Author Archive: Jim Lane

Seaweed-lined to-go containers, Pepsi’s molded pulp 6-pack rings, Hydrogen-powered Arctic Station, “Infinite” toothbrush, and more: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of March 5th

March 5, 2020 | Jim Lane

Sit back and just imagine, hanging out at the new International Arctic Station that runs on solar, wind, and hydrogen power, sipping on a Pepsi 6-pack that came in molded pulp rings, eating lunch from a seaweed lined food container, wearing your cool Skechers kicks made with tire king Goodyear’s soybean oil-based rubber technology, then […]

Social, Environmental and Economic Responsibility: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Stora Enso’s Sustainability Actions and Goals

March 5, 2020 | Jim Lane

Stora Enso cares for people and planet, from forests to innovation, manufacturing, product use, and end-of-life integrated into their business. Here’s an in-depth look at what they did in 2019 to support customers and consumer demand for sustainable products like its first Green Bonds issuing in Febrary collecting SEK 6 billion (about $636 million), their […]

The Technology UnStack: Culture Bio’s $15M Series A confirms a shift in biotechnology R&D

March 4, 2020 | Jim Lane

In California, Culture Biosciences, the South San Francisco biotech company making biomanufacturing a digital experience, announced today a Series A financing of $15M, led by Cultivian Sandbox Ventures with participation from The Production Board and existing investors Verily Life Sciences, Section 32, YCombinator, and E14 Fund. Dan Phillips, Managing Director at Cultivian Sandbox, and David […]

The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Do We Really Need Hydrogen?

March 4, 2020 | Jim Lane

Jack Brouwer, Director of the National Fuel Cell Research Center at UC Irvine asks this very question. Take a look at his presentation from the H2@Scale panel to find out what today’s popular thinking and arguments are against hydrogen, a look at hydrogen energy storage dynamics, pressure and flow dynamics, and more.

MIND THE GAP: Letter from Europe

March 3, 2020 | Jim Lane

If you have not followed the Alternative and Renewable Fuels Forum, bookmark this, and today I’ll give you some of the flavor of this group with 110 members — project owners and developers, policy experts, technologists, automotive manufacturers, oil companies, airlines. I think of them as the ARTFL Dodgers for their skill at navigating the […]

Minding the Cost Gap: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to IEA Bioenergy’s Cost Reduction for Biofuels

March 3, 2020 | Jim Lane

Today’s top story, “Mind the Gap,” refers to a rather bleak and disturbing assessment offered by IEA Bioenergy on the prospects for cost-competitive advanced biofuels. The report looked at 89 different organizations and their technologies, and IEA Bioenergy’s Adam Brown told the Forum, “there is a significant cost gap between fossil and advanced biofuels, even […]

Hydrogen’s Technical, Demand and Economic Potential: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to NREL’s Hydrogen Potential – H2@Scale

March 2, 2020 | Jim Lane

Did you know that the demand potential of the hydrogen market by 2050 is >9X? National Renewable Energy Laboratory recently presented the latest on the technical potential, demand, and economic potential of H2@Scale within the United States. Check out 5 national scenarios for hydrogen’s economic potential, and more.

A Decade of Progress in California? Not for Its Recycling Rate

March 2, 2020 | Jim Lane

By Jim Stewart, Chairman of the Bioenergy Producers Association, Consultant in Renewable Energy Project Development and Finance Special to The Digest The volume of post-recycled municipal solid waste (MSW) being placed in California’s landfills has been steadily climbing for the past decade, during which time the state’s legislature, with its waste management agency following meekly […]

Thermal Catalytic Biomass Conversion and Catalytic Pyrolysis: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Anellotech’s Plastics Chemical Recycling

March 1, 2020 | Jim Lane

Today’s top story is all about converting trash to treasure, but if you want to see the nitty gritty details behind it, check out this Slide Guide hot off the press from Anellotech’s CEO David Sudolsky. A look at their Bio-TCat thermal catalytic biomass conversion process and how they are turning loblolly pine from SE USA […]

The Competitive Edge: AmericaBio

February 27, 2020 | Jim Lane

Q: What was the reason for founding your organization – what was the open niche you saw that could be addressed with a new product or service? What was the problem, or gap, or opportunity? Our company develops technologies for the deconstruction of forest and also agricultural biomass for sugars that are used for production […]

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