BRSI News Letter

News Letter
Volume 12, No 2 [April 2015]

Dear members,
In this issue..
XII Convention if BRSI: The XII Convention of the Society

will be held as the International Conference on New
Horizons in Biotechnology (NHBT-2015) at the CSIRNational Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and
Technology (NIIST), Trivandrum during November 22-25,
2015.
Dr
K
Madhavan
Nampoothiri
(madhavan85@hotmail.com) and Dr Rajeev Kumar
Sukumaran (rajvaryaveedu@gmail.com), scientists at
CSIR-NIIST are its Convener and Co-convener,
respectively. Details about NHBT-2015 can be found at
www.niist.res.in/nhbt2015/
The Scientific Programme of the conference would
comprise Plenary and Invited lectures from the
internationally acclaimed and eminent experts in different
areas. There would be mini-symposia on thematic topics
and also regular sessions on Industrial Biotechnology,
Environmental Biotechnology, Food and Agricultural
Biotechnology and Medical Biotechnology. During the
conference, there would be four mini-symposia.
Contributory papers would be presented as posters.
There will be technical sessions comprising oral and poster
presentations under the themes of:
Industrial Biotechnology
Environmental Biotechnology
Food & Agricultural Biotechnology
Biotechnology in Heath care and Medicine
Basic and Applied Molecular Biology
IMPORTANT NOTE: Only 450 delegates who register

first will be accepted to attend the conference
(irrespective of the acceptance of the abstracts)..
XII Convention of BRSI

Important information
Publications of papers presented in
NHBT-2015
Conferences, Symposia and Seminars
New Board of Governors and Management
Council for 2015-17
Call for BRSI Annual Awards
Obituary- Prof SB Chincholkar
BRSI Institutes SB Chincolkar Memorial
Award
MNRE launches Young Scientist Awards
Members Forum
Units Forum
Biotech News and R&D round-up
Food Security and GM Crops
Renewable Energy and Environment
General Information about BRSI
1
2
2
3
4
4
4
5
6
8
11
21
Publication of papers presented in NHBT-2015: Papers

presented in the conference will be published in special
issues
of
three
international journals,
namely,
Bioresource Technology, Renewable Energy and
Biologia. Each registered delegate would be eligible to
submit one manuscript (provided the work has been
presented in the conference) for which the selection of the
journal must be made in the registration form. All the
manuscripts will be subjected to peer-review according to
the norms of the journals.
Conferences, Symposia and Seminars

th
Important Dates
Starting date of submission

of abstracts
01-06-15
Closing date of Submission

of abstracts
31-08-15
Acceptance Notification
15-09-15
Registration at normal rate
15-10-15
Booking of Accommodation
15-10-15
Cancellation
31-10-15
6 International Conference on Analysis of Microbial

Cells at the Single Cell Level Retz, Austria 1922 July
2015.
Details
can
be
obtained
from
nicole.borth[at]boku.ac.at
ICER15- International Conference on Advances in Energy
Research, Incheon, Korea, August 23-26, 2015. Details
can be found at http://anbre.cti3.com/anbre15.htm
Biofuels 2015: International Congress and Expo on
Biofuels & Bioenergy, Valencia, Spain, August 26-28,
2015. Details can be found at visit: http://biofuelsbioenergy.conferenceseries.net/index.php
th
8 International Symposium on Feedstock Recycling

of Polymeric Materials, Montanuniversitt Leoben,
Editor: Prof Ashok Pandey; Associate Editor: Dr Parmeswaran Binod
BRSI News Letter Vol. 12 (2) April 2015
Austria, September 7-10, 2015. Details can be found at

isfr.unileoben.ac.at
th
CESE-2015: 8 International Conference on Challenges in

Environmental Science and Engineering, Sydney,
Australia, September 28-October21, 2015. Details can be
found at http://cese-conference.org/
IBSCE-2015:: The International Bioenergy (Shanghai)
Exhibition and Asian Bioenergy Conference 2015;
Shanghai, China, October 21-23, 2015. Details can be
found at www.ibsce.com
rd
3 Iberoamerican Congress on Biorefineries (CIAB),

4th Latin American Congress on Biorefineries and
2nd International Symposium on Lignocellulosic Materials,
Concepcin, Chile, November 23-25, 2015. Details can be
found at www.riadicyp.org/.
World Bioeconomy Summit 2015, Berlin Congress
Center (BCC), Germany, November 25-26, 2015. Details
can be found at www.biooekonomierat.de
th
6
World Congress on Biotechnology, HICC,
Hyderabad, India, November 30-December 2, 2015.
Details can be found at www.biotechnologycongress.com/
World Congress on 'Symbiosis', Amity University, Noida,
India; October 19-21, 2016,. Details can be obtained from
Dr Ajit Verma ajitvarma@amity.edu
New Board of Governors and Management Council of
the Society (2015-2017)
Following the elections for the Board of Governors and
management Council for 2015-2017 (two years tenure),
new Board and Council have been constituted as below.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------Board of Governors
President: Prof Datta Madamwar, Sardar Patel University,

Vallabh Vidyanagar
Vice-President: Dr S Venkata Mohan, CSIR-Indian Institute of
Chemical Technology, Hyderabad
Members:
Dr Thallada Bhaskar, Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun
Prof Ram Chandra, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology

Research, Lucknow
Prof Vinod Kumar Garg, Guru Jambeshwar University, Hisar
Prof Sanjay P Govindwar, Shivaji University, Kolhapur
Prof P Gunasekaran, Thiruvalluvar University, Vellore
Prof Balasaheb P Kapadnis, Pune University, Pune
Prof Smita S Lele, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai
Prof Ashok Pandey, CSIR-National Institute of Interdisciplinary

Science and Technology, Trivandrum
Prof Ram Sarup Singh, Punjabi University, Patiala
Prof Indu Shekhar Thakur, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New

Delhi
Prof Jyoti Prakash Tamang, Sikkim University, Sikkim
Management Council
President: Prof Datta Madamwar, Sardar Patel University,
Vallabh Vidyanagar
Vice-President: Dr S Venkata Mohan, CSIR-Indian Institute of
Chemical Technology, Hyderabad
General Secretary: Prof Sunil Kumar Khare, Indian Institute of
Technology, New Delhi,
Treasurer: Dr K Madhavan Nampoothiri, CSIR-National
Institute of Interdisciplinary Science and Technology,
Trivandrum
Members:
Dr G Baskar, St. Joseph`s College of Engineering, Chennai
Dr R Praveen Kumar, Arunai Engineering College,

Tiruvannamalai
Dr Parmjit S Panesar, SL Institute of Engineering &

Technology, Longowal
Prof Kamal Kishore Pant, Indian Institute of Technology, New

Delhi
Dr Ruipam Katki, Tezpur University, Tezpur
Call for BRSI Annual Awards

for 2014 and Fellows for 2015
The Biotech Research Society, India [BRSI- www.brsi.in] is a registered nonprofit society established with the aim to promote R&D in biotechnology, bring
interaction between academic institutes and biotech industries, interact with
industries and help them in resolving their problems as well make them aware
with the new developments in biotech sector, provide and arrange training in
biotechnology, dissemination of biotech knowledge through the organization of
lectures, seminars and symposia on scientific programs and societal missions.
BRSI confers awards under various categories to encourage and suitably rewards
its members for their scientific contributions for the work carried out in the
country. Nominations are invited for the following BRSI Annual Awards and
election of Fellows:
1. Young Scientist Award: Members of BRSI of 35 years or

st
below as on 31 December 2014 involved in Biotech R&D for
his/her outstanding contributions would be eligible. Award carries
a silver medal, certificate, citation and memento.
2. Woman Scientist Award: Women members of BRSI below
st
the age of 45 years as on 31 December 2014 involved in
Biotech R&D for her outstanding contributions would be eligible.
Award carries a silver medal, certificate, citation and memento.
3. Life Time Achievement Award: Members of BRSI above the
st
age of 55 years as on 31 December 2014 involved in Biotech
R&D for his/her life time contribution to the field of Biotechnology
would be eligible. Award carries a silver medal, certificate, citation
and memento.
4. Industrial Medal Award: Members of BRSI involved in
Biotech R&D for his/her outstanding contribution, which has
resulted in commercialization of a product/process. Award carries
5. Fellow of BRSI: Eminent members of BRSI having longstanding and significant contribution to the field working in various
areas of biotechnology shall be considered to be elected as
Fellow of BRSI (FBRS).
6. Honorary Fellow of BRSI: Eminent persons who have
rendered distinguished service to the nation in Biotechnology
shall be considered to be conferred as Honorary Fellow of BRSI.
Award carries a citation and a memento. Nomination can be
made by the members of the Board of BRSI. For this, the
nominee may or may not be member of BRSI.
7. AU-CBT Excellence Awards for Research Scholars (Two
awards): Members of BRSI registered for PhD studies in any
st
Indian university/institute below the age of 30 years as on 31
December 2014 involved in Biotech R&D for his/her outstanding
performance. Award carries a citation and cash award of Rs.
5000 for each.
8. SBC-MKU Genomics Award: Members of BRSI below the
st
age of 40 years as on 31 December 2014 involved in R&D in
BRSI News Letter Vol. 12(2) April 2015
the area of Genomics Sciences for his/her outstanding

contribution. Award carries a silver medal, certificate, citation and
memento.
9. Malaviya Memorial Awards for Teaching Faculties (Two
awards one for Young Faculty below the age of 40 years and
st
one for the Senior Faculty above the age of 40 years as on 31
December 2014): Members of BRSI working as teachers involved
in Biotech R&D for his/her outstanding contribution. Award carries
th
on 7 January 2015 at Jalgaon. He is survived by his

wife and two sons.
General terms and conditions:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Nominee should be a BRSI member on at least one year

standing (should have joined on or before 1st August 2014).
A person getting an award in any of the categories will not be
eligible to apply for next two years for any other award.
Age certificate (copy of passport, X class school certificate or
birth certificate) is required as the proof of age.
The work for which nomination is made must have been carried
out in India (except for Overseas Fellow award).
Each nomination must be proposed and seconded by two
persons, out of whom at least one should be Fellow or Life
member of BRSI.
For AU-CBT Excellence Awards for Research Scholars, the
nominee should be a full-time registered scholar working in
India (part-time researchers and persons working under
FIP/QIP are not eligible). Those who have submitted the thesis
would also not be eligible. Status certificate from the Head of
Institute/HOD of University department of current date required.
Malaviya Memorial Awards are meant only for the teaching
faculties for their R&D contributions. Members from the R&D
institute involved in research on full-time basis are not eligible
for this.
The criteria for the awards are performance based on
publications/impact
factors/citations/patents/technology
transfers, etc.
The evaluation sheet must be filled properly and for each
point, numbered flagged documentary proof must be
provided, failing which the claim of points would not be
considered.
Nomination form can be obtained from the homepage of the
Society at www.brsi.in
Last date to receive the nominations is July 31, 2015.
Incomplete applications will be rejected without any
communication to the nominee.
Among the applicants, only the award winners will be notified in
the second week of October 2015.
Application complete in all respects (one printed copies + a soft copy of

entire application BUT WITHOUT SCORESHEET as a single folder on
CD) should be sent to Dr P Binod, Central Office-BRSI, National Institute
for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, CSIR, Trivandrum-695 019.
Incomplete applications or those without supporting

documents as mentioned in the Score Sheet and
those without numbered flags in hard copy would be
rejected without any further notice.
Obituary
Professor Sudhir B Chincholkar

