Eco-friendly biomass pretreatment method yields efficient biofuels and adsorbents

A new biomass densification technique promises cost-effective bioethanol production and dye wastewater treatment

Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts

 

image: 

Eco-Friendly Biomass Pretreatment Method Yields Efficient Biofuels and Adsorbents

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Credit: School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China

As global demand for sustainable energy solutions increases, bioethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass is gaining traction. However, traditional methods face limitations due to high processing costs and waste issues. A recent study led by Xinchuan Yuan, published in the Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts, presents an innovative biomass pretreatment method that not only improves bioethanol production efficiency but also utilizes biomass residues as bio-adsorbents for wastewater treatment, potentially transforming the industry.

 

Producing bioethanol from lignocellulosic biomass is essential for developing sustainable fuels. However, existing pretreatment methods often involve high sugar loss and require intensive solid-liquid separation, adding to production costs. This study introduces a densification pretreatment approach that uses sulfuric acid and metal salts under mild autoclave conditions, which reduces energy requirements and operational costs.

 

The researchers employed a combination of sulfuric acid and metal salts, specifically FeCl₃ and ZnCl₂, for pretreatment at 121°C. This process, called densified lignocellulosic biomass with sulfuric acid and metal salts (DLCA(SA-MS)), allows biomass loading as high as 400 kg/m³, a substantial increase over typical levels. The DLCA(SA-MS) biomass achieved over 95% sugar retention and 90% enzymatic sugar conversion, reaching a high fermentable sugar concentration of 212.3 g/L. This advancement could increase bioethanol yields, meeting growing energy needs sustainably.

 

Beyond bioethanol, the study also addresses the environmental impact of lignocellulosic residue. After bioethanol extraction, DLCA(SA-MS) residues were processed into bio-adsorbents. These bio-adsorbents exhibited strong adsorption properties for dyes like methyl orange and methylene blue, which are common pollutants in textile wastewater. The bio-adsorbents achieved removal rates of over 90% for methyl orange and 80% for methylene blue, offering an effective and eco-friendly solution for industrial wastewater treatment.

 

The DLCA(SA-MS) pretreatment method demonstrates significant potential in industrial applications by increasing bioethanol production efficiency and providing a sustainable approach to managing biomass residues. With its dual benefits—enhanced biofuel yields and dye wastewater treatment—this method aligns well with current environmental goals and economic pressures for sustainable biorefinery operations.

This new approach marks an important step toward full-component utilization of lignocellulosic biomass, reducing production costs, and improving environmental outcomes. Future research will focus on scaling up the process and further refining pretreatment conditions to maximize benefits.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobab.2024.09.004

Funding:

This research received support from the School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, and other institutional sponsors.

Citation:

Yuan, X., Shen, G., Huo, J., Chen, S., Shen, W., Zhang, C., & Jin, M. (2024). Enhanced biomass densification pretreatment using binary chemicals for efficient lignocellulosic valorization. Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts, 9, 548–564. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobab.2024.09.004

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Journal

Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts

DOI

10.1016/j.jobab.2024.09.004 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Enhanced biomass densification pretreatment using binary chemicals for efficient lignocellulosic

 valorization

Enhancing compatibility and biodegradability of PLA/biomass composites via forest residue torrefaction

New torrefaction approach improves mechanical properties and decomposition rate of PLA composites

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts

 

image: 

New Torrefaction Approach Improves Mechanical Properties and Decomposition Rate of PLA Composites

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Credit: Center for Bio-based Chemistry, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Ulsan 44429, South Korea

With an increasing focus on environmental sustainability, researchers are seeking ways to improve the biodegradability and mechanical properties of bioplastics, particularly polylactic acid (PLA). A recent study by June-Ho Choi and colleagues, published in the Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts, presents a promising approach that enhances the compatibility and decomposition of PLA when combined with biomass through a process called torrefaction. This innovation offers practical improvements for sustainable material applications, positioning PLA as a viable, eco-friendly alternative in various industries.

PLA, a biopolymer derived from renewable resources like corn starch, has gained popularity for its biodegradability and use in disposable products. However, its relatively low compatibility with other natural materials and slow decomposition under certain conditions present challenges for broader application. To address this, Choi’s team focused on improving the integration of PLA with biomass, specifically forest residue, through torrefaction—a thermal treatment that modifies the material properties by heating biomass in an oxygen-free environment. The team hypothesized that this method could enhance the mechanical strength and biodegradability of PLA/biomass composites.

