The FY24 CLIMR Lab Call is the largest amount of funding yet and represents coordinated investments from the largest set of DOE program offices.

Announced in November 2023, the FY24 TCF Base CLIMR lab call invited proposals from National Laboratories to advance energy technologies and strengthen existing practices.

The TCF was established by Congress through the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and reauthorized by the Energy Act of 2020 to promote promising energy technologies. The selected projects will simplify commercialization processes, accelerate the development of existing promising technologies, and kickstart the development of new energy solutions.

OTT coordinates the TCF and strengthens DOE’s commercialization partnerships. OTT collaborated with fourteen DOE program offices for the FY2024 CLIMR lab call, including the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO).

BETO-funded CLIMR projects included:

• Decarbonizing and improving the profitability of organic waste treatment through an innovative process and value chain with lead laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory;
• Integrated processing and hydrothermal pretreatment of corn stover into a second-generation ethanol facility with lead laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory (INL), and partner laboratory, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

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Following completion, bp will have the capacity to produce around 50,000 barrels a day of ethanol equivalent from sugarcane. The company operates with an integrated business model that covers the entire production chain through to sales of ethanol and sugar.

At closing, which is expected to happen in the fourth quarter of 2024, bp will own 100 percent of the business.

We are pleased with the way the business is operating and the great work the team has done to become a leader in sugar and bioenergy since we created this joint venture with bp. However, this business is not core to Bunge’s long-term strategy and this transaction will allow us to focus and invest in our core businesses while also further strengthening our balance sheet. bp has been a valued partner to Bunge, and we wish them and the team continued success, commented Greg Heckman, CEO at Bunge.

This second and final monetization event of Bunge’s ownership in the business is expected to yield net proceeds close to US$800 million, depending on the timing of closing and customary closing adjustments.

Closing of the transaction is subject to customary conditions, including receipt of required regulatory approvals.

J.P. Morgan is acting as exclusive financial advisor to Bunge, and Tauil & Chequer Advogados associated with Mayer Brown, is acting as legal counsel.

Grow bioenergy in Brazil

According to bp, the enterprise value of the stake to be acquired is approximately US$1.4 billion.

The acquisition will result in the consolidation of 100 percent of the venture’s financial results, including net debt of approximately US$0.5 billion and lease obligations of approximately US$0.7 billion.

The acquisition meets bp’s expected returns threshold for bioenergy of more than 15 percent and is fully accommodated within bp’s disciplined financial framework, including CAPEX targets of around US$16 billion in each of 2024 and 2025.

bp says that it believes ownership will also “offer the potential to unlock further growth opportunities in the region and to develop new platforms for bioenergy such as next-generation ethanol, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and biogas.”

bp Bunge Bioenergia is widely recognized as a leader in the industry. I am excited by the opportunity for bp to now add further value from our trading and technology capabilities. bp was an early entrant into the bioenergy business in Brazil and we look forward to continuing to grow and develop here, said Emma Delaney, EVP of Customers and Products at bp.

Focusing biofuel development plans

In parallel to this acquisition, bp is scaling back plans for the development of new SAF and renewable diesel projects at its existing sites, pausing planning for two potential projects while continuing to assess three for progression.

This is aligned with bp’s drive to simplify its portfolio, focusing on value and returns.

The bp Bunge Bioenergia acquisition and focus on key biofuel production projects are expected to support the continuing growth of bp’s strategic bioenergy business which includes both biofuels and biogas.

They contribute to bp’s unchanged 2025 targets of delivering around US$2 billion EBITDA from bioenergy and US$3-4 billion across all its transition growth engines.

Focusing our plans to develop new biofuel projects is also driven by value. Taken together, these changes can enable us to deliver the growth and returns we expect from biofuels, but in a simpler, more focused way. This is fully in line with bp’s priorities of driving focus into the business and growing shareholder returns, ended Emma Delaney.

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It was the 12^th consecutive year in which EU renewable ethanol increased its GHG-reduction score.

The new report comes as the EU prepares for a reshaped European Commission and Parliament that will consider how to make Green Deal policies more effective and socially inclusive.

The record-breaking GHG-reduction figure highlights the continuing innovation of the European renewable ethanol industry as biorefineries decrease emissions and improve the already impressive sustainability of EU crop-based and advanced biofuels.