23rd September 1959 - 7th January 2015
It is with deepest sorrow and profound grief we inform

you the sad demise of Professor Sudhir B Chincholkar
Prof Chincholkar has been a Founding Governor of the

Society and has been a great support for the Society
since its establishment. We pray to Almighty to give
peace to the Resting Soul and strength to family
members and friends to bear this hardest moment of
life.
Prof. Chincholkar obtained BSc and MSc in Microbiology from
Govt. College of Arts & Science and Govt. Institute of Science,
Aurangabad, respectively. He obtained Ph.D. in Microbiology
from Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms
(IBPhM), then USSR Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.
was engaged in teaching Microbiology since last 25 years at the
North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon, India. He shouldered
many responsibilities such as acting Vice Chancellor; Dean,
Faculty of Science, Professor and Head, Department of
Microbiology and Director, School of Life Sciences and also as
Director, Board of Colleges and University Development (BCUD)
at North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon. He was UNESCO
Fellow at the Louis Pasteur University, Strasbourg, France in
1997 to work on Microbial siderophores with Prof Jean-Marie
Meyer. During 2006, he was visiting Professor at the Blaise
Pascal University, Clermont, France. Prof. Chincholkar had
completed many major projects in the capacity of Principal
Investigator sponsored by DBT, UGC, DST, AICTE & ICAR
(Government of India). He was also co-ordinator of UGC-SAPDRS as well as DST-FIST programs (Level-I). He was invited
speaker at number of National and International conferences held
in India, England, Germany, Greece, Holland, Belgium, France
and Bulgaria. In August 2001, he was honored as organizer and
Chairman of Round-Table session on Biocontrol agents in an
International Symposium on Microbial Ecology held at
Amsterdam, Netherlands. His areas of research interest included
Steroid and Antibiotic Bio-transformations, Biological control of
Plant Diseases, PGPR and Microbial siderophores, Microbial
Phenazines. HE WAS THE CONVENOR OF THE FIRST BRSI
CONVENTION IN 2004. To his credit, he has more than one
hundred national and international publications and seven Indian
patents (3 granted and 4 filed). Under his guidance, 25 students
obtained Ph. D. degree in Microbiology and Biotechnology. He
was the main editor of three books published in 2007 on
Biological control published by Haworth Press, USA, Microbial
Siderophores and Microbial Phenazines published by Springer,
Germany. He was Guest editor of Indian Journal of Biotechnology
for a special volume (2005). He was honoured with Government
of Maharashtras BEST TEACHER AWARD for the year 2002-
2003. He was elected as Fellow of Biotech Research Society,

India in 2005.. He was also recipient of Scroll of Honour award
for his contribution in Life Sciences. In addition, he was co-opted
as a Member of Scientific Advisory Board of Amity Institute of
Herbal and Microbial Technology, Noida, New Delhi and
Ferguson college, Pune. He also worked as an expert on Rajiv
Gandhi Sci. & Tech. Commission of Maharashtra State
Government.
BRSI institutes Memorial Award

in honour of
Late Professor Sudhir B Chincholkar
The Society is privileged to institute a memorial award in
honour of Late Professor Sudhir B Chincholkar. In this
regard, an endowment fund has been created with the
participation of the following members (Fellows) of the
Society, along with the support of North Maharashtra
University Unit, Jalgaon of the Society. The members have
been extremely supportive of the idea to create the
memorial award and have generously provided financial
contribution as shown against their names below (the
st
details of contribution ,made as on 31 March 2015):
1. Prof Ashok Pandey. CSIR- National Institute for
Interdisciplinary
Science
and
Technology,
Trivandrum- Rs 12,000
2. Prof Rintu Banerjee, Indian Institute of
Technology, Kharagpur: Rs 11,000
3. Prof Arun Goyal, Indian Institute of Technology,
Guwahati: Rs 11,000
4. Dr G Baskar. St Josephs College, Chennai: Rs
10,000
5. Dr T Bhaskar, CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum,
Dehradun: Rs 10,000
6. Prof Ram Chandra, CSIR-Indian Institute of
Toxicological Research, Lucknow: Rs 10,000
7. Prof D Das, Indian Institute of Technology,
Kharagpur: Rs 10,000
8. Prof Vinod K Garg, GJ Agricultural University,
Hisar: Rs 10,000
9. Prof Sanjay P Govindwar, Shivaji University,
Kolhapur: Rs 10,000
10. Prof P Gunasekaran, Thiruvalluvar University,
Vellore: Rs 10,000
11. Prof Sunil K Khare, Indian Institute of
Technology, New Delhi: Rs 10,000
12. Prof Smita S Lele, Institute of Chemical
Technology, Mumbai: Rs 10,000
13. Prof Datta Madamwar, SP University, Vallabh
Vidyanagar: Rs 10,000
14. Prof Krishna Mishra, Indian Institute of
Information Technology, Allahabad: Rs 10,000
15. Prof Saroj Mishra, Indian Institute of Technology,
New Delhi: Rs 10,000
16. Dr S Venkata Mohan, CSIR-Indian Institute of
Chemical Technology, Hyderabad: Rs 10,000
17. Dr K Madhavan Nampoothiri, CSIR- CSIRNational Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and
Technology, Trivandrum-Rs 10,000

18. Prof Parmjit S Panesar, Sant Longowal
University, : Rs 10,000
19. Dr R Praveenkumar, Arunai Engineering College,
Thiruanamalai: Rs 10,000
20. Prof LV Rao, Osmanai University, Hyderabad: Rs
10,000
21. Prof Gopal Reddy, Osmania University,
Hyderabad: Rs 10,000
22. Prof Ram Sarup Singh, Punjabi University,
Patiala: Rs 10,000
23. Prof Rekha Singhal, Institute of Chemical
Technology, Mumbai: Rs 10,000
24. Prof Indu S Thakur, Jawaharlal Nehru University,
New Delhi: Rs 10,000
25. Prof Siddha Nath Upadhyay, Banaras Hindu
University, Varanasi: Rs 10,000
26. Prof BP Kapadnis, University of Pune, Pune- Rs
5000
27. Dr Durg V Singh, Institute of Life Sciences,
Bhubaneswar- Rs 5000
North Marashtra University, Jalgaon Unit has contributed
an amount of Rs 81,500 collectively from its members,
thanks to the efforts made by Dr Bhushan Chaudhari and
and Dr Ketan Narkhede along with the support from Dr
Navin Dandi and other office bearers of the Unit.
The Society humbly and gratefully acknowledges the
support and contribution made by these members, which
will be remembered always with glory in the history of the
Society..
MNRE New and Renewable Energy Young Scientist

Award
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has taken an
initiative to launch a scheme for "New and Renewable
Energy Young Scientist Award ". The objective of the
proposed scheme is to encourage young scientists of age
not more than 35 years to make outstanding achievements
in research and development for technology development
in new and renewable energy. Details can be found at the
MNRE website.
Members Forum
Dr P Binod, Scientist, CSIR-National Institute for

Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, Trivandrum has
been conferred Young Scientist Award by the State
Council of Science, Technology and Environment, Govt of
Kerala.
Prof Vikash Kumar Dubey, IIT Guwahati has been
selected for Dr. P.N. Raju Oration Award 2012 by the
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for his work on
infectious disease, Leishmaniasis.
aspects behind their existence in such a turgid

environment, their applications in the mineral sector, metal
extraction, and material synthesis. A major part of this
book emphasizes the importance of microbes in
environmental remediation in the mining industries from
core deep ground sample processing to utilization of
discarded raw materials, and synthesizing products.
Details
can
be
found
at
http://www.crcpress.com/product/isbn/9781482257298
Our hearty congratulations to the members for their
achievements!
Units Forum
nd
A Report on 2
International Conference on
Bioenergy,
Environment
and
Sustainable
Technologies BEST2015
nd
Dr. Dev Mani Pandey, Associate Professor, Department

of Bioengineering, Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi,
India; Life Member as well as Secretary, BRSI Unit BIT
Mesra, Ranchi, Jharkhand received Young Scientist
Award in Indian Genetics Congress-2015 organized by
Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM University,
Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu, India from March 04-06, 2015.
Dr Abhilashs paper on Microbial processing of apatite
rich low grade Indian uranium ore in bioreactor' published
in Bioresource Technology, 128, 2013 authored by
Abhilash and BD Singh has been awarded the best paper
in Electro, Bio & Hydrometallurgy' for the year 2014 by
Indian Institute of Minerals Engineers, India.
The Arunai Engineering College had organized the 2

International Conference on Bioenergy, Environment and
Sustainable Technologies BEST2015 during January 2831, 2015, jointly with BRSI. The conference was
sponsored by the Department of Biotechnology,
Government of India. The conference was sponsored by
International Forum on Industrial Bioprocess (IFBiop) and
Indian Biomass Association (IBA). About 155 papers were
presented in 23 sessions by the students, researchers and
experts from 70 different institutions around the world.
Apart from this, 10 invited lectures by experts were
delivered, which kept the momentum of the conference.
Also, 30 posters were displayed in the poster session
rd
arranged on the 3 day of the conference.
Dr Abhilash has published aook on Microbiology for

