By Lynn L. Bergeson The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded Grow Bioplastics, a University of Tennessee student start-up, a $225,000 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant. The funding will support research and development on new biodegradable plastics from lignin. The biobased plastic will be used for agricultural applications, such as plastic mulch. Grow Bioplastics’ biodegradable film can be plowed into the soil after each use, offering a solution to the...
By Lynn L. Bergeson On March 1, 2018, the European Commission announced the approval of a €4.7 billion Italian support scheme for the production and distribution of advanced biofuels, including advanced biomethane, for use in the transport sector. Under the scheme, producers of advanced biomethane and biofuels will receive a premium to compensate for higher production costs compared to fossil fuels. The scheme will run from 2018 until 2022 and will be financed by transport fuel...
By Lynn L. Bergeson On February 25, 2018, the University of Illinois announced that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded a $10.6 million grant for the Renewable Oil Generated with Ultra-productive Energycane (ROGUE) project. The project is a collaborative effort between researchers from the University of Illinois, Brookhaven National Lab, University of Florida, and Mississippi State University. ROGUE aims to transform sugarcane and Miscanthus into sustainable sources of...
March 2, 2018
EU Launches Antidumping Investigation On U.S. Bioethanol
By Lauren M. Graham, Ph.D. On February 20, 2018, the European Commission (EC) issued a notice of initiation of an expiry review of antidumping (AD) measures applicable to imports of U.S. bioethanol. The AD duty that has been in place since 2013 was set to expire on February 23, 2018. The European Renewable Ethanol Association (e-PURE) petitioned the EC on behalf of producers representing more than 25 percent of the total European Union (EU) bioethanol production to review the AD...
March 2, 2018
DOE Advanced Algal Systems Listening Session
By Kathleen M. Roberts The DOE Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) is hosting an Advanced Algal Systems Listening Session from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. (PDT) on June 13, 2018, in Seattle, Washington. During the listening session, BETO will seek feedback from experts in algal biology, cultivation, and conversion on ways to address near-term research and development barriers and opportunities for cost-competitive algal biofuels and bioproducts. The discussion will focus on opportunities...
March 2, 2018
NREL Seeks Biorefinery Survey Respondents
By Kathleen M. Roberts Researchers at the DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are seeking responses to a survey on biorefinery operations. Yimin Zhang, an environmental engineer at NREL, and Marshall Goldberg, a subcontractor for NREL, developed the brief survey to improve the NREL’s understanding of the next generation biofuel industry and its contribution to the local, state, and national economy. Industry stakeholders in the planning, construction, or...
March 2, 2018
EPA Sends Letter To New Hampshire Governor On Treatment Of Biomass And Forest Products Industry
By Lauren M. Graham, Ph.D. During a visit to New Hampshire on February 13, 2018, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt provided Governor Chris Sununu (R-NH) a letter announcing EPA's efforts to work towards a carbon-neutral policy for biomass and clarify federal procurement recommendations for responsibly managed forests. According to Pruitt, EPA recognizes the importance of the forest products industry to the State of New Hampshire and is...
By Lauren M. Graham, Ph.D. On February 12, 2018, Bridgestone Americas (Bridgestone) announced a strategic partnership with Versalis, a producer of polymers and elastomers, to develop a comprehensive technology package to commercialize guayule in the agricultural, sustainable-rubber, and renewable-chemical sectors. Through the agreement, Bridgestone and Versalis will develop proprietary, highly productive varieties of guayule using the latest genetic technologies to position guayule as...
February 23, 2018
Neste Announces WestCAT To Operate On MY Renewable Diesel
By Lauren M. Graham, Ph.D. On February 13, 2018, Neste, a member of BRAG, announced that the Western Contra Costa Transit Authority (WestCAT) will operate exclusively on Neste MY Renewable DieselTM. WestCAT is a California public transportation service that serves the cities of Pinole and Hercules, as well as communities along the eastern edge of San Francisco Bay. The entire fleet of 45 heavy duty buses, which operates 14 fixed routes and carries over 1.3 million passengers...
By Lauren M. Graham, Ph.D. On February 16, 2018, AkzoNobel, a member of the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®), announced that a consortium of companies signed a project development agreement to develop a waste-to-chemistry facility in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The facility will convert non-recyclable mixed waste, including plastics, into syngas and then into clean methanol for use in the chemical industry and for the transportation sector. An estimated...