Bioeconomy 2017 Registration Is Live

Registration is now open for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office’s (BETO’s) 10th annual conference—Bioeconomy 2017: Domestic Resources for a Vibrant Future! The conference, which will be held July 11–12 at the Sheraton Pentagon City Hotel in Arlington, Virginia, will feature leading scientists and bioeconomy experts from the public and private sectors on the emerging bioeconomy. To learn more, view the Bioeconomy 2017 conference agenda.

Don’t miss early bird registration! Register by June 9 to save $75 off Industry and General Public admission. Register now!

New Alternative Aviation Fuel Report Published

Stakeholder input from the Alternative Aviation Fuel Workshop is now available online in a new report titled Alternative Aviation Fuels: Overview of Challenges, Opportunities, and Next Steps. BETO hosted the workshop in Macon, Georgia, during Sept. 14–15, 2016, to advance the understanding of current technical barriers for increasing the competitiveness of aviation biofuels. In addition to a summary of content presented at the workshop, the new report provides an overview of important topics in alternative aviation fuels related to production, environmental benefits, policy considerations, and financing mechanisms.

Take Part in the BioenergizeME Social Media Campaign

Get ready to participate in the 2017 BioenergizeME Infographic Challenge social media campaign! During April 10–21, high school teams from across the country will promote their bioenergy infographics to increase awareness about how bioenergy can play an important role in the future bioeconomy. You can participate by viewing entries via the Infographic Challenge Map or by checking out the #BioenergizeME hashtag on Facebook and Twitter and liking, sharing, or retweeting. BETO will choose the grand prize winner from those infographics that receive more than 500 unique page views.

2015 Bioenergy Market Report Provides Status of Technology

In February 2017, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory released the 2015 Bioenergy Market Report. This BETO-supported report provides a status of the markets and technology development involved in growing a domestic bioenergy economy. It compiles and integrates information to give a snapshot of the current state and historical trends influencing the development of bioenergy markets. The report covers U.S. markets for biofuels, biopower, and bioproducts, paying special attention to the progress of advanced liquid transportation fuels from cellulosic and algal biomass.

Webinar Recording Available: BETO Director Jonathan Male at Energy Talks

On February 9, BETO Director Jonathan Male joined two other presenters at the DOE web speaker series, Energy Talks. His talk was titled “Bioenergy as a Driver for Economic Growth, Energy Security, and Resource Sustainability.” This presentation, along with the others in the series, is now available online! Dr. Male showed that biofuels and bioproducts are made from home-grown, domestic, renewable resources and represent an untapped opportunity to strengthen national security and create jobs. He highlighted the importance of aviation biofuels, the use of waste streams to simultaneously provide value while mitigating disposal concerns, and the specific benefits of bioenergy to rural communities.

Fiscal Year (FY) 2016: A Successful Year for BETO

BETO is constantly working with our public- and private-sector partners to sustainably develop cost-competitive biofuels and bioproducts, and we made some great breakthroughs in FY 2016, including advances in renewable jet fuel and feedstocks research. Check out all our successes from the last fiscal year!

Biofuels and Bioproducts from Wet and Gaseous Waste Streams: Market Barriers and Opportunities Workshop

During June 6–7, 2017, BETO will sponsor a workshop to advance the understanding of current market barriers and opportunities for increasing the deployment of biofuels and bioproducts manufactured from wet and gaseous waste streams. The event, which will be held in Berkeley, California, will focus on challenges in facilitating market success for innovative, cost-effective solutions in the waste-to-energy platform. Learn more on the workshop web page.

New Process Being Tested for Biodegradable Plastics

Mango Materials, a bioenergy startup based in Berkeley, California, is on a mission to create a biodegradable, petroleum-free plastic. The company’s research focuses on creating an intracellular biopolymer from methane using bacterial fermentation. Thanks to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s (EERE’s) Small Business Vouchers pilot, Mango Materials has been able to utilize the resources of two national laboratories, including Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). LBNL’s Advanced Biofuels Process Demonstration Unit will enable the company to test new processes that remove water from the final biopolymer—which is key to turning waste gas into usable plastics. BETO recognizes the importance of developing commercially viable, sustainable alternatives to petrochemical-derived products (such as plastics), which can reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil and provide environmental benefits.

DOE Lab-Corps Launches the Program’s Fifth Class

DOE’s Lab-Corps pilot launched its fifth class this February in Denver, Colorado. Part of EERE’s Technology-to-Market Lab Impact portfolio, Lab-Corps is a training program for national laboratory researchers focused on accelerating the transfer of clean energy technologies from national laboratories to the commercial marketplace. Since the pilot was launched in the fall of 2015, Lab-Corps has grown to include more than 60 teams from 10 national laboratories, and 4 Lab-Corps alumni have already created successful clean energy startups. Watch this video to learn more about the value of DOE’s Lab-Corps program.

EERE Analysis Examines Spacing of E85 Stations and Retail Pricing

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory, with funding from EERE’s Office of Strategic Programs, released a presentation and accompanying report on spatial competition in the market for E85 transportation fuel. The analysis finds an inverse correlation between station density and E85 prices, with lower E85 prices available when stations are closer to each other. The analysis also finds that today's E85 prices correlate more closely with E10 and wholesale gasoline prices than they do with ethanol costs. This indicates that increasing fueling locations can help E85 be priced more competitively.

Past and Upcoming Events with BETO Representation

• ABLC: The Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference 2017; Jonathan Male, Zia Haq, Steve Thomas; March 1–3, 2017; Washington, D.C.
• 2017 Project Peer Review; March 6–10, 2017; Denver, Colorado
• Algae Testbed Public-Private Partnership Workshop on Routine Measurement and Biochemical Analysis of Microalgal Cultures; March 13–17, 2017; Mesa, Arizona
• International Energy Agency Webinar: The European Wood Pellet Market for Small-Scale Heating; March 14, 2017; Online
• Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Energy Worldwide Energy Conference: Refining Global Energy Strategies; April 10–12; Borka Kostova; National Harbor, Maryland
• 39th Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals; May 1­–4, 2017; Jay Fitzgerald, Beau Hoffman, Ian Rowe, Steve Thomas, Kevin Craig, David Babson; San Francisco, California
• Biofuels and Bioproducts from Wet and Gaseous Waste Streams: Market Barriers and Opportunities Workshop; June 6–7, 2017; Berkeley, California
• Bioeconomy 2017: Domestic Resources for a Vibrant Future; July 11–12, 2017; Arlington, Virginia.

To view past Monthly News Blasts, visit the BETO Newsletter page.