Flint Hills, Encina
Date: 2021-02-17
In the Lone Star State, The Woodlands-based Encina Development Group LLC and Wichita, Kansas-headquartered ethanol and ingredients producer Flint Hills Resources are reporting a nonbinding term sheet that for the construction of a renewable chemicals and fuels from plastic waste facility in Corpus Christi.

Under the agreement, Flint Hills would market the plant's products and work with its affiliates to market renewable aromatic products from other Encina plants in the US.

Flint Hills Resources purchases over 240 million bpy of corn for its six ethanol manufacturing operations in Iowa and Nebraska, according to the company website. (Source: Encina Development Group, PR, 16 Feb., 2021) Contact: Flint Hills Resources, 229-522-2822, www.fhr.com; Encina Development Group, David A. Schwedel, Executive Director, (281) 210-0007, dschwedel@encina.com, www.encina.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Ethanol,  Renewable Chemical,  Flint Hills Resources ,  Encina,  

Trucent Renewable Chemicals
Date: 2021-02-12
In the Buckeye State, Trucent Renewable Chemicals (TRC) reports it will invest more than $10 million in its first facility to commercialize its proprietary fluid separation technology to process of raw vegetable oils into chemical intermediaries at new site in Van Wert. Work on the facility is expected to begin early this spring.

TRC is a division of Dexter, Michigan-based Trucent, a processor of vegetable oils into renewable oleo-chemicals for machining fluids, paints, adhesives, plastics, animal feed and other applications. (Source: Trucent Renewable Chemicals, PR, 10 Feb., 2021) Contact: Trucent, 734-212-8014, www.trucent.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Renewable Chemicals,  

Enerkem
Date: 2020-12-09
Montreal-based biofuels-renewable fuels from wastes specialist Enerkem and strategic partners Shell, Suncor, Proman and Hydro-Quebec is reporting plans to develop a 33.2 million gpy biorefinery in Varennes, Quebec.

The proposed $875 million (Cdn) Varennes Carbon Recycling facility would produce ethanol and renewable chemicals from roughly 200,000 metric tpy of wood waste, forest biomass and non-recyclable plastic and solid waste materials using a proprietary thermochemical technology.

Enerkem notes the proposed project will leverage green hydrogen and oxygen produced through electrolysis and include construction of one of the world's largest renewable hydrogen and oxygen production facilities. The first phase of the proposed project is slated for commissioning in 2023. (Source: Enerkem, Website, 8 Dec., 2020) Contact: Enerkem, Dominique Boies, CEO and CFO, 514-375-7800, communications@enerkem.com, www.enerkem.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Enerkem,  Ethanol,  Biofuel,  

Aemetis
Date: 2020-11-23
Cupertino, California-headquartered advanced renewable fuel and biochemicals producer Aemetis, Inc. is reporting its wholly-owned subsidiary, Aemetis Health Products, Inc., has received a $24 million initial purchase order after signing a supply agreement for sanitizer alcohol and nitrile gloves with a California distributor of health safety products.

Aemetis Inc. owns and operates a 65 million gpy ethanol production facility near Modesto, California and owns and operates a 50 million gpy renewable chemical and advanced fuel production facility on the East Coast of India producing high quality distilled biodiesel and refined glycerin.

As we reported on 24 Aug., Aemetis is also building a biogas anaerobic digester network and pipeline to convert dairy animal waste gas to Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) and is developing a plant to convert waste orchard wood into cellulosic ethanol.

Aemetis holds a portfolio of patents and related technology licenses for the production of renewable fuels and biochemicals, according to a release. (Source: Aemetis Inc., Street Insider, 23 Nov., 2020) Contact: Aemetis, Eric McAfee, CEO , Todd Waltz, (408) 213-0940, emcafee@aemetis.com, www.aemetis.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Aemetis ,  Ethanol,  RNG,  

Biofine Developments Northeast
Date: 2020-10-30
In the Pine Tree State, Bangor-based cellulose bioproducts spcialist Biofine Developments Northeast Inc. (BDNE) reports it has formed a partnership with Portsmouth, New Hampshire-based wholesale energy supplier Sprague Resources LP to produce and market a patented biofuel made from 100 pct ethyl levulinate (EL), an organic chemical compound.

The company hopes finalize the site of its first biorefinery within the next month and begin operation in 2023. The plant would process 100 tpd of lumber industry woody biomass and paper mill wastes to make 3 million gpy of competitively priced "zero-emissions heating oil as well as a side stream of marketable renewable chemical by-products.

