All Knowledge & Insights By Date

On April 8, 2016, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a Save the Date for the upcoming Algal Biology Toolbox Workshop. The workshop is intended to gather experts on algal biology to discuss the current state of algal biological tools, challenges to developing and applying biology tools to improve algae performance, and strategies to work towards commercializing algae biofuels. The workshop will occur on May 24-25, 2016, in San Diego, California. DOE states that registration information...

? DOE, "[Save The Date] Bioenergy 2016: Mobilizing the Bioeconomy through Innovation" ? Environmental Leader, "Moving from Green Cleaning to Cleaning Sustainability" ? LanzaTech, "Aemetis Acquires License from LanzaTech with California Exclusive Rights for Advanced Ethanol from Biomass including Forest and Ag Wastes" ? Bioindustrial Innovation Canada, "Cellulosic Sugar Producers Cooperative Collaborating with Comet Biorefining to Develop Agricultural Biomass...

On April 6, 2016, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad signed Senate File 2300, creating a five cent tax credit, per pound of renewable chemicals produced from biomass feedstock between 2017 and 2026. Spokesman for Governor, Ben Hammes, stated, "Gov. Branstad believes this biochemical tax program will go even further to continue spurring economic growth all over Iowa, creating more high-quality jobs and attracting investments in renewable chemical manufacturing and advanced bio-refining." The...

As reported in last week's Update, EPA published its final rulemaking expanding the list of chemicals partially exemption from certain additional chemical data under the CDR. This action, which formally amended the list of chemicals that do not have to report the onerous downstream processing and use information under the CDR Form U, Part III, occurred because of the forward thinking actions of the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®). In October 2014, recognizing an...

In less than two months, renewable fuel and biobased chemical companies that have successfully moved from research and development to commercialization will be required to respond to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). This may come as a surprise to some biobased chemicals companies that are under the misperception that they are not regulated under TSCA. This is simply wrong. Unless otherwise...

On April 5, 2016, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NAS) posted the Agenda for the first open session of its committee on “Future Biotechnology Products and Opportunities to Enhance Capabilities of the Biotechnology Regulatory System.”  The Committee is beginning a study to provide an independent and objective examination of the future products of biotechnology, as commissioned pursuant to the White House Office of Science and Technology...

On March 29, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the Partial Exemption of Certain Chemical Substances from Reporting Additional Chemical Data final rule in the Federal Register. This final rule amends the list of chemical substances that are partially exempt from additional reporting requirements under the Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule. The rule applies to six biodiesel chemicals that are very similar to petroleum based biodiesel chemicals that are...

? Biome Bioplastics, "Brands Must Turn To Bio-Based Innovation To Alleviate Disposable Coffee Cup Waste" ? Syngenta, "The Good Growth Plan: Progress Made Across All Commitments" ? PRWeb, "DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products And BioAmber Launch New Sampling Program at UTECH NA" ? University Of Tennessee Institute Of Agriculture, "UT Center Continues Quest For Low-Cost, High-Quality Bioenergy" ? BIO, "BIO Announces Plenary Session Speakers for the 2016...

On March 22, 2016, a team visited Malmstrom Air Force Base to test a new biobased synthetic oil in the base's vehicles. The testing is sponsored by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and the Office of the Secretary of Defense, with four bases chosen to use the plant based synthetic oil in vehicles. The Department of Homeland Security's Law Enforcement Training Center has also begun testing the oil and will be monitoring the impacts on vehicle performance and engine quality over the next...

On March 29, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the Partial Exemption of Certain Chemical Substances from Reporting Additional Chemical Data final rule in the Federal Register. This final rule amends the list of chemical substances that are partially exempt from additional reporting requirements under the Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule. The rule applies to six biodiesel chemicals that are very similar to petroleum based biodiesel chemicals that are already on the...

On March 29, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule exempting manufacturers of six biodiesel chemicals from reporting processing and use information under the Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Section 8(a). 81 Fed. Reg. 17392. In 2014, the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®), managed by Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.'s (B&C®) affiliate, B&C® Consortia Management, L.L.C. (BCCM) filed...

? National Renewable Energy Laboratory, "2015 Survey of Non-Starch Ethanol and Renewable Hydrocarbon Biofuels Producers" ? CNN, "Greener Skies: Frenchman Prepares for History-Making Zero-Carbon Atlantic Flight" ? BASF, "From Biomass to Dispersions: for the First Time BASF Produces Binders for Interior Paints Based on The Mass Balance Process" ? BASF, "BASF and Avantium Intend to Establish Joint Venture" ? Bangkok Post, "B10m Allotted for Biomass Corn...

On March 11, 2016, Solazyme announced a name change to reflect a new focus on food, nutrition, and specialty ingredients instead of biofuels. TerraVia™ (TerraVia), as Solazyme is now known, will create value in plant-based food through a transformational algae innovation platform. TerraVia will focus on developing AlgaVia® Whole Algae ingredients (lipid rich powder and protein) and AlgaWise™ Algae Oils, as well as consumer food products that currently include Thrive® Culinary...

On March 17, 2016, the Iowa State Senate voted 46-3 to approve Senate File 2300, a bill creating a production tax credit for renewable chemicals. The legislation was created to attract investment in renewable chemical manufacturing and biorefining to Iowa, and covers the production of higher value biochemicals from plant materials left over from biofuel production. The House Ways and Means Committee approved House File 2288, a companion bill, and sent the measure to the House floor. Senate File...

On March 23, 2016, Bloomberg BNA Daily Environment Report announced that EPA signed a final rule exempting manufacturers of six biodiesel chemicals from reporting processing and use information under the Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) rule under Section 8(a) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). In 2014, BRAG filed a regulatory petition to exempt the chemicals, requesting the same exemption that EPA currently provides to manufactures of petroleum-based versions of the chemicals. The rule...

On July 2, 2015, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the U.S. Trade Representative, and the Council on Environmental Quality jointly issued Modernizing the Regulatory System for Biotechnology Products, a memorandum directing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to update the Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology...

On March 18, 2016, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NAS) announced the appointment of its provisional committee on "Future Biotechnology Products and Opportunities to Enhance Capabilities of the Biotechnology Regulatory System." This study is being commissioned pursuant to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy's (OSTP) July 2, 2015, memorandum, "Modernizing the Regulatory System for Biotechnology Products," that states it would "commission an...

? MIT Energy Initiative, "MIT Researchers Turn Waste Gas into Liquid Fuel" ? Comet Biorefining, "Comet Biorefining Awarded $10.9 Million SDTC Grant for Bio-Based Chemicals Plant" ? IFAS News, "UF/IFAS Scientists Closer to Finding Key to Converting Algae to Biofuel" ? United Airlines, "United Airlines Makes History With Launch of Regularly Scheduled Flights Using Sustainable Biofuel" ? BE-Basic, "BE-Basic And CLIB Agree to Increase Partnerships to...

The spring 2016 Algae Testbed Public-Private Partnership (ATP3) workshop entitled, "Principles and Processes: Algae Culture Maintenance, Production and Downstream Processing" is approaching. The workshop runs May 16-20, 2016, and will be held at the Santa Fe Community College and the Los Alamos National Laboratory's New Mexico Consortium (LANL NMC). The event is limited to 15 people, and will include a tour of the LANL NMC and field training including collecting cultures from ponds...

On March 10, 2016, the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's (EERE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced a Request for Information (RFI) on integrated biorefinery optimization. The RFI covers information on the technical and financial challenges that biorefineries run into in order to run continuously and reliably. BETO is primarily interested in stakeholder input on systems that use between one and 1,000 dry tonnes per day of...