January 2016 News and Matters of Interest

Remember to check our Highlights for new postings on other areas of Teru Talk.

US EPA Schedules Workshop on Role of Biomass in Clean Power Plan Goals

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced an all-day stakeholder workshop scheduled for April 7, 2016 on 'Fostering Constructive Dialogue on the Role of Biomass in Achieving Clean Power Plan Goals'. Since the EPA issued the Clean Power Plan (CPP), states and stakeholders have shown strong interest in the role biomass can play in state plans to address carbon emissions under the rule. Many states have extensive expertise in the area of sound carbon- and GHG-beneficial forestry and land management practices, and the CPP’s flexibility allows states to build in approaches to biomass and bioenergy unique to their forests and land management programs and policies. To respond to this interest and to support state and stakeholder efforts to incorporate bioenergy into CPP plans, the EPA is hosting this public workshop for stakeholders to share their successes, experiences, and approaches to deploying biomass in ways that have been, and can be, carbon beneficial. The workshop will be staged in Washington D.C. and also will be webcast. There is no charge for the workshop but on-line registration is required. 01/30/2016

eBay Joins the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Circular Economy 100 Program

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation has announced that the global online marketplace eBay has become a corporate member of its Circular Economy 100 (CE100) program. Reuse and redistribution are both key elements of a thriving circular economy, and with 162 million active buyers, eBay is one of the world’s largest platforms for extending the useful life of products. The company hopes to learn from other members within the CE100 network, and to identify further opportunities to influence and support the acceleration to a circular economy. David Wenig, eBay’s CEO: "As a business that has extended the useful life of products and enabled the recirculation of goods since our founding, eBay is thrilled to join a global movement of like-minded companies. It’s vital that business takes up the challenge to innovate new ways of creating economic opportunity that don’t rely on carbon emissions. With the collaboration of The Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the many businesses involved, we think a tipping point is on the way – where circular models become the norm. We’ll be playing our part by connecting circular economy to the way millions of individuals and small businesses create wealth and opportunity around the world." 01/30/2016

EC Releases Report on EU's Separate Waste Stream Collection Schemes

The European Commission (EC) has released the report 'Assessment of separate collection schemes in the 28 capitals of the EU' that was completed under contract in November 2015 by the Copenhagen Resource Institute (CRI). As of 2015, EU Member States must separately collect paper, glass, metal, and plastic to improve recycling quality of these materials, a crucial element of the circular economy. The study focuses on both the law and practice of separate collection in 28 member capitals. The capitals of Estonia, Finland, and Slovakia topped the list for best collection rates as a percentage of total municipal solid waste generated. Currently, only 19 % of generated municipal waste in the 28 capitals is collected separately, although separate collection was made obligatory by 2015 in the European Union (EU). With the new Circular Economy Package adopted by the EC in December 2015, separate collection takes on even greater importance. Among the key findings of the report: implementation of Pay As You Throw (PAYT) for residual waste collection within a regional fee-based collection system is one of the main success factors for successful separate collection of waste fractions. 01/29/2016

California Compost Coalition Submits Biomethane White Paper to CEC, CARB

The California Compost Coalition has submitted a detailed proposal to the California Energy Commission (CEC) to support new funding of $25 million proposed by the Governor as part of the Cap-and-Trade proceeds for 2016-2017. The white paper, Biomethane Transportation Fuel Powering the Solid Waste Industry: Community-Scale Distributed Fuel Production Facilities, was prepared for the Coalition and CleanFleets.Net by Sacramento firm Edgar & Associates, Inc. The community-scale anaerobic digestion-renewable natural gas (AD-RNG) facilities system is a local business model that is proving out, and this white paper was requested by the CEC following the September 2015 Peer Review Panel. The white paper was also submitted to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) at the $500 million Low Carbon Transportation Workshop to support $40 million in new funding for low carbon fuel production incentives. Methane mitigation with the CARB Short-Lived Climate Pollution strategy to ban organics by 2025 is paving the way to make RNG in 30 days and use it in compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks instead of having landfills leak methane for 30 years. 01/29/2016 

GTC Expands to Become Gasification and Syngas Technologies Council

The Gasification Technologies Council (GTC) has announced that it is expanding to become the Gasification and Syngas Technologies Council (GSTC) and will now encompass the syngas production, processing, and conversion industries as well as gasification. Those eligible for GSTC include technology, equipment, and service providers, as well as plant owners and operators in the energy, power, chemical, fertilizer, refining, fuel, and waste management industries. GSTC is a global organization, with members from across the Americas, Europe and Asia. 01/28/2016

US DOE Invests $2.85M in Clean Energy Projects at Federal Facilities

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $2.85 million in funding for four projects that will advance the development of renewable energy technologies at facilities across the federal government. As the nation's largest single user of energy, the federal government is leading by example and these projects will reduce carbon emissions, while strengthening America's economic, energy, and environmental security. The Department of Defense project at the US Marine Corps Installation Command in Albany, Georgia is a 10-megawatt biomass steam turbine generator to reduce annual electricity consumption by approximately 4,600 megawatt-hours annually. The model project demonstrates how military installations can work toward federal energy goals and mandates, while achieving a net-zero status and addressing energy security challenges. The other three projects for the Departments of State, Agriculture, and Justice are solar PV system installations totaling 11.78 megawatts. 01/28/2016

Biffa Boosts Food Waste Conversion Capability with Major Investment

Waste services provider, Biffa, is creating a network of strategic food waste transfer stations across the United Kingdom (UK), and has announced a £1.5m investment into four new food waste transfer stations. The new transfer stations will be used to collect and sort food waste before it is sent to be treated at the company’s anaerobic digestion plants in Staffordshire, Leicestershire and West Sussex. The addition of the transfer stations will enable Biffa to process more food waste, in less time, creating huge efficiencies in the process of ultimately converting it into renewable energy. The first transfer station has now been installed inside Biffa’s existing state-of-the-art waste transfer plant in St Helens, Merseyside, which was built in 2011. The upgraded facility now has the capability to process general household food waste as well as meat-based food waste produced by businesses. Further transfer stations are planned in Yorkshire, the South West, the South East, and Scotland. Chris Savage, general manager of Biffa’s anaerobic digestion plant at Cannock: "The UK generates around 15m tonnes of food waste each year, with businesses in the food service sector accounting for just under half of this. Sadly, forty per cent of this waste is currently lost to landfill due in part to a lack of regulation, which would enforce food waste segregation among businesses as well as a lack of facilities to collect food waste." 01/28/2016  