Biofine is working with Treadwell Franklin Infrastructure Capital to bring the project to commercial scale and raise $70 million from private investors. Biofine is a member of Biobased Maine, the trade group promoting sustainable manufacturing and biomass solutions. (Source: Biofine Developments Northeast Inc., Press Herald, Oct., 2020) Contact: Biofine Developments Northeast Inc., www.biofinedevelopments.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Woody Biomass,  BDNE,  

Praj Industries
Date: 2020-07-10
On the sub-continent, Mumbai-based sugarcane ethanol producer Praj Industries is reporting a MoU with National Chemical Laboratory for joint opportunities in the global renewable chemical and materials (RCM) sector.

Praj also reports it is making inroads into the RCM industry through its newly launched Bio-PrismTM portfolio of bio-industrial products, including bio plastics , cellulose-lignin refinery products and specialty products with automotive, packaging, construction and various other applications. (Source: Praj Industries, India Times, 9 July, 2020) Contact: Praj Industries Ltd., +91 20 7180 2000 / 2294 1000, info@praj.net, www.praj.net

More Low-Carbon Energy News Praj Industries,  Advanced Biofuel,  Biochemical,  Bioplastic,  

Maine Tax Credit
Date: 2020-03-27
In Augusta, Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) has signed into law legislation establishing an 8 cent per pound tax credit for chemicals produced from renewable biomass via a biological conversion, thermal conversion or combination of the two technologies. The resulting renewable chemical must be sold or used for the production of chemical products, polymers, plastics, or formulated products.

Eligible products must have at least 95 pct bio-based content and cannot be sold or used for the production of food, feed or fuel. Exceptions are allowed for cellulosic sugars used to produce aquaculture feed and food additives, supplements, vitamins, nutraceuticals or pharmaceuticals that do not provide caloric value and are not considered food or feed.

The tax credit comes into force Jan. 1, 2021. Download full copy of the bill H.P. 1213 - L.D. 1698 An Act To Create Jobs and Slow Climate Change by Promoting the Production of Natural Resources Bioproducts HERE. (Source: Office of Maine Governor Janet Mills, 18 Mar., 2020) Contact: Office of Maine Gov. Janet Mills, 207-287-3531, www.maine.gov/governor/mills/contact

More Low-Carbon Energy News Renewable Chemical,  Biomass,  

White Dog Labs, Central Minnesota Renewables
Date: 2020-02-07
New Castle, Delaware-headquartered White Dog Labs (WDL) is reporting plans to purchase Central Minnesota Renewables' shuttered former ethanol -- biobutanol plant in Little Falls, Minnesota, and to upgrade the facility to produce ProTyton, a corn-based aquaculture feed product. The upgraded plant will managed by Midwest Renewable Energy, which operates a corn ethanol plant near Sutherland, Nebraska.

The facility was originally constructed as the 21 MMgy Central MN Ethanol Co-op corn ethanol plant. Green Biologics Inc., a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of U.K.-based biotechnology and renewable chemical company Green Biologics Ltd., purchased the facility in December 2014 through its Central MN Renewables LLC affiliate. The facility was retrofitted to produce biobased butanol and acetone and resumed operations in 2016. In mid-2019, Green Biologics announced it could not secure funding to continue operations and would close the plant.

According to the WDL website, White Dog Labs was established in 2012 on the foundation of harnessing natural microorganism diversity to address global challenges in food sustainability, climate change and general human and animal nutrition. The company goes beyond discovery to also design and scale bioprocesses with end product application in mind.

Core to WDL discovery is its proprietary Protocol B™ process coupled with additional high-throughput selection techniques for the isolation and cultivation of microbiome-derived anaerobic microorganisms. WDL's approaches result in large, diverse and novel strain libraries informed through emerging applications in microbiome science, and yield promising solutions for animal nutrition and health. WDL also invented a novel class of fermentation technology called MixoFerm™ that allows cultivation of previously "unculturable" bacteria while also improving the carbon efficiency of fermentation processes by 50 to 100 pct, according to the WDL website.(Source: White Dog Labs, PR, Ethanol Producer, 4 Feb., 2020) Contact: White Dog Labs., Bryan Tracy, (302) 220-4763, btracy@whitedoglabs.com, www.WhiteDogLabs.com; Central Minnesota Renewables, 320-632-1614, www.centralmnrenewables.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News White Dog Labs ,  Central Minnesota Renewables,  