Minerals, Metals, Materials and the Environment, edited
by Abhilash, B. D. Pandey, and K. A. Natarajan.
This book disseminates the interdisciplinary relationship,

some explored and some yet to be, among microbiology
and the inorganic world. It studies the genesis of
microbiology in the metal world, the various physiological
Based on the works presented in the conference, four

special issues of different journals, viz. International
Journal of Energy Technology and Policy, International
Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development,
Management Environment Quality and Biofuels are being
published. Apart from this, Waste Management Research
journal has accepted to consider selected high quality
papers to publish in their regular issue.
The Inauguration of the conference was held at the Arunai

th
Engineering College auditorium on 28 January at

02.00PM. Prof. In Seop Chang, Gwangju Institute of
Science and Technology, Korea and Prof Jin Suk-Lee,
Korea Institute of Energy Research, Korea delivered the
inaugural address. Prof Ashok Pandey, CSIR-NIIST,
Trivandrum delivered the key note address. Prof. Praveen
Kumar, Organizing Chairman of BEST2015 welcomed the
gathering, Prof. S. Regupathi felicitated.
nd
The 2 day of the conference was started with the invited

lecture of Prof Jin-Suk Lee on the topic Status and
perspectives on transport biofuels in Korea which was
followed by the parallel paper presentation sessions. The
day ended with the invited lecture of by Dr. R. K. Trivedi,
Editor, AJMBES on the topic Low Cost, Energy saving
and sustainable Technologies for wastewater treatment.
Prof. In Seop Chang, Dr. Thallada Bhaskar, Dr.S.Venkata

Mohan, Dr V Sivasubramanian, Dr. Sangeeta Negi Bora
and Dr. Senthil Chinnasamy. Dr. V. Ramanathan,
Principal, Arunai Engineering College presented a
consolidated report on BEST2015.
Out of 155 papers presented, 14 papers were selected as

Best Papers and citations were presented to the
presenting authors. Prof. Praveen Kumar, Organizing
Chairman of BEST2015 proposed the vote of thanks with a
rd
note that the 3 International Conference on Bioenergy,
Environment and Sustainable Technologies will be held in
Arunai Engineering College during the last week of
January 2017. The event ended with a group photo
session.
rd
On the 3 day started with the lecture of Dr. Thallada

Bhaskar, Indian Institute of Petroleum Technology on
Thermo-catalytic methods for the production of fuels and
chemicals which was followed by parallel paper
presentation sessions. The poster presentation sessions
rd
were held parallel on the 3 day. Another two invited talks
were arranged on the same day one by Dr.S.Venkata
Mohan, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology
(CSIR-IICT) on Waste to Value-addition:
Transition
Towards Sustainable Biorefinery and another by Dr V
Sivasubramanian,
Phycospectrum
Environmental
Research Centre, Chennai on Micro algal technology can
provide an effective solution to manage industrial wastes
and flue gas mitigation.
th
The 4 day started with the invited lecture by Dr. Sangeeta

Negi, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology,
Allahabad on Enzyme Technology: Breakthrough in
Biofuels Production which was followed by the parallel
paper presentation sessions. The technical sessions of the
conference came to an end with the invited lecture of Dr.
Senthil Chinnasamy, Chief Technology Officer, Aban
Infrastructure Pvt Ltd on the topic Algae to Green Fuels:
Opportunities and Challenges which demonstrated the
industrial prospects of bioenergy.
The four-days program came to an end with the valedictory
function which was presided over by Prof. Ashok Pandey,
Biotech News and R&D Round-up

Carbon Dioxide, an important by-product of fermentation: Food
industry applications and usage: This article on CO2 usage in
the food industry is one in a series for the applications
which are predominant and important in the carbon dioxide
industry. This subject is particularly interesting to the US
Corn Belt region, which contains some of the nations
greatest region for food processing in the form of beef pork
and poultry processing, also the US southeast and south
central region is the nations largest region for poultry
processing.
Much of the ethanol industry is concentrated in the nations
regions which are also the regions which are the largest for
much of the meat processing at large. Such regions hold
low merchant prices for CO2, as well as abundant supply
of CO2 to the merchant market. Additionally, many more
ethanol plants are venting CO2 to the atmosphere than
those which recover for the markets. The food industry is a
major consumer of CO2 worldwide, and accounts for some
40% of merchant CO2 consumption domestically.
Over the decades, the food industry has consumed huge
sums of CO2 for short to long term refrigeration
requirements in many world markets. CO2 will always
remain a viable refrigerant with added value as a minor

anaerobic agent, which may have further value in food
preservation applications.
mechanical freezer, as well as often proven enhanced

moisture retention for a food item, as well as improved
appearance.
Some processors use CO2 for a long term, in a full range

of applications in their processing plants, from IQF
(individually quick frozen) applications, to use in grinding
and commercial packaging with CO2 snow; to use as a
gas flush agent in final consumer level packaging of food
products.
The cryogenic application occurs via a wide form of

freezers, using a linear, multiple pass, or spiral
configuration, where liquid CO2 is delivered from bulk
storage on site via insulated (usually type K copper)
pipelines, using working pressure from the storage vessels
to deliver the liquid to the freezers. The freezer delivers a
range of fine snow to vapor which often operate at
temperatures of about -60degrees F. The goal is to lower
the temperature of a food product, with a set residence
time in the freezer, delivering a frozen product in a fraction
of time of what mechanical refrigeration units can yield.
The majority of IQF applications have historically been
dedicated to freezing applications or temperature reduction
applications in meat processing, v. processing other food
products. The more expensive sector of the food industry
has often been meat, which has been the major product
frozen over the years past; however, more expensive
entrees, and specialty frozen products also are good
candidates for cryogenic freezing today, items with a good
profit margin. The most inexpensive food products are not
good candidates for cryogenic technology; this would be
products such as tortillas.
When speaking of freezing in cryogenic environments v.

mechanical refrigeration, cryogenic freezing has often
been promoted on the basis of rapid temperature
reduction, thus saving time, which represents economic
savings; plus the further advantages in improved
appearance, texture, and weight yield. This means a
greater retention of water in the cryogenic freezing process
v. mechanical freezing, and less damage to the food
product on a cellular level.
Some feel that the ice crystal within the cellular structure
penetrates the cell wall less often when freezing rapidly v.
over a longer and warmer mechanical environment; thus a
greater weight yield, less fluid loss, as well as a better
appearance. The appearance of a meat product, for
example, can have a much improved appearance via
cryogenic freezing over mechanical. All of this represents a
number of advantages which cannot be demonstrated
under the guise of mechanical refrigeration.
CO2 Applications in Food Processing
IQF applications have probably represented the greatest
amount of overall tonnage in CO2 sales from the greater
food processing sector. Liquid storage is on site at the
customers plant, and CO2 is piped to the freezer, or
freezers, plus other points of application for ready use. The
cryogenic freezers were once the full domain of the major
gas companies during the decades past.
In the United States, for example, these companies were
the only source of cryogenic equipment technology, other
than used options. Into the 1980s independent cryogenic
equipment manufacturers came to be, which could then
supply the customer directly, or supply the independent
CO2 firms as well, with such technology. Cryogenic
freezing technology is tried and true, with some nuances
offered now and then over the years, which claim to offer
more efficient use of the CO2 product, and achieve better
results with specific valves, controls, and application
equipment for CO2. The end result, however, with the
often subtle approach to improvements has been
negligible. Any cryogen can only yield a certain amount of
refrigeration value, and despite proprietary changes in the
freezers, the end result is essentially the same.
This is not
technologies
environment
refrigeration
a
in
for
or
negative, statement, since, cryogenic

the food industry offer an improved
true efficiency gain, via less time for
freezing in a cryogenic machine v. a
When calculating the need for a specific quantity of a

cryogen, much data is well published and proven for
residence time requirements within the freezers, average
freezing point of the food product, % water content in a
food product, and the definitions used in heat removal and
freezing applications. Please see insert number one for a
typical refrigeration and freezing calculation. These values
are essential to properly size a freezer, as well as
understand residence time, CO2 usage, and exhaust
requirements from the freezer. Exhaust of spent gases
have been considered in the past for reuse, that being
recovery and liquefaction, however, the gas concerns are
in the market to sell gas, not recycle spent gases.
There are many scale of economics and technical
challenges which would make this practical. On the other
hand, when thinking about this subject, in todays
emissions reduction light, this is rather daunting. During
my work in the merchant gas trade, I know this subject was
broached, but not developed further.
CO2 Snow or powdered dry ice is often an application
alongside IQF applications for CO2 in settings, such as an
operation which would grind meat into hamburger (thus
using CO2 snow for temperature reduction); followed by an
IQF application of a formed hamburger or other meat item.
CO2 snow is included in liquid sales, when accounted for,
if it is generated from a bulk, liquid storage tank in the
customers plant setting; therefore it is an extension of
liquid sales, v. product sold as dry ice alone.
CO2 snow is essentially liquid CO2 flashed into solid CO2
upon entering atmospheric pressure, through a valve, from
higher pressure piping, hoses, or storage containers which
often have working pressures from 200 to 300 psig . CO2