The researchers employed torrefaction on forest residues, modifying their chemical structure to improve compatibility with PLA. This treatment involved heating the forest residue biomass at controlled temperatures, which increased its hydrophobicity and carbon content while reducing water absorption. By blending the torrefied biomass with PLA, the team created a composite with improved material compatibility and analyzed its physical, chemical, and mechanical properties.

The study found that torrefaction of forest residue enhanced the tensile strength of PLA/biomass composites without compromising biodegradability. When exposed to environmental conditions, the composite decomposed faster than pure PLA, largely due to reduced crystallinity and increased water permeability resulting from torrefaction. These modifications allowed the PLA/biomass composite to achieve quicker breakdown in natural settings, reducing environmental impact and making it a more sustainable option for disposable products.

This research demonstrates how torrefaction can significantly improve both the durability and decomposition rate of PLA/biomass composites, expanding their potential for sustainable product development. The new PLA composite offers a practical solution to balance strength and environmental impact, opening avenues for various applications, from packaging to agricultural films. Choi and his team’s work marks a substantial advancement in sustainable bioplastic technology, paving the way for eco-friendly and biodegradable materials that align with the global push toward reduced plastic pollution.

With an increasing focus on environmental sustainability, researchers are seeking ways to improve the biodegradability and mechanical properties of bioplastics, particularly polylactic acid (PLA). A recent study by June-Ho Choi and colleagues, published in the Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts, presents a promising approach that enhances the compatibility and decomposition of PLA when combined with biomass through a process called torrefaction. This innovation offers practical improvements for sustainable material applications, positioning PLA as a viable, eco-friendly alternative in various industries.

PLA, a biopolymer derived from renewable resources like corn starch, has gained popularity for its biodegradability and use in disposable products. However, its relatively low compatibility with other natural materials and slow decomposition under certain conditions present challenges for broader application. To address this, Choi’s team focused on improving the integration of PLA with biomass, specifically forest residue, through torrefaction—a thermal treatment that modifies the material properties by heating biomass in an oxygen-free environment. The team hypothesized that this method could enhance the mechanical strength and biodegradability of PLA/biomass composites.

The researchers employed torrefaction on forest residues, modifying their chemical structure to improve compatibility with PLA. This treatment involved heating the forest residue biomass at controlled temperatures, which increased its hydrophobicity and carbon content while reducing water absorption. By blending the torrefied biomass with PLA, the team created a composite with improved material compatibility and analyzed its physical, chemical, and mechanical properties.

The study found that torrefaction of forest residue enhanced the tensile strength of PLA/biomass composites without compromising biodegradability. When exposed to environmental conditions, the composite decomposed faster than pure PLA, largely due to reduced crystallinity and increased water permeability resulting from torrefaction. These modifications allowed the PLA/biomass composite to achieve quicker breakdown in natural settings, reducing environmental impact and making it a more sustainable option for disposable products.

This research demonstrates how torrefaction can significantly improve both the durability and decomposition rate of PLA/biomass composites, expanding their potential for sustainable product development. The new PLA composite offers a practical solution to balance strength and environmental impact, opening avenues for various applications, from packaging to agricultural films. Choi and his team’s work marks a substantial advancement in sustainable bioplastic technology, paving the way for eco-friendly and biodegradable materials that align with the global push toward reduced plastic pollution.

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Journal

Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts

DOI

10.1016/j.jobab.2024.10.003 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Enhancing Compatibility and Biodegradability of Polylactic Acid/Biomass Composites Through Torrefaction of Forest Residue

Trump picks former congressman Lee Zeldin to lead the EPA

Bloomberg News | November 11, 2024

Lee Zeldin. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

President-elect Donald Trump has selected former New York congressman Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, placing the Long Island Republican in charge of his plans to boost energy production and curb regulations.


If confirmed by the Senate, Zeldin would take the lead of an agency whose air, water, chemical and biofuel regulations touch nearly every sector of the US economy — from mammoth oil refineries to family farms.

“He will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet,” Trump said in a statement.

The EPA will play a direct role in Trump’s pledges to speed the construction of gas-fired power plants and curb President Joe Biden-era regulations that reduce planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from the electric and transportation sectors.

Zeldin would take office with a sweeping mandate to roll back several rules targeting power plant pollution. The measures are seen as hastening the closure of coal-fired power plants, even as US demand for electricity soars to serve data centers, factories and other needs. The agency pulled a similar maneuver during Trump’s first term in office, easing former President Barack Obama’s sweeping Clean Power Plan and replacing it with more lenient pollution targets.

Zeldin, in a social media post, said he would work to “restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.”

Zeldin is a former Republican Congressman who represented the eastern end of New York’s Long Island from 2015 through 2023, after spending four years in the New York State Senate. He’s a Jewish army veteran, who ran for governor of New York in 2022 but lost by six points to incumbent Democrat Kathy Hochul.