Avantium
Date: 2020-01-13
In the Netherlands, Amsterdam-based renewable chemicals specialist Avantium is reporting it will build its furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) bioplastic flagship plant at Chemie Park Delfzijl, the Netherlands. The $30 million, five-kiloton facility will be constructed near Avantium's pilot biorefinery, producing glucose and lignin from non-food biomass. The plant is expected to be completed in 2023. (Source: Avantium, PR, Website, 8 Jan., 2019) Contact: Avantium, Tom van Aken , CEO, +31 (0)20 586 8080, www.avantium.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Avantium ,  Bioplastic,  

Avantium
Date: 2019-11-18
In the Netherlands, Amsterdam-based renewable chemicals specialist Avantium is reporting the start-up of a $22 million, 10-metric tpy demonstration facility in Chemie Park Delfzijl, for the production of basic chemical ethylene glycol from renewable sugars.

According to the release, $22 million facility will employ up to 20 people. (Source: Avantium, Chemical & engineering News, 17 Nov., 2019)Contact: Avantium, Tom van Aken , CEO, +31 (0)20 586 8080, www.avantium.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Avantium ,  ethylene,  

Avantium
Date: 2019-06-14
In the Netherlands, Amsterdam-based renewable chemicals specialist Avantium reports it is advancing its planned production of furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and polyethylene furanoate (PEF) bio-based polymers at a new bioplastics plant that is slated for opening in 2023.

Avantium's YXY plant-to-plastics process catalytically converts plant-based sugars into a wide range of chemicals and plastics, such as bio-based PEF.

Avantium also notes it has assumed full ownership of the Synvina bioplastics business from joint venture partner, the German chemicals giant BASF, and has rebranded the operation as Avantium Renewable Polymers. Synvina was formed in 2016 to commercialise the YXY technology developed by Avantium to produce PEF-building block FDCA. (Source: Avantium, BioMarket Insights, 13 June, 2019) Contact: Avantium, Tom van Aken , CEO, +31 (0)20 586 8080, www.avantium.com; Synvina, hello@synvina.com, www.synvina.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News BASF,  Synvina,  Avantium ,  Bioplastic,  

Aemetis
Date: 2019-05-22
Aemetis Universal Biofuels India, a subsidiary of Cupertino, California-headquartered advanced renewable fuel and biochemical specialist Aemetis Inc. , reports it will supply 25 million or more US gpy of distilled biodiesel to an unnamed multi-site mining company with sites in southern and central India .

Shipments have already started, and there are plans to expand the deal to additional mines as it installs on-site storage for biodiesel.

Aemetis owns and operates a 60-million gpy ethanol production facility in California's Central Valley. It also has a 50-million-gpy renewable chemical and advanced fuel production facility on the east coast of India for production of high-quality distilled biodiesel and refined glycerin for US, European and Indian customers. (Source: Aemetis, Mining Magazine, May, 2019) Contact: Aemetis, Eric McAfee, CEO , Todd Waltz, (408) 213-0940, investors@aemetis.com, emcafee@aemetis.com, www.aemetis.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Aemetis,  Biodiesel,  

Anellotech
Date: 2019-05-08
Pearl River, New York-based renewable chemicals, bioplastics and fuels from non-food biomass producer Anellotech reports its patented Thermal Catalytic Biomass Conversion technology -- Bio-TCat -- has achieved commercially-targeted yields in its TCat-8 pilot unit in Silsbee, Texas during six months of continuous process operations.

Bio-TCat technology produces a mixture of benzene, toluene and xylene (AnelloMate BTX), which are bio-based and chemically identical to petroleum-derived counterparts. Bio-TCat technology also produces AnelloMate Distillate, a heavier aromatics product that can be upgraded into a high-quality biofuels blendstock for jet or diesel transportation fuel using conventional refinery processing. Cellulosic ethanol or hydrogen can be made from Bio-TCat's carbon monoxide co-product by using third-party technology.

Anellotech is planning construction of its first commercial plant and is engaging in partnership and funding discussions with existing and new strategic partners. The plant will be capable of processing 500 bone-dry tonnes/day of loblolly pine wood into 40,000 tpy of products including benzene, toluene, xylenes, and C9+ aromatics to use as fuels or for production of bio-based plastics for packaging and consumer products. (Source: Anellotech, PR, GreenCar Congress, 7 May, 2019) Contact: Anellotech Inc., David Sudolsky, Pres., (845) 735-7700, DSudolsky@anellotech.com, www.anellotech.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Anellotech ,  

Nordfuel
Date: 2019-04-24
The biorefinery Nordfuel reports it is scheduled to construct a €150 million soft wood residues bioethanol and biofuel plant next to the Haapavesi thermal power plant 120 kilometres south of Uleaborg in Northern Finland.