The strategic value of European ethanol biorefineries has never been clearer. By producing food, feed, and fuel for Europe, the ethanol industry contributes to key EU strategic goals, including climate change reduction, energy independence, food security, and industrial and agricultural autonomy. Every year renewable ethanol reduces more GHG emissions compared to fossil fuel – making our industry a world leader in terms of sustainability said David Carpintero, Director General of ePURE, the European Renewable Ethanol Association.

More food and feed than fuel

The record-high GHG-saving performance of ePURE members’ ethanol was also accompanied by significant production of food and feed co-products – 6.5 million tonnes of commercial product, and 1.5 million tonnes of captured biogenic carbon dioxide (CO₂) – more ways in which ethanol production contributes to EU food security and offsets fossil resources.

Once again, ePURE members produced more food and feed co-products than renewable ethanol – more food than fuel.

The 2023 findings were compiled from ePURE members, which include 20 producing companies with around 50 refineries across the EU and UK accounting for about 85 percent of EU renewable ethanol production, and other EU producers and certified by auditing firm Copartner.

New officers elected

In a separate statement, ePURE announced that its members elected Antonio Vallespir, CEO of Vertex Bioenergy as its new President for a two-year term.

In his new role, Vallespir who had previously served as ePURE’s Vice-President, takes over from Stephan Meeder, who had served as ePURE President since 2023 but has taken on new duties as CFO of Südzucker AG.

With a new European Parliament and European Commission, the need to raise awareness about the strategic value of EU ethanol biorefineries is more important than ever. As ePURE President, I will work with policymakers and stakeholders to help ensure that the European renewable ethanol sector can continue to be part of the solution to climate change, energy independence, food security, and industrial and agricultural autonomy, said Antonio Vallespir.

ePURE members also elected Alarik Sandrup, Director of Public and Regulatory Affairs of Lantmännen, as the association’s new Vice-President. Sandrup who has previously served as Vice-President of ePURE, also serves as chairman of the Swedish Bioenergy Association (Svebio).

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That adds up to a job multiplication factor of 12. For comparison’s sake, the job multiplication factor for the sector that includes solar photovoltaics (PV) is 6.50 and the multiplier for the sector that includes wind turbines is 3.73.

Providing new impetus for President Biden’s National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative launched in June 2023, the report illustrated state-by-state gains linked to the transformation of renewable biomass into new products.

And most importantly for policymakers, the report explains why, “A considerable competitive and policy advantage of these industrial bioeconomy jobs is their tie to U.S. soil, both literally and figuratively—these jobs are here and stay in the U.S.”

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CVEC has been a dedicated partner for many years, and we are excited to implement our DCO Technology at their facility. This advancement will enable CVEC to achieve unprecedented oil yields, further establishing its role as a leader in the ethanol and distilled spirits industry, said Neal Jakel, President of Fluid Quip Technologies.

FQT’s “DCO Technology” enhances the mechanical separation of distillers’ corn oil from whole stillage, directing it into the thin stillage stream and clarifying the stream to reduce fine solids before reaching the evaporation and oil recovery systems.

This process not only increases corn oil yields but also improves the efficiency of evaporators, leading to lower energy consumption and reduced operational costs.

We are eager to see the substantial benefits of FQT’s DCO Technology in action. At CVEC, our goal is to remain at the forefront of industry innovations, and this technology is a crucial part of that mission, said Chad Friese, General Manager of CVEC.

The integration of DCO Technology is part of FQT’s broader “Maximized Stillage Co-products” (MSC) protein systems.

This strategic addition positions the technology as a foundational element for future advancements, including the production of high-value proteins.

Fluid Quip Technologies and Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company remain committed to pushing the boundaries of efficiency and innovation in the ethanol industry.

This partnership underscores their dedication to operational excellence and sustainable technological advancements.

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It is made from renewable ethanol produced by a method called Conventional Alcohol Deoxygenation and Oligomerization (CADO), a technology invented at ORNL.

Energy-dense renewable hydrocarbon

Upgrading ethanol using CADO resulted in a more energy-dense hydrocarbon product that can be blended at higher quantities without changes to car and truck engines.

According to Vertimass, the use of the blendstock could eliminate 560 billion pounds of new carbon dioxide (CO₂) accumulation in the atmosphere as it replaces a portion of the fossil fuels required for conventional gasoline production.

