Category: Top Stories

Pain-relieving yarns, dissolvable plastic made out of algae, probiotic nutrition from soy waste, squid-inspired smart materials. Illinois okays hemp cultivation: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of September 5th

September 5, 2018 | Jim Lane

The pace of invention and change is just too strong, we’ve realized, to highlight annual or even quarterly or monthly rankings and summaries of significant product and service advances. For now, we’re going to be tracking these on a weekly basis to keep pace with the changes. Here are the top innovations for the week […]

DOE invests $80M to accelerate bioenergy R&D, 36 projects picked: the complete details

September 4, 2018 | Jim Lane

In Washington, the U.S. Department of Energy announced the selection of 36 projects totaling $80 million to support early-stage bioenergy research and development. It’s one of the largest group announces of projects in a long time from the BioEnergy technologies Office, with individual federal shares of up to $5 million. 19 academic and research institutes […]

The Digest’s 2018 Guide to Italy in the Advanced Bioeconomy

September 3, 2018 | Jim Lane

Groups like Eni, Wilmar, Novamont, Reverdia, Blue Sphere, or the many consortia? The key takeaways; the mandates and national targets; the key producers; process technology R&D; feedstock & supply chain development. All in one concise guide. Mandates and national consumption Key takeaway: Italy is part of the EU and its overall Renewable Energy Directive; strikingly, it […]

Hard labor for Labor Day – Biofuel fraud criminals behind bars

September 2, 2018 | admin

While Labor Day in the U.S. started in the late 19th century to honor the American labor movement, today we are dealing with biofuel fraud cases that might lead to hard labor in prison. Biofuel fraud is making it to mainstream media with Friday night’s CBS News airing a segment featuring biofuels fraud whistleblower, Alex […]

Birth of an industrial sugars giant? Sugars in focus in Leaf Resources, Petronas agreement

August 30, 2018 | Jim Lane

We hear from Australia and Malaysia that PETRONAS Chemicals Group and Leaf Resources inked a Memorandum of Understanding for Leaf’s proposed biorefinery project in Malaysia. In prospect? A study of chemical markets and commercially ready bio-technologies. Potential outcome? An offtake agreement for the fermentable sugars produced at the proposed Leaf facility in Segamat Johor Malaysia […]

The Wonder from Down Under and the Flying Finns partner to divert waste plastic towards valuable materials, liquids

August 30, 2018 | Jim Lane

News arrived from Finland that Neste, UK-based chemical recycling company ReNew ELP, and Australian technology developer Licella have partnered to explore the potential of using mixed waste plastic as a raw material for fuels, chemicals, and new plastics. The Wonder from Down Under, Licella, joined up with the Flying Finns of Neste? Powerful potential that. […]

Genomatica and the new road to bioeconomy innovation

August 29, 2018 | Jim Lane

We’re going to look in on Genomatica today and a shift in innovation which is important to all and particularly to the fans of ventures that find commercial success as well as commercial-scale, but we’ll not begin in San Diego or the usual ventureburghs of Silicon Valley or Boston. Instead, we’ll commence in the country […]

Spit-activated biobased batteries, glow-in-the-dark trees, kombucha clothes, biobased root canals, breakthroughs in degradable plastics, straws: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of August 29th

August 28, 2018 | Jim Lane

Here are the top innovations in the advanced bioeconomy for the week of August 29th. Yep, it’s been a heck of a week if you’re looking for any of the following: Spit-activated, biobased batteries, glow-in-the-dark trees, kombucha clothes, Hydrogels for biobased root canals, Breakthroughs in degradable plastics, straws from Mango Materials, New Materials Institute, Wisefood, […]

The Silent Fuel: Methanol for power, fuels and chemistry in a low-carbon economy

August 27, 2018 | Jim Lane

From Switzerland comes word of a technology for methanol synthesis plants which capture CO2 from the environment to create renewable methanol fuel. If you haven’t heard of it before, it’s appropriately named Silent-Power. The company produces both industrial and modular plants and is working to bring modular plants to private residences to empower individuals with […]

U.S. Army gets super strong spider silk bulletproof panels

August 26, 2018 | admin

The U.S. military is getting as close to becoming Superman and Spider-Man superheroes as humanly possible with their new ballistic shootpack panels made from Kraig Biocraft Laboratories’ proprietary Dragon Silk material. The spider silk material is not only stronger than steel, it’s stronger than Kevlar, the usual bulletproof material used for military and police personnel. […]

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