The new facility will utilize Swedish clean-tech company SEKAB E-Technology's Celluapp platform to extract cellulose sugars and lignin from forest or agricultural residues for processing into biofuels or renewable chemical products. The technology can be used in new biorefineries or to develop existing facilities.

The new Nordfuel biorefinery will produce bioethanol and biogas for the transport sector and lignin to fuel the 390-MW power plant in Haapavesi. (Source: Norfuel, April, 2019) Contact: Norduel, Antti Vilkuna, CEO, +358 (0)44 0220 919, antti.vilkuna@nordfuel.fi, http://nordfuel.fi/en/biorefinery

More Low-Carbon Energy News Lignin,  Biofuel,  Nordful Bioethanol,  

Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources,
Date: 2019-01-18
In the Land Down Under, the Sydney-based University of Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources (NIER) and Ethanol Technologies (Ethtec), in partnership with the Muswellbrook Shire Council, reports the development of the Hunter Pilot Biorefinery (HPB), a bio-renewables research facility and an environmentally sustainable process to produce biofuels and other renewable chemicals from crop and forestry waste.

The HPB will be a state-of-the-art facility containing biomass processing and fermentation equipment applicable to a range of biofuel and renewable chemical production technologies.

The first phase of the project received $4.6 million from the New South Wales (NSW) Government under the Growing Local Economies fund to unlock long-term growth opportunities in regional NSW through targeted infrastructure investment.

The foundation project of the Biorefinery is a $30 million cellulosic ethanol pilot plant project by Apace Research Limited (Apace), Ethanol Technologies Limited (Ethtec), the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), Chinese engineering company JTL and the University of Newcastle. (Source: University of Newcastle, Australia, PR 17 Jan., 2019) Contact: NIER, Professor Alan Broadfoot, Executive Director, +61 2 4033 9000, www.newcastle.edu.au; Ethtec, + 61 7 4776 5300, +61 7 4776 5392 - fax, www.ethtec.com.au

More Low-Carbon Energy News Biofuel,  Ethanol,  Ethtec,  Biomass,  

Aemetis,Protair-X Americas
Date: 2019-01-02
In the Golden State, Cupertino-headquartered advanced renewable fuel and biochemical specialist Aemetis Inc. reports its subsidiary, Aemetis Biogas LLC, has closed a $30 million equity investment and funded the first $8.3 million tranche to Aemetis Biogas to construct, own and operate dairy biomethane digesters, pipelines and gas cleanup/compression facilities primarily under 20-year agreements with a dozen dairy farm operations in California. The equity funding was provided by Protair-X Americas, an environmental investment unit of Protair-X Technologies in Canada.

In addition to its ethanol and wet distillers grain facility in Keyes, California, Aemetis owns and operates a 50 million gpy renewable chemical and advanced fuel biodiesel production facility in India, as well as operates an R&D laboratory and holds patents on renewable fuels and renewable chemicals production related technologies. (Source: Aemetis, Feedstuffs, 31 Dec., 2018)Contact: Aemetis, Eric McAfee, CEO , Todd Waltz, (408) 213-0940, investors@aemetis.com, www.aemetis.com; Protair-X Americas, www.protairx.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Aemetis,  RNG,  Biogas,  Biomethane,  Protair-X Americas ,  

Renewable Fuels Association,Aemetis
Date: 2018-11-30
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is reporting Cupertino, California-based advanced renewable fuels and biochemicals specialist Aemetis, Inc. has been added to the RFA membership roster.

Aemetis operates a 60 million gpy ethanol and DDGs animal feed production facility in Keyes, California and operates a 50 million gpy distilled biodiesel and refined glycerin biorefinery on the East Coast of India. The company also maintains a research and development laboratory and holds granted patents on technology related to the production of renewable fuels and renewable chemicals. (Source: RFA, PR, 28 Nov., 2018) Contact: Renewable Fuels Association, Bob Dinneen, Pres., (202) 289-3835, www.ethanolrfa.org; Aemetis, Eric McAfee, CEO , Todd Waltz, (408) 213-0940, investors@aemetis.com, www.aemetis.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Renewable Fuels Association,  Aemetis,  

Neste, Clariant
Date: 2018-11-09
Basel, Switzerland-based Clariant reports it is partnering with Helsinki-headquartered sustainable diesel and renewable chemical specialist Neste and will use C2/C3 monomers derived from Neste's renewable hydrocarbons. The feedstock is manufactured from waste and residue raw materials including used cooking oil and renewable vegetable oils. The C2/C3 monomers will replace those currently used by Clariant to develop advanced polyolefin solutions in several applications.

