Monthly Archives: September 2017

By Terry Mazanec, Bob Kodrzycki, and Lorenz Bauer, Lee Enterprises Consulting Special to The Digest (Note: This is Part 5 of an 11-part series. Part 1 is here. Part 2 is here. Part 3 is here. Part 4 is here.) What … Continue reading →

Codexis is a leading protein engineering company that applies its technology to the development of biocatalysts for the commercial manufacture of pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. Codexis’ proven technology enables implementation of biocatalytic solutions to meet customer needs for rapid, cost-effective … Continue reading →

Wood waste is all around and ever increasing. As much as it pains tree huggers, we chop down trees to use them for buildings, paper, and seemingly everything in between. While some scientists say we have to cut down some … Continue reading →

In Indonesia, delegates from Indonesian government and palm oil organizations pushed for more acceptance of palm oil from Switzerland and the EU in general at a recent event in Germany. Mahendra Siregar, Executive Director of the Council of Palm Oil … Continue reading →

In Canada, the food versus fuel debate is getting heated up with Agriculture Minister Lana Popham hearing from local mayors and government officials who are concerned that land is being converted from feeding people to growing non-edible hemp and marijuana. … Continue reading →

In China, government officials told Xinhua Net that China’s plan to increase the use of bioethanol gasoline will not have a significant impact on the grain market, and it would be unrealistic for the country to import large amounts of … Continue reading →

In the United Kingdom, EasyJet is partnering with U.S. company Wright Electric to operate all-electric planes for short haul flights. They outlined a strategy to progressively decarbonize and reduce noise from aviation operations, and shows a move away from biojet … Continue reading →

In Washington, D.C., the Renewable Fuels Association reports that according to EIA data, ethanol production averaged 996,000 barrels per day (b/d)—or 41.83 million gallons daily. That is down 36,000 b/d (or -3.6%) from the week before–the largest percentage output decline … Continue reading →

In Germany, UFOP reports that according to Germany’s Federal Statistical Office, 2016/17 rapeseed imports increased to a record high of around 5.6 million tons. This translates to an around 1 per cent surge from the previous year to the highest … Continue reading →

In Brazil, Unica, Brazil’s cane industry group told Reuters that trade talks resuming between the EU and the Mercosur bloc of South American countries will likely include ethanol trade discussions. Unica said ethanol was excluded from the EU proposal last … Continue reading →

While the 1983 Styx song “Mr. Roboto” led us to imagine robots roaming the planet at some far-off time in the future, that time might be here. Artificial intelligence seems to be everywhere nowadays and not just in high tech … Continue reading →

In Canada, Enerkem announced it started the commercial production of cellulosic ethanol. Enerkem’s facility in Edmonton, AB, Canada, is the first commercial-scale plant in the world to produce cellulosic ethanol made from non-recyclable, non-compostable mixed municipal solid waste. The company … Continue reading →

In Washington, scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory are transforming greenhouse gas into chemical feedstock using a new nickel catalyst that operates in water. The new catalyst converts carbon dioxide to formate and has three big advantages compared to traditional … Continue reading →

In Washington, DC, Advanced Biofuels USA reports that their USDA-funded feasibility study based on 2016 energy beet project at University of Maryland Eastern Shore finds Navy solicitation is best market for economic viability of project. The study asked with Norfolk … Continue reading →

In Indiana, researchers discovered a new reaction mechanism that could be used to improve catalyst designs for pollution-control systems to further reduce emissions of smog-causing nitrogen oxides in diesel exhaust. The research focuses on a type of catalyst called zeolites, … Continue reading →

In Washington, D.C., the Renewable Fuels Association reports that according to EIA data, ethanol production averaged 1.047 million barrels per day (b/d)—or 43.97 million gallons daily. That is down 13,000 b/d from the week before. The four-week average for ethanol … Continue reading →

In Germany, UFOP reports that they have joined with the French union of oilseeds and proteins crops producers (FOP) to ask the European Commission to protect EU biodiesel market. On September 7th, member state representatives narrowly approved the proposal by … Continue reading →

In India, calls for policy changes to help the biodiesel industry are being voiced and if implemented, could help biodiesel’s future role in the country. While jatropha, agricultural waste and other feedstocks show promise in India, they have some policy … Continue reading →

In Washington, DC, the American Institute of Physics reported that CellulosomePlus, an international research consortium that includes researchers from Spain, Poland and Ireland, developed a way to re-engineer the bacterial enzyme complexes, called cellulosomes, which serve as catalysts in the … Continue reading →

In Germany, Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft mbH (AMI) says the EU Commission’s recent decision to lower import duties on Argentinian biodiesel (from the current 22-25.7 down to 4.5-8.1 percent) is likely to lead to a sharp rebound in Argentinian deliveries. If the tariff rates … Continue reading →