snow is often used in grinding applications of meat or other
food products, while the CO2 snow, as a solid refrigerant
will sublimate and the added anaerobic effect against
certain bacteria are features which LIN (liquid nitrogen)
cannot be used as an effective substitute.
CO2 snow is also produced and consumed in large meat
and poultry packing houses for packing bulk meat products
which are shipped; such as whole poultry or beef. CO2
snow, in such settings, can be applied via automated
conveyor fed systems, or via manually opening valves and
applying into a container. The application for snow may
account for 20% of the product sold in the food industry, as
a form of CO2, when applied in the markets.
CO2 Gas Flush or gas purge applications in the food
industry are an extension of liquid sales to the customer,
and when accounted for by the supplier, when generated
from bulk or micro bulk stations on the customers site. The
CO2 gas flush can often be supplied from sublimated
gases off the top of a bulk storage tank, or if heavy, may
require a vaporizer for such applications. Gas flush
applications can typically be found in packaged cheese
operations, for example. The atmosphere within the
cheese or food package is removed in favor of CO2, or a
gas mixture, which can include oxygen or nitrogen, for
example. This gas flush is probably less than 10% of the
food industry sales; however, important in the food
applications sector. Depending upon the goal sought, the
end result is preservation, creating an anaerobic
environment, or retaining a modified (packaged)
atmosphere.
Dry Ice which is little more than formed, extruded, or
compressed CO2 snow. Today most food related dry ice
is sold as a pelletized or so-called rice form. The rice form
is otherwise a 1/8 size, reduced size in pellet. The rice
form has gained worldwide acceptance over larger
pelletized dry ice, for example. The smaller rice style
dry ice would pack readily into boxes along with food
product, and would blend in readily over larger dry ice
product; however, is usually priced higher than the larger
CO2 dry ice pellet. Today, there is probably a net growth in
dry ice rice style sales v. other forms of dry ice, due to
more acceptance and ease of application in the food
industry and beyond.
Summary- The food industry has been extremely resilient,
as the single major sector of the overall industry. However
in a few regions, the food processing market is sometimes
dwarfed by specific oil and gas producing regions for CO2
sales as a gas well stimulation agent. On the other hand,
over the decades, the food sector has proven to be
perhaps the most resilient form of sales of carbon dioxide;
and the most interesting with respect to developing
applications. Often a small food processing operation has
only sufficient capital to start a freezing operation via
cryogenic freezing, v. mechanical, due to a huge difference
in capital cost on the front end.
Over time, such a freezing operation may convert to

mechanical refrigeration due to a substantial increase in
size, if sufficient capital is available. Often such operations
bring on additional processing lines or plants, which can
use cryogenic technology to augment the mechanical
refrigeration process (pre or post cooling); or in a blending
or grinding line, CO2 snow may be the only choice, for
example, representing a unique application in such a large
plant.
In the end, I have noticed that over the years, in order to
sustain a significant business model in the merchant CO2
trade, food processing is a major component in the mix,
and this has also been one of the most resilient and
versatile forms of CO2 sales available to the gas concerns.
About the Author
Sam A. Rushing, a chemist, is president of Advanced
Cryogenics, Ltd., a CO2 consulting organization in
business for almost 2 decades; which supplies all forms of
CO2 consulting expertise to all sources of CO2 and
projects surrounding the commodity, on a global
basis.www.carbondioxideconsultants.com P.O. Box 419,
Tavernier,
FL
33070
USA,
Tel
305
852
2597, rushing@terranova.net.
Source:
http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2015/01/19/carbondioxide-an-important-by-product-of-fermentation-foodindustry-applications-and-usage/ January 18
Food Security and GM Crops

Agriculture Minister Endorses GM Crops for Food
Security: Union Agriculture Minister Mr. Radha Mohan
Singh expressed his support for genetically modified (GM)
crops, saying that technologically enhanced seeds could
help India achieve its food security target. Mr. Singh
believes that GM cropshold great promise in reducing crop
productivity losses due to flood and drought. Speaking
during the inauguration of India Seed Congress 2015 held
at Agra, Mr. Singh said "While agriculture feeds the nation,
seeds feed agriculture. Bt Cotton in Gujarat, Maharashtra,
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu has clearly
demonstrated what these new technologies can do to
boost farmer incomes." He pointed out that agri-income
could rise further when technologies like herbicide
tolerance, drought tolerance,nitrogen use efficiency,
nutrition enhancement would be introduced commercially
in India. "Losses that occur due to droughts, floods,
salinity, biotic and other abiotic stresses also need to be
eliminated decisively through the adoption of appropriate
technologies. In this context, genetic engineering holds
great promise, increase farmers' incomes and quality food
supply to consumers at affordable prices; and substantially
increase productivity leading to greater farmer incomes
and farmer well-being, he said.
In his speech at the Seed Congress, the Minister also
emphasized that the superior genetics in seed combined
with improved agronomic traits shall be the key strategy for
breaking the yield barriers. He said that the private seed

industry has significantly contributed and successfully
complemented public sector efforts. The Government shall
therefore support public-private partnership initiatives for
the development of the sector, he said. He also stressed
that appropriate policy support for seed improvements
through conventional and biotech methods, in combination
with improved agronomic practices, would greatly help
ensure food and nutritional security of the country. Source:
Crop Biotech Update February 18
First Genetically Modified Apple Approved for Sale in
US: The United States Department of Agriculture last week
approved the first genetically modified (GM) apple for sale
in the U.S., saying it was being approved because it did
not pose a risk to other plants or agricultural products. The
apple, dubbed the Arctic apple, resists browning when cut
open or sliced. According to Neal Carter, the co-founder of
Canada-based Okanagan Speciality Fruits, Inc,. which
developed the apple, We really know that getting the
consumer to buy in to the product and the technology has
to be the priority. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration
still has to determine if the apple is safe to eat, but the
review is voluntary and approval is not required for the
company to move forward. The apples non-browning trait
works by shutting off an enzyme that initiates the browning
process. Apple farmers are worried the Arctic apple could
scare off consumers who cant distinguish between GM
and conventionally grown varieties. Consumer and
environmental groups worry the apple could present
unknown risks to human health. There is no place in the
U.S. or global market for genetically engineered apples,
said Lisa Archer, a director at Friends of the Earth.
Farmers dont want to grow it, food companies dont want
to sell it and consumers dont want to eat it. Okanagan
said its apple could be available for consumers as early as
2017, but will take several years for there to be any
significant production. Source: Food Security and
AgBiotech News February 17/The Wall Street Journal (13
Feb 2015)
Biotech Crops Show Continued Growth, Benefits in
2014, Global Plantings Increase by 6 Million Hectares:
The International Service for the Acquisition of AgriBiotech Applications (ISAAA) has released its latest report
on the global status of commercialized biotech crops,
finding that a record 181.5 million hectares of biotech
crops were grown globally in 2014, an increase of more
than six million hectares over the previous year. The total
number of countries growing biotech rose to 28, with the
addition of Bangladesh in 2014. According to the report,
the 20 developing countries and eight industrial countries
where biotech crops are produced represents more than
60 percent of the worlds population. The accumulated
hectarage of biotech crops grown in 1996 to 2014 equals,
roughly, 80 percent more than the total land mass of
China, said Clive James, ISAAA Founder and report
author. Global hectarage has increased more than 100fold since the first plantings of biotech crops. Overall, the
United States continues to lead production, with 73.1
million hectares. The report highlights key benefits of

biotechnology, noting that for the period 1996 to 2013,
biotech crops increased production valued at US$133
billion. In roughly the same period, pesticide use
decreased significantly. In 2013, the report adds, crop
plantings lowered carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to
removing 12.4 million cars from the road for one year. The
report
highlights
Bangladeshs
approval
of
Bt
brinjal/eggplant.
The
timely
approval
and
commercialization of Bt brinjal in Bangladesh speaks to the
power of political will and support from the government,
said James. This lays the foundation as a model of
success for other small, poor countries to quickly introduce
the benefits of biotech crops. The report also addresses
the status of biotech crops in Asia, Africa and Latin
America. The full report is available for purchase on the
ISAAA website. Source: Food Security and AgBiotech
News January 28/ISAAA (28 Jan 2015)
Biotech Crops Show Continued Growth, Benefits in
2014; Global Plantings Increase by 6 Million Hectare:
Eggplant and Potato Approvals Address Consumer
Concerns: In 2014, a record 181.5 million hectares of
biotech crops were grown globally, an increase of more
than six million hectares from 2013, according to a report
released today by the International Service for the
Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA). With the
addition of Bangladesh, a total of 28 countries grew
biotech crops during the year. The 20 developing and eight
industrial countries where biotech crops are produced
represent more than 60 percent of the worlds population.
The accumulated hectarage of biotech crops grown in
1996 to 2014 equals, roughly, 80 percent more than the
total land mass of China, said Clive James, ISAAA
Founder and report author. Global hectarage has
increased more than 100-fold since the first plantings of
biotech crops.
Since 1996, more than 10 food and fiber biotech crops
have been approved and commercialized around the
world. These range from major commodities such as
maize, soybean and cotton, to fruits and vegetables like
papaya, eggplant and, most recently, potato. The traits of
these crops address common issues affecting crop
benefits to the consumer and production rates for farmers,
including drought tolerance, insect and disease resistance,
herbicide tolerance and increased nutrition and food
quality. Biotech crops contribute to more sustainable crop
production systems and provide resilient responses to the
challenges of climate change.
According to the report, the United States continues to
lead production at 73.1 million hectares. Up 3 million
hectares a growth rate of 4 percent from 2013, the
United States recorded the highest year-over-year
increase, surpassing Brazil, which has recorded the
highest annual increase for the past five years. The report
also highlighted key benefits of biotechnology, including
alleviation of poverty and hunger by boosting the income of
risk-averse small, resource-poor farmers around the world.
Latest global provisional information for the period 1996 to