His record on the environment is mixed. In 2018, he joined a bipartisan delegation of New York lawmakers including Democratic Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, to call on then-Interior Department Secretary Ryan Zinke to oppose drilling off the coast of Long Island.

The League of Conservation Voters has given Zeldin a lifetime score of only 14% for routinely voting against environmental legislation while in Congress. In his final year in office, in 2022, his score was only 5%.

Praise, criticism

“It’s going to be great with someone with a fresh perspective coming to institute major reforms,” Mandy Gunasekara, who served as chief of staff at the agency during Trump’s first term, said in an interview. “If Lee Zeldin can turn around the Republican party across New York, he’s absolutely the man to turn around the EPA.”

Environmentalists blasted the choice on Monday. Ben Jealous, executive director of the Sierra Club, said the decision to name “an unqualified, anti-American worker who opposes efforts to safeguard our clean air and water lays bare Donald Trump’s intentions to, once again, sell our health, our communities, our jobs and our future out to corporate polluters.”

Trump has made clear he wants to see the EPA rewrite tailpipe pollution standards set under Biden for model years 2027-2032 that are so strict they effectively compel automakers to sell more electric and plug-in-hybrid models.

Zeldin may also be tasked with relocating EPA headquarters to outside Washington. Members of the president-elect’s transition team have been discussing moving the roughly 7,000 federal employees at EPA elsewhere, the New York Times reported last week.

Zeldin is the second Republican from Trump’s birth state to be selected for the Cabinet, after he tapped Elise Stefanik over the weekend as his ambassador to the United Nations. Both appointments were first reported by the New York Post.

When he was in Congress, Zeldin helped mount Trump’s impeachment defense.

(By Ari Natter and Jennifer A. Dlouhy)

'Nature was nice while it lasted': Trump's pick for EPA met with derision

Erik De La Garza
November 11, 2024 

Donald Trump’s incoming administration is beginning to take shape with his latest picks being announced on Monday, but it’s the president-elect’s choice to lead the Environmental Protection Agency that’s raising eyebrows with social media users expressing a mix of humor with genuine concern.

“Nature was nice while it lasted,” actress Heather Thomas wrote on X Monday after Trump announced that former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) was his pick to head the EPA.

“It is an honor to join President Trump’s Cabinet as EPA Administrator,” Zeldin, a Trump loyalist who in 2022 unsuccessfully ran for New York governor against Kathy Hochul, wrote Monday. “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI. We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water.”

Zeldin will likely begin his new role by starting the process of overturning several of the Biden administration’s “biggest rules on climate, including tailpipe regulations for vehicles and rules aimed at slashing pollution from power plants and oil and gas producers,” CNN reported.

“Gonna be ironic when Long Island is consumed by the climate change that hometown boy Lee Zeldin hastened as EPA administrator,” news producer Jordan Zakarin wrote in a social media post.

“Trump has selected Lee Zeldin to head the EPA,” X user Deacon Blues wrote. “God help our planet.”

Others took a more stark approach.

“A climate denier who received hundreds of thousands of dollars from fossil fuel companies and polluters will be running the EPA. Trump isn't just a threat to the US. His administration is threat to the entire planet,” Melanie D’Arrigo, executive director for Campaign for New York Health, wrote on X.


Author Jeff Sharlet told his social media followers that he believes Zeldin’s policy record “is irrelevant."

"He was chosen for his absolute submission to the whims of Trump," said Sharlet. "Trump doesn’t intend to govern but to rule.”

CNN chief climate correspondent Bill Weir noted that Zeldin “gets a woeful 14% lifetime score from the League of Conservation Voters,” while LA Times climate columnist Sammy Roth reminded his followers that Zeldin was “an election denier.”

Sacred cow: coal-hungry India eyes bioenergy to cut carbon

By AFP

November 7, 2024

Dung from India's cows, sacred to many in the Hindu-majority country, is b

eing used to power a movement towards biogas fuel -

 Copyright AFP Punit PARANJPE

Philippe ALFROY

Venerated as incarnations of Hindu deities, India’s sacred cows are also being touted as agents of energy transition by a government determined to promote biogas production to cut its dependence on coal.

It is an understatement to say that Nakul Kumar Sardana is proud of his new plant at Barsana, in India’s northern Uttar Pradesh state.

Firstly, says the vice-president of a biomass joint venture between India’s Adani Group and France’s TotalEnergies, because it occupies “one of the holiest sites in the world”.

A four-hour drive south of the smog-filled capital New Delhi, among fields bristling with brickyard smokestacks, the small town of Barsana welcomes pilgrims who come to honour the Hindu goddess Radha.