Ecoalf's Upcycle the Oceans Project Spins Textiles from Waste Plastic

Spanish clothing manufacturer Ecoalf Recycled Fabrics, S.L. was established in 2009 with the intent of showing that recycling can actually turn a profit. The company's newly launched Upcycle the Oceans program is structured to transform the plastic debris found in the Mediterranean into thread to make fabric. With funding from its Ecoalf Foundation, Ecoalf has begun to remove trash from the seabed via fishermen off the coast of Levante; a portion of the collected materials can be recycled into pellets, thread, fabric, and products. Ecoalf Foundation has involved 5 Spanish partners including waste managers, technology centers, recyclers, and thread and fabric manufacturers to augment its own experience recycling different types of debris such as PET bottles, fishing nets, and used tires. The goal is to achieve 100% recycled filaments of high technical quality and textures without needing to use more of the planet’s natural resources. 01/27/2016

BioHiTech Installs Eco-Safe Digesters in 10 Golden Corral Florida Restaurants

BioHiTech Global, Inc has announced that its subsidiary, BioHiTech America, has begun installing its innovative commercial food waste disposal solution in Golden Corral restaurants in 10 franchised locations throughout Florida. Golden Corral franchise owners Taylor Levy and Marc Verderame wanted to find a disposal solution that considered the environment, while elevating the operational performance of their locations. BioHiTech's on-site Eco-Safe Digester will allow their Golden Corral restaurants to safely dispose of food waste in the sewer system, while at the same time collecting data and providing real-time reports on the details of what exactly is being wasted. During the digestion process, the digester weighs each increment of waste and allows employees to categorize its type, simultaneously transmitting this real-time data to the BioHiTech Cloud. The visibility of the food waste data allows management to identify wasteful preparation and staffing, improve profitability, and make important decisions regarding overall operations. 01/27/2016

Trestle Energy Wins CARB Approval for New Low Carbon Biofuel Pathway

California-based Trestle Energy LLC has received approval from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for its innovative method of producing ethanol using agricultural residues, resulting in a new Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) biofuels production pathway (Pathway Code: ETHC116). Trestle partnered with the Golden Grain ethanol plant in Mason City, Iowa to develop the detailed life cycle analyses necessary to receive LCFS provisional credit status; full credits will only become available after the process runs successfully for a specified period of time, and CARB staff amend the provisional Life Cycle Analyses with actual data. The new pathway reduces the overall carbon intensity (CI) of Golden Grain's standard dry mill corn ethanol production by co-production of lower CI biofuel from agricultural residuals, allowing larger LCFS credits for the company's ethanol delivered to the California biofuel market. Once fully certified, the methodology could be available for integration at other existing ethanol production facilities. 01/27/2016

B&W Awarded $90M Contract For UK Waste-to-Energy Power Plant

North Carolina company Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc (B&W) has announced that its Denmark-based subsidiary, Babcock & Wilcox Vølund A/S, has been awarded a contract for more than $90 million to design, manufacture, and build a waste-to-energy power plant near Haresfield, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom (UK). B&W Vølund was awarded the contract by a joint venture of Urbaser and Balfour Beatty. The facility will treat municipal and commercial and industrial waste to supply 14.5 MW of electricity, enough to power the equivalent of 25,000 homes. B&W Vølund’s scope includes the plant’s combustion system and air-cooled DynaGrate®, fuel handling equipment, steam boiler island, steam turbine-generator, water treatment system, piping, valves and air systems, burners and other plant equipment. Engineering work for the project is underway. The plant is scheduled to come online in 2019. 01/27/2016 

PLUSfoam Secures Investment to Build US Manufacturing Facilities

California-based PLUSfoam® Compound Technologies, LLC has announced a strategic partnership with Acorn Innovestments and the Noël Group, investors and operators based in North Carolina. PLUSfoam will use the funds to expand its international manufacturing footprint and to construct new facilities in the United States. PLUSfoam manufactures 100% recyclable and sustainable alternatives that meet and exceed market specifications to replace traditional foams, plastics, and rubber, and operates zero-waste manufacturing, reusing all post-manufacturing scrap on-site. The company also manages a customer end-of-use program for brands using its materials, tagging products using PLUSfoam to encourage customers to return them at the end of their useful life one of the company’s reclaim centers in the USA, Brazil, Canada, Germany, China, Japan, and Korea. Returned goods will be reprocessed and reused, creating a closed-loop product system. 01/26/2016

ExxonMobil and REG Partner to Research Biodiesel From Cellulosic Sugars

ExxonMobil has announced an agreement with Renewable Energy Group, Inc. (REG) to study the production of biodiesel by fermenting renewable cellulosic sugars from sources such as agricultural waste. REG has developed a patented technology that uses microbes to convert sugars to biodiesel in a one-step fermentation process similar to ethanol manufacturing. The ExxonMobil and REG Life Sciences research will focus on using sugars from non-food sources. Through the research, the two companies will be addressing the challenge of how to ferment real-world renewable cellulosic sugars, which contain multiple types of sugars, including glucose and xylose, but also impurities that can inhibit fermentation. 01/26/2016

