Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsCeres Inc. will evaluate a number of its biotech traits in sugarcane in South America. Plantings were recently completed and preliminary performance observations will be available by the end of the year. READ MORE