5 January 202327 December 2022It’s the holiday season for US renewable chemicalsWhile the renewable chemicals industry continues to play second fiddle to biofuels when it comes to US government funding (it’s true!), the Biden Administration’s actions towards boosting the bioeconomy are setting off a flurry of activities on how renewable chemicals companies can dip in to these bioeconomy-related funding initiatives
14 November 20229 November 2022Oregon State, U.S. Dept. of Energy researchers take key step toward big gains in plastics recyclingA collaboration led by NREL combined chemical and biological processes in a proof of concept and used chemical oxidation to break down a variety of plastic types
18 October 202217 October 2022New process could enable more efficient plastics recyclingCobalt-based catalysts could be used to turn mixed plastic waste into fuel, new plastics, and other products
12 September 20227 September 2022DOE Announces $46 Million to Explore New Technologies That Convert Carbon and Waste Into Clean EnergyFunding Supports 22 Projects to Convert Waste Streams and Carbon Captured from Algal Systems into Biofuel Energy, Spurring Multi-Sector Decarbonization
22 August 202216 August 2022Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Office Achieves Major Biofuel Technology and Production MilestoneBETO’s efforts to reduce the price of drop-in biofuels is part of the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s larger strategy for decarbonizing transportation across all modes
23 March 202218 March 2022Amazon forscht an biologisch abbaubarem PlastikDer Online-Riese Amazon ist dem Bottle-Konsortium beigetreten und beteiligt sich damit an Forschungen zum chemischen Recycling sowie der Entwicklung umweltfreundlicher biologisch abbaubarer Kunststoffe
Amazon and U.S. Department of Energy team up to cut plastic wasteTogether, Amazon and the BOTTLE consortium will focus on reducing plastic pollution through innovation in materials and recycling
14 March 20228 March 2022NREL Bioengineering Process Prepares To Make a SplashRenewables To Replace Petroleum-Based Materials in Commercial Filtration Systems
21 January 202220 January 2022LanzaJet Secures $50M in Funding from Microsoft Climate Innovation FundLanzaJet partners with Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund to enable the transition towards net-zero sustainable fuels
4 August 20213 August 2021Agile BioFoundry Selects New CollaborationsThese projects will leverage national laboratory capabilities to address challenges in biomanufacturing
29 June 202124 June 2021LanzaTech Part of South Wales Industrial Decarbonisation ProjectProposed facility will yield around 100 million litres per annum of ATJ Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene (ATJ-SPK) to build out the entire supply chain from feedstock to wing
17 June 20219 September 2021DOE Announces $14.5 Million to Combat Plastics Waste and PollutionInnovation in plastics recycling technology is a triple win by cutting plastic waste, reducing industrial energy use and emissions, and creating clean manufacturing jobs
11 November 20209 September 2021U.S. Department of Energy Announces $27 Million in Plastics Recycling Research and DevelopmentAll new projects will help improve existing recycling processes that break plastics into chemical building blocks, which can then be used to make new products
28 August 202025 August 2020All-New Soleic™ Biodegradable Polyurethane Foams Pass a Critical TestNew study shows algae-based polyurethane foam biodegrades in the environment
21 August 202017 August 2020New Science Behind Algae-based Flip-flopsBiodegradable shoes meet commercial standards for products needed to help eradicate tons of plastic waste
19 August 202015 August 2020Danimer Scientific Receives U.S. Department of Energy Grant to Support Bioplastic ProductionNearly $5.7 million in support to conduct research and development projects within the biomanufacturing industry
29 May 202026 May 2020BD Zones and BDO Zones: Weaponizing Biomass to support a Bio-Fueled Economic RecoveryBD and BDO Zones are shovel-ready, actionable initiatives that unlock billions of dollars of institutional investment into communities with a surplus of biomass, and where employment and bioeconomy development can be closely linked
28 April 202022 April 2020BOTTLE: Bio-Optimized Technologies to keep Thermoplastics out of Landfills and the EnvironmentNewly founded BOTTLE Consortium to develop new processes and polymeric materials that are recyclable-by-design
25 March 20209 September 2021Department of Energy Announces $25 Million for Plastics Recycling R&D, Launches Upcycling ConsortiumDepartment ’s Plastics Innovation Challenge is offering a comprehensive program to accelerate innovations in plastics recycling technologies
DOE offers $25 million for plastics recycling R&DBETO issued a joint funding opportunity announcement on March titled “BOTTLE: Bio-Optimized Technologies to Keep Thermoplastics out of Landfills and the Environment.”