Due 02/10/2016: Comments to CEC on Fuel and Vehicle Technology Solicitation

The California Energy Commission (CEC) has released a Request for Information (RFI), seeking public comment to assist in development of a grant solicitation focused on Regional Readiness and Planning to draw upon the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program (ARFVTP). RFI responses should provide well-supported recommendations regarding funding areas for solicitations, especially those that address challenges of electric vehicle and zero emission vehicle awareness, market penetration and installation. ARFVTP has an annual budget of approximately $100 million for projects that (a) Reduce California’s use and dependence on petroleum transportation fuels and increase the use of alternative and renewable fuels and advanced vehicle technologies, (b) Produce sustainable alternative and renewable low-carbon fuels in California, (c) Expand alternative fueling infrastructure and fueling stations, (d) Improve the efficiency, performance, and market viability of alternative light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicle technologies, (e) Retrofit medium- and heavy-duty on-road and non-road vehicle fleets to alternative technologies or fuel use, (f) Expand the alternative fueling infrastructure available to existing fleets, public transit, and transportation corridors, (g) Establish workforce training programs and conduct public outreach on the benefits of alternative transportation fuels and vehicle technologies. Comments must be emailed to  and the subject line must begin with “RFI Regional Readiness”. Note: Teru encourages the waste conversion sector to respond, bringing to light the importance of low- and negative-carbon distributed alternative fuels production to ARFVTP targets. 01/26/2016  

Clariant’s Sunliquid® Technology Receives 2015 German Innovation Prize

Switzerland based Clariant International Ltd was awarded first place in the Process Innovations category of the 2015 German Innovation Prize for Climate and Environment (IKU) for its innovative sunliquid technology. Clariant's biotechnological process for the production of cellulosic ethanol from agricultural residues prevailed against 14 competitors. The sunliquid technology convinced the jury of independent experts in the area of business, science, media, and politics, chaired by Professor Klaus Töpfer. Biofuels and bio-based chemicals made from agricultural residues such as wheat straw, corn stover, or sugarcane bagasse are produced sustainably and economically using this process without competing with food or feed production. Since July 2012, Clariant has been operating a pre-commercial plant in Straubing, producing up to 1.000 metric tons of cellulosic ethanol from around 4.500 metric tons of raw materials each year. 01/23/2016

New York State Launches 10 Year, $5 Billion Clean Energy Fund

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced the New York State Public Service Commission's approval of a 10-year, $5 billion Clean Energy Fund to accelerate the growth of New York's clean energy economy, address climate change, strengthen resiliency in the face of extreme weather, and lower energy bills for New Yorkers starting this year. Additionally, the fund will attract and leverage third-party capital to support the Governor's aggressive Clean Energy Standard, one of the nation's most ambitious goals to meet 50 percent of our electricity needs with renewable resources by 2030. The fund will operate four major portfolios: Market Development ($2.7 billion); NY-Sun ($961 million); NY Green Bank ($782 million); and Innovation and Research ($717 million). In the Clean Energy Fund order, the Commission also allocated $150 million for the development of new Large Scale Renewables power projects in 2016. As the Commission develops a Clean Energy Standard, it will create new incentives for large scale renewables and a new mechanism to prevent the premature retirement of safe, upstate nuclear power plants during this transition. 01/23/2016 

California ARB Schedules 1st Workshop on Carbon Capture and Sequestration

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has scheduled a public workshop to launch development of ARB’s Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) program. For those focused on clean conversion of waste and biomass for resource recovery, there are numerous pathways that effectively capture and sequester carbon as crucial elements of the Circular Economy. The pathways include production and use of compost and biochar, especially when this results in reduction of organics disposal to landfills. CCS has the potential to deliver significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions and is a prospective strategy for meeting California’s 2050 climate goals. CCS is a process by which large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) are captured, compressed, transported, and sequestered. ARB is currently developing a Quantification Methodology (QM) to be utilized when determining carbon emission reductions from CCS for both the Cap and Trade and Low Carbon Fuel Standard programs. As the first in a series of workshops on ARB’s CCS program, the objective is two-fold: 1) provide a high level overview of what CCS is and why it is important to California and 2) kick-off public development of the CCS QM, including the role of CCS in existing California regulations and ARB’s plan for development of the QM. The workshop will be held on Friday, February 12, 2016 in Sacramento, California and will also be webcast. 01/22/2016

Oslo Airport Is First in the World to Offer Neste's Renewable Aviation Fuel

Oslo Airport Gardermoen is the world's first airport to offer renewable aviation fuel refined by Neste for refueling airplanes. Lufthansa, SAS, and KLM have already announced that they will be refueling their planes with aviation fuel containing a renewable component in Oslo. Neste's renewable aviation fuel is refined in Porvoo, and it meets the strict quality requirements for aviation fuels. The fuel is transported to Oslo as a 50% blend with fossil aviation fuel, and its distribution takes place via the airport's existing distribution system. Neste's renewable aviation fuel is refined as part of the EU-funded ITAKA project at the Porvoo refinery from sustainably produced, 100% certified camelina oil. Its use reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 47% when compared to fossil fuel. 01/22/2016

Tesoro Supports Development of Renewable Biocrude for Its Refineries

Texas based Tesoro Corporation has announced its plan to foster the development of biocrude made from renewable biomass, which can be co-processed in its existing refineries, along with traditional crude oil. Converting renewable biomass into biocrude is expected to enable existing refining assets to produce less carbon-intensive fuels at a significantly lower capital and operating cost than competing technologies. Tesoro is working with Fulcrum BioEnergy, Inc, which plans to supply biocrude produced from municipal solid waste to Tesoro Refining & Marketing Company LLC (TRMC) to process as a feedstock at its Martinez, California Refinery. An estimated 800 barrels of biocrude per day will be produced at Fulcrum's Sierra BioFuels Plant outside of Reno, Nevada, which is expected to be operational in early 2018. Tesoro and Virent, Inc are working to establish a strategic relationship to support scale-up and commercialization of Virent's BioForming technology which produces low-carbon, biofuel and chemicals. Ensyn Corporation has applied for a pathway with the California Air Resources Board to co-process its biocrude, produced from tree residue - called Renewable Fuel Oil (TM) - in TRMC's California refineries. 01/22/2016  

Global Bioenergies to Commercialize Isobutene Process with €6.5M Placement

Paris based Global Bioenergies (Company) has announced successful completion of a private placement with qualified French and international investors. The Company placed 274,931 new shares at a par value of €0.05 per share, at a unit price of €23.70, including share premium, for a total of approximately €6.5 million amounting to 9.6% of the Company's share capital. The proceeds will be used to further the development of the Isobutene process and to launch commercial roll-out. Marc Delcourt, CEO of Global Bioenergies: "The success of this transaction demonstrates investors' confidence in our corporate strategy. The proceeds of the placement increase the Company's unaudited cash to 16.5 million euros. They will enable the Company to fully transition into the commercial phase." 01/21/2016

