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By Lauren M. Graham, Ph.D. The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) is hosting its tenth annual Bioeconomy 2017: Domestic Resources for a Vibrant Future conference on July 11-12, 2017, in Arlington, Virginia.  As in years past, the conference will bring together government agency officials, members of Congress, industry leaders, national laboratory scientists, and academic researchers focused on moving the American bioeconomy forward. ...

Wageningen University & Research, “Scientific Report on Facts Related to Biobased and Biodegradable Plastics” Texas A&M, “Dr. Tim Devarenne and Colleagues Publish Genome Sequence of the Fuel-Producing Green Microalga Botryococcus Braunii”  Phys.org, “Fast, Low Energy, and Continuous Biofuel Extraction from Microalgae” GreenBiz, “Levi’s, Method and Berkeley Students on a Safer Chemical Crusade”

The 2017 Biobased and Renewable Chemicals Conference, organized by the Delaware Sustainable Chemistry Alliance (DESCA) and supported by the American Chemical Society (ACS) Green Chemistry Institute, is a two-day event that will focus on the emerging landscape of technologies that are replacing fossil fuel-based raw materials and the major challenges and opportunities facing the industry.  The event features interactive panel discussions, keynote speakers, workshops, and networking...

By Lauren M. Graham, Ph.D. The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) is hosting a Workshop on Moving Beyond Drop-In Replacements:  Performance Advantaged Bio-Based Chemicals on June 1, 2017, in Denver, Colorado.  The purpose of the workshop is to solicit stakeholder feedback on what research and development is necessary for writing a functional replacements and novel biobased compounds strategic plan.  The discussion, which will be...

Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) is pleased to announce the publication of The Year in Review 2016:  Environment, Energy, and Resources Law by the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (SEER).  The Year in Review provides an annual summary of developments in environmental, energy, and resources law.  B&C Managing Partner Lynn L. Bergeson and Senior Chemist Richard E. Engler,...

On April 27, 2017, Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced legislation that would transition the U.S to 100 percent clean energy by the year 2050. The bill is the first introduced in Congress that fully envisions a transition off of fossil fuels for the U.S. The 100 By ’50 Act (S. 967) bill has seven core components: Greening the Grid -- Phase-out fossil fuel electricity by 2050 and replace it with clean...

DOE, “BETO Launches Interactive Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Projects Map” Renewable Fuels Association, “U.S. Gasoline Contained More than 10% Ethanol in 2016, Shattering the ‘Blend Wall’ Myth Once and For All” American Chemical Society, “Degradable Electronic Components Created from Corn Starch” Kobe University, “Making Oil from Algae – Towards More Efficient Biofuels” Ford Motor Company, “What's Super...

By Lauren M. Graham, Ph.D. On April 21, 2017, AkzoNobel announced the 20 finalists for its Imagine Chemistry initiative.  The initiative, which was launched earlier this year as reported in the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group’s (BRAG®) blog post “AkzoNobel Launches Global Chemicals Start-Up Challenge,” aims to help solve real-life chemistry-related challenges and uncover sustainable opportunities for the Company's Specialty Chemicals business....

?  Bioresources, “Bioeconomy Survey Results Regarding Barriers to the United States Advanced Biofuel Industry”    ?   Enerkem, “Enerkem Achieves All Production Milestones at its Edmonton Biofuel Facility”    ?  University of Wisconsin-Madison, “Renewable Plastic Precursor Could Grow Cellulosic Biofuel Industry”    ?  Michigan State University, “Better Together:  Harnessing Cooperating...

?  Minnesota Bio-fuels Association, “E15 Infrastructure Bill Would Add $35.9 Million to MN's GDP”   ?   Farmdoc Daily, “An Alternative View of Biodiesel Production Profits:  The Role of Retroactively Reinstated Blender Tax Credits”   ?  American Chemical Society, “A ‘Bionic Leaf’ Could Help Feed the World”   ?  Reebok, “Reebok ‘Growing’ Plant-Based Footwear”   ? ...

