Freedom of choice, it turns out, drives better value for drivers. The Digest goes in-depth to look at real-world data — and the power of free markets in fossil and alternative fuels. One of the assumptions in the world of typical comparisons between ethanol and gasoline is that differentials in price and performance work in […]
Two of the pioneers of the biobased economy – former Codexis CEO Alan Shaw and NatureWorks — strike a landmark deal based on methane – most affordably sourced from natural gas. Renegades? Revolutionaries? Practical business in commodity-driven industries? The Digest takes you inside the deal — and the technology. In Canada, Calysta Energy and NatureWorks […]
We heard five trends during the first two days of the BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology this year. 1. Methane. 2. Low-cost sugars. 3. Chemicals. 4. Opportunities in the C4 platform – anything from isobutanol to BDO and butadiene. 5. Financing challenges, especially for first commercial plants Our 6 favorite quotes? 1. “The trends […]
As Gevo recommences the switchover to bio-based isobutanol at its first commercial plant, we look in-depth at 2012’s contamination issues — and the prospects and path forward. In Colorado, Gevo announced that it has resumed commercial production of isobutanol at its Luverne, Minn. plant in single train mode, successfully utilizing its proprietary Gevo Integrated Fermentation […]
In Georgia, a group of researchers led by the University of Georgia’s Mike Adams have found another thermophilic bacterium with amazing properties — this time, finding a bacterium that can, without pretreatment, break down biomass, including lignin, and release sugars for biofuels and chemicals production. The group writes in Energy & Environmental Science, “the majority […]
You chose — here are the winners in this year’s poll. In Florida, Biofuels Digest announced that POET and DSM were among the biggest winners in the annual Hot Partners poll. Voting was open to Digest subscribers at more than 25,000 organization in every country around the globe, and recognizes the hottest supply chain partners […]
Obligated parties are having trouble finding low-cost supplies of renewable fuel credits. Advanced biofuels companies are having trouble finding low-cost supplies of investment capital for their first commercial plants. Why not put those two problems together into one solution like SuperRINs? Of all the nightmare scenarios peddled around in the renewable energy business, nothing is […]
New technology from Novozymes has implications for prices, profits, markets and also Moms, Dads, kids and cows We have a pretty important innovation to relate to you today — based on a product release from Novozymes, which is currently running away from the competition in the 2013 biofuel’s Hot Partners poll in the category of […]
In California, a new landmark report just issued this morning on California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard found that “The alternative fuels market is evolving rapidly and in unforeseen ways, and the LCFS is driving investment in low carbon ethanol, biodiesel, renewable diesel, and biogas.” This report represents the first phase of a two-phase, year-long project […]
The Griffin strikes! Pulp & paper giant UPM taps Renmatix as partner for cost competitive sugars — as it heads for renewable chemicals. The Digest goes in-depth with UPM and Renmatix, and looks at the realm of supercritical fluids. Yesterday, news went around the industry like wildfire that UPM and Renmatix have entered into a […]