After licensing the technology, Vertimass collaborated with ORNL, DOE’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), and others, to optimize CADO, test it under varying conditions, analyze the techno-economic and life-cycle sustainability of the process, and develop data for commercialization.

Further technology development

Vertimass is also refining the technology to produce renewable propane and chemical feedstocks for other products like plastics, nylon, paints, and detergents.

The company has entered into an agreement with UGI Corporation to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and bioLPG, with a goal of 20 production plants over 15 years.

The project was supported by the BioEnergy Science Center at ORNL, which is funded by BETO, the DOE Biological and Environmental Research program, and ORNL’s Laboratory-Directed Research and Development program.

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As part of our collaborative ethos of ‘Greener Together’, we actively seek like-minded industry leaders for strategic partnerships in transitioning to sustainable aviation. Our collaboration with Singapore Airlines aims to accelerate and support the development of the SAF supply chain in the region, fostering a reliable SAF ecosystem to enable the industry to achieve its long-term decarbonization goals. Cathay was one of the first airlines in Asia to set a target of 10 percent SAF for its total fuel consumption by 2030, and we are undertaking a multi-pronged approach to contribute to the aviation industry’s transition towards a greener future, said Ronald Lam, CEO of Cathay Group.

Two focus areas

The agreement, which focuses on two key areas, underscores both carriers’ commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and affirms their aspiration to help drive sustainability changes in the airline industry.

Firstly, Cathay and SIA will jointly advocate for the greater use of SAF in the Asia-Pacific region.

Initiatives in this area will include raising public awareness about SAF’s critical role in decarbonizing aviation, advocating for supportive policies in the region, and promoting the creation of a standard global accounting and reporting framework to ensure the transparency and verifiability of emission reductions from the use of the fuel.

The airlines will also explore potential opportunities for joint procurement of SAF at selected locations. These are aimed at boosting SAF production and supporting its wider adoption in the airline industry.

The second area of focus will be the exchange of best practices to reduce single-use plastics, minimize waste, and improve energy efficiency in ground and cargo operations.

This will allow Cathay and SIA to improve their sustainability performance, and speed up the development and implementation of sustainable solutions in their operations.

Singapore Airlines is committed to embedding sustainability in all aspects of our operations. At the same time, we recognize that we cannot achieve our targets alone. Our partnership with Cathay signifies our mutual ambition to enhance collaboration in sustainability initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region. Together we are helping to set the foundation for a more sustainable aviation industry, and ensure that future generations continue to reap the benefits of air travel, said Goh Choon Phong, CEO of Singapore Airlines.

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It is a cutting-edge technology that uses microorganisms like bacteria, yeast, or fungi to produce proteins, enzymes, and other molecules used in industry and is particularly suited to innovation in the agri-food and materials sectors.

Although fundamental research has made considerable progress, biotechnologies must now be developed on a larger scale.

Establish an industrial and technology platform

With an investment of €16 million in the first phase, the industrial and technological platform will be located in Clermont-Ferrand within the Parc Cataroux Center for Sustainable Materials, an innovation accelerator supported by Michelin.

The Michelin group is pleased to announce the creation, with its partners, of the Biotech Open Platform – a unique tool that will enhance the development of bio-sourced materials, a key challenge for the industry of tomorrow. Located in Auvergne, it exemplifies Michelin’s unflagging commitment to developing innovation and the regions where the Group operates, said Florent Menegaux, President of the Michelin Group.

The Biotech Open Platform is also supported by several public and private institutions: the University of Clermont Auvergne, the company Greentech, the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Clermont Auvergne Métropole.

Crédit Agricole Centre France is taking steps to support transformation and innovation in the region. By contributing to the Biotech Open Platform, we are helping to develop a new bio-based sector based in Clermont-Ferrand and also adding to the value and attractiveness of the region. This will also help provide opportunities and synergies to the start-ups in our Innovation Village, also in the Parc Cataroux, said Frédéric Baraut, CEO of Crédit Agricole Centre France.

The Biotech Open Platform’s ambition is to accelerate the development of precision fermentation by enabling the scale-up of innovative products and processes already tested in the laboratory.

We are enthusiastic about this new partnership with companies that are at the heart of French life. For us, as an American start-up, the development of the new Biotech Open Platform will enable us to accelerate the scale-up and commercialization of new products leveraging our transformative fermentation technology, said Kenny Erdoes, CEO of DMC Biotechnologies.