2013 shows that biotech crops increased production
valued at US$133 billion; in the period 1996 to 2012
pesticide use decreased significantly saving approximately
500 million kg of active ingredient. In 2013 alone, crop
plantings lowered carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to
removing 12.4 million cars from the road for one year.
These findings are consistent with a rigorous metaanalysis, conducted by German economists, Klumper and
Qaim (2014), which concluded that GM technology has, on
average, reduced chemical pesticide use 37 percent,
increased crop yields 22 percent, and increased farmer
profits 68 percent during the 20 year period of 1995 to
2014.
Bangladesh: a model for success- One of the smallest
and poverty-stricken countries in the world, Bangladesh
approved Bt brinjal/eggplant in October 2013. Less than
100 days post-approval commercialization began in
January 2014 when 120 farmers planted 12 hectares of
the crop throughout the year. Bt brinjal/eggplant not only
brings financial opportunity to poor farmers in the country,
but also drastically decreases farmer exposure to
pesticides on the food crop by 70 to 90 percent. The
timely approval and commercialization of Bt brinjal in
Bangladesh speaks to the power of political will and
support from the government, said James. This lays the
foundation as a model of success for other small, poor
countries to quickly introduce the benefits of biotech
crops.
The case of Bangladesh in 2014 reconfirms the value and
success of public-private partnerships. The Bt biotech trait
for brinjal one of the most nutritious and important
vegetables in Bangladesh was donated by Mahyco, an
Indian company. Public-private partnerships continue to
increase the probability of timely delivery of approved
biotech crops at the farm level, James said. They will
remain essential in the years to come.
The Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) Project is
another example of a public-private partnership at work.
Beginning in 2017, select African countries are scheduled
to receive the first biotech drought tolerant maize, a food
staple depended on by more than 300 million poor
Africans. The donated biotechnology trait is the same as
the DroughtGard variety used in the United States,
which increased 5.5-fold in planted hectares from 2013 to
2014. This demonstrates strong farmer acceptance of the
biotech drought tolerant maize.
New
approvals
address
consumer
concernsIn the United States, approval of the Innate potato was
granted in November 2014. The Innate potato decreases
production of acrylamide, a potential carcinogen, when
potatoes are cooked at high temperatures. Furthermore, it
increases consumer satisfaction while precluding up to 40
percent yield loss as the potato will not discolor when
peeled and has fewer bruising spots. These attributes will
have meaningful impact on food security as food waste
10
continues as an important factor in the discussion of

feeding 9.6 billion people in 2050 and approximately 11
billion in 2100.
Potatoes represent the fourth most important food staple in
the world. As such, a continuous effort is being made to
improve the potato and combat losses due to diseases,
insects and weeds, and other constraints. Biotech-based
control of the fungal disease late-blight, the most important
disease of potatoes in the world, is already being fieldtested in Bangladesh, India and Indonesia. Late-blight
caused the 1845 Irish famine, which resulted in 1 million
deaths. Biotech control of virus diseases and the Colorado
beetle, the most important insect pest, are already
available, but not deployed.
Status of biotech crops in Asia- In Asia, China and India
continue to lead developing countries growing biotech
crops at 3.9 million hectares and 11.6 million hectares
planted in 2014, respectively. The adoption rate of biotech
cotton in China increased from 90 to 93 percent in 2014,
while virus resistant papaya plantings increased
approximately 50 percent. More than 7 million small
farmers in the country continue to benefit from biotech
crops and the latest economic data available indicates
farmers in the country have gained US$16.2 billion since
the introduction of biotech in 1996.
According to the report, India cultivated a record 11.6
million hectares of Bt cotton with an adoption rate of 95
percent. British economists Brookes and Barfoot estimate
that India enhanced farm income from Bt cotton by US$
2.1 billion in 2013 alone. Developing countries Vietnam
and Indonesia granted approval for commercialization of
biotech crops to begin in 2015. This includes several
hybrids of biotech maize for importing and planting in
Vietnam and drought tolerant sugarcane for planting as a
food crop in Indonesia.
Growth continues in Africa and Latin AmericaHaving cultivated 2.7 million hectares in 2014, South Africa
ranks as the leading developing country to grow biotech
crops in Africa. Sudan increased Bt cotton hectarage by
approximately 50 percent in 2014 and several African
countries including Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya,
Malawi, Nigeria and Uganda conducted field trials on
several pro-poor crops including the food crops rice,
maize, wheat, sorghum, bananas, cassava and sweet
potato. These crops can contribute to resilience and
sustainability in the face of new climate change
challenges. In Latin America, Brazil ranked second, behind
only the United States, for biotech crops planted in 2014.
At 42.2 million hectares, this represents an increase of 5
percent from 2013.
Biotech crops impact food security, sustainability and
the environment - From 1996 to 2013, biotech crops have
increased crop production valued provisionally at $US133
billion; helped alleviate poverty for more than 16.5 million
small farmers and their families more than 65 million
people, collectively some of the poorest people in the
world; and decreased the environmental impact of food
and fiber production by reducing pesticide use, increasing

land savings and reducing CO2 emissions.
According to Brooks and Barfoot, had the additional 441
million tons of food, feed and fiber produced by biotech
crops from 1996 to 2013 not been produced, an
additional132 million hectares of conventional crops would
have been required to produce the same tonnage. This
required increase in hectares could have negative
implications for biodiversity and the environment due to an
increased need for cultivated acres.
By the numbers
United States continued as the lead country with

73.1 million hectares, a year-to-year increase of 4
percent, equal to 3 million hectares.
Brazil ranked second for the sixth consecutive
year, increasing its hectarage by 1.9 million
hectares from 2013.
Argentina retained third place with 24.3 million
hectares.
India and Canada both recorded 11.6 million
hectares. India had an adoption rate of 95 percent
for biotech cotton. Canola and soybean hectares
increased significantly in Canada.
Get
a
copy
of ISAAA
Brief
49 at
http://www.isaaa.org/resources/publications/briefs/49/.
The Executive Summary, Top 10 Facts, Infographics, and
other materials are available for download at
http://www.isaaa.org/. Source: Crop Biotech Update
January 28
Scientists Say that Bt Cotton Does Not Cause Farm
Distress: Farmer suicides in Maharashtra and other parts
of India have nothing to do with biotech cotton, according
to scientists at the Indian Science Congress held on
January 3-7, 2015 at the University of Mumbai. "There is a
lot of negative public perception about Bt crops Even a
paper in Nature says linking these two (biotech cotton and
farmer suicides) is our imagination," said Dr. Anupam
Verma, Indian National Science Academy Senior Scientist
at the Indian Agriculture Research Institute, during his talk
on GM crops. Biotech critics point out that the increasing
number of suicides in Maharashtra is due to the inability of
Bt cotton farmers to pay their debts. However, the
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) report
said that there were several causes of suicide, and Bt
cotton is not a major factor.
Dr. Verma also refuted arguments about monopolization
and Bt cotton. He said that there are more than 1,000 Bt
cotton hybrids available in the country. He also mentioned
Project Sunshine in Gujarat, and explained how Bt cotton
influences the growth in agriculture in Gujarat.
Dr. Deepak Pental, former Vice-Chancellor of the Delhi
University also voiced out his support to biotechnology.
"We can produce oil indigenously if we use Bt. But
unfortunately, it is caught up in a debate taken up by the
left and now supported by the neo-right." Dr. Pental is a

renowned genetic scientist with major breakthroughs in
hybrid
seed
science.
Source:
http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/content/404240/b
t-cotton-not-to-blame-for-farm-distress-scientists/ January
14
BOOK ON GM CROPS' MYTHS AND FACTS
RELEASED IN INDIA: The Forum of Former Vice
Chancellors of Karnataka State Universities (FVCK) and
the Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises
Agricultural Group (ABLE-AG) released a new book
titled GM Crops: Perception versus Reality written by Dr.
T. M. Manjunath and Dr. K. S. Mohan. The authors have
more than 40 years of research experience in plant
protection and biotechnology. The book discusses
commercial cultivation of GM crops
and
stresses
their importance in effective pest control and better weed
management in selected crops, resulting in increased crop
production and significant reduction in the use of
pesticides. The book addresses common public
perceptions around biotechnology by presenting scientific
facts and data from authentic and credible sources. The
electronic version of the book will be available soon at
http://www.agrifocus.org/able-ag/. Read the original article
at http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/Boo
k-Aiming-to-Debunk-Myths-About-GM-CropsReleased/2014/12/31/article2596366.ece. January 8
Javadekar Bats for Genetically Modified Crop Trials:
The Narenda Modi government has said it is committed to
moving forward with trials for genetically modified (GM)
crops, although a decision on commercialization will not be
made without proper scientific evaluation. Environment
Minister Prakash Javadekar said, "For the sake of food
security, to get the poor to live with dignity, we need to
evaluate all safe techniques of food production. Where will
we get new techniques from, they won't come from the
moon." Every aspect of safety is being looked into, he
added, saying, We are ready to have a dialogue with all
those who have raised concerns. The process of trials,
said Javadekar, would go on for another six to seven
years. "Let the democratic process play out. We are a
federal structure. Ultimately, collective wisdom will prevail,
he said. Source: Food security and AgBiotech News
January 6/Kashmir Images (3 Jan 2015)
Renewable Energy and Environment

VayuGrid signs MOU for community-based biofuel
projects: Bangalore-based enterprise VayuGrid engaged
in building affordable Bioenergy supply chains
announced that they have entered into an Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with New Renewable Energy
Development Corporation of AP (NREDCAP) for the State
of Andhra Pradesh to develop Panchayat level Bio Energy
Zones ( BEZs) for green power generation including the
power generation facilities, the Bioenergy Green Coal
Plantation supply chain, and the Biofuel processing
infrastructure necessary to meet the low cost production of
11
clean energy. Each of these panchayat level BEZs

established on wastelands are optimized to generate 10
Mw and 14 million liters of biodiesel, along with nearly
1,400 farm labor jobs through the 60-year productive life of
the BEZ. Each wasteland based BEZ will attract
investment of $0 million, which will be brought in by
VayuGrid along with its partners. Additionally, each cluster
becomes a huge carbon sink, sequestering nearly 30,000
tons of carbon annually, thus making each BEZ eligible for
Carbon Credit and become a significant player in the Cap
& Trade scheme, leading the pollution regulation market
even while the State aims for fast and speedier economic
growth.
Source:
http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2015/03/05/vayugrid
-signs-mou-for-community-based-biofuel-projects/March 5
India seen boosting palm oil imports to 13 million tons
if prices stay low: Palm oil imports are seen increasing as the
country takes advantage of low prices resulting from poor
biodiesel demand to boost domestic stocks of cooking oil.
Imports could reach a record 13 million metric tons in the
year to October, up from 11.6 million tons last
year. Imports are extremely price sensitive, however, as
demonstrated by the more than 20% drop in imports in
January when soy and sunflower oil prices were lower than
palm.
Source:
http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2015/03/03/indiaseen-boosting-palm-oil-imports-to-13-million-tons-if-pricesstay-low/ March 3
Maha sugar mills worried ethanol procurement will run