The 21st Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference (GC&E), hosted by the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) Green Chemistry Institute, will be held in Reston, Virginia on June 13-15, 2017.  GC&E is a gathering opportunity for over 500 academic, industrial, and government stakeholders to network and learn about the developments in sustainable approaches to chemistry, chemicals, processes, and products.  The event features over 40 technical sessions, a robust...

By Richard E. Engler, Ph.D. On April 5, 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Industrial Microbes, Inc. (Industrial Microbes) has been awarded $300,000 in funding through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program to develop a green fermentation platform to replace carbon-emitting petrochemical production with newer methods that use methane and carbon dioxide to produce chemicals.  The project aims to improve the efficiency of chemical manufacturing...

?  International Renewable Energy Agency, “Eliminating Energy-Related Carbon Emissions Possible, New IRENA Study Finds”   ?   Biofuels Association of Australia, “BAA Rejects Productivity Commission Claims”   ?  South China Morning Post, “Woks Away: China’s Plan to Make Jet Fuel from Restaurant Leftovers”   ?  Cornell Chronicle, “Microalgae Could Play Key Role in Relieving Climate Warming” 

By Lauren M. Graham, Ph.D. On March 31, 2017, AkzoNobel, a member of BRAG, announced the launch of an online tool that uses e-certification to monitor the biobased content of products.  Companies that sign up to use the online platform will be able to exchange biobased material certificates for everything from base ingredients to finished products.  The online tool eliminates the need for separate, external biobased certifications at various points along the supply chain by allowing...

?  Renewable Fuels Association, “Veterans Encourage President to Include Ethanol, RFS in Energy Plan”   ?   Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, “State Ag Department Greenlights 16 Promising Industrial Hemp Research Projects”   ?  Brookhaven National Laboratory, “Study IDs Link between Sugar Signaling and Regulation of Oil Production in Plants”   ?  University of Manchester, “Bioenergy Gets Graphic with New Illustrated...

The 2017 Biobased and Renewable Chemicals Conference, which has been organized by the Delaware Sustainable Chemistry Alliance (DESCA) and supported by the American Chemical Society (ACS) Green Chemistry Institute, is a two-day event that will focus on the emerging landscape of technologies that are replacing fossil fuel-based raw materials and the major challenges and opportunities facing the industry.  The event features interactive panel discussions, keynote speakers, workshops, and...

?  Department of Energy, “New Process Being Tested for Biodegradable Plastics”   ?   VnExpress, “Vietnam Revives Biofuel Plan, Sets National Switch in 2018”   ?  University of Copenhagen, “Mustard Seeds Without Mustard Flavor:  New Robust Oilseed Crop Can Resist Global Warming”   ?  Faraday Discussions, “Developing New Platform Chemicals:  What is Required to a New Biobased Molecule to Become a Platform...

On March 8, 2017, the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), a member of the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®), announced that nominations for the fourth annual Rosalind Franklin Award for Leadership in Industrial Biotechnology were being accepted.  The award, which recognizes an outstanding woman in the industrial biotechnology sector who has made significant contributions to the advancement of the biobased economy and biotechnology innovation, will be...

On March 14, 2017, European Bioplastics (EUBP) welcomed the outcome of the European Parliament’s plenary vote on the waste legislation proposal in which the Members of Parliament recognized the contributions of bioplastics to the European Union’s (EU) circular economy.  EUBP highlighted amendments to the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive that encourage Member States to support the use of biobased packaging and to improve market conditions for such materials and products,...

On March 8, 2017, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) published a notice in the Federal Register regarding an open meeting of the Biomass Research and Development (R&D) Technical Advisory Committee.  The meeting will take place March 30-31, 2017, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia, and will focus on developing advice and guidance that promotes R&D for the production of biobased fuels and...