LanzaTech Wins Circular Economy Award at the World Economic Forum

On January 20, 2016, the Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum, in collaboration with Accenture, hosted The Circulars 2016, the first annual Circular Economy Awards, at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Waste management for resource recovery factored high in all categories. The seven categories included awards for Circular Economy Leadership, Enterprise, Entrepreneur, and Investor, along with an award for Government, Cities, and Regions, for Multinational efforts and for the 'Digital Disruptor" of the year, and a people's Choice award. LanzaTech received the Circular Entrepreneur top award recognizing early-stage organizations at the vanguard of the circular economy demonstrating innovation, market disruption and scalability. LanzaTech's first commercial units are being built in Taiwan with China Steel, in China with Shougang Group and in Belgium with the world largest steel company, ArcelorMittal. The circular economy is a resource efficient alternative to the traditional waste to landfill approach. 01/21/2016

New Report Offers Blueprint for a Circular Future for Plastic Packaging

Applying circular economy principles to global plastic packaging flows could transform the plastics economy and drastically reduce negative externalities such as leakage into oceans, according to the latest report by the World Economic Forum and Ellen MacArthur Foundation, with analytical support from McKinsey & Company. The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the future of plastics provides for the first time a vision of a global economy in which plastics never become waste, and outlines concrete steps towards achieving the systemic shift needed. The report, financially supported by the MAVA Foundation, was produced as part of Project MainStream, a global, multi-industry initiative that aims to accelerate business-driven innovations to help scale the circular economy. The new report acknowledges that while plastics and plastic packaging are an integral part of the global economy and deliver many benefits, their value chains currently entail significant drawbacks. Assessing global plastic packaging flows comprehensively for the first time, the report finds that most plastic packaging is used only once; 95% of the value of plastic packaging material, worth $80-120 billion annually, is lost to the economy. 01/20/2016

Secretaries of US Navy, Agriculture Launch Deployment of Great Green Fleet

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack kicked off the Great Green Fleet with the deployment of the USS John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group (JCS CSG) during a ceremony at Naval Air Station North Island. The Great Green Fleet is a Department of the Navy initiative highlighting how the Navy and Marine Corps are using energy efficiency and alternative energy to increase combat capability and operational flexibility. At the close of the ceremony, the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Stockdale (DDG 106) left the pier to begin its deployment, becoming the first U.S. Navy ship running on an alternative fuel blend as part of its regular operations. The blend fueling the JCS CSG's surface ships contains alternative fuel made from waste beef fat provided by farmers in the Midwest. It was purchased at a cost-competitive price through a partnership between the Department of the Navy and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) aimed at making alternative fuel blends a regular part of the military's bulk operational fuel supply. 01/20/2016  

New Energy Plant Helping Peterborough Towards Its Zero Waste Ambitions

Viridor has announced the startup of Peterborough’s state-of-the-art Energy Recovery Facility (ERF), now operational on the city’s Fengate industrial estate. Viridor will be operating the plant that is part of the United Kingdom’s largest network of landfill diversion and energy recovery facilities. Peterborough City Council is now able to divert up to 95% of its non-recyclable waste from landfill, instead using it as fuel to generate electricity. The £72m ERF has been built by Babcock & Wilcox Volund using best in class technology and will serve the city for the next 30 years. Marking an important milestone in the ERF’s commissioning process, it passed its first 30 day testing in late December and will now undergo further reliability testing to make sure operations are within the guaranteed plant specifications. 01/19/2016

Foresight Invests £3.9M in 4th Northern Ireland On-Farm AD Plant

Foresight Group has announced the investment of £3.9 million from the Foresight AD EIS Fund to construct an Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plant in County Down, Northern Ireland. The plant will process 18,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of feedstock, which will be supplied under contract by Glenmore Estate Farms Limited, comprising 9,000 tpa of grass silage from the landlord farmer and adjacent lands, 7,000 tpa of cattle slurry and 2,000 tpa of chicken litter from Moy Park, a local major poultry farm. The plant is expected to be commissioned and operational by October 2016. The transaction, which reached financial close on December 15, 2015, is the first investment made by Foresight AD EIS Fund, which raised £25 million from private investors, and is the fourth such project Foresight has backed in Northern Ireland. Foresight and Green Investment Bank previously funded a £3.4 million AD plant in Armagh, and two others located in County Tyrone and County Down. 01/19/2016

ANDRITZ Supplies Equipment for Recycled Fiber System at Finnish Mill

ANDRITZ has received an order from Sonoco-Alcore to supply pulping and de-trashing equipment for the OCC stock preparation line at its Karhula paper mill in Finland. Start-up is scheduled for the third quarter of 2016. The order comprises supply of a new ANDRITZ FSR pulper rotor and a screen plate for the existing low-consistency pulper, a completely new de-trashing system including a trash trap, a de-trashing pump, a de-trasher FibreGuard, a new reject wash drum, field instruments, spare and wear parts, and a field service package. After completion of the modification work by ANDRITZ, the production capacity of the pulping system will be increased significantly, while at the same time energy consumption will remain unchanged, fiber loss will be reduced, and pulping efficiency improved. 01/18/2016

RPSM Releases Revised Handbook for Product Social Impact Assessment

The Netherlands-based Roundtable for Product Social Metrics (RPSM), a multi-stakeholder organization led by PRé Sustainability consulting, has released Version 3.0 of their Handbook for Product Social Impact Assessment. Companies are increasingly held accountable for the sustainability of their entire supply chain. The revised handbook provides a pragmatic methodology that assesses the social impact of products. The Roundtable for Product Social Metrics is a business-led initiative dedicated to developing and disseminating the Product Social Impact Assessment method, designed to make the social benefits and burdens of a product visible. The Roundtable aims to create a standard framework for Product Social Impact Assessment, in close cooperation with external stakeholders such as academia, NGOs, governments and industry organizations. there is no charge to download the handbook; international stakeholder participation in the Roundtable is encouraged. 01/18/2016  

