Biobased Chemical

April 04, 2018

Insight into how cellulose is built could benefit biofuels

BY Penn State Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsA comprehensive look at how plants build cellulose, the primary building block of the walls of most plant cells that is used in a wide variety of manmade materials, could have important implications for its use in biofuels. READ MORE

April 03, 2018

Green Biologics, Kingsford Charcoal launch EcoLight lighter fluid

BY Green Biologics Inc. Found In:ChemicalsGreen Biologics Inc. announced that it has agreed to supply its patented GreenFlame biobased charcoal lighter fluid formulation exclusively to Kingsford Charcoal, to be marketed under a new brand: EcoLight. READ MORE

April 02, 2018

Anellotech achieves key process technology operating milestone

BY Anellotech Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsAnellotech has announced a key operating milestone, achieving two weeks of continuous operation of its seven-story tall TCat-8 pilot plant, producing aromatics, primarily benzene, toluene, and xylenes, from loblolly pine feedstock. READ MORE

March 30, 2018

NREL discovers enzyme domains that improve performance

BY National Renewable Energy Laboratory Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsBy studying and comparing the workhorse cellulose-degrading enzymes of two fungi, researchers from NREL have pinpointed regions on these enzymes that can be targeted via genetic engineering to help break down cellulose faster. READ MORE

March 28, 2018

Researchers use light to turn yeast into biochemical factories

BY Lonnie Shekhtman, Princeton University Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsResearchers at Princeton University are using light to control genetically modified yeast and increase its output of commercially valuable chemicals. The results offer scientists a powerful new tool to probe and understand the inner working of cells. READ MORE

March 27, 2018

Researchers engineer yeast to grow on xylose

BY Tufts University Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsResearchers at Tufts University have created a genetically modified yeast that can more efficiently consume a novel nutrient, xylose, enabling the yeast to grow faster and to higher cell densities. READ MORE

March 26, 2018

USDA report shows impact of US biobased economy

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Pellets, Power, Thermal, Biogas, Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsThe USDA has released a new report that measures economic growth, job creation and household income from biofuel and bioenergy production, along with future growth in renewable chemicals and biobased products. READ MORE

March 23, 2018

Researchers improve method to convert food waste into biofuels

BY Sharon Gaudin, Worcester Polytechnic Institute Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsFunded by a U.S. Department of Energy grant, a team of researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is creating a better way to convert waste food into biofuels using a process that features catalysts and hydrothermal liquefaction. READ MORE

March 22, 2018

Cool Planet completes 100th independent trial of Cool Terra

BY Cool Planet Found In:ChemicalsCool Planet has announced the successful completion of its 100th quantifiable, independent trial of Cool Terra, the company’s flagship soil health product. The trial was conducted by the University of Florida on bell peppers. READ MORE

March 20, 2018

USDA solicits applications for REAP funding

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Pellets, Power, Thermal, Biogas, Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsThe USDA is soliciting applications for fiscal year 2018 Rural Energy for America Program funding. The program helps agricultural producers and rural small businesses install renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements. READ MORE

March 19, 2018

Total Corbion PLA announces start-up of pilot plant in Thailand

BY Total Corbion PLA Found In:ChemicalsTotal Corbion PLA has successfully started up its 1,000-ton-per-year poly lactic acid (PLA) pilot plant in Rayong, Thailand. The pilot plant started up in December 2017 and over the past two months has produced a broad range of Luminy PLA resins. READ MORE

March 16, 2018

DuPont Tate & Lyle expands biobased propanediol production

BY DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products LLC Found In:ChemicalsDuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products LLC, a joint venture between DuPont and Tate & Lyle, recently announced an expansion to their manufacturing facility in Loudon, Tennessee, to increase annual production of biobased 1,3-propanediol by 35 million pounds. READ MORE

March 16, 2018

Better solvents improve production of biofuels, bioproducts

BY University of Wisconsin-Madison Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsResearchers have found a new way to measure and analyze how a solvent alters the stability of two different points of a chemical reaction, the initial state and the transition state. The findings could help improve biofuel production. READ MORE

March 15, 2018

Oklahoma cellulosic diesel facility achieves D7 Q-RIN status

BY Ron KotrbaFound In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsD7 RINs generated at a biorefinery in Oklahoma City producing cellulosic diesel fuel have been verified by Weaver and granted Q-RIN status. Envia Energy uses FT technology to convert landfill gas and natural gas into diesel fuel, naphtha and wax. READ MORE

March 15, 2018

UPM Biofuels enters the bioplastics market with new partners

BY UPM Biofuels Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsUPM is committed to creating value from sustainable bioinnovations. In addition to renewable diesel, the UPM Lappeenranta Biorefinery produces renewable naphtha—an excellent raw material for bioplastics. READ MORE