But Sardana is also proud because his methanisation plant that opened in March is the “most technologically advanced and the largest biogas facility” in India.

It was built in Barsana to be as close as possible to its raw fuel — cattle dung and harvest stubble.

“This region is home to a million cows,” he said. “Their dung has been used as fuel for centuries in cooking”.

Cows have been blamed for contributing to global warming because they produce methane — a powerful greenhouse gas — in their manure or when they belch.

But in this case, the region is finding a creative use for the waste produced by the cattle, which are used for their milk. Eating them is taboo for many Hindus.

Stalks left behind after the rice harvest — that would otherwise be burned — join the slurry.

“Farmers are traditionally burning them, creating smog and pollution”, he added.

“In using natural waste, we are not only producing compressed biogas, but also high-quality organic fertiliser.”

Long lines of tractors dump dung and straw in the factory’s tanks, from which 10 tonnes of gas and 92 tonnes of fertiliser are produced each day.



– ‘Convert waste’ –



In its endless quest for power to fuel its economic growth, the world’s most populous nation — and third-largest fossil fuel polluter — has pushed biogas to achieve a much-promised transition to carbon neutrality by 2070.

In 2018, the government set itself an ambitious goal of building 5,000 biogas plants in six years.

But despite generous subsidies and the introduction of a buyback guarantee, the project attracted little initial interest — until the government forced the hand of producers.

From April 2025, at least one percent of liquid gas fuelling both vehicles and for domestic use must be biogas — rising to five percent by 2028.

That prompted a response from key players, starting with billionaires Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani — both close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi — eying lucrative public contracts.

Ambani promised his Reliance group would build 55 biogas plants by the end of 2025 to convert “food producers to energy producers” and generate 30,000 jobs.

His rival Adani plans to invest around $200 million in the sector in the next three to five years.

“The government is pushing to convert waste for the wealth of the country,” said Suresh Manglani, CEO of Adani Total Gas.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) says both China and India are leading global growth in bioenergy, seen as one solution to mitigate global heating.

Even though biofuel remains more expensive than conventional gas, Indian production is expected to grow by 88 percent by 2030, it predicts.

Biogas is considered a clean energy because the waste used to produce it is completely natural, said Suneel Pandey of The Energy and Resources Institute.

It is “a sustainable solution to make wealth from waste,” he told AFP.



– ‘Potential is huge’ –



But the contribution of biogas to India’s transition away from heavily polluting coal — currently fuelling nearly 70 percent of electricity — will be relatively small.

India plans to more than double the share of gas in its energy mix — from six to 15 percent by 2030.

But the bulk of that will be liquefied natural gas (LNG), with Adani and TotalEnergies opening an LNG port on India’s eastern coast at Dhamra.

Burning gas to produce electricity also releases damaging emissions, although less than coal and oil.

Total argues its backing of biogas is more about environmental responsibility than commercial opportunity.

“Biogas goes way beyond figures and business plans,” said Sangkaran Ratnam, TotalEnergies chairman and managing director for India.

“It has also a tremendously positive knock-on effect on the rural communities in terms of jobs, in terms of care for the environment, and alternative forms of income.”

Tejpreet Chopra, head of renewable energy company Bharat Light and Power, said the biogas market is “small in the big picture of things” but the “potential is huge”.

But the investments required are vast. The Barsana plant cost $25 million, while the price of biogas remains uncompetitive: $14 per cubic metre, compared to $6 for LNG.

Yet Sardana remains more convinced than ever that biogas is key.

“We will learn the nuts and bolts of it and improve all processes,” he said.

“We stop wasting energy, we create rural jobs, and we are contributing to a more sustainable environment.”

 

UC Santa Cruz chemists discover new process to make biodiesel production easier, less energy intensive

University of California - Santa Cruz

 

image: 

Kevin Lofgren in the lab holding a flask containing the pure biodiesel product made with the process described in the journal Energy & Fuels.

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Credit: UC Santa Cruz

UC Santa Cruz chemists have discovered a new way to produce biodiesel from waste oil that both simplifies the process and requires relatively mild heat. This discovery has the potential to make the alternative fuel source much more appealing to the massive industrial sectors that are the backbone of the nation’s economy.

In 2022, the U.S. transportation sector alone used about 3 million barrels of diesel per day, accounting for about 75% of total consumption of the fuel in this country. That same year, diesel use accounted for about 10% of total energy-related CO2 emissions in the United States, according to the federal Energy Information Administration. 

