The pulp and paper industry is no stranger to renewable resources; bio-based raw materials continually blip onto the market’s radar. Now, leading research has set the industry abuzz with potential papermaking improvements—through the use of bio-based additives. The solutions have already drawn attention for their proposed benefits: both in quality… Read More
Leftover wood from the construction of a large hydroelectric project in Labrador, Canada will be used as biomass fuel. This 824 MW hydroelectric generating facility, called the Muskrat Falls project, resulted in a significant amount of timber being cut down. That timber is now being chipped and sent to companies… Read More
Heat in excess carries a penchant to cause things to go haywire. And summer offers heat in abundance. Summer also ushers in the Atlantic hurricane season, which can prove crippling to the utility industries. This turbulent mix of excess heat and extreme storms may cause sharp dips in productivity through… Read More
A breakthrough in catalytic science has swept onto the scene: a less risky, more cost-effective sustainable diesel biofuel solution. Produced through a joint effort, the recently pioneered, one-phase catalytic process could prove vital in meeting increased diesel fuel demand. Pioneering a Process The revolutionary continuous catalytic process owes its roots… Read More
This class of polymers may just overtake petroleum as the principal agent in the chemical industry: lignin. A natural, plant-based polymer, lignin ascribes to 30% of lignocellulose biomass. For context, lignocellulose biopolymers are responsible for plant structure and support. Lignin, as a largely untapped renewable resource, has set the industry… Read More
There are a lot of amazing organizations out there today looking to help recruit the next generation of industry professionals through collaborations and partnerships—like Chicago Women in Trades, Revolution Workshop, and plenty more in local colleges. The efforts of all of these organizations are focused on helping individuals understand how… Read More
Recently, scientists from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, or ORNL, have used neutron scattering and supercomputing to better understand how an organic solvent and water work together, to break down biomass. This process creates a pathway to improving the production of renewable biofuels and bioproducts. Keep reading… Read More
Harmick Engineering, an American firm, has been granted patents in Canada, the United States, and Russia for the extraction of arabinogalactan and taxifolin from larch (tamarack) wood chips. Keep reading for more information. Harmick Engineering’s CellFuel Portable Biomass Refinery This Minneapolis facility allows mills to produce sugars and ethanol from… Read More
