Author Archive: Jim Lane

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The Digest’s 2025 Multi-Slide Guide to Pyrone Systems

The Digest’s 2025 Multi-Slide Guide to Pyrone Systems

December 3, 2025 |

Pyrone Systems offers PYRONZ™, a new green chemistry bio-insecticide to address resistance and regulatory burdens. Currently cost-competitive via chemical synthesis, future bio-production using vegetable oil byproducts aims for 50-75% cheaper costs. Field trials show the product outperforms market standards against navel orangeworm. Commercial milestones include a completed 30 kg pilot and developed end-use products. Regulatory […]

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The Digest’s 2025 Multi-Slide Guide to Praio

The Digest’s 2025 Multi-Slide Guide to Praio

December 2, 2025 |

Praio is commercializing patented artificial Protocells for intensified biomanufacturing, merging the advantages of whole-cell efficiency and cell-free flexibility. This platform improves reaction rates >10x and is stable over four months. The technology has demonstrated 1L scale continuous processing. Praio is strategically targeting high-margin specialty chemicals (sweeteners/fragrances) as its first product, aiming to transition later to […]

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You’ve Got a Friend in We: Novonesis, MicroBioGen and the Era of Radical Collaboration

You’ve Got a Friend in We: Novonesis, MicroBioGen and the Era of Radical Collaboration

December 2, 2025 |

Well now, pardner… If you’ll allow an old pull-string cowboy a moment, I’d like to tip my hat to something that doesn’t get near enough credit in this here bioeconomy: the power of sticking together. Y’see, back in Andy’s room, everyone thought the magic came from the toys that could do something—Buzz with his lasers, […]

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The Digest’s 2025 Multi-Slide Guide to iMicrobes

The Digest’s 2025 Multi-Slide Guide to iMicrobes

December 1, 2025 |

iMicrobes presents a highly compelling claim: producing net-zero, cost-advantaged acrylic acid from ethanol, overcoming historical cost barriers in biobased materials. Their novel finding is a simplified, scalable downstream processing route leading to an average gross profit margin of 49%. The ambitious strategy involves uniting the entire value chain—from feedstock suppliers to consumer brands—to align goals […]

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Back to the Future of Materials: Spero Renewables and the First Reverse Gear for Thermosets

Back to the Future of Materials: Spero Renewables and the First Reverse Gear for Thermosets

December 1, 2025 |

I. PROLOGUE: Brooklyn, 1901 — The Day the Reverse Gear Refused to Reverse If you had wandered down Milton Street in Brooklyn on April 9th, 1901, the air would have smelled of spring, hot metal, and the optimism of a century just waking up. At No. 59, in a cramped garage not far from the […]

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The Digest’s 2025 Multi-Slide Guide to Vertimass CADO Technology

The Digest’s 2025 Multi-Slide Guide to Vertimass CADO Technology

November 27, 2025 |

Vertimass’s novel CADO Technology presents a compelling biofuels breakthrough, converting alcohols to gasoline, jet fuel, and chemicals in a single step without requiring hydrogen. This drastically lowers production costs. Ambitious results include the 2024 EPA registration of VertiGas20, a high-octane gasoline blendstock offering >50% GHG reduction. Vertimass has commercial traction, including a joint venture targeting […]

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Introducing Digest AI: The Bioeconomy’s New Research Intelligence Platform — Built to Think With You

Introducing Digest AI: The Bioeconomy’s New Research Intelligence Platform — Built to Think With You

November 27, 2025 |

7-Day Free Trial Now Open at DigestAI.com · Plans Start at the Black Friday special price of $20/mo. A $20 subscription that can replace $000s worth of research, analysis, and consulting — in minutes. For years, the bioeconomy has evolved faster than its information systems. Policy changed monthly. Companies rose and fell. Technology moved from […]

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The Digest’s 2025 Multi-Slide Guide to Gevo

The Digest’s 2025 Multi-Slide Guide to Gevo

November 26, 2025 |

Gevo’s compelling focus is on Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) SAF, asserting it has the most competitive cash cost of production compared to HEFA. Their ambitious claim is validated by the Gevo North Dakota site, featuring a wholly-owned, operational proprietary CCS well with 1 MM metric tons/year capacity. This facility monetizes CO2 as a valuable co-product through CDR […]

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Impellers for Agitating Lignocellulosic Slurries Revisited

Impellers for Agitating Lignocellulosic Slurries Revisited

November 26, 2025 |

by Gregory T. Benz, Benz Technology International, Inc. (affiliated with LEC Partners) Special to The Digest Several years ago, I published articles comparing pitched blade turbines to hydrofoils in lignocellulosic slurries (references 1 and 2). Since that time, I have continued to work with such slurries. Recently I came across a chapter in reference 3 […]

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The Digest’s 2025 Multi-Slide Guide to Linde Industrial Gas Technologies

The Digest’s 2025 Multi-Slide Guide to Linde Industrial Gas Technologies

November 25, 2025 |

Linde offers compelling, fully integrated onsite gas solutions vital for renewable fuels, including hydrogen for HEFA and Alcohol-to-Jet processes. The most ambitious finding is the VITRON-C Advanced Centrifugal Design for oxygen production, covered by nine patents. This novel technology reduces oxygen separation power by over 10% and features magnetic bearings for lower maintenance. Linde also […]

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