While some companies have turned towards electric vehicles to reduce their carbon footprint, the vast majority of fleets still run on diesel—in part, because biodiesel production is difficult, energy intensive, and so, has slowed adoption. Of all the energy sources used by the U.S. transportation sector in 2022, biofuels accounted for just 6%.

In their study, published on October 3 in the American Chemical Society journal Energy & Fuels, lead author Kevin Lofgren details a new way to turn used vegetable oil into biodiesel that involves sodium tetramethoxyborate (NaB(OMe)4). This chemical, used to make the active ingredient that reacts with oil to make biodiesel, is considered unique because it allows the biofuel to be easily separated from the byproducts of production—by simply pouring them off. 

Another benefit is the resulting byproduct can be used to regenerate the most expensive ingredient in the production process. And last but not least, the reaction can be completed in under an hour at temperatures as low as 40°C (104°F)—saving energy and money.

“I always wanted to work on biodiesel,” said Lofgren, a Ph.D. student in chemistry at UC Santa Cruz. “I started exploring this new material that we made to see if it could attack the fats in oil to help catalyze biodiesel, and it all flowed from there.”

While individual consumers increasingly turn to solar and electric energy to power their homes and vehicles, America’s huge industrial sectors still rely on diesel fuel. Lofgren pointed out that the majority of the trucks, trains, and boats that ship goods around the world currently run on diesel engines and won’t be electrified any time soon.

Meanwhile, the researchers point out, biodiesel is a carbon-neutral fuel that is available today and approved to power these vehicles without the need for engine modifications.

Reducing the energy needed to make biofuel

Some of the current methods for making biodiesel produce soap as a byproduct, which makes purifying the fuel difficult and results in less actual product. Other approaches rely on palm oil, which require clearing trees in rainforests to make room for monoculture palm tree plantations. These methods are also energy intensive, requiring extremely high temperatures and pressures. The technique detailed in this study can produce biodiesel at a temperature lower than that required to boil water.

“To make energy takes a lot of energy,” said co-author Scott Oliver, professor of chemistry and biochemistry. “Our method uses waste oil and mild heating, compared to current petroleum refineries that are energy consuming and pollution causing.”

According to the researchers, the method they discovered turns about 85% of used vegetable oil into biodiesel and passes almost all industry standards for use as fuel in heavy machinery and transportation vehicles. The exception was water content, though, it was only slightly higher than the acceptable value. The researchers expect that once this process is scaled up, the water content will be within acceptable levels.

“This new method is special because it is simple and affordable. It has the bonus of being able to regenerate the starting material,” Lofgren said. “It's already low-cost enough to make it competitive. But if you can buy the most expensive ingredient once and then regenerate it, it would be more cost efficient in the long run.”

“Everybody needs energy—every farm, food production plant, and transportation vehicle depend on it,” Oliver said. “This could really impact people. This process can be done at just above room temperature and it's reusable. You don't need to have a refinery; you can potentially use this method on a farm.”

Bakthan Singaram, professor of chemistry and biochemistry at UC Santa Cruz, is co-corresponding author of the paper, “Borate Pathway to FAMEs at Near-Ambient Conditions from Used Oil,” which is funded by an Innovation Catalyst Grant, Climate Action Solutions Program.

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Journal

Energy & Fuels

DOI

10.1021/acs.energyfuels.4c03643 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Article Title

Borate Pathway to FAMEs at Near-Ambient Conditions from Used Oil

 

Van Oord Cable-laying Vessel Calypso Makes Debut & is Now Fully Operational

Published Oct 28, 2024 7:27 AM by The Maritime Executive

 

[By: Van Oord]

Van Oord’s brand new cable-laying vessel Calypso has made its official debut by installing cables on its first offshore wind project. After the Nexus, the Calypso is Van Oord’s second cable-laying vessel. Custom-built and featuring the latest sustainable technologies, the vessel is a key strategic addition to Van Oord’s offshore wind fleet. The Calypso’s first project is RWE’s prestigious Sofia Offshore Wind Farm in the UK, one of the largest offshore wind projects in the world. 

By investing in state-of-the-art equipment like the Calypso, Van Oord is anticipating an increase in scale in the offshore wind industry and contributing to the energy transition. The Calypso is purpose-built to install inter-array grid and export cables for offshore wind projects worldwide, including high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cables. Van Oord’s highly innovative cable trenchers can also be operated from the vessel.  

The Calypso is equipped with not just one, but two cable carousels, one on deck and another below deck, providing a total cable-carrying capacity of 8,000 tonnes and capable of laying two HVDC cables simultaneously. The vessel’s design incorporates the latest sustainable technologies to reduce its carbon footprint. Apart from the ability to run on biofuel, this hybrid vessel has future-ready engines with built-in flexibility to anticipate e-fuels. It has a large battery pack, a shore supply connection, and a state-of-the-art energy management system.  

