In Illinois, nearly two centuries of maize-based agriculture in the U.S. Midwest has halved soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks compared with tallgrass prairies native to the region. Replacing annual maize/soy cropping with perennial bioenergy grasses may partially reverse these resulting SOC deficits. A recent Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI) study explored the […]
In Illinois, lignocellulolytic enzymes are a primary cost constraint in second-generation ethanol biorefineries, accounting for up to 30% of operating expenses. Because it requires limited inputs and can achieve industrially viable ethanol titers and yields with an inexpensive nitrogen source, the hydrothermal pretreatment approach is a leading biorefinery technique. However, enzyme loadings reported in the […]
In Illinois, ADM announced a series of investments designed to expand North American oilseed crush capacity and strengthen the company’s ability to meet growing demand for renewable fuels and other vegetable oil markets. ADM expects to expand capacity by making targeted improvements to existing operations, allowing the company to increase throughput while building on established […]
In Illinois, CME Group announced plans to launch Sorghum basis futures. Trading is expected to start on August 24, 2026, pending regulatory review. The contracts will be physically delivered, with grain being loaded out by truck or rail from a network of elevators in Kansas, the nation’s largest sorghum-producing state, by using the established Kansas […]
In Illinois, a team of researchers at the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI) created a fast, user-friendly process to improve industrial enzymes. The researchers combined artificial intelligence (AI), synthetic biology, and a biofoundry. This combination allowed the scientists to overcome common issues with enzymes such as low efficiency and an enzyme’s inability […]
In Illinois, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) celebrated Incobrasa Industries’ new soybean processing plant and solar array in Gilman, reinforcing Illinois’ position as the nation’s leading soybean-producing state and a growing hub for biofuels, food processing, and advanced agricultural manufacturing. The completed project includes a 170,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art […]
In Illinois, a comprehensive new study from S&P Global Energy finds expanded biofuel demand could transform American agriculture, reignite rural economies and provide global food and energy security. Commissioned by U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action (USFRA), the research, titled “Fueling Agriculture: Biofuels as the Catalyst,” offers a detailed, evidence-based assessment of agriculture’s future and […]
In Illinois, specialty ingredients maker Ingredion has announced a recommended all-cash offer to acquire Tate & Lyle PLC for £3.7 billion (US$5.0 billion). The deal would create an ingredients giant across food, beverage and industrial applications with approximately $10 billion in annual sales. “Combining Ingredion and Tate & Lyle’s complementary portfolios establishes a global leader […]
In Illinois, corrosion‑prevention packaging materials firm Daubert Cromwell has introduced partially biobased polyethylene Volatile Corrosion Inhibitor films that are designed to both biodegrade in anaerobic environments, including most landfills, and be 100% recyclable. The films were developed in collaboration with BioNatur Plastics, a company producing partially biobased plastics. VCI films are a critical tool in modern […]
In Illinois, the Daily Yonder reports Illinois lawmakers are considering SB2842, a bipartisan bill that would ban the use of eminent domain for carbon dioxide pipelines. The legislation emerged after strong grassroots opposition to proposed carbon capture projects, including the Heartland Greenway pipeline, which would have transported CO2 from Midwest ethanol plants for underground storage […]
