On December 18, 2015, President Obama signed the omnibus spending bill, or Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, into law. The $1.1 trillion spending bill includes the retroactive extension of the $1 per gallon tax credit for biodiesel and renewable diesel blenders through December 31, 2016, while extending the second-generation biofuel production credit through January 1, 2017. In addition to extending tax credits for biofuels, the bill also funds a wide range of government programs through...
December 22, 2015
Weekly Roundup of Other Biobased News
? DuPont, "DuPont Leaders Tout Biopolymers And Technology For Improved Sustainability" ? Avantium, "Avantium Reserves Capacity In Its First FDCA Production Plant For Mitsui" ? Renewable Energy Magazine, "Biofuels Make Significant Contribution To GHG Emissions Savings" ? Boyce Thompson Institute For Plant Research, "Harrison Receives Grant For Phosphate Biosensor Research" ? UMass Amherst News Archive, "UMass Amherst Chemist Receives NSF Grant To...
On December 14, 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Program: Standards for 2014, 2015, and 2016 and Biomass-Based Diesel Volume for 2017 in the Federal Register. The final rule will become effective on February 12, 2016, and establishes annual percentage standards for cellulosic biofuel, biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel for motor vehicle gasoline and diesel produced or imported in the years 2014, 2015,...
December 22, 2015
Bioenergy Technologies Office Releases Bioproducts To Enable Biofuels Workshop Report
On December 10, 2015, DOE's Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) released a summary report of the Bioproducts to Enable Biofuels Workshop, held on July 16, 2015. The workshop, co-sponsored by DOE and EERE, was held to receive input from stakeholders about the possible role of bioproducts in the biofuels industry, and to explore future research and development opportunities. The 40-page summary report includes responses from workshop participants identifying economic drivers, targets,...
On November 19, 2015, USDA published a Notice of the Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture (AC21) Meeting in the Federal Register. The meeting will review the purpose, history, operational process, and member responsibilities of AC21; update committee members on relevant regulatory developments, initiatives, and USDA activities; and outline new tasks for the committee to address. There will also be an opportunity for members of the public to make oral statements, as...
December 1, 2015
December 31st Deadline: 2016 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award Nominations
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has called for nominations for the 2016 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards (PGCCA), and companies engaging in green chemistry innovations will want to act quickly as the deadline for nominations is December 31, 2015. Winning, or even just being nominated for a PGCCA, confers concrete benefits, including increased brand awareness, public relations opportunity, and validation of your product or process by green chemistry stakeholders. To be...
On November 17, 2015, Steven Cohen, the Director of Catalyst and Chemicals Technology at Elevance Renewable Sciences, presented a new line of high performance, biobased specialty chemicals and intermediates at the 6th Biobased Chemicals: Commercialization & Partnering Conference. The new product line, called Renewicals™, has a variety of market applications including surfactant, lubricant, consumer ingredient, engineering polymer, and coating. Elevance, a Biobased and Renewable...
On November 16, 2015, The Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) of South Africa called for submissions of Statements of Interest focusing on the demonstration of 2nd and 3rd generation biofuel production technologies. TIA manages the Biofuels Technology Demonstration Programme (BTDP) on behalf of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and is looking to support South African advanced biofuel production technology. To submit a proposal, applicants must be South African citizens, be...
November 20, 2015
Phase I Of The Nutrient Recycling Challenge Competition Announced
On November 12, 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and other environmental and scientific experts to create the Nutrient Recycling Challenge (NRC). The competition was created to develop technology to recycle nitrogen and phosphorus from the more than one billion tons of livestock waste that is produced annually. The NRC is made up of four phases, allowing innovators to turn concepts into designs, and...
November 13, 2015
Thursday 11/19: EPA Alumni Discuss “TSCA Reform: What’s Happening Now, and What’s Next?”
REGISTER TO ATTEND THE "TSCA REFORM PANEL SUMMIT," OR TO VIEW THE LIVE WEBCAST, AT THE ELI WEBSITE. George Washington University (GWU) Milken Institute School of Public Health, GWU Law School, Environmental Law Institute, Arnold & Porter LLP, and Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. Present: TSCA Reform Panel Summit: What's Happening Now, and What's Next? Thursday, November 19, 2015, 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. (EST) George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public...