In Canada, Enerkem announced it started the commercial production of cellulosic ethanol. Enerkem’s facility in Edmonton, AB, Canada, is the first commercial-scale plant in the world to produce cellulosic ethanol made from non-recyclable, non-compostable mixed municipal solid waste. The company has been producing and selling biomethanol since 2016, prior to expanding production to include cellulosic […]
In Washington, scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory are transforming greenhouse gas into chemical feedstock using a new nickel catalyst that operates in water. The new catalyst converts carbon dioxide to formate and has three big advantages compared to traditional carbon dioxide conversion processes. First, it uses water instead of toxic solvents. Second, the catalyst […]
In Washington, DC, Advanced Biofuels USA reports that their USDA-funded feasibility study based on 2016 energy beet project at University of Maryland Eastern Shore finds Navy solicitation is best market for economic viability of project. The study asked with Norfolk and Mid-Atlantic international airports in the area, could Maryland’s Eastern Shore, part of the Delmarva […]
In Indiana, researchers discovered a new reaction mechanism that could be used to improve catalyst designs for pollution-control systems to further reduce emissions of smog-causing nitrogen oxides in diesel exhaust. The research focuses on a type of catalyst called zeolites, workhorses in petroleum and chemical refineries and in emission-control systems for diesel engines. New catalyst […]
In Washington, D.C., the Renewable Fuels Association reports that according to EIA data, ethanol production averaged 1.047 million barrels per day (b/d)—or 43.97 million gallons daily. That is down 13,000 b/d from the week before. The four-week average for ethanol production decreased to 1.050 million b/d for an annualized rate of 16.10 billion gallons. Stocks […]
In Germany, UFOP reports that they have joined with the French union of oilseeds and proteins crops producers (FOP) to ask the European Commission to protect EU biodiesel market. On September 7th, member state representatives narrowly approved the proposal by the EU Commission to reduce by September 28 the customs duties on biodiesel imports from […]
In India, calls for policy changes to help the biodiesel industry are being voiced and if implemented, could help biodiesel’s future role in the country. While jatropha, agricultural waste and other feedstocks show promise in India, they have some policy challenges for biodiesel producers. Former professor Bharat Jhunjhunwala told the Free Press Journal in India, […]
In Washington, DC, the American Institute of Physics reported that CellulosomePlus, an international research consortium that includes researchers from Spain, Poland and Ireland, developed a way to re-engineer the bacterial enzyme complexes, called cellulosomes, which serve as catalysts in the degradation process. Helping bacteria become more efficient in this process could result in more affordable […]
With Hurricane Irma viciously plowing through Florida, the Digest takes a look at advanced bioeconomy innovators and companies in the Sunshine State that isn’t getting much sunshine right now. Florida is a hot state, in more ways than one, and we cover the Top 5 hottest Florida spots that hopefully remain intact or recover […]
In Michigan, researchers found that rainfall and weather conditions greatly affected crop yields for biofuel crops like switchgrass and corn stover, resulting in composition changes during biofuel production. While the plants produced more sugar after a major drought and after two years of normal rainfall, the sugar ended up producing toxic compounds instead of biofuel. […]