Arnoud Kuis, Managing Director Offshore Energy: ‘With the Calypso now operational, we have significantly strengthened our cable installation fleet. This milestone reflects our commitment to continuously reinforcing our leading position in the market by investing in sustainable technology. With two cable installation vessels at our disposal, along with our extensive experience and expertise, we have the resources and flexibility needed to provide value to our clients and excel in this dynamic industry. It’s exciting to see the Calypso in action, installing its first cables on the Sofia project, and we look forward to its successful deployment on many more offshore wind projects.

The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.

 

Norway’s Kleven Returns to Shipbuilding Four Years After Bankruptcy

Green Yard Kleven will build a unique Field Support Vessel for Romania's first deepwater LNG project (Marin Teknikk)

Published Oct 11, 2024 7:40 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

Norway’s Kleven shipyard (now known as Green Yard Kleven) reports it is returning to shipbuilding four years after its bankruptcy and sale to Green Yard, a Norwegian company focused on ship recycling, modifications, and lay-ups for ships and rigs. The company, which had a long history in shipbuilding including innovative offshore vessels, has been carrying out mostly retrofits since its bankruptcy in 2020 which came months after its sale to DIV Group, the owner of Croatian shipyard Brodosplit.

The company won an assignment from the Austrian-Romanian energy company OMV Petrom and its Neptun Deep project to build a Field Support Vessel. Along with Marin Teknikk who designed the vessel they highlight the order is not only for new construction but also for a unique vessel.

“Since taking over the shipyard in 2020, we have worked purposefully to establish ourselves in the new construction market with the right project for us, it is therefore very satisfying that we have now landed this contract,” said Hans Jørgen Fedog, CEO of Green Yard Kleven. “We are very pleased that OMV Petrom chose us for this contract. It has been an incredibly rewarding collaboration throughout and with great trust between the parties.”

Marin Teknikk explains the concept for the vessel started in 2006 with an original focus on the needs of the offshore wind sector. The concept was to develop a design that was both better and different from the OSV and CSOV that were then prevailing in the market. The design is both for the wind or offshore oil sector and they have been working with OMV for a year to customize the design to the unique needs of the oil and gas project.

The vessel will operate for the Neptun Deep project, which will be the largest natural gas field in the Romanian Black Sea area as well as Romanian’s first deepwater offshore project. OMV Petrom calls it a strategic site for the county noting that when it starts production in 2027 it will have an estimated total volume of around 100 billion cubic meters. It will position Romania as the largest gas producer in the European Union.

The Neptun Deep block in the Black Sea has an area of 7,500 square km and is located about 100 miles from shore. It is in an area with water depths ranging between approximately 300 feet to over 3,000 feet. Construction on the topsides for the unnamed platform is already underway. The total investment for Neptun Deep is estimated at up to €4 billion.

 

Green Yard Kleven's first newbuild contract is for a unique Field Service Vessel (Green Yard Kleven)

 

Marin Teknikk highlights since the vessel will be supporting operations at the unmanned platform all the technical and administrative personnel will be living on the vessel. They sought to improve the typical walk-to-work application to enable more operational days per year. The ship uses four azimuth propellers and special systems so that it will be able to stay connected with its walkway in wave height of up to an average of approximately 15 feet and a maximum of more than 25 feet without disconnecting. 

The vessel will measure 295 feet (90 meters) with 90 cabins to accommodate 90 people. It will be able to store liquid cargo to be used by the rig in gas production and features a large aft deck for loading rigging equipment and containers. 

The ship will have a large battery bank installed. It will also be equipped with tanks to use green methanol and biofuel in the future.

Green Yard Kleven reports the hull will be built by a subcontractor, Montex in Poland, and is expected to arrive in Norway at the start of 2026. The assignment begins immediately for Kleven and the ship is to be delivered in the second half of 2026.
 

 

Methane emissions from dairy farms higher than thought - but conversion could reduce emissions

Conversion to biogas could reduce emissions and save more than £400 million a year in fuel costs

University of East Anglia

New research has found methane emissions from slurry stores on dairy farms may be up to five times greater than official statistics suggest - and highlights the huge potential for turning them into a renewable energy source. 

The study shows that if captured and turned into biogas, emitted methane could be worth more than £400m a year to the dairy sector in saved fuel costs, or around £52,500 for an average-sized dairy farm.  

Capture technology already exists, and if rolled out across the EU dairy herd, the conversion of methane to biofuel could reduce emissions equivalent to an estimated 5.8% of the remaining global temperature rise budget, if the temperature were to be kept to 1.5 ◦C of warming. 

