Author Archive: Jim Lane

Bringing Algal Biofuel Production to Scale: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Biocrude Production in Advanced Photobioreactor-Based Biorefinery

February 12, 2020 | Jim Lane

Everyone wants more productive algal strains – but how do you get them? Can you advance the technology enough to get economical, large-scale algal biofuel production? Ron Chance and Paul Roessler, both of Algenol Biotech, shared this illuminating presentation at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) 2019 Project Peer Review on how […]

7 New Changes in USDA Biorefinery Funding Opportunities – Now is the Time to Take Advantage

February 11, 2020 | Jim Lane

By Cynthia Thyfault, Founder & CEO, Global Biofuture Solutions Special to The Digest The USDA Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program, also known as the “9003” program, provides loan guarantees up to $250 million to assist in the development, construction, and retrofitting of commercial scale biorefineries using eligible technology and of biobased […]

Catalytic Conversion at 93% reduced cost: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Vertimass’ Sustainable Jet Fuel from Biomass

February 11, 2020 | Jim Lane

Vertimass had 300x scale-up in 12 months and increased liquid hydrocarbon yields from 36% to 80% in 8 months. And their tech can convert ethanol into jet fuel as well as diesel fuel additives and high value chemicals without adding hydrogen. Charles E. Wyman, PhD, President and CEO of Vertimass shared these impressive stats and […]

3 Reasons to Scale-Up and How: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Scale-Up of Industrial Fermentation Processes

February 10, 2020 | Jim Lane

There are 3 big reasons to scale-up a process but how exactly do you go about doing it? What should you do to prepare for scale-up? How do you successfully scale-up a fermentation process? H. Brett Schreyer from Lee Enterprises Consulting answers these questions in this illuminating presentation on scaling up for demonstration purposes, for […]

Improving Algae Line with Faster Production: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Cellular Metabolism

February 10, 2020 | Jim Lane

Scott Twary from Los Alamos National Laboratory is working on how to design an integrated strain improvement platform for algae with faster production and to meet BETO’s mission goals of developing technologies for algae strain improvement to meet biomass yield and productivity goals. Get the latest developments on this research from his BETO presentation which […]

Ag-Chemicals, Ag-biologicals, Ag-seeds: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Multi-Slide Guide to Evogene’s Artificial Intelligence and Biological Big Data

February 9, 2020 | Jim Lane

Revolutionizing the product development process in life-science based markets through the use of Computational Predictive Biology platform – sounds like a big mission, but for Evogene, it’s just what they do. They utilize artificial intelligence and other algorithms on unique biological BIG DATA with deep understanding of life sciences, focusing on product candidates addressing the majority […]

The Competitive Edge: Purissima

February 6, 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? The world’s growing need natural therapeutics can’t be satisfied by plant sources alone and the economics from plants preclude many […]

Handling Harsh pH and High-Alkalinity: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Improving Microalgae Cultivated in High-pH Media

February 6, 2020 | Jim Lane

Eliminating cost and site-location constraints – sounds like something we all want. But there’s a project working on getting rid of those constraints posed by the supply of concentrated CO2 to microalgae farms while simultaneously achieving high seasonal productivities. Their objectives include improving scale and productivity of algal cultures cultivated in high-pH and high-alkalinity media, […]

Circular solution for bioplastics, McDonald’s fryer oil to 3D printing resin, human hair to fertilizer, crab shells and seaweed to yarn, and more: The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of February 6th

February 5, 2020 | Jim Lane

The infinity symbol…a figure 8 on its side, a lemniscate…no matter what you call it, it signifies the concept of limitlessness or eternity which is what the bioeconomy has been doing lately in its limitless innovations. It’s been a big week for bioplastics with Danimer Scientific and Columbia Packaging Group partnering to make compostable produce […]

Brown Grease Separation Technology: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Greasezilla’s FOG – Fats, Oils, Greases to Fuel