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    A report from the US Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Services (USDA FAS) estimates that the production of ethanol in China will reach 1.45 million tonnes (484 million gallons US) in 2007, up 12% from 1.3 million tonnes in 2006. Plans are to increase ethanol feedstocks from non-arable lands making the use of tuber crops such as cassava and sweet sorghum. USDA-FAS - June 17, 2007.

    The Iowa State University's Extension Bioeconomy Task Force carried out a round of discussions on the bioeconomy with citizens of the state. Results indicate most people see a bright future for the new economy, others are cautious and take on a distanced, more objective view. The potential for jobs and economic development were the most important opportunities identified by the panels. Iowa is the leading producer of corn based ethanol in the US. Iowa State University - June 16, 2007.

    Biofuel producer D1 Oils Plc, known for establishing large jatropha plantations on (degraded land) in Africa and Asia, said it was in advanced talks with an unnamed party regarding a strategic collaboration, sending its shares up 7 percent, after press reports linking it with BP. Firms like BP and other large petroleum companies are keen to secure a supply of biofuel to meet UK government regulations that 5 percent of automotive fuel must be made up of biofuels by 2010. Reuters UK - June 15, 2007.

    Jean Ziegler, a U.N. special rapporteur on the right to food, told a news briefing held on the sidelines of the U.N. Human Rights Council that "there is a great danger for the right to food by the development of biofuels". His comments contradict a report published earlier by a consortium of UN agencies, which said biofuels could boost the food security of the poor. Reuters - June 15, 2007.

    The county of Chicheng in China's Hebei Province recently signed a cooperative contract with the Australian investment and advisory firm Babcock & Brown to invest RMB480 million (€47.2/US$62.9 million) in a biomass power project, state media reported today. Interfax China - June 14, 2007.

    A new two-stroke ICE engine developed by NEVIS Engine Company Ltd. may nearly double fuel efficiency and lower emissions. Moreover, the engine's versatile design means it can be configured to be fuelled not only by gasoline but also by diesel, hydrogen and biofuels. PRWeb - June 14, 2007.

    Houston-based Gulf Ethanol Corp., announced it will develop sorghum as an alternative feedstock for the production of cellulosic ethanol. Scientists have developed drought tolerant, high-yield varieties of the crop that would grow well in the drier parts of the U.S. and reduce reliance on corn. Business Wire - June 14, 2007.

    Bulgaria's Rompetrol Rafinare is to start delivering Euro 4 grade diesel fuel with a 2% biodiesel content to its domestic market starting June 25, 2007. The same company recently started to distributing Super Ethanol E85 from its own brand and Dyneff brand filling stations in France. It is building a 2500 ton/month, €13.5/US$18 million biodiesel facility at its Petromidia refinery. BBJ - June 13, 2007.

    San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), a utility serving 3.4 million customers, announced it has signed a supply contract with Envirepel Energy, Inc. for renewable biomass energy that will be online by October 2007. Bioenergy is part of a 300MW fraction of SDG&E's portfolio of renewable resources. San Diego Gas & Electric - June 13, 2007.

    Cycleenergy, an Austrian bioenergy group, closed €6.7 million in equity financing for expansion of its biomass and biogas power plant activities in Central and Eastern Europe. The company is currently completing construction of a 5.5 MW (nominal) woodchip fired biomass facility in northern Austria and has a total of over 150 MW of biomass and biogas combined heat and power (CHP) projects across Central Europe in the pipeline. Cycleenergy Biopower [*.pdf] - June 12, 2007.

    The government of Taiwan unveils its plan to promote green energy, with all government vehicles in Taipei switching to E3 ethanol gasoline by September and biofuel expected to be available at all gas stations nationwide by 2011. Taipei Times - June 12, 2007.

    A large-scale biogas production project is on scheme in Vienna. 17,000 tonnes of organic municipal waste will be converted into biogas that will save up to 3000 tonnes of CO2. 1.7 million cubic meters of biogas will be generated that will be converted into 11.200 MWh of electricity per year in a CHP plant, the heat of which will be used by 600 Viennese households. The €13 million project will come online later this year. Wien Magazine [*German] - June 11, 2007.