into the summer: Maharashtra sugar mills are
increasingly worried over delays in ethanol procurement by
oil marketing companies, with sales of 180 million liters on
hold until no one knows when. Delaying the purchase
order from the tender issued in December could force
distilleries to run in the summer after the crushing season
ends, leading to higher production costs and making the
sales
unviable.
Source:
http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2015/02/03/mahasugar-mills-worried-ethanol-procurement-will-run-into-thesummer/ February 3
Novozymes and Beta Renewables to build 75 million
liter plant in India: Novozymes and Beta Renewables are
working to establish a 75 million liter per year cellulosic
ethanol plant in Punjab using 3 million metric tons of paddy
straw as feedstock. The $153.7 million plant could lead the
way for $1 billion in investment of five other plants in the
state
if
successful.
Source:
http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2015/01/29/novozy
mes-and-beta-renewables-to-build-75-million-liter-plant-inindia/ January 29
Looking down the road at biofuels, coal, gas, and oil: The shortterm picture of a well-supplied oil market should not disguise the
challenges that lie ahead as reliance grows on a relatively small
number of producers, warns the International Energy Agency.
Maha mills start to supply 2.1 million liters of ethanol

to OMCs: Maharashtra sugar mills have begun supplying
ethanol to Oil Marketing Companies, with about 65% of the
total ethanol supplies purchased by OMCs coming from
the state, up from 40% typically. Last year the state
supplied 750,000 liters of ethanol towards the countrys E5
blend but will supply 210 million liters this year. Source:
http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2015/02/23/mahamills-start-to-supply-2-1-million-liters-of-ethanol-to-omcs/
February 23
Govt to force mills to sell ethanol to OMCs if they want
raw sugar export subsidy: the cabinet has approved the
long-awaited export subsidy for raw sugar, but with a
caveatthose mills who produce alcohol must offer at
least 25% of their annual production to oil marketing
companies in order to receive the subsidy. Source:
http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2015/02/19/india-toforce-mills-to-sell-ethanol-to-omcs-if-they-want-raw-sugarexport-subsidy/ February 19
Andhra Pradesh to use biodiesel in state bus fleet:
Andhra Pradeshs state road transportation agency plans
to introduce biodiesel-fueled buses into its fleet. Even
though diesel prices are falling, biodiesel prices have fallen
in tandem, so running the fleet on biodiesel will save the
agency
millions
annually.
Source:
http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2015/02/18/andhrapradesh-to-use-biodiesel-in-state-bus-fleet/ February 18
12
Why all the gloom amidst boom times for energy supply?
Turns out, right around the corner, rising demand will
challenge supply all over again. What does that mean for
long-term biofuels demand? The Digest investigates.
Over the past weeks, the International Energy Agency and

ExxonMobil both released updates to their long-range
forecasts, and BP will reissue its scenario through 2035 on
February 17th. The IEA and ExxonMobil are definitely
agreed: despite electrification of the transport fleet,

transportation use of liquid fuels is going to rise sharply,
through at least 2035. As Exxon sees it, Global energy
demand seen rising 35 percent from 2010 to
2040Energy demand shifts strongly to developing
nations as middle class expands and Exoon also points to
a 2 billion increase in population. The IEA agrees, pegging
growth at 33 percent by 2035with China, India and the
Middle East accounting for 60% of the increase.
What happened to energy efficiency? - ExxonMobil
sees it playing quite a role. In fact, they write Without
efficiency gains across economies worldwide, energy
demand from 2010 to 2040 would be headed toward a 140
percent increase.
Now, thats energy overall which includes the power

sector, as well as industrial use of liquids as well as
electrons.
What about biofuels? ExxonMobil is bullish: Though they
predict that carbon-based fuels will continue to meet
about three quarters of global energy needs through
2040the outlook shows a shift toward lower-carbon fuels
in the coming decades that, in combination with efficiency
gains, will lead to a gradual decline in energy- related
carbon dioxide emissions. Wind, solar and biofuels are
expected to be the fastest-growing energy sources,
increasing about 6 percent a year on average through
2040, when they will be approaching 4 percent of global
energy demand.
The supply story: North America becomes net
exporter - Exxon writes: North America will likely become
a net exporter of liquids by 2020 as supplies of so-called
tight oil, natural gas liquids and bitumen from oil sands
increase. North America unconventional gas production
will nearly triple by 2040 and the region is expected to
surpass the combined output of Russia and the Caspian
region as the largest gas-producing area.
The bleak greenhouse gas outlook -The IEA warns:

Policy choices and market developments they project
are not enough to stem the rise in energy-related CO2
emissions,
which
grow
by
one-fifth.
The
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates
that in order to limit this temperature increase to 2 C the
internationally agreed goal to avert the most severe and
widespread implications of climate change the world
cannot emit more than around 1,000 gigatonnes of CO2
from 2014 onwards. This entire budget will be used up by
2040 in our central scenario. Since emissions are not
going to drop suddenly to zero once this point is reached, it
is clear that the 2 C objective requires urgent action to
steer the energy system on to a safer path.
Its Chindia, thats the demand story- The source of the

optimism for biofuels? Its a bullish outlook overall for liquid
transportation fuels. But not one that ignores the trend
towards fuel efficiency and electrification seen in the
OECD countries. What Exxon sees as the driver is the rise
of India and China. They write: From 2010 to 2040,
transportation energy needs in OECD32 countries are
projected to fall about 10 percent, while in the rest of the
world these needs are expected to double. China and India
will together account for about half of the global increase.
The staggering capital cost- Think $10 billion a year
invested in renewables infrastructure is a ton of money?
Think again. The IEA writes: Investment of some $900
billion per year in upstream oil and gas development is
needed by the 2030s to meet projected demand, but there
are many uncertainties over whether this investment will
be forthcoming in time especially once United States
tight oil output levels off in the early 2020s and its total
production eventually starts to fall back.
Subsidies rulebut for fossil fuels, not renewablesDespite the huge negative publicity around subsidies for
renewables, the IEA points out that the staggering subsidy
load is actually on fossil fuels. Fossil-fuel subsidies
totalled $550 billion in 2013 they write, more than fourtimes those to renewable energy and are holding back
investment in efficiency and renewables. In the Middle
East, nearly 2 mb/d of crude oil and oil products are used
to generate electricity when, in the absence of subsidies,
13
the main renewable energy technologies would be

competitive with oil-fired power plants. Reforming energy
subsidies is not easy and there is no single formula for
success.
Subsidies are not shrinking for fossil fuels; they are still on
the rise. Despite the growth in lowcarbon sources of
energy, The IEA writes, fossil fuels remain dominant in
the global energy mix, supported by subsidies that
amounted to $523 billion in 2011, up almost 30% on 2010
and six times more than subsidies to renewables.
Oil supply rises to 104 million barrel per day- The IEA
forecasts: Increased oil use for transport and
petrochemicals drives demand higher, from 90 million
barrels per day (mb/d) in 2013 to 104 mb/d in 2040,
although high prices and new policy measures gradually
constrain the pace of overall consumption growth, bringing
it towards a plateau.
Wheres the growth supplied from? The US, Canada?

Nope, the good old Middle East. The IEA foresees: As
tight oil output in the United States levels off, and nonOPEC supply falls back in the 2020s, the Middle East
becomes the major source of supply growth. Growth in
world oil demand slows to a near halt by 2040: demand in
many of todays largest consumers either already being in
long-term decline by 2040 (the United States, European
Union and Japan) or having essentially reached a plateau
(China, Russia and Brazil).
Coal, oil plateau around 2040 - The IEA projects: The
scenario shows that world demand for two out of the three
fossil fuels coal and oil essentially reaches a plateau
by 2040. At the same time, renewable energy technologies
gain ground rapidly, helped by falling costs and subsidies
(estimated at $120 billion in 2013). By 2040, world energy
supply is divided into four almost equal parts: low-carbon
14
sources (nuclear and renewables), oil, natural gas and

coal.
Light-duty vehicles: flat demand at 23 million barrels
per day- For light-duty vehicles, Exxon writes, though
there will be Twice as many cars they see little change
to fuel demand. They project the number of cars will rise
to 1.7 billion in 2040 vs 825 million in 2010 but sharp
gains in fuel efficiency will offset the rise, and fLight-duty
is the only major transportation subsector in which energy
demand is not expected to increase significantly through
2040. We see global light-duty demand peaking around
2020, at about 23 million oil-equivalent barrels per day
(MBDOE).
The sources: an increase in global averaged fuel economy
to 45 miles per gallon in 2040, up 60% from 2010.They
point especially to the rise of turbocharged technologies,
and Exxon notes that these boosted vehicles are entering
the new-car market far more rapidly than hybrids because
of their cost/benefit advantages today. Plus, hybrids are
expected to jump from 1% marklet share in 2010 to close
to 50 percent of sales by 2040, making up about one-third
of the global fleet at that time. They surmise that hybrid
cars can provide about a 30 percent fuel economy benefit
compared to conventional gasoline cars and are expected
to become cost-competitive by 2025. The IEA agrees:
With more than three-quarters of global car sales now
subject to efficiency standards, oil transport demand is
expected to rise by only one-quarter despite the number of
cars and trucks on the worlds roads more than doubling
by 2040. New efficiency efforts have the effect of
suppressing total oil demand growth by an estimated 23
mb/d in 2040 more than current oil production of Saudi
Arabia and Russia combined. The number of cars is
staggering, even if demand for fuels will be flat. 400 million
in China alone thats 4X the US fleet.
The driver is commercial transportation- Exxon
observes: Driving the growth in energy for transportation
in every region is commercial transportation: heavy-duty
vehicles, marine, aviation and rail. As global GDP
increases about 140 percent from 2010 to 2040, energy
needs in these four subsectors are likely to grow about 70
percent. Will heavy-duty beat out light-duty? Exxon thinks
so. Around 2025, they project heavy-duty vehicles are
likely to surpass light-duty vehicles as the largest energyconsuming segment of the transportation sector. Total
energy demand for heavy-duty vehicles is expected to rise
by about 65 percent from 2010 to 2040, as economic
expansion and the associated increased movement of
goods more than outweighs significant improvements in
fuel economy.
Again, demand will shift to Asia. The largest demand
center today is the U.S. However, by 2040, China is
expected to be the largestTogether, China and India
likely will account for about 30 percent of the global growth
in demand for energy for heavy-duty vehicles, while the
U.S. and Europe combine to account for only about 10
percent.
Natural gas vs diesel in the heavy-duty sector- The