With this partnership, Clariant will be able to provide sustainable polyolefin solutions derived from renewable hydrocarbons. (Source: Clariant, Chemicals Technology, 7 Nov., 2018) Contact: Neste, Peter Vanacker, CEO, Kaisa Hietala, VP Renewable Products , +358 10 458 4128, www.neste.com; Clariant, Markus Rarbach, Head of Start-up Business Biofuels & Derivatives, Hariolf Kottmann, CEO, +41 61 469 5111, Anja Pomrehn, Inv. Relations, +41 61 469 67 45 anja.pomrehn@clariant.com, www.clariant.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Neste,  Clariant,  Renewable CHemical,  

Anellotech
Date: 2018-10-19
Pearl River, New York-based renewable chemicals, bioplastics and fuels from non-food biomass producer Anellotech is confirming progress in its Bio-TCat technology development program . The company is planning to scale-up design and engineering of a commercial plant with its process development and design partner IFPEN and commercialization, engineering, and licensing partner Axens.

Anellotech's patented Bio-TCat thermal-catalytic technology produces a mixture of benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX) which can be used in the production of polymers such as polyester, polycarbonate, and nylon, or high-octane gasoline blendstock. The company notes that co-product gas streams from Bio-TCat can be used to make significant amounts of renewable electricity, hydrogen or cellulosic ethanol using third party technologies. (Source: Anellotech, Public Release, Green Car Congress, 17 Oct., 2018)Contact: Anellotech Inc. David Sudolsky, Pres., (845) 735-7700, DSudolsky@anellotech.com, www.anellotech.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Anellotech,  

USDA
Date: 2018-08-31
The USDA's Rural Business-Cooperative Service is soliciting applications for the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program. The program provides loan guarantees of up to $250 million to fund the development, construction, and retrofitting of commercial-scale biorefineries using eligible technology. It can also be used to help fund the development of biobased product manufacturing facilities that use technologically new commercial-scale processing and manufacturing equipment to convert renewable chemicals and other biobased outputs of biorefineries into end-user products on a commercial scale.

Download Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program details HERE. (Source: USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Aug., 2018) Contact: USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service, www.rd.usda.gov/about-rd/agencies/rural-business-cooperative-service

More Low-Carbon Energy News Biochemical,  USDA,  

USDA
Date: 2018-08-10
The USDA's Rural Business-Cooperative Service is soliciting applications for the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program.

The program provides loan guarantees of up to $250 million to fund the development, construction, and retrofitting of commercial-scale biorefineries using eligible technology. It can also be used to help fund the development of biobased product manufacturing facilities that use technologically new commercial-scale processing and manufacturing equipment to convert renewable chemicals and other biobased outputs of biorefineries into end-user products on a commercial scale.

Download details and Notice of Solicitation of Applications for the Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program HERE. (Source: USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Aug., 2018) Contact: USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service, www.rd.usda.gov/about-rd/agencies/rural-business-cooperative-service

More Low-Carbon Energy News USDA,  Biofuel,  Biochemical,  Bioenergy,  

Aemetis
Date: 2018-06-20
Cupertino, California-based Aemetis, Inc. reports that the publication Biofuels Digest has awarded the Aemetis cellulosic ethanol facility under development at the Riverbank site in California as the "#1 Waste-to-Value Project in the world." The Aemetis facility earned its #1 project ranking as a result of its low cost contracted inputs, high value outputs, proven process technology and a planned $125 million USDA guaranteed loan. The facility was ranked above high profile and funded advanced biofuels projects including those developed by Fulcrum, Red Rock, Clariant, Poet and Enerkem.

Biofuels Digest noted that the Aemetis Riverbank project combines the best technology from leading technology providers LanzaTech and InEnTec with the local availability of waste orchard wood and other feedstock that can be used to produce Aemetis' high value cellulosic ethanol and valuable byproducts.