By 2025, the project plans to install an initial demo-scale production line, including a fermenter and purification equipment. Additional equipment will be installed in the following years, including a second production line.

This ramp-up will enable the platform to meet the scale-up needs of its founders and to gradually open it up to other companies facing the challenge of scaling up in the industrial biomanufacturing sector.

At Danone, we have always been focused on investing in the future of food, and this partnership is the next step in this journey. We look forward to working with our partners to develop cutting-edge fermentation technologies that will accelerate innovation, health benefits, and decarbonization in the food industry. We are proud to be part of this collective effort and to strengthen our contribution to meet the challenges facing the industry today, said Antoine de Saint-Affrique, CEO of Danone.

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Emirates’ investment into Neste-produced SAF in Singapore marks the first step forward in our SAF adoption in Asia, a region that is primed to become a leading supplier of SAF, which continues to be in short supply. While the activation of this agreement marks a milestone in our SAF journey in a new region, there’s still a lot of work to do. And as we procure SAF for the short term, we’ve got our sights set on longer-term agreements to help scale up a steady supply of SAF for our operations, said Adel Al Redha, Deputy President and Chief Operating Officer at Emirates.

The supply of SAF to Emirates at Changi Airport is part of the partnership the two companies announced in October 2023.

Earlier this year, Neste supplied over 6,000 tonnes of blended SAF to Emirates at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) in the Netherlands.

We are excited Emirates has started using Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel at Changi Airport as the newest step in our cooperation. It makes Emirates the first international visiting carrier using SAF at the airport produced at our Singapore refinery and supplied to the airport via our integrated supply chain. We are looking forward to continuing to work together on scaling up the supply of SAF for Emirates’ operations, said Alexander Kueper, VP of Renewable Aviation Business at Neste.

Multi-faceted SAF strategy

Emirates’ multi-faceted SAF strategy focuses on exploring opportunities to use SAF operationally wherever it is available in its network, share emissions reductions with corporate customers or freight forwarders where feasible, cooperate on longer-term SAF projects with reputable partners and support SAF ventures in the UAE with the potential to supply sustainable aviation fuel at its hub in the future.

The airline currently operates flights from Amsterdam Schipol Airport (AMS), the Netherlands, Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Lyon-Saint Exupéry (LYS), France, London Heathrow (LHR), UK, and Oslo Gardemoen Airport (OSL), Norway with SAF. It also integrated SAF into the fuelling systems at its Dubai International Airport (DXB) hub late last year.

In 2023, Emirates was also the first airline in the world to operate two landmark demonstration flights from DXB on a Boeing 777 and A380 with 100 percent SAF in one engine in partnership with Neste and other committed partners, supporting future certification where 100 percent drop in SAF is approved for commercial airline operations.

The airline has also committed US$200 million for research and development (R&D) projects focussed on reducing the impact of fossil fuels in commercial aviation, and last month became an industrial partner of the Aviation Impact Accelerator (AIA), based at the University of Cambridge.

The airline is a member of the Solent Cluster in the UK, an initiative focused on low-carbon investments with the potential to create a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) plant that can produce up to 200,000 tonnes per year if operational by 2032.

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Lallemand will integrate the business and associated employees in its Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits (LBDS) business unit based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (WI). As of June 1, all business activities have been taken over by Lallemand.

LBDS is a leading global supplier of fermentation ingredients and technical solutions, and this acquisition demonstrates LBDS’s commitment to the fuel ethanol and alcohol industries.

LBDS has partnered with BASF’s bioenergy business since 2017, jointly developing the expression of gluco- and alpha amylase enzymes in bioengineered yeast, now widely used in the North American ethanol production market.

We see the capabilities of BASF’s bioenergy team and its Spartec® products and pipeline technologies as highly complementary with ours. By combining resources and R&D programs, we will be even better placed to meet our global customers’ requirements, said Angus Ballard, President and General Manager of LBDS.

BASF remains focused on its enzyme activities in the animal feed and detergent markets.

It will continue to provide agronomic solutions for farmers to produce low-carbon intensity crops for the bioenergy industry.

Lallemand is the best owner of the bioenergy enzymes business. Their dedication to the biofuel industry, along with their complementary portfolio and global presence, will create new opportunities for growth, said Daniel Wilms, VP of Strategy, Innovation & Sustainability at BASF’s Nutrition & Health division.

Both parties have agreed not to disclose the financial and commercial terms of the agreement.

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