Conducted by the University of East Anglia (UEA) and the International Fugitive Emissions Abatement Association (IFEAA), the research is based on measurements from two dairy farms in Cornwall, England. Together with a growing body of international field research, it suggests that the ‘Tier 2’ calculations used by countries to report their emissions annually to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) may not be robust.   

Current National Inventories of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions report that enteric emissions - those coming directly from animals’ digestive systems - are three to nine times greater than those from manure management, including the storing and spreading of slurry and manure.  

However the findings, reported in the journal Environmental Research: Food Systems and an IFEAA Net Zero Methane Hub white paper published today, suggest the balance between enteric emissions and those from manure management could be much closer to 50:50. The authors also call for greater focus from researchers and political leaders on emissions from manure management.   

Prof Neil Ward, of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at UEA, said: “The standard international methodology looks to be underestimating methane emissions from slurry storage.   

“Fortunately, we have the technology to turn this problem into a business opportunity for farmers who can reduce energy bills and become energy independent if they capture and make use of methane as a fuel. 

“If emissions from manure management are being significantly under-estimated, this not only means that official estimates are inaccurate, but also that priorities around mitigation options might be being distorted.  

“This research therefore represents an urgent call for action and further work to better understand methane emissions from manure management.” 

The researchers analysed measurements of slurry lagoon emissions from the two farms during 2022-23. The lagoons were covered with airtight covers and the methane captured.  

They found slurry lagoons produce far more methane than suggested by official estimates, such as those based on methods developed by the IPCC. Actual emissions from the farms were 145kgs per cow per year and 198kgs kgs per cow per year respectively. This is four to five times higher than the existing official figure of 38kgs per cow reported in the UK’s National Inventory. 

The resulting recommendations for government include research and development priorities, increasing grants for slurry covers and extending such financial support to associated gas processing equipment. 

Prof Penny Atkins, IFEAA CEO, said: “The technology exists for capturing, processing and utilising the methane that is currently lost to the atmosphere and contributing to GHG accumulation, and looks economically promising particularly if an incentives framework for capital investment on farms, coupled with regulatory support, can be implemented.  

“The cumulative contribution of methane from dairy farm manure management is significant and this data shows we must act now to curb emissions.” 

The researchers also suggest simplifying planning and permitting processes, and tax breaks for supply chain investment in methane recovery and use, such as investments by milk processors in supplier farms.  

George Eustice, former Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and chair of IFEAA, added: “Methane is a potent but short-lived Green House Gas and reducing emissions is critical to the pathway to Net Zero and limiting global temperature rises to 1.5 degrees.  

“The bad news is that emissions from agriculture are higher than previously thought but the good news is that this methane is easily captured and used as an alternative to fossil fuels creating an additional income stream for farms.” 

The study ‘Estimating methane emissions from manure: a suitable case for treatment?’ is published in Environmental Research, Food Systems. The white paper is supported by the Net Zero Methane Hub, which has received £285,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. 

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Journal

Environmental Research

Method of Research

Data/statistical analysis

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Estimating methane emissions from manure: a suitable case for treatment?’

Article Publication Date

3-Oct-2024

Fortescue electrifies iron ore trucks in $2.8 billion deal

Bloomberg News | September 24, 2024 

Image courtesy of Liebherr.

Fortescue Ltd., the world’s fourth-biggest iron ore miner, will pay $2.8 billion to replace two-thirds of its fleet of haulage trucks and equipment in Western Australia with electric versions, as it seeks to cut diesel consumption and meet ambitious emissions-reduction targets.


The miner will buy 475 emissions-free machines, including 360 autonomous battery-electric trucks, from Germany’s Liebherr Group, it said in a statement Wednesday. The fleet, which was developed using Fortescue’s battery technology, will service its sprawling iron ore operations in the remote Pilbara region and is aimed at reducing costs in the longer term.


Perth-based Fortescue, led by executive chairman and billionaire Andrew Forrest, has plans to decarbonize its entire iron ore mining operations by 2030. Reducing industrial pollution from mining is a significant challenge, with Fortescue consuming 631 million liters of diesel last financial year alone.

“You will watch the breath sucked out from CEOs’ chests when they realize this is a $2.8 billion order,” Forrest said in a phone interview after the announcement. “This is the future of heavy industry. And it’s zero emissions.”

Fortescue shares surged as much as 6.4% in Sydney after the announcement, and closed 4.7% higher to A$18.85 apiece. Since reaching a record high early this year, they have tumbled about 37%, as falling demand in China for iron ore has pressured prices of the steelmaking material.

