Joint BioEnergy Institute researchers are exploring new ways to meet the challenge of recalcitrant cellulosic feedstocks and lower the cost of biofuels. They recently published two papers detailing their work to genetically modify xylan and lignin.
Amyris Inc., a leading renewable chemicals and fuels company, has announced it has completed a $42.25 million private placement of its common stock. The company also began production of Biofene, a renewable farnesene, in Brazil.
Australia-based Cardia Bioplastics Ltd. has announced an exclusive annual supply contract with the Shanghai Pudong City District in China to supply an estimated $1.2 million worth of its Biohybrid waste bags to 20 percent of area households.
A series of articles published as a special issue on biofuels by the Forest Products Journal highlights the relative impact of 15 different uses of biofuels on reducing CO2 emissions and increasing energy independence.
Work to understand cellulose production at the University of Virginia School of Medicine that may help hospitals battle bacterial infections could also have a significant impact on advanced biofuel production.
Researchers at Clemson University's Pee Dee Research and Education Center and ArborGen Inc. have collaborated to plant thousands of poplars at the Pee Dee center to determine if certain varieties of the tree are suitable for bioenergy stock.
U.S. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson has announced she will resign following President Obama's State of the Union address, which is scheduled for Jan. 24. Jackson did not cite a reason for her departure.
Late Dec. 20, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the $633 billion National Defense Authorization Act for 2013 in a 315-107 vote. The version must now be approved by the Senate.
OriginOil Inc. has announced that its algae harvesting process reduces bacterial concentrations by as much as 99 percent. This could extend the shelf life of liquid algae concentrate from hours to days, addressing a key problem in the algae industry.
Lux Research has published top-10 lists of 2012's top emerging technology companies, as well as emerging companies to watch in 2013. Biorefining companies, including Solazyme, Itaconix and Beta Renewables, top this year's lists.
Under contract with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Harris Group has completed a comprehensive review of biomass gasifier technologies, titled "Biomass Gasification Technology Assessment."
With new funding in hand, Proterro Inc. is poised to take its sucrose-producing process to the pilot stage, using full scale-bioreactors. The company expects the process can produce fermentation-ready sugar at a cost of less than 5 cents per pound.
Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber believes energy is the issue of our time, and to address the issue, he has released a 10-year Energy Action Plan. The 48-page plan includes a recommendation section on bioenergy and biomass-based thermal energy development.
Solazyme Inc. has announced the successful completion of multiple initial fermentations at Archer Daniels Midland Co.'s Clinton, Iowa facility. The fermentations were conducted in approximately 500,000-liter vessels.
Algae biofuel research being completed at Qatar University was toured by Roberto Kobeh Gonzalez, president of the council of the International Civil Aviation Organization, during his trip to the United Nations Climate Change Conference.
The U.K. has committed to sourcing 15 percent of its energy from renewable resources by 2020, and biomass is expected to pay a crucial role in this goal by delivering low carbon sources of heat, power and liquid fuels.
Patriot Bioenergy Corp. joined the Kentucky Hemp Growers Cooperative Association and sees value in industrial hemp for biomass blending with bituminous coal for power generation as well as a possible cellulosic feedstock for biofuels.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced $10 million in research grants to spur production of bioenergy and biobased products that will lead to the development of sustainable regional systems and help create jobs.
Industry analyst firm NanoMarkets has published a report, titled "Bio-Plastics Markets - 2013," that projects revenues from bioplastics will reach $6.1 billion by 2018, with 8.6 million tons of bioplastics shipped.
The World Bioenergy Association released a new biomass fact sheet at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in December. The document asserts that theories on carbon debt and "payback time" of biomass are not credible.
Hawaii-based Big Island Carbon LLC filed for chapter 7 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court District of Delaware last month. The company intended to convert macadamia nut shells into biobased activated carbon for use in purification applications.
A Colorado State University team has received a $2 million grant from the U.S. DOE to produce a biological control system for bioenergy crops. The work will develop technology that allows rapid and precise improvement of bioenergy crops.
The U.K. Department for Business, Innovation & Skills recently declared the U.K. Green Investment Bank plc open for business. The entity is the world's first investment bank dedicated solely to green investments.
Researchers at the University of Maine at Fort Kent's Center for Rural Sustainable Development have been granted more than $62,000 to gauge farmer interest in growing energy grass on a large scale, and evaluate economic and market feasibility issues.
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