3 March 20202 March 2020Optimizing Co-Product Production: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Alkaline-Oxidative Pretreatment of Woody BiomassEric L. Hegg from Michigan State University, shared the latest research developments on how they are optimizing their two-stage alkaline-oxidative deconstruction process
5 December 20192 December 2019DISCOVRing Algal Strains for Sustainable BiofuelsConsortium finds strain that has potential to contribute to productivity targets for open ponds
8 January 201920 December 2018UC San Diego Awarded $2 Million to Advance Algae-based Renewable PolymersDepartment of Energy funds ‘bio-economy’ project for novel manufacturing of algae-based biopolymers
11 October 20189 October 2018Expanded Technology Readiness Level (TRL) Definitions for the BioeconomyThis article to present an expanded set of TRL definitions, combining elements of DOE-BETO’s definitions (2015 and earlier) with elements of the startup-to-VC “Investment Readiness Level” framework proposed by Steve Blank
31 July 201828 July 2018Researchers Discover New Enzyme Paradigm for Critical Reaction in Converting Lignin to Useful ProductsNew finding will help convert lignin to useful products
23 July 201819 July 2018Beyond Drop-Ins: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Performance-Advantaged Biobased ChemicalsBETO gathered stakeholder input on the research and development (R&D) necessary for novel biobased compounds and functional replacements
17 July 201816 July 2018BETO Publishes New Workshop Summary Report on Performance-Advantaged Biobased ChemicalsBioenergy Technologies Office gathered stakeholder input on the research and development (R&D) necessary for novel biobased compounds and functional replacements
12 July 201810 July 2018The 10 green chemicals driving a disruptive new biobased industryComparing this UK list to the 2004 DOE list
8 February 20186 February 2018The Slowed Corrode: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Bio-oils and CorrosionThe team prepared this illuminating overview on the projects progress and promise for the DOE Project Peer Review meetings
31 August 201729 August 2017Get the Scoop on the Latest Innovations That Are Helping To Expand the Bioeconomy with BETO’s New Tech BlogStay up to date with the latest news and perspectives on the growing U.S. bioeconomy
29 June 20179 September 2021From sun to pump: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Direct Photosynthetic Production of BiodieselBETO: Production of Biodiesel by Decoupled Cyanobacteria at the 2017 DOE Project Peer Review
20 January 201718 January 2017USDA announces $2.9 million available for biorefinery researchThis research to help integrated biorefineries reduce costs and improve performance
19 January 201716 January 2017LanzaTech Awarded $4M from DOE for Low Carbon Jet & Diesel Demonstration FacilityLanzaTech is currently building its first commercial ethanol facilities using waste gases
28 October 201628 October 2016What To Do With AlgaeProduction of fine chemicals, nutrients, and drugs from algae can be as valuable as a gold mine
19 July 201618 July 2016Future Bioeconomy Supported by More Than One Billion Tons of Biomass PotentialUnited States could produce enough biomass to support a bioeconomy, including renewable aquatic and terrestrial biomass resources
11 May 20163 May 2016Integrating the Production of Biofuels and Bioproducts through Advanced BiotechnologyThe development of bio-based products has quickly become one of the fastest-growing segments of the biotech industry
18 April 201614 April 2016Bioeconomy: One Billion Tons of BiomassBiomass Research & Development Board creating U.S. “Bioeconomy Vision”
1 March 201629 February 2016Federal Agencies Outline Bioeconomy Vision and Current ActivitiesRelease of the Federal Activities Report on the Bioeconomy
15 February 201611 February 2016US Energy Department Announces $11.3 Million Available for Mega-Bio: Bioproducts to Enable BiofuelsFunding opportunity to identify R&D projects that propose a conversion pathway that may flexibly produce bioproducts and biofuels
1 September 201531 August 2015Algae at the Energy Department: The Digest’s 2015 8-Slide Guide to the DOE algae programBETO's R&D strategy to increase yields and lower the costs of algal biofuels by working with partners
4 August 20153 August 2015Ethylene Production Via Sunlight Opens Door to FutureHere's the future of ethylene production as Dr. Jianping Yu sees it
22 June 201519 June 2015Genomatica Advances the Commercial Readiness of Biomass Feedstocks for ChemicalsBoosts potential for bioprocess plants worldwide; details published in DOE report
23 March 201520 March 2015Biofuels Digest’s 2015 5-Minute GuideThe current situation and milestones of NatureWork
10 March 20159 March 2015NREL refines method to convert lignin to nylon precursorRecent findings published in Energy & Environmental Science
6 March 20155 March 2015Lygos, Inc. announced today that it has successfully achieved pilot scale production of malonic acid from sugarFirst pilot-scale production of malonic acid from renewable resources at Berkeley Lab's ABPDU
10 October 20149 October 2014US Department of Energy earmarks $25 million for biofuel researchAlgal biofuels to help create green jobs, improve the environment, and achieve national energy security
5 September 20144 September 2014Energy Department announces notice of intent to issue funding opportunity announcement for ‘Targeted Algal Biofuels and Bioproducts’FOA seeks to improve the value proposition for algal biofuels
25 August 201424 August 2014DOE aims new program to cut cost of algal biofuels and bioproducts by up to 50% by 2019BETO’s 2019 projected state of technology for the cost of algal biofuels is modeled at about $7 per gallon without valuable co-products
5 August 20144 August 2014DOE Biomass 2014 Conference highlights Renewable ChemicalsGrowing the Future Bioeconomy, focusing on innovative technologies, financing strategies, and public policies needed to grow the bioeconomy
20 May 201419 May 2014Successful Strategies for Commercial Algae ProductionModerated Discussion Overview Among Industry and Federal Government Representatives