March 14, 2018

Engineers develop tools to scale up of bio-oil production

BY Iowa State University Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsA research team at Iowa State University will study, model and develop design tools for autothermal pyrolysis, a new way to break down corn stalks, wood chips and other biomass to produce a liquid bio-oil. READ MORE

March 09, 2018

NCGA: Consider Corn Challenge winners named

BY National Corn Growers Association Found In:ChemicalsLygos, Annikki, Iowa Corn Promotion Board, Vertimass, Sasya and South Dakotas State University were recently named as winners of the National Corn Grower Association's inaugural Consider Corn Challenge. READ MORE

March 07, 2018

Letter urges reauthorization of energy title in next Farm Bill

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Pellets, Power, Thermal, Biogas, Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsOn March 6, a group of more than 200 companies and trade associations sent a letter to House and Senate Agricultural Committee leaders urging them to reauthorize and fund energy title programs in the next Farm Bill. READ MORE

March 07, 2018

Secretary Perdue administers oath of office to Bill Northey

BY USDA Found In:Pellets, Power, Thermal, Biogas, Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsU.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue administered the oath of office to Bill Northey March 7 at the Annual Iowa Ag Leaders Dinner. Northey previously served as Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture, a position he had held for more than 11 years. READ MORE

March 07, 2018

NMSU collaborates on project to develop guayule, guar feedstocks

BY New Mexico State University Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsDeveloping sustainable energy sources is a national quest of scientists in both the private industry and public university sector. Among these endeavors is the recently started Sustainable Bio-economy for Arid Regions project. READ MORE

March 07, 2018

Digestive ability of ancient insects may aid biofuel development

BY University of York Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsThe University of York has announced a study of the unusual digestive system of firebrats, an ancient group of insects, is providing new insights into future biofuel production. The insects are able to efficiently digest cellulose. READ MORE

March 07, 2018

Opinion: Long Road for Biofuels Industry

BY Michael McAdams Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsThis year is setting up to be a long year for the biofuels industry. First on the agenda is the fate of the biofuels tax extenders, including the biodiesel blenders, renewable diesel credit, second-generation and alternative fuels credits, which all READ MORE

March 02, 2018

Researchers triple the number of grains in sorghum

BY Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsScientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have figured out how a simple genetic modification can boost the sorghum's yield. By lowering the level of a key hormone, the change allows the crop to generate more flowers and more seeds. READ MORE

February 27, 2018

Senate confirms Northey for USDA post

BY Erin VoegeleFound In:Pellets, Power, Thermal, Biogas, Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsOn Feb. 27, nearly six months after he was first nominated, the U.S. Senate confirmed Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey to serve as Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service at USDA. READ MORE

February 23, 2018

GLBRC expands mission

BY Mark Griffin, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsBuilding on the success of 10 years researching biofuels, the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center recently embarked on a new mission: to develop sustainable alternatives to transportation fuels and products currently derived from petroleum. READ MORE

February 22, 2018

Fungal enzymes could hold secret to making biofuels from wood

BY University of York Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsAn international team of researchers, including scientists from the University of York, has discovered a set of enzymes found in fungi that are capable of breaking down one of the main components of wood. READ MORE

February 20, 2018

Bridgestone, Versalis partner to expand guayule research efforts

BY Bridgestone Americas Inc. Found In:ChemicalsBridgestone Americas and Versalis, a major producer in the polymers and elastomers industry, are forming a strategic partnership to develop and deploy a comprehensive technology package to commercialize guayule. READ MORE

February 20, 2018

Partners consider renewable methanol project in Rotterdam

BY Enerkem Inc. Found In:Advanced Fuels, ChemicalsA consortium of companies comprising Air Liquide, AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals, Enerkem and the Port of Rotterdam has signed a project development agreement covering initial investments in an advanced waste-to-chemistry facility in Rotterdam. READ MORE

February 19, 2018

Stora Enso launches lignin product to replace oil-based phenol

BY Stora Enso Found In:ChemicalsStora Enso has announced the launch of Lineo, a renewable replacement for oil-based phenolic materials which are used in resins for plywood, oriented strand board (OSB), laminated veneer lumber (LVL), paper lamination and insulation material. READ MORE

February 16, 2018

NREL scientists model methane-eating bacteria

BY National Renewable Energy Laboratory Found In:Biogas, ChemicalsA research team including scientists from NREL recently explored the possibilities provided by the natural world by researching how the bacteria Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum 20ZR uses methane and converts it to valuable product precursors. READ MORE