    The annual biodiesel market in Bulgaria may grow to 400 000 tons in two to three years, a report by the Oxford Business Group says. The figure would represent a 300-per cent increase compared to 2006 when 140 000 tons of biodiesel were produced in Bulgaria. This also means that biofuel usage in Bulgaria will account for 5.75 per cent of all fuel consumption by 2010, as required by the European Commission. A total of 25 biofuel producing plants operate in Bulgaria at present. Sofia Echo - June 11, 2007.

    The Jordan Biogas Company in Ruseifa is currently conducting negotiations with the government of Finland to sell CER's under the UN's Clean Development Mechanism obtained from biogas generated at the Ruseifa landfill. Mena FN - June 11, 2007.

    Major European bank BNP Paribas will launch an investment company called Agrinvest this month to tap into the increased global demand for biofuels and rising consumption in Asia and emerging Europe. CityWire - June 8, 2007.

    Malaysian particleboard maker HeveaBoard Bhd expects to save some 12 million ringgit (€2.6/US$3.4 million) a year on fuel as its second plant is set to utilise biomass energy instead of fossil fuel. This would help improve operating margins, group managing director Tenson Yoong Tein Seng said. HeveaBoard, which commissioned the second plant last October, expects capacity utilisation to reach 70% by end of this year. The Star - June 8, 2007.

    Japan's Itochu Corp will team up with Brazilian state-run oil firm Petroleo Brasileiro SA to produce sugar cane-based bioethanol for biofuels, with plans to start exporting the biofuel to Japan around 2010. Itochu and Petrobras will grow sugarcane as well as build five to seven refineries in the northeastern state of Pernambuco. The two aim to produce 270 million liters (71.3 million gallons) of bioethanol a year, and target sales of around 130 billion yen (€800million / US$1billion) from exports of the products to Japan. Forbes - June 8, 2007.

    Italian refining group Saras is building one of Spain's largest flexible biodiesel plants. The 200,000 ton per year factory in Cartagena can handle a variety of vegetable oils. The plant is due to start up in 2008 and will rely on European as well as imported feedstocks such as palm oil. Reuters - June 7, 2007.

    The University of New Hampshire's Biodiesel Group is to test a fully automated process to convert waste vegetable oil into biodiesel. It has partnered with MPB Bioenergy, whose small-scale processor will be used in the trials. UNH Biodiesel Group - June 7, 2007.

    According to the Barbados Agricultural Management Company (BAMC), the Caribbean island state has a large enough potential to meet both its domestic ethanol needs (E10) and to export to international markets. BAMC is working with state actors to develop an entirely green biofuel production process based on bagasse and biomass. The Barbados Advocate - June 6, 2007.

    Energea, BioDiesel International and the Christof Group - three biodiesel producers from Austria - are negotiating with a number of Indonesian agribusiness companies to cooperate on biodiesel production, Austrian Commercial Counselor Raymund Gradt says. The three Austrian companies are leading technology solution providers for biodiesel production and currently produce a total of 440,000 tons of biodiesel per annum in Austria, more than half of their country’s annual demand of around 700,000-800,000 tons. In order to meet EU targets, they want to produce biodiesel abroad, where feedstocks and production is more competitive. BBJ - June 6, 2007.

    China will develop 200 million mu (13.3 million hectares) of forests by 2020 in order to supply the raw materials necessary for producing 6 million tons of biodiesel and biomass per year, state media reported today. InterFax China - June 6, 2007.

    British Petroleum is planning a biofuel production project in Indonesia. The plan is at an early stage, but will involve the establishment of an ethanol or biodiesel plant based on sugarcane or jatropha. The company is currently in talks with state-owned plantation and trading firm Rajawali Nusantara Indonesia (RNI) as its potential local partner for the project. Antara - June 6, 2007.

    A pilot project to produce biodiesel from used domestic vegetable oil is underway at the Canary Technological Institute in Gran Canaria. Marta Rodrigo, the woman heading up the team, said the project is part of the EU-wide Eramac scheme to encourage energy saving and the use of renewable energy. Tenerife News - June 6, 2007.