world will not shift towards natural gas for heavy-duty, says
Exxon. Despite the fact that natural gas is emerging as an
alternative fuel in the heavy-duty transportation
sectordriven by potential economic benefitsDiesels
share is likely to increase marginally through 2040, as it
accounts for about 80 percent of the growth in heavy-duty
transportation fuel demand. The vast majority of this
demand increase will support rapidly growing non-OECD
economies.
Its not all-diesel, everywhere. Exxon predicts that in some
markets, prices of natural gas relative to diesel over time
may provide significant cost savings on fuel. In addition,
natural gas can provide benefits in reducing emissions. By
2040, natural gas is expected to account for about 15
percent of the heavy-duty transportation sector in both
China and Indiaand10 percent of the U.S. heavy-duty
sector by 2040.
Aviation, marine and rail the fastest-growing subsectors
The big growth? Air, marine, rail. Today it accounts for
more than 20 percent of transportation fuel demand, but
Exxon projects that share will grow to 30 percent, as
energy demand for aviation, marine and rail grows by an
average of about 75 percent, and by 2040 energy demand
from aviation, marine and rail is expected to reach about
90 percent of light-duty vehicle demand, compared to
around half in 2010.
fuel producing algae technology is successfully operating

at Algenols Fort Myers, Florida headquarters.
The Algenol Demonstration Project in IndiaConstruction of the system was completed in November of
2014 by Algenol and Reliance engineers and biologists.
Shake-down runs and systems tests have been completed
and several successful batches of algae have been grown.
At this time, day-to-day operations of the project are
managed solely by Reliance Industries Ltd., after Algenol
provided training and operational support. The effort is
proof that Algenols technology can be co-located with and
successfully managed by a partner.
Oil will dominate these sectors, Exxon believes: Most of

the energy demand growth in these three sectors is
expected to be met by oil, representing a projected
combined increase of about 7 MBDOE. Source:
http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2015/01/27/lookingdown-the-road-at-biofuels-coal-gas-and-oil/ January 27
Worlds largest oil refinery adds Algenol algae demonstration
project: Reliance Industries taps Algenol, completes
algae production system; producing algae from CO2
recycled from industrial processes; could later
demonstrate the fuels production capabilities of
Algenols advanced fuel producing algae and
systems.
Algenol and Reliance Industries have
successfully deployed Indias first Algenol algae production
platform. The demonstration module is located near the
Reliance Jamnagar Refinery, the worlds largest oil refinery
with a nameplate capacity of 668,000 barrels per day at a
7500 acre complex in Gujarat state at the western extreme
of India.
The demonstration has completed several production
cycles of Algenols wildtype host algae, but ultimately could
demonstrate the fuels production capabilities of Algenols
advanced fuel producing algae and systems. The Algenol
fuel production process is designed to convert 1 tonne of
CO2 into 144 gallons of fuel while recycling CO2 from
industrial processes and converting 85% of the CO2 used
into ethanol, gasoline, diesel and jet fuels. The advanced
The greenhouse gas story and the EPAs approvalEarlier this month, Algenol announced that the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency has approved fuels
made from Algenols process as an advanced biofuel,
meeting the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reduction
requirements under the Renewable Fuels Standard. Fuels
produced from Algenol are now eligible for a Renewable
Identification Number under the D-5 classification. The
EPAs approval of Algenols patented Direct to Ethanol
pathway covers its bio-crude co-product under an already
existing pathway. As part of this approval, the EPA
determined that ethanol produced from the Algenol
process resulted in an approximate 69% reduction in
greenhouse gases.
The scale and steps forward- As Algenol CEO Paul
Woods explained to The Digest, This first demo block in
India is 400 PBR, just like [we originally built in ] Florida,
and then we will progress from there to scale up bigger
and bigger over time. In Florida, we have now the 4000
15
PBR block, and we had a 400 block before that. What we

wanted to demonstrate, is that we could design, build and
operate in India, and train the people to actually operate it
on their own. I think we accomplished that. It got
inoculated in November, and now several cycles have
been run. Our people handed it over to the Reliance crew
Dec 23, 2014. In addition, the Reliance crew trained here
in Florida for over a month.
Why not the fuel-producing algae?- We also had to
import the wild type algae into India, said Woods, and
that permission took a long time. We are now applying for
full importation of the fuel producing algae. Whats the
progress in Florida? The full commercial module has
started up here in Ft Myers,< Woods explained, and we
will continue to expand the size of it over the next 2
months until finished in March.
The Algenol backstory-
Algenol is commercializing its patented algae technology

platform for production of ethanol and other biofuels. The
companys technology enables the production of the four
most important fuels (ethanol, gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel)
for around $1.30 per gallon each using proprietary algae,
sunlight, carbon dioxide and saltwater at production levels
of 8,000 total gallons of liquid fuel per acre per year. These
novel, low-cost techniques have the added benefit of
consuming carbon dioxide from industrial sources, not
using farmland or food crops and being able to provide
freshwater.
The Reliance relationship- The relationship between
Reliance Industries and Algenol is not new, as Reliance
has been a strategic investor in Algenols technology since
June 2011. Algenols technology recycles carbon dioxide
into fuels through its direct-to-ethanol process which
results in not only ethanol but gasoline diesel and jet fuel.
India is the worlds third largest producer of CO2 and the
facilitys ethanol and renewable crude oil production could
help meet critical demand for energy in the country as well
as help to reduce green house emissions from carbon
dioxide. Algenols fuel production process requires
saltwater rather than freshwater a key advantage for
India which has incurred serious droughts in the past and
faces significant demand for fresh water. The project is
currently using saltwater from the Arabian Sea. Reliance
has invested a total of $116 million in algae (Rs6.2 billion).
$93.5 million (Rs5.0 billion) in Algenol, as part of its
strategic partnership.
16
The companys key production milestone- In

September 2013, Algenol CEO Paul Woods announced at
the Algae Biomass Summit that the company has switched
reactor system and has reached a peak production of
10,400 gallons per acre and continuous production in the
8000 gallon per acre range. It was the first major update
from Algenol since March, when the company said that it
had exceeded production rates 9,000 gallons of ethanol
per acre per year. Woods said at the time that I fully
expect our talented scientific team to achieve sustained
production rates above 10,000 by the end of this year.
With that, Woods said that his ethanol production cost, at
scale, would be in the $1.30 per gallon range, and that with
further development of the technology, Algenol is now able
to produce diesel, jet fuel, renewable gasoline in addition
to ethanol, via hydrothermal liquefaction technology.
The
low-cost,
low-carbon-footprint
DIRECT
TO
ETHANOL process can produce ethanol with operating
cost around $1.30 per gallon. This operating cost assumes
the purchase of carbon dioxide feedstock for $30 per
metric tonne. As the DIRECT TO ETHANOL process
yields nearly 4 units of energy for every unit of energy
input, the energy costs for the process are modest. Capital
costs to construct a facility will be below $10 per annual
gallon of capacity, according to the company.
Reaction from Algenol- The project is designed to
demonstrate how robust the Algenol system is in India,
and how the two companies will more broadly integrate
refinery operations with Algenols platform in the future,
says Paul Woods, Founder and CEO of Algenol. The
deployment of our technology in India is a critical
milestone. The initial project start-up and smooth transition
begins to prove the viability of our technology in varying
environments across the globe and the ability of partners
to operate our production systems without Algenols dayto-day
involvement.
Source:
http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2015/01/26/worlds-largest-oilrefinery-adds-algae-demonstration-project/ January 26
New Report Urges Western Governments to
Reconsider Reliance on Biofuels: A new report from the
United States-based World Resources Institute (WRI), a
prominent environmental think tank, states that Western
governments should reconsider their strategy of support
for biofuels. The process of turning plant matter into liquid
fuel or electricity, said WRI, is so inefficient it is unlikely to
ever supply a substantial fraction of global energy demand.
Moreover, continuing to pursue this strategy is likely to use
up vast amounts of fertile land that could be devoted to
helping feed the worlds growing population. I would say
that many of the claims for biofuels have been dramatically
exaggerated, said Andrew Steer, the president of WRI.
There are other, more effective routes to get to a lowcarbon world. The report acknowledges that some types
of biofuels do make environmental sense, such as those
made from wastes like sawdust, tree trimmings, and
cornstalks. Still, their potential is limited, the report adds,
and these fuels should probably be used in airplanes.
According to this article, the report follows several years