Aemetis owns and operates a 60 million gallon per year ethanol production facility in California's Central Valley, near Modesto. Aemetis also owns and operates a 50 million gpy renewable chemical and advanced fuel production facility in India producing distilled biodiesel and refined glycerin for the Indian, US and European markets. The company also operates an R&D laboratory, and holds a portfolio of patents and related technology licenses for the production of renewable fuels and biochemicals. (Source: Aemetis, PR, 19 June, 2018) Contact: Aemetis, Todd Waltz, (408) 213-0940, investors@aemetis.com, www.aemetis.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Renewable Fuel,  BiochemicalAemetis,  Ethanol,  Cellulosic Ethanol,  Biofuel,  

White Dog Labs
Date: 2018-06-13
Rehovot,Israel-based White Dog Labs Israel, a subsidiary of New Castle, Delaware-based White Dog Laboratories (WDL) and AdvanceBio are reporting receipt of grant funding from the Israel-US Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation BIRD Energy to further develop CelZyme™, a cellulosic hydrolysis technology developed by WDL Israel using the microorganism Clostridium thermocellum ( Ctx ).

In the wild, Ctx is nature's best cellulosic degrader, and since it is anaerobic, the technology has the potential of lowering enzymes costs via onsite CelZyme production, using part of the biomass as its feedstock.

WDL has developed a core competency for the isolation, selection, cultivation and engineering of Clostridia, a long known but less understood class of bacteria, with promising applications in biochemicals and fuels.

Cincinnati, Ohio-headquartered AdvanceBio provides renewable chemical and fuel process technology development and design services globally to first generation producers as well as companies developing second-generation, cellulosic ethanol processes. (Source: White Dog Lab, PR, Business Wire, June, 2018) Contact: White Dog Lab., Bryan Tracy, (302) 220-4763, btracy@whitedoglabs.com, www.WhiteDogLabs.com; White Dog Labs Israel, Alon Karpol, akarpol@whitedoglabs.com; AdvanceBio, Dale Monceaux, monceaux@advancebio.com, www.AdvanceBio.com; BIRD Foundation, Dr. Eitan Yudilevich, Executive Director, +972 3 698 8300, (650) 752-6485, www.birdf.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News White Dog Labs,  BIRD Energy,  ,  

Biomass Research and Development Initiative
Date: 2018-05-11
The US Department of Energy (DOE) reports it's Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI) will award up to $3 million in grant funding to the University of Tennessee and Northwestern University for advanced biofuels, bioenergy, and biobased products.

The University of Tennessee (UT). UT will be developing an integrated biorefinery design that combines the production of liquid fuels and renewable chemicals to verify production of affordable cellulosic ethanol.

Northwestern University will develop a rapid synthesis of next-generation biofuels and bioproducts from lignocellulosic biomass. The project will employ several strategies to reduce the timeframe of discovering biosynthetic pathways to optimize fuel and chemical production, including bottom-up engineering principles, computational models, and cell-free framework systems.

Both projects aim to lower biofuel production costs and develop diverse, cost-effective cellulosic biomass technologies for use in the production of biofuels and biobased products. (Source: US DOE, Green Car Congress, 10 May, 2018) Contact: DOE Biomass Research and Development Initiative , https://biomassboard.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News Biofuel,  Cellulosic Biomass,  

Anellotech,Suntory
Date: 2018-03-28
Pearl River, New York-based renewable chemicals, bioplastics and fuels from non-food biomass producer Anellotech, is reporting two weeks of continuous operation of its seven-story tall TCat-8 pilot plant in Silsbee, Texas, producing primarily benzene, toluene, and xylenes (aromatics) from loblolly pine feedstock. The company also reports receipt of an additional $6 million investment from Suntory Holdings Limited, which was part of a previously announced $15 million package. To date, Suntorys has invested more than $30 million in Anellotech.

The Anellotech Bio-TCat Process's cost-competitive renewable aromatic chemicals are "drop in" replacements for their identical petroleum-derived counterparts, and can be used in manufacturing plastics renewable transportation fuels.

The alliance with Suntory, one of Anellotech's principal strategic investment partners, began in 2012 with the goal of enabling the development and commercialization of cost-competitive 100 pct bio-based plastics for use in beverage bottles. Suntory currently uses 30 pct plant-derived materials for its Mineral Water Suntory Tennensui brands and is pursuing the development of a 100 pct bio-based PET bottle through this alliance, as part of its commitment to sustainable business practices. (Source: Anellotech Inc., PR, 28 Mar., 2018) Contact: Anellotech Inc. David Sudolsky, Pres., (845) 735-7700, DSudolsky@anellotech.com, www.anellotech.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Suntory news,  Anellotech news,  Biochemical news,  Bioplastic news,  Renewable Fuel news,  PET Plastic news,