    Royal Dutch Shell Plc is expanding its fuel distribution infrastructure in Thailand by buying local petrol stations. The company will continue to provide premium petrol until market demand for gasohol (an petrol-ethanol mixture) climbs to 70-90%, which will prove customers are willing to switch to the biofuel. "What we focus on now is proving that our biofuel production technology is very friendly to engines", a company spokesman said. Bangkok Post - June 5, 2007.

    Abraaj, a Dubai-based firm, has bought the company Egyptian Fertilizers in order to benefit from rising demand for crops used to make biofuels. The Abraaj acquisition of all the shares of Egyptian Fertilizers values the company based in Suez at US$1.41 billion. Egyptian Fertilizers produces about 1.25 million tons a year of urea, a nitrogen-rich crystal used to enrich soils. The company plans to expand its production capacity by as much as 20 percent in the next two years on the expected global growth in biofuel production. International Herald Tribune - June 4, 2007.

    China and the US will soon sign a biofuel cooperation agreement involving second-generation fuels, a senior government official said. Ma Kai, director of the National Development and Reform Commission, said at a media briefing that vice premier Wu Yi discussed the pact with US Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman and other US officials during the strategic economic dialogue last month. Forbes - June 4, 2007.

    German biogas company Schmack Biogas AG reports a 372% increase in revenue for the first quarter of the year, demonstrating its fast growth. Part of it is derived from takeovers. Solarserver [*German] - June 3, 2007.

    Anglo-Dutch oil giant Royal Dutch Shell PLC has suspended the export of 150,000 barrels per day of crude oil because of community unrest in southern Nigeria, a company spokesman said. Villagers from K-Dere in the restive Ogoniland had stormed the facility that feeds the Bonny export terminal, disrupting supply of crude. It was the second seizure in two weeks. Shell reported on May 15 that protesters occupied the same facility, causing a daily output loss of 170,000 barrels. Rigzone - June 2, 2007.

    Heathrow Airport has won approval to plan for the construction of a new 'green terminal', the buildings of which will be powered, heated and cooled by biomass. The new terminal, Heathrow East, should be completed in time for the 2012 London Olympics. The new buildings form part of operator BAA's £6.2bn 10-year investment programme to upgrade Heathrow. Transport Briefing - June 1, 2007.

    A new algae-biofuel company called LiveFuels Inc. secures US$10 million in series A financing. LiveFuels is a privately-backed company working towards the goal of creating commercially competitive biocrude oil from algae by 2010. PRNewswire - June 1, 2007.

    Covanta Holding Corp., a developer and operator of large-scale renewable energy projects, has agreed to purchase two biomass energy facilities and a biomass energy fuel management business from The AES Corp. According to the companies, the facilities are located in California's Central Valley and will add 75 MW to Covanta's portfolio of renewable energy plants. Alternative Energy Retailer - May 31, 2007.

    Two members of Iowa’s congressional delegation are proposing a study designed to increase the availability of ethanol across the country. Rep. Leonard Boswell, D-Ia., held a news conference Tuesday to announce that he has introduced a bill in the U.S. House, asking for a US$2 million study of the feasibility of transporting ethanol by pipeline. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Ia., has introduced a similar bill in the Senate. Des Moines Register - May 30, 2007.


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Sunday, June 17, 2007

The bioeconomy at work: book looks at current state of biorefining

The scientific community is making the transition from a hydrocarbon (oil) based economy to a carbohydrate (biobased) economy. It is one of the great transformations of our time. These ongoing efforts are for the first time described in a comprehensive, systematically composed and clearly structured book about the processing of biomass in the form of whole crops in biorefineries. The 900-page two-volume set titled Biorefineries - Industrial Processes and Products focuses on the technological principles, as well as the economic aspects, green processes, plants, concepts, and current and forthcoming biobased product lines.

In the preface, Hennig Hopf (University of Braunschweig, Germany), president of the Community of German Chemists, makes it clear that the great challenge to chemistry and chemists is establishing interdisciplinary cooperation in this field. Paul Anastas, director of the Green Chemistry Institute, emphasizes that the enthusiasm of the best scientists and engineers is essential in order to develop a bioeconomy with biobased raw materials, processes, and products.