Due 02/12/2016: Comments to CalRecycle on 2016 Manufacturer's Challenge

The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) conducted the 2016 Manufacturer's Challenge workshop on January 5, 2016. The meeting sought input from stakeholders regarding implementation of a voluntary industry-wide initiative to reduce by 50% the amount of manufactured product packaging now disposed in landfills. In spite of efforts thus far, CalRecycle estimates that about 10 million tons of packaging is still landfilled in California every year, representing about one quarter of the state’s total disposal stream. CalRecycle sees the initiative as integral to reaching the state's goals of 75% source reduction, recycling, and composting by the year 2020. Video recordings of the workshop are now posted to CalRecycle's website, with the agenda and twelve presentations given during the summit. CalRecycle now seeks public comment on the initiative's approach, the workshop and the presentations; please submit comments by February 12, 2016 by email to <>. 01/16/2016 

JBEI Researchers Develop 1st One-Pot Process to Produce Cellulosic Ethanol

The US Department of Energy's (DOE) Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) researchers have developed a "high-gravity" one-pot process for producing ethanol from cellulosic biomass that gives unprecedented yields while minimizing water use and waste disposal. The process utilizes a combination of ionic liquid pretreatment, enzymatic saccharification, and yeast fermentation for the production of concentrated fermentable sugars that result in high-titer cellulosic ethanol. "High gravity" means high biomass loading – the higher the biomass loading, the lower the costs for converting it to fuels. Blake Simmons, JBEI’s Chief Science and Technology Officer: "Our new one-pot process for making cellulosic ethanol was enabled by the discovery and use of a renewable ionic liquid derived from amino acids that commercially available enzyme mixtures and organisms can tolerate." The renewable ionic liquid to which Simmons refers is one made from lignin and hemicellulose, two by-products of biofuel production from biorefineries, the discovery of which was also led by Singh and Simmons. Details on this one-pot process for producing ethanol from cellulosic biomass have been reported in Energy and Environmental Science. The paper is titled "Transforming biomass conversion with ionic liquids: process intensification and the development of a high-gravity, one-pot process for the production of cellulosic ethanol." In addition to lead researchers Blake Simmons and Seema Singh, other co-authors are Feng Xu, Jian Sun, Suryanarayana Konda, Jian Shi, Tanmoy Dutta and Corinne Scown. 01/15/2016

Due 02/12/2016: Proposals for Central Oregon Woody Biomass Supply Analysis

The Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC) has issued a Request for Quotes (RFQ) seeking expertise to develop a biomass supply analysis in support of the organization's Biomass Energy Cluster Development Project. The analysis will update a ten-year-old assessment and comprehensively assess volume, characteristics, sources, costs, and barriers to market development of current biomass supplies in Central Oregon. Specific project area boundaries remain to be defined. Interested firms must email an Intent to Bid notice to COIC by January 22. Bids should be submitted via email to Laura Skundrick, COIC: <>. Questions about this bid process may be submitted via email to Kiley Rucker-Clamons, COIC at <>. All questions and answers will be shared with identified proposing firms. 01/15/2016  

1st Comprehensive Impact Assessment of Trash on Marine Wildlife Published

A first-of-its-kind analysis of the impact of 20 ocean trash items on seabirds, marine mammals, and sea turtles conducted using expert elicitation was published this week in Marine Policy by Ocean Conservancy and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO). Until now, the impact of marine debris items, such as plastic bags and fishing gear, to populations of these animals has been far less clear. An analysis based on a survey of 274 experts representing 19 fields of study assigned scores for entanglement, ingestions and contamination on a shortlist of items culled from 30 years of data from Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup. The study found that a wide variety of items pose threats to marine wildlife through entanglement, ingestion, or contamination, suggesting that a comprehensive approach to preventing plastics from entering the ocean is vitally needed. The study, "Using Expert Elicitation to Estimate the Impacts of Plastic Pollution on Marine Wildlife," calls for a holistic, cross-sector approach to minimize the overall impact of plastic pollution on the ocean. Product-by-product approaches to reducing ocean plastic impacts alone will not suffice—a key finding from Ocean Conservancy's Stemming the Tide report that outlines a solution set to reduce ocean plastic pollution by 45 percent by 2025. 01/14/2016

BGL Research Article Addresses 'Rethinking Waste to Tackle Diversion'

A periodic research publication by Brown Gibbons Lang & Company (BGL) addresses capital markets and mergers and acquisitions activity, financial and operating performance of certain publicly-traded companies, and trends within the environmental services industry. The January 12, 2016 issue of BGL Environmental Services Insider includes an article starting on page 9 entitled "Rethinking Waste to Tackle Diversion" that considers the societal impact of waste generation and the need to change the way we think about and handle waste. Diversion is gaining traction as corporate sustainability initiatives and regulations advance recycling and zero waste goals. In a roundtable discussion, executives from national and middle market waste companies share insight on market factors driving diversion and the impact of changing waste streams, regulatory change, and technology on the recycling business model. The biggest change in the coming years is expected to be in recycling and diversion of food waste. Other highlights of the article include more strategic management of waste streams by waste companies, and advancements in technology, infrastructure development, and extended producer responsibility leading to accelerated diversion.  01/14/2016

BioHiTech and Partners Convert Supermarket Food Waste to Energy

BioHiTech Global, Inc has announced that its subsidiary, BioHiTech America, has partnered with Natural Systems Utilities, Ridgewood Green RME, and the Village of Ridgewood, New Jersey to test a process that will allow BioHiTech's Eco-Safe Digester to digest, tank, and deliver the effluent from its Eco-Safe Digesters to Anaerobic Digestion (AD) facilities at other locations. The test is taking place at a high-volume supermarket in New Jersey and transported to an anaerobic digestion facility operated by the Village of Ridgewood at its water pollution control facility. Ridgewood Green RME owns a 20,000 gallon per day liquid waste receiving facility and a 240 kW digester biogas power plant that is co-located at the anaerobic digestion facility.  Natural Systems Utilities operates those components of the project owned by Ridgewood Green RME. BioHiTech's Eco-Safe Digester utilizes an aerobic digestion process to convert food waste to grey water, also referred to as effluent. Typically the effluent is discharged safely into the sewage system and individual wastewater treatment facilities to treat it with other sanitary waste. This new process will tank the unit's effluent allowing for transportation to an anaerobic digestion plant where biogas can be captured and used to create renewable energy. 01/14/2016  