The deal with Liebherr also includes purchasing 55 electric excavators and 60 battery-powered dozers, the company said in its statement, adding that the technology “will be available to the rest of the mining industry in the near future.”

Emissions from “stationary energy”, which includes emissions from direct combustion of fuels in mining, accounts for more than 20% of Australia’s air pollution, according to the government. Pollution from the global industry sector is continuing to increase faster than any other segment, according to researcher Systems Change Lab.

Earlier this month, fellow iron ore major Rio Tinto Group announced it would develop seed farms in Australia to test biofuel as a replacement to diesel.

(By Paul-Alain Hunt)

BHP to test Caterpillar’s new energy transfer system on its mining trucks

Reuters | September 25, 2024 |

Cat Dynamic Energy Transfer system prototype under development at Caterpillar Tucson Proving Ground. Credit: Caterpillar

BHP Group said on Thursday it plans to test US-based equipment manufacturer Caterpillar’s new technology, which transfers energy to diesel-electric and battery-electric large mining trucks while they are working on a mine site.


Caterpillar launched its Cat Dynamic Energy Transfer (DET) system earlier this month, saying that the use of this technology would lead to lower operating costs for miners and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions


The DET system can also charge the batteries of electric trucks while they are under operation, providing extra speed and upgraded efficiency.

Mining giant BHP would become the first to try this new system, starting planned trials at its iron ore and copper businesses, including at its Escondida operations in Chile.

BHP, in 2021, had announced a collaboration with Caterpillar to work towards zero-emission mining truck deployment at its sites to cut back on its emissions of operational greenhouse gas.

(By Rajasik Mukherjee; Editing by Alan Barona)

Canadian Firm Plans $1.3B Biomethane Plant at Port of South Louisiana

Courtesy Woodland Biofuel

Published Sep 18, 2024 4:17 PM by The Maritime Executive

Canadian energy company Woodland Biofuels has reached an agreement to build a $1.35 billion wood waste-to-biomethane plant at the Port of South Louisiana, the firm announced Wednesday. Upon completion, it would be one of the largest renewable natural gas refineries in the world. 

The new plant would be located at a multimodal facility at the Port of South Louisiana, and would have financial and workforce support from the State of Louisiana and local partners. If all proceeds as planned, phase one of the project - gas production - could begin as early as 2028.  

In a later phase, it would remove hundreds of thousands of tons of carbon dioxide from its chemical process stream and store it underground. The carbon sequestration site would have to be determined at a future date, but Louisiana offers many options: its geology, its existing pipeline infrastructure and its many energy-industry stakeholders make it an attractive destination for carbon storage. The state already has more than 20 carbon sequestration projects in various stages of planning or permitting. 

Woodland began operations in the 2010s as a cellulosic ethanol startup, and it built a demonstration-scale plant in Sarnia, Ontario. Its process involves gasification of biomass, and it can capture carbon dioxide during plant operations. Its initial plans called for development of a full scale wood waste-to-ethanol plant in Ontario, coupled with carbon capture and sequestration to make the plant "carbon negative." It secured about CA$5 million in support from the Canadian government to move the full-scale project forward. 

"Sarnia is definitely our first choice for a plant location," Woodland CEO Greg Nuttall told the Sarnia Observer in 2021 - though he noted that the Ontario site plan was contingent on finding carbon sequestration capacity. “[Sequestration is] what makes it carbon negative, and it’s just kind of an unknown at the moment whether the infrastructure is going to be there in Sarnia."

Woodland says that the new plan to build a plant in Louisiana would create 110 well-paid new jobs, plus more than 250 indirect new jobs in the region and 500 temporary jobs during construction. 

"Our sustainable biofuel plant will be an economic driver for St. John Parish and beyond. We look forward to establishing deep ties with the local community, and drawing on the existing world-class workforce and utilizing Louisiana’s exceptional infrastructure to execute on our project," said Nuttall in a statement Wednesday. 

According to the Maersk McKinney-Moller Center for Zero-Carbon Shipping, biomethane has strong potential as a renewable fuel for shipping when liquefied into bio-LNG. However, the center's researchers have cautioned that biomethane has the same powerful climate-warming potential as fossil natural gas if it is leaked during production or transport, assuming all else is equal in the comparison. 

"One of the main concerns regarding widespread use of methane as an energy carrier is humanity’s scant track record in avoiding anthropogenic methane emissions to the atmosphere, which are currently estimated at 350 million tonnes per year," cautioned the Maersk Center's researchers. "We consider tightening of the regulations in the biogas industry as being of the utmost importance and urgency to ensure that new plants coming into operation have incorporated the right technology to be emissions-free."