A most remarkable document appeared almost without fanfare at one of the most obscure corners of the Internet, known to some as “biomassboard.gov” and to most people as “Eh?” It’s the home planet for a little known working group called the Technical Advisory Committee of the Biomass R&D Board. As the committee notes: The Biomass […]
The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of December 5th. #1 Do you smell coffee? That’s my sunglasses! In Ukraine, the world’s first coffee-based sunglasses are now available thanks to eyeglass designer brand Ochi. They use a biopolymer based on coffee, flax […]
Renmatix is a technology licensor that enables the production of petrochemicals from plants. The company’s water-based Plantrose process is the lowest cost method for converting a wide range of non-food biomass into cellulosic sugars, used in the global chemical and fuels markets. CTO Fred Moesler gave this illuminating overview of the company’s promise and progress […]
In the Netherlands, GoodFuels Marine in conjunction with bulker and tanker owner and operator NORDEN A/S has successfully completed trials of the world’s first zero emission, ‘drop in’ Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO)-equivalent marine biofuel – almost entirely reducing all carbon and Sulphur emissions. The culmination of three years extensive research and development with partners including […]
In Germany, Volkswagen has been testing the newly developed R33 BlueDiesel fuel at its in-house filling station in Wolfsburg since January 2018. The innovative fuel enables CO2 savings of at least 20 percent compared to conventional diesel thanks to the use of biofuels. It also enables major customers to achieve climate protection goals with their […]
In Ethiopia, a 12,000-liter per day jatropha-based biodiesel facility will be commissioned soon, sourcing feedstock from farmers who have planted 1.4 million hectares of jatropha via digital payment system. API, the company behind the project, hopes to have 10 biodiesel facilities online by 2025 with a total 730 million liters of production annually with a […]
In Indonesia, Reuters reports that the Ministry of Energy announced nearly 6.2 billion liters of biodiesel will be allotted for blending during 2019 via 18 fuel distributors that will then blend and retail the fuel onto consumers to comply with the new B20 mandate. The country recently boosted its mandate to 20% from 15% in […]
In the Philippines, the Manila Times reports that the country’s first non-molasses based ethanol plant will be developed in Zamboanga City, using sorghum as feedstock at the $323.6 million facility. The annual production capacity of the project that is seen as a key driver to improving the socio-economic conditions of the region was not announced. […]
In Brazil, Reuters reports that sugar mills continue to shun sugar in favor of ethanol production and are investing in more production capacity of ethanol to help ensure continued focus on the fuel while the globe swims in sugar supply. That focus on ethanol already in the 2018/19 season will see sugar production at a […]
In the UK, scientists studying the digestive system of a curious wood-eating crustacean have discovered it may hold the key to sustainably converting wood into biofuel. Gribble are small marine invertebrates that have evolved to perform an important ecological role eating the abundant supplies of wood washed into the sea from river estuaries. They can […]
