Author Archive: Jim Lane

The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to a Hybrid Approach to Repurpose Plastics Using Novel Engineered Processes

August 22, 2024 | Jim Lane

HARNESS strives to develop a proof-of-concept pilot system designed to break down polyether-polyurethane (PE-PU) foams with engineered enzymes, then convert breakdown intermediates to high-value polyols (POs) and diamines. The primary objective of this project is to develop an innovative platform for waste plastics upcycling to PO and diamines, demonstrated and validated for PE-PU foams, which […]

Insanely low carbon, insanely high speed: Gevo, Shell ink racing fuel blendstock deal

August 22, 2024 | Jim Lane

From Colorado comes news that Gevo inked a purchase agreement for its low-carbon intensity fuel blendstock with Shell Global Solutions Deutschland for use in motorsports. Yep., Gevo’s insanely low-carbon fleul blendstock now heads for the racing circuit and the grueling world of motorspots. Sustaninable? Check. Affordable? Check. Fast? Check, check, check. Or should we put […]

The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Bacillus as an industrial host for the microbial production of biopolymers

August 21, 2024 | Jim Lane

Development of Bacillus as an industrial host for the microbial production of biopolymers is of industrial interest from lignocellulosic hydrolysates. In this project, researchers worked to apply ZymoChem’s Carbon Conservation (C2) technology in non-model organisms to maximize carbon efficiencies to biopolymers via minimizing loss of CO2 from lignocellulosic hydrolysates. The team applied – ABF’s state […]

The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to upgrading C2 Intermediates

August 20, 2024 | Jim Lane

Researchers launched a ChemCatBio project to Develop new upgrading technologies enabling cost-competitive conversion of C2 oxygenated intermediates to distillate fuels and valuable co-products. One outcome, the team discovered a catalytic pathway for direct ethanol to butene-rich olefin intermediates, providing control over jet blendstock and co-products, with the potential to obtain a distillate fuel MFSP of […]

The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Deconstruction and Chemical Catalysis

August 19, 2024 | Jim Lane

Deconstruction is a major effort in BOTTLE (Bio-Optimized Technologies to keep Thermoplastics out of Landfills and the Environment) . Work spans exploratory catalysis (”fail fast”) to advancing promising approaches towards scale-up. There are a couple of routes: Chemical catalysis for C–C bond cleavage in mixed plastics waste for open-loop recycling; and, Chemical catalysis for PET […]

Indefatigable, enduring, sustainable and you: Diarkis, a new story from the Digest

August 19, 2024 | Jim Lane

It occured to me that, at the end of a hard and bitter summer, with interest rates high, policy unstable, loan guarantees in the first circle of hell known as limbo, projects moving like glaciers instead of rockets, lip service everywhere you look, that it might be worth having a look forward at the world […]

Cost-effective renewable fuel production with feedstock flexibility and minimized emissions has arrived

August 18, 2024 | Jim Lane

The urgency of climate change mitigation and the need to meet the global obligation for a net-zero world have made it imperative to explore every way possible to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. One of the ways is to change how we produce energy, with a focus on decarbonization across heavy industries, the transport sector, […]

The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to upgrading C2 Building Blocks

August 15, 2024 | Jim Lane

The ChemCatBio Consortium has a project focused on upgrading C2s. Specifically, to develop novel catalytic upgrading technologies that enable cost-competitive conversion of cellulosic ethanol to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). We aim to develop a commercially viable process within the concept of an integrated biorefinery that lowers fuel production costs and carbon intensity to aid in […]

Bioeconomy Risk Update: notable shifts in hydrogen, SAF, ammonia, RNG, FOG, food waste and MSW

August 15, 2024 | Jim Lane

The new Bioeconomy Risk Indexes are out from the Daily Digest, they are free and here. https://bit.ly/4dqr58U. This week we are reporting notable shifts in risk relating to hydrogen, SAF, ammonia, RNG, FOG, food waste and MSW. The risk picture. President Lula in Brazil sanctioned legal frameworks and the Special Incentive Regime for Low Carbon […]

The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to the BOTTLE Consortium’s Industry Projects & Engagement

August 14, 2024 | Jim Lane

BOTTLE (Bio-Optimized Technologies to keep Thermoplastics out of Landfills and the Environment) created a centralized business development (BD) platform and focused BD effort, and created a dedicated BD/research role (Chief Technology Officer) to streamline engagement and lead CRADA projects, aiming to solve real-world problems in plastics upcycling via targeted, company-funded projects, and act as a […]

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