DOE BETO Webinar: Presentation of 100 Award Winning Bioenergy Projects

The US Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (DOE BETO), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) will present a live webinar titled "Excellence in Bioenergy Innovation—A Presentation of 2015 R&D 100 Award Winning Projects" on Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Two projects funded by BETO have received awards at this year’s 2015 R&D 100 Awards. The webinar will feature state-of-the-art research by Dr. Jianping Yu of NREL and Douglass Elliott of PNNL—winners of 2015 R&D 100 Awards for breakthrough bioenergy advances. Yu and his team at NREL took home a prize in the mechanical/materials category, as well as an R&D Magazine Editor’s Choice Award for their process for producing ethylene, a valuable chemical precursor to plastics, in a way that reduces greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional methods. Elliott and his team at PNNL, along with Genifuel Corporation, received a prize in the processing/prototyping category for their hydrothermal process to  convert wet biomass into biofuels quickly and efficiently. On-line registration is required for the no-charge presentation. 01/13/2016

Sierra Energy Sponsors $10,000 Prize For Syngas Business Challenge

A new $10,000 Syngas Challenge Award will be available at the Big Bang! Business Challenge hosted by the University of California at Davis. Furnished by Davis based Sierra Energy, the prize will be awarded to the most innovative business solution for the use of synthesis gas. Sierra Energy's mission is to make gasification globally accessible, eliminating landfills with the goal of fostering the development of new ideas that can disrupt the inertia of our current energy market, which relies heavily on fossil fuels and the mining of virgin materials. CEO Mike Hart: "We are excited to sponsor the Syngas Challenge, which will encourage UC Davis’ talent and innovation to spur the development of profitable, net-carbon negative fuels, chemicals and fertilizers in California." Sierra Energy is a waste gasification and renewable energy company that is commercializing the FastOx Waste Gasification Technology, a simple derivative of the centuries-old blast furnace technology. 01/13/2016

Anellotech and Suntory Advance Toward 100% Bio-Based Beverage Bottles

New York company Anellotech, Inc has announced entering into the next phase of its strategic partnership with Suntory Holdings Limited, one of the world’s leading consumer beverage companies. Anellotech's core technology, Thermo Catalytic Biomass Conversion (Bio-TCAT™) produces chemicals from renewable, non-food biomass, such as wood, sawdust, corn stover, sugar cane bagasse (byproduct), and other non-food materials. The partnership, which began in 2012 under a collaboration agreement that has provided more than $15 million in funding to date, is focused on advancing the development and commercialization of cost-competitive 100 percent bio-based plastics for use in beverage bottles as part of Suntory’s commitment to sustainable business practices. Suntory currently uses 30 percent plant-derived materials for their Mineral Water Suntory Tennensui brands and is pursuing the development of a 100 percent bio-bottle through this partnership. 01/13/2016

Due 03/18/2016: Proposals for High Diversion MRFs in Baltimore Region

The Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority is requesting proposals from qualified companies to provide for the design, permitting, construction, and long-term operation of up to two High Diversion Material Recycling Facilities (HD MRF) in the Baltimore, Maryland region. The two facilities may include a staged construction, with the first being constructed at an existing site and the second optional facility located at a yet to be determined site. Copies of the Request for Proposals are available from the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority at <>, 410-333-2730, or at the counter. A non-mandatory Pre-Proposal Conference and site visit will be held at 10 A.M. on Thursday, January 28, 2016. Proposals will be accepted until 1 P.M. on Friday, March 18, 2016. 01/13/2016  

California Safe Soil to Open 1st Commercial Food Waste Composting Facility

California Safe Soil (CSS) is moving its aerobic, enzymatic digestion technology development from pilot stage to full scale commercialization with the announcement of a long-term lease at McClellan Business Park in Sacramento County, California. The company will construct a new facility designed to recycle up to 32,000 tons of organic food waste from supermarkets per year. Save Mart Supermarkets will provide the organic feedstock as part of a long-term agreement. For the past three years, CSS has operated a pilot program in West Sacramento that turns food from supermarkets, which can no longer be safely sold or donated, into liquid fertilizer for farms. The drought-friendly product is called Harvest to Harvest (H2H), and it takes only three hours to produce. Farmers can use H2H in their fields to restore organic matter to the soil and grow the next crop. With a target opening date of Spring 2016, this new 80,000-square foot location will produce enough H2H for 128,000 acres of sustainable local California agriculture. 01/12/2016

GLOBAL BIOENERGIES and LANZATECH Expand Collaboration

French company Global Bioenergies and US based LanzaTech have announced entering into a new collaboration agreement to broaden the feedstock flexibility of Global Bioenergies’ Isobutene process and the product-portfolio of LanzaTech’s carbon capture technology. The two companies entered into a collaboration agreement in 2011 with the goal to synergize their technologies, and build microbial strains capable of converting non-sugar feedstock into isobutene. Global Bioenergies has developed a process in which a microorganism can produce isobutene from renewable feedstock, and is now envisioning a broader range of feedstocks, including non-biomass-derived sources of carbon. LanzaTech’s carbon recycling technology enables the bio-based transformation of industrial wastes, such as carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide and hydrogen, into valuable commodities. LanzaTech is currently building its first commercial facilities, which will produce ethanol from waste steel mill gases. These ethanol facilities will be able to change production to chemicals if desired through application of LanzaTech’s novel microorganisms. 01/12/2016

Due 03/10/2016: Comments on Update to US Dairy Sustainability Indicators

The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy has scheduled an update to dairy sustainability indicators, and seeks stakeholder input by March 10, 2016. The indicators are the foundation of the association's Stewardship and Sustainability Guide for U.S. Dairy, launched in 2013. The Guide provides a voluntary, science-based framework for the dairy value chain to measure and communicate sustainability progress. The draft document can be viewed and comments submitted online. Farm indicators address soil health, landscape stewardship, resource recovery, feed management, and water quality and quantity. For crop- and field-specific topic areas, the Innovation Center proposes adopting the metrics developed by Field to Market, the leading U.S. initiative focused on the sustainability of row crops. The new processor and manufacturer indicators include resource recovery and air emissions. Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy® is a forum for the dairy industry to work together pre-competitively to address barriers and opportunities to foster innovation and increase sales. Visit USDairy.com for more information about the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. 01/12/2016 

