Though building capacity globally, Solazyme’s operations in Brazil are getting traction fast – and raised $235M last week. How much oil could be produced in Brazil via sugar-munching microalgae? Today, the Digest looks at Solazyme’s progress and the bigger picture. In California, two monster announcements came out of Solazyme headquarters last week. One related to project finance […]
In Texas, MarketsandMarkets has a report predicting that the global market for biofertilizers will reach $10,298.5 million by 2017, growing at the CAGR of 12.8% from 2012 to 2017. The market in 2011 was estimated to be worth around $5,013.1 million in 2011. Leading companies focused on expansion of the business in local as well […]
The Biofuels Digest Index™ (BDI), a basket of public biofuels stocks, gained 0.12 percent to 66.85 as enzyme equities advanced. For the day, Amyris (AMRS) plunged 6.80 percent to $3.29, while Solazyme (SZYM) recovered 4.92 percent to $7.25. Among other equities,Monsanto (MON) rose 1.10 percent to $102.50. Overall, advances led declines 7 to 5 for […]
Impossible to cross? Or merely inconvenient to incumbents? In today’s Digest, we look at what the oil industry has termed the “ethanol blend wall” to find the stones with which it is constructed and the windows that might provide access to wonders on the other side. It was the last speech that John F. Kennedy […]
In Washington, the US Department of Energy announced a “Advancements in Algal Biomass Yield” Funding Opportunity of up to $10 million to help unlock the potential of biofuels made from algae. The funding will support research projects aimed at boosting the productivity of algae cultivation systems and developing and demonstrating effective, energy-efficient, and low-cost algae […]
In Texas, KBR announced it was selected by CRI Catalyst Company (CRI) as the preferred Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) partner supporting licensed design of IH2 technology commercial scale facilities, having greater than 330-tons/day dry biomass feed rates. Under the terms of the contract, KBR will provide Basic Engineering services for broad, full scale commercial […]
In Virginia, the Town of Gretna and Piedmont BioProducts were awarded Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission grants of $5.3 million. The grants will be used to develop a biodiesel refinery in the Gretna Industrial Park. “I can’t begin to tell you what this is going to mean to the area,” said Gretna Town […]
In India, Phys.org is reporting that “Tree seeds, rather than biomass or fuel crop plants, could represent an abundant source of renewable energy, according to research published in the International Journal of Automotive Technology and Management. The study suggests that seeds from the Indian mahua and sal trees have almost as good a thermal efficiency […]
In France, the Ecotechnologies fund, managed by CDC Entreprises, made its second investment in the company McPhy Energy. This €5M equity investment aims at supporting the commercial development of the company following the acquisition of an electrolysis equipments production unit. This investment is part of a 10M€ capital increase completed by the company’s historical investors: […]
In Brazil, Biofuels International is reporting that “Brazilian biofuels producer Vinema Biorefinarias do Sul (VBS) is planning to build the country’s first ethanol fuel mills that use grain as raw material.” The company is seeking to raise $20 million in equity for its first plant, in Cristal, as part of an overall $352 capital commitment. […]