The book, which contains 33 articles by 85 authors, is essentially a survey of current biorefinery research and industrial implementation strategies, particularly in the chemical industry. Thereby, the first volume is divided into four, the second into three main chapters.

Bioconversion processes
Volume 1 begins with a review of the history of carbohydrates and the beginnings of integrated biobased production, followed by the definition of the term biorefinery and a brief description of the biorefinery-systems in research and development. Next, it covers the global, technological, and economic dimensions of biomass refining:
  • Biomass Refining Global Impact - The Biobased Economy of the 21st Century
  • Development of Biorefineries - Technical and Economic Considerations
  • Biorefineries for the Chemical Industry - A Dutch Point of View
The remainder of the volume is devoted to the different technologies available, including biorefineries for large-scale industry, lignocellulosic-feedstock biorefineries, whole crop biorefineries, fuel-oriented biorefineries, sugar-based biorefineries, biorefineries based on thermo chemical processes, green biorefineries, and bio catalytic processes to synthesize bulk chemicals. The following sections are included:
  • The Lignocellulosic Biorefinery - A Strategy for Returning to a Sustainable Source of Fuels and Industrial Organic Chemicals
  • Lignocellulosic Feedstock Biorefinery: History and Plant Development for Biomass Hydrolysis
  • The Biofine Process - Production of Levulinic Acid, Furfural, and Formic Acid from Lignocellulosic Feedstocks
  • A Whole Crop Biorefinery System: A Closed System for the Manufacture of Non-food Products from Cereals
  • Iogen's Demonstration Process for Producing Ethanol from Cellulosic Biomass
  • Sugar-based Biorefinery - Technology for Integrated Production of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), Sugar, and Ethanol
  • Biomass Refineries Based on Hybrid Thermochemical-Biological Processing
  • The Green Biorefiner Concept - Fundamentals and Potential
  • Plant Juice in the Biorefinery - Use of Plant Juice as Fermentation Medium
A section on biomass production and primary biorefineries located at the farm is covered as well as one dealing with specific bioconverion processes and technologies:
  • Biomass Commercialization and Agriculture Residue Collection
  • The Corn Wet Milling and Corn Dry Milling Industry - A Base for Biorefinery Technology Developments
  • Enzymes for Biorefineries
  • Biocatalytic and Catalytic Routes for the Production of Bulk and Fine Chemicals from Renewable Resources
Products and markets
The second volume focuses on biobased product family trees and the primary feedstocks for the bioeconomy; biobased industrial products, materials, and consumer products. Finally an assessment of the economics, commercialization and sustainability of the bioeconomy is presented:
:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Essays on primary feedstocks:
  • The Key Sugars of Biomass: Availability, Present Non-Food Uses and Potential Future Development Lines
  • Industrial Starch Platform - Status quo of Production, Modification and Application
  • Lignocellulose-based Chemical Products and Product Family Trees
  • Lignin Chemistry and its Role in Biomass Conversion
  • Industrial Lignin Production and Applications
  • Towards Integration of Biorefinery and Microbial Amino Acid Production
  • Protein-based Polymers: Mechanistic Foundations for Bioproduction and Engineering
  • New Syntheses with Oils and Fats as Renewable Raw Materials for the Chemical Industry
  • Industrial Development and Application of Biobased Oleochemicals
  • Phytochemicals, Dyes, and Pigments in the Biorefinery Context
  • Adding Color to Green Chemistry? An Overview of the Fundamentals and Potential of Chlorophylls
Green specialty products and consumer products obtained from biorefineries are described in the following sections:
  • Industrial Chemicals from Biomass - Industrial Concepts
  • Succinic Acid - A Model Building Block for Chemical Production from Renewable Resources
  • Polylactic Acid from Renewable Resources
  • Biobased Consumer Products for Cosmetics
The economics of the bioeconomy as a commercial industry aiming for sustainability is presented in a final section titled:
  • Industrial Biotech - Setting Conditions to Capitalize on the Economic Potential
The book uses the principles of logic and efficiency of petrol refineries, to assign product lines and product family trees to biomass. Both volumes should be incorporated into the education of chemists, biotechnologists, and engineers. The book also makes an excellent encyclopaedia (partly due to its very good index) for professionals in the field of biobased raw materials, technologies, and products.


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