Agenda for 2016 ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit Is Now Available

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) has hosted the annual Energy Innovation Summit for the past six years. The agenda for the 2016 ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit has now been posted online. ARPA-E will be organizing 30+ panel discussions (including topics on energy storage, bio-manufacturing, grid technologies, and commercialization programs), networking receptions, and technology demonstrations. (Please note the agenda is subject to change). One of the premier attractions at the Summit is the Technology Showcase, in which 250+ energy technologies will be exhibited. The showcase highlights recent ARPA-E awardees and a highly selective group of other companies and research organizations. The ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit will take place February 29 to March 2, 2016 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, National Harbor, Maryland, just south of Washington DC. 01/09/2016

Canada Invests $4M in Development of Next Generation Clean Technologies

The Discovery Frontiers initiative of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) has awarded a $4 million grant to a nation-wide team for investigation and development of three inter-related clean energy challenges. The team, led by Dr. Gregory Jerkiewicz of Queen's University, will work together on (a) hydrogen production from water using a new class of nickel catalysts, (b) the use of nickel catalysts to break down glycerol, a waste product from biodiesel production, into commercially useable chemicals, and (c) a new generation of membranes, a "high tech version of food wrap", that can be used with alkaline solutions to break down water into hydrogen and oxygen gases. The Discovery Frontiers initiative addresses national research priorities and global challenges by supporting a small number of major transformative activities. NSERC invests over $1 billion each year in natural sciences and engineering research in Canada. 01/09/2016

Due 02/05/2016: Comments to AFRL on EA for Red Rock Biofuels Biorefinery

Red Rock Biofuels LLC is developing a domestic commercial-scale military specification transportation fuel production facility in Lake County, Oregon, capable of using woody biomass feedstocks. The Integrated Biofuel Production Enterprise (IBPE) will be located on approximately 54 acres adjacent to US 395 and the Town of Lakeview's southern border. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and US Air Force Regulations, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has prepared a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) to evaluate the proposed development. The Biorefinery would use gasification, Fischer-Tropsch (FT) and fuel upgrading technologies to produce approximately 14 million gallons per year of military specification liquid transportation fuels from regional woody biomass. The public is invited to review the documents and make written comments during the 30 day open review period from December 27, 2015 through February 05, 2016. 01/09/2016  

Rolls-Royce Tests Confirm 50% Emissions Reduction Using Virent Bio-Jet

Bio-jet emissions testing by Rolls-Royce confirmed that jet fuels containing Virent’s BioForm® Synthesized Aromatic Kerosene (SAK) fuel blend produced a 50% to 80% reduction in particulate matter emissions depending on engine operating conditions as compared to conventional jet fuel. The testing program is being supported by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under the Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions, and Noise (CLEEN) program. The emissions data and other successfully completed test results have been summarized in a report released by Rolls-Royce, British Airways, and the FAA. The testing verified the potential for the SAK fuel to reduce the adverse environmental impact and health effects resulting from jet fuel combustion. BioForm SAK fuel is a unique jet fuel-blending component produced by Virent’s BioForming® process, a catalytic route that converts plant-derived feedstocks to hydrocarbons. Virent produced the renewable SAK fuel in its pilot demonstration plant in Madison, Wisconsin. 01/08/2016

Company Executives Join AEE Board to Spur Growth of Clean US Energy

Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) announced that executives of seven market-leading companies have joined its board of directors to support the business group's efforts to spur the growth of secure, clean, affordable energy in the United States. The new directors are Mary Rhinehart, Chair and President, Johns Manville; Terrill Laughton, Vice President and General Manager, Integrated Demand Resources, Johnson Controls; Dan'l Lewin, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft; André DeVilbiss, SVP, Strategic Development, Recurrent Energy; Bill DiCroce, President and COO, Veolia North America's Municipal & Commercial Business; and Chris Brown, President, Vestas Americas. Remaining on the board, now in his new role at Schneider Electric, is Kevin Self, SVP, Strategy, Business Development & Government Relations. 01/08/2016 

Reverdia and BioAmber Sign Non-Assert Agreement on Bio-Succinic Acid

The Netherlands based Reverdia and Canadian company BioAmber Inc have signed a non-assertion (non-assert) agreement concerning Reverdia's Biosuccinium™ technology. BioAmber and Reverdia are both involved in the production and commercialization of bio-based succinic acid using their own unique proprietary yeast-based technologies. Pursuant to the key provisions of this agreement, BioAmber will benefit from non-assertion covenants with respect to certain intellectual property rights of Reverdia in the field of bio-based succinic acid, in exchange for undisclosed financial consideration. Furthermore, the agreement provides comfort to both BioAmber and Reverdia to continue the implementation of their respective businesses using their own unique, proprietary yeast-based technologies. Succinic acid can be used to make a broad range of products, including polyurethanes, paints and coatings, adhesives, sealants, artificial leathers, food and flavor additives, and cosmetics. 01/07/2016

RENAC Offers Training in Private Finance for Green Energies

The Berlin based Renewables Academy AG (RENAC), in cooperation with the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia & Pacific (ADFIAP) has announced the three-year scholarship program "Green Banking - Capacity Building for Development and Commercial Banks on Climate Finance". The Green Banking training program aims at increasing the availability of financing instruments for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in the five partner countries. The project is part of the International Climate Initiative (ICI) with the support of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB). Scholarships are available for professionals from private and public institutions involved or interested in financing green energy projects will gain specific knowledge in technologies, financial schemes, risk evaluation, mitigation measures and access to international Climate Funds. The project started in November 2015 and will run until October 2018. 01/07/2016

First US Resource Recovery MBT Facility Breaks Ground in West Virginia

Entsorga West Virginia (WV) has announced the groundbreaking of the first resource recovery facility in the US to utilize Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT). The state-of-the-art waste-to-solid fuel plant will be located in Martinsburg, WV and is expected to be operational in early 2017. By utilizing the HEBioT MBT system, Entsorga WV will recover bio-mass, plastics, and other carbon based materials from the mixed municipal solid waste (MSW) stream and convert them into a safe alternative fuel source. When processing the MSW, Entsorga WV will remove other valuable recyclable commodities such as ferrous and non-ferrous metals utilizing its proprietary system. The MSW will be converted to a clean burning alternative fuel (Solid Recovered Fuel or SRF), which will be used as an alternative or supplement to fossil fuels. It is ideal for co-processing plants such as cement kilns and steel mills as a source for the production of renewable energy. At capacity, the plant will be capable of producing approximately 50,000 tons of SRF annually, which will be delivered to the Essroc Cement Plant and used in conjunction with coal in the production of Portland cement. The companies have entered into a long-term contract for the provision and acceptance of the SRF. The project is being financed with $25 million in tax exempt, private activity bonds issued by the West Virginia Economic Development Authority on behalf of Entsorga West Virginia, LLC. Entsorga WV is a joint venture between Apple Valley Waste Technologies, LLC, Entsorga USA (subsidiary of  Entsorga Italia S.p.A) and Chemtex International. 01/07/2016 

Buckinghamshire County Council Awards Food Waste Contract to Shanks

Shanks Group plc has been awarded a food waste contract by Buckinghamshire County Council to manage the treatment of approximately 7,000 tonnes of food waste in the northern part of Buckinghamshire. The contract will begin on February 1, 2016 and will run for the next two years, with options for three additional one year extensions. Under the contract, The food waste will be treated at Shanks’ Westcott Park anaerobic digestion (AD) facility near Aylesbury, increasing throughput at the facility and maximizing operations. Westcott Park has the capacity to process 48,000 tonnes of food waste each year and export 3 megawatts of green electricity back to the National Grid, enough to power 6,000 homes. Westcott Park also benefits from a three year contract to supply digestate from the facility. The digestate product is generally used in the agricultural sector to replace less environmentally-friendly fertilizers and will benefit land across Buckinghamshire and the surrounding areas. 01/06/2016

New California Laws for 2016 - Organics Recycling, Infrastructure in Focus

The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) composed a year-end roundup of new legislation include those that improve organics management, create tax incentives to increase the state’s recycling infrastructure, and bolster CalRecycle’s ability to collect recycling and disposal data. Each promises to be a valuable tool in implementation of the state’s overall waste management strategy. CalRecycle is working with local government partners and industry to expand California’s recycling infrastructure and keep methane-emitting food and other organic waste out of landfills. Some of the legislation passed in 2015, or taking effect in 2016 to help accomplish these goals include: AB 1826 of 2014--Mandatory Commercial Organics Recycling; AB 199 of 2015--Alternative Energy: Recycled Feedstock Tax Break; AB 876 of 2015--Compostable Organics Infrastructure; AB 901 of 2015--Direct Reporting Requirements; and AB 1045 of 20150--Organic Waste Composting Promotion. 01/06/2016

Value of Integrating 2nd Gen Co-Products into 1st Gen Ethanol Production

Researchers in the Department of Chemical Engineering in Sweden's Lund University have released findings on the integration of first generation ethanol production with second generation lignocellulosic co-production. The team found that consolidation of the second-generation with the first-generation process can potentially reduce the downstream processing cost for the second-generation process, as well as providing the first-generation process with energy. In addition to the impact on primary ethanol production, the paper explores the economic trade-off between plant optimization for co-products of biogas and/or distiller's dried grains and solubles (DDGS). Secondary anaerobic digestion for production of biogas was found to be less economical that simpler production of DDGS, where the biogas was not upgraded to vehicle fuel quality. Which plant configuration provided the best economic profile depended on local markets for those co-products, markets that have been fluctuating significantly in the last few years. The paper 'Techno-economic evaluation of integrated first- and second-generation ethanol production from grain and straw' has just been published in the journal Biotechnology for Biofuels and is available for download without charge. 01/05/2016  

Amyris Signs First Biofene® Ingredient Supply Agreement

California based Amyris, Inc has announced signing its first Biofene® ingredient supply agreement for the global nutraceuticals and vitamins market. The agreement represents a multi-million-dollar arrangement with one of the world’s leading nutraceuticals manufacturers. Initial volumes of farnesene were delivered to the customer in the fourth quarter for conversion to the final product. This agreement and the related processing technology for the farnesene building block will enable a significant cost advantage for this key product used for daily nutritional benefit. Due to the competitive nature of this market both parties have agreed to keep the targeted product and the customer’s name confidential. Amyris applies its bioscience solutions to convert plant sugars into hydrocarbon molecules, specialty ingredients and consumer products. 01/04/2016

Global Bioenergies Delivers First Batch of Drop-in Bio-Isobutene Fuel to Audi

French company Global Bioenergies and Audi have announced signing a new collaboration agreement to further broaden the feedstock flexibility of Global Bioenergies’ Isobutene process. The two companies recently announced the delivery by Global Bioenergies to Audi of a first batch of isobutene-derived isooctane, a premium drop-in fuel for gasoline engines. Global Bioenergies had produced isobutene using its pilot plant located on the agri-business site of Pomacle, France. The isobutene was then shipped to Germany and converted into isooctane. The initial collaboration, expected to end in 2016, also encompasses the delivery of larger batches that will allow Audi to run comprehensive engine testing and thus validate the specifications of Global Bioenergies’ isooctane. Global Bioenergies will use its Demo plant, presently under construction on the site of the Leuna refinery, to produce these batches. The newly signed extension and enhancement of the collaboration agreement between the two companies focuses on making Global Bioenergies’ technology accessible for non-biomass derived carbon sources such as CO2 or CO and energy sources such as green hydrogen produced from wind or solar energy. This new agreement includes the payment of upfront and milestone fees, as well as the possibility for Audi to acquire shares of Global Bioenergies corresponding to less than 1% of its capital. 01/04/2015

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