of rising concern among scientists about biofuel policies in
the United States and Europe, and is the strongest call yet
by the World Resources Institute, known for nonpartisan
analysis of environmental issues, to urge governments to
reconsider those policies. The report cites numerous
examples of what it calls misguided approaches to fighting
global warming, including mandates in the U.S. that
require biofuels to be added to fuel for cars and, in Europe,
the burning of wood pellets to displace coal. Timothy D.
Searchinger, a research scholar at Princeton and primary
author of the new report, said, Weve only got one planet,
with only so much land. If you use land for one purpose,
you cant use it for another. The report also notes that
many of these pro-biofuel policies were adopted at a time
when other types of renewable energy were considered
prohibitively expensive. The new report points out that
today, for a given amount of land, solar panels are at least
50 times more efficient than biofuels at capturing the
energy of sunlight in a useful form. Source: Food Security
and AgBiotech News January 29/The New York Times (28
Jan 2015)
My Eco Energy to invest $40.6 million in 500 biodiesel
fueling stations: My Eco Energy will invest $40.6 million
to establish 500 biodiesel fueling stations across
Maharashtra over the next two years. The company
produces 2.5 million liters of biodiesel per day in Andhra
Pradesh, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. The filling
stations will range from full service stations to kiosks with
25,000 liter storage capacity, along with up to 3,000 minikiosks with 100 liters storage capacity. Source:
http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2015/01/27/indiasmy-eco-energy-to-invest-40-6-million-in-500-biodieselfueling-stations/ January 27
Government gives OK to allow biodiesel producers to sell
directly: The government has given the go ahead to allow
direct biodiesel sales to commercial users. Until now, only
oil marketing companies and large companies could retail
biodiesel. The issue had been pending for 9 years and had
force 80% of the countrys biodiesel production to be
exported.
Source:
http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2015/01/19/indiasgovernment-gives-ok-to-allow-biodiesel-producers-to-selldirectly/ January 19
Food department calls for stocktaking of ethanol production
and supply: The food department (GoI) has called for a
meeting at the end of January to determine how many
mills are producing how much ethanol. With sugar
production continuing to grow, the ministry wants more
mills to produce ethanol. Oil marketing companies only
received offers for about half of the ethanol they tendered
for recently because the solicitation came very late in the
crushing
season.
Source:
http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2015/01/19/indiasfood-department-calls-for-stocktaking-of-ethanolproduction-and-supply/ January 19
THE 50 HOTTEST
COMPANIES IN
BIOENERGY
2014-2015
THE 30 HOTTEST
COMPANIES IN
BIOBASED
CHEMICALS &
MATERIALS 20142015
1 LanzaTech
2 GranBio
3 Algenol
4 Novozymes
5 Solazyme
6 DuPont
7 POET-DSM Advanced
Biofuels
8 Beta Renewables /
Chemtex
9 DSM
10 Abengoa Bioenergy
11 Amyris
12 POET
13 Renewable Energy
Group
14 Enerkem
15 BASF
16 Sapphire Energy
17 CoolPlanet Energy
Systems
18 BP Biofuels
19 Virent
20 Gevo
21 INEOS Bio
22 Honeywell's UOP
23 Neste Oil
24 Butamax
25 Elevance Renewable
Sciences
26 Boeing
27 Joule Unlimited
28 American Process
29 Mascoma
30 ADM
31 Cargill
32 Ceres
33 Renmatix
34 Raizen
35 NexSteppe
36 Sweetwater Energy
37 Fulcrum BioEnergy
38 EdeniQ
39 Clariant
40 Waste Management
41 Ensyn
42 Green Plains
Renewable Energy
43 ICM
44 ZeaChem
45 Dyadic
46 Cobalt Technologies
47 Valero
48 Iogen
49 Aemetis
50 Cosan
1 Genomatica
2 Solazyme
3 Amyris
4 BASF
5 LanzaTech
6 DSM
7 Elevance Renewable
Sciences
8 DuPont
9 BioAmber
10 Virent
11 Novozymes
12 Avantium
13 Verdezyne
14 Gevo
15 Myriant
16 Braskem
17 Renewable Energy
Group
18 Beta Renewables
19 OPX
Biotechnologies
20 NatureWorks
21 POET-DSM
Advanced Biofuels
22 Segetis
23 Enerkem
24 Cobalt
Technologies
25 Rivertop
Renewables
26 Liquid Light
27 Renmatix
28 Green Biologics
28 Yulex
30 BioProcess Algae
Source: Biofuels Digest January 27
BPs exit from cellulosic ethanol: the assets, the auction, the
process, the timing, the skinny: As BP continues to reel from
its oil leak capital calls and the impact of crashing oil
prices, they dropped a bombshell in recent weeks:The
current challenging external business environment is
resulting in tough strategic choices having to be made by
businesses across BP. In Biofuels, the decision has been
taken to cease further development of BPs proprietary
ligno-cellulosic technology. While we believe there is
value in the LC technology, we have chosen to focus our
17
biofuels investment on building the profitability and scale of

our sugarcane biofuels business in Brazil.
This decision will affect ligno-cellulosic activities including
a demonstration plant in Jennings, Louisiana, technology
center in San Diego, the Highlands feedstock farm in
Florida, as well as some activities in Brazil and centrally.
We will now explore options to sell these assets and
facilities. This decision does not affect our Vivergo
bioethanol joint venture in the UK or our bio-butanol joint
ventures Butamax and KRL.
Re: the exit from lignocellulosic ethanol, The Digest here
below has obtained the details. Wed add that the assets
might be sold in toto, or broken into parts.
how and research / demonstration package; more than

500 patents and patent applications owned or licensed
world-wide covering lignocellulosic process technology,
enzymes, yeast, metagenomic libraries and directed
evolution technology; and a comprehensive patent
landscape analysis; In addition there are developed
commercial relationships globally, including MoUs, for
cellulosic licensing.
The Assets: Since 2008, BP has invested over $750m

and created a distinctive capability set with roughly 300
staff to develop and license a leading cellulosic ethanol
technology.
Three Sites
The Technology Center: 76,000 sq ft biotechnology R&D
facility located in San Diego, California ~150 staff focused
on development of proprietary enzymes, yeasts, and
process technology Core to BPs large portfolio of
intellectual property rights in cellulosic ethanol.
BP developed a set of integrated capabilities including:
Gene Discovery, Strain Engineering, Enzyme Evolution,
Strain Evaluation, Process Development, and Scale-Up.
The key assets include: A 76,000 square foot biofuels
technology center in San Diego, CA; 3,500 acres of energy
grass farms, trial sites and capability in Florida, Louisiana
and Texas; a 1.4 mgy demonstration plant in Jennings, LA;
and a Cellulosic licensing business in Houston, TX.
Infrastructure available: Analytical Lab; Small-scale

Fermentation Labs and Bioprocess Optimization Area;
Pilot Lab (up to 500L); Robotics Automation Lab (HTP);
Biodiversity Library; Bioinformatics and LIMS.
Includes Bioprocess Optimization (Up to 500 L scale;
small
scale
pretreatment
and
feedstock
characterization); Process Development / Engineering
Scale-Up (Process Simulation and Modeling: Integrated
flowsheet modeling both Dynamic and Steady State,
CFD, thermal chemical and biological kinetics modeling)
The Cellulosic Ethanol Demonstration Plant (Jennings,
Louisiana)
A 1.4 million gallon per year (40 ton/day)
demonstration facility with feedstock flexibility: Energy
Grass Farms, Trial Sites and Capability in Florida,
Louisiana & Texas Development and demonstration of onpurpose energy grass feedstocks
Proprietary
technology
material
and
data
includes: Cellulosic ethanol engineering and process
design packages for bagasse, energy cane / napier grass,
and fully integrated sugarcane ethanol and lignocellulosic
ethanol conversion processes; lignocellulosic enzymes
tailored for use with acidic pre-treatment; industrial C5/C6
yeast strains with world-class conversion rates and
fermentation yields; biodiversity collection and gene and
protein libraries; energy cane feedstock production know-
18
Five Packages
The Biodiversity Library:

Thousands of unique libraries from samples
harvested around the world, in total containing
potentially billions of unique genes High
Throughput Screening; Ability to rapidly screen
billions of samples per day to find the ideal
enzyme
or
microorganism
Systems Biology and Metabolic Engineering:
Characterization and manipulation of microbial cell
function (full suite of systems omics biology
capability)
DirectEvolution Technology: Patented genetic
manipulation for optimization of enzymes and
proteins
Cost Estimation / Economic Evaluation
Process Flow Diagrams, Equipment List and Data Sheets,

Technology Readiness Level and Risk Analysis; plus, an
In-house integrated process development team
BP Biofuels Product Package Portfolio
On-purpose energy cane feedstock production, including
know-how and research/demonstration package. (Energy
cane is an advantaged feedstock approved by EPA as a
cellulosic RIN pathway). Economies of scale for
conversion facilities are enabled by the high yield and
year-round supply potential for energy cane compared to
agricultural residues. Including results and interpretation
from variety and agronomy replicated trials in FL, LA & TX,
and roughly 20 feedstock research staff focused on
commercialization of energy crops at scale
The Process and Timeline
The Virtual Data Room will be made available January 26,
2015. The effective date of the sale is June 30, 2015. The
indicative non-binding bid deadline is 5pm CST on
February 27, 2015. Parties interested to be considered for
Round 2 will be required to submit an indicative nonbinding bid. At the end of Round 1, BP may, in its sole
discretion, select parties to participate in Round 2 of the
bidding process. Detailed information surrounding the
individual assets, management presentations and site
visits will be made available in Round 2. Interested parties
are strongly encouraged to submit their final binding bids
as soon as they are ready to do so.
The Proprietary Enzyme Package: BP developed costcompetitive, proprietary, genetically modified (and nonGMO) fungal strains producing enzymes that convert
biomass to fermentable sugars, including: High
saccharification conversion yields, high productivity and
high enzyme efficiency optimized respectively for
Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF),
Hybrid Hydrolysis and Fermentation (HHF) and Separate
Hydrolysis and Fermentation (SHF) process schemes
The Proprietary C5/C6 Yeast Package: BP developed
proprietary genetically modified industrial yeast strains that
co-ferment both C6 and C5 sugars, including genes stably
integrated into an industrial yeast strain, mined using BPs
in-house biodiversity collection, with what BP describes as
Best in class conversion yield and rates on C6 and C5
sugars, robust under industrial conditions.
The Cellulosic Ethanol Engineering and Process Package:
The assets include improved biology through process and
bio-system design optimization, which allows effective
balance of capex, opex and yield and offers lowest cost
and most optimized design for selected feedstock,
including: Front End Engineering Design (FEED) for a
commercial 18 mgy bagasse bolt-on process, and a 36
mgy greenfield energy cane/napier grass process;
technology Design Packages (TDP) for a fully integrated
sugarcane and lignocellulosic ethanol facility; TDP
includes Basis of Design, Heat and Mass Balance,
Source:
http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2015/01/18/bps-exitfrom-cellulosic-ethanol-the-assets-the-auction-the-processthe-timing-the-skinny/ January 18
Indian mills can only supply half of E5 due to timing of
supply tender: Despite the government putting in price
19
supports for ethanol, sugar mills only offered 470 million

liters of ethanol during the purchase tender that opened for
920 million liters floated by the Oil Marketing Companies.
The volume offered will only supply half of the countrys E5
mandate. The tender was floated half way though the
sugar production cycle when mills would have already
made arrangements for much of their molasses. Source:
http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2015/01/13/indianmills-can-only-supply-half-of-e5-due-to-timing-of-supplytender/ January 13
Uganda's Kakira Sugars contracts Praj for ethanol
plant: Praj Industries has been contracted to build a
60,000 LPD project for production of fuel ethanol and
premium grade extra neutral alcohol (beverage alcohol) by
Kakira Sugars. Kakira Sugars is a leading sugar and
power producer in Uganda. It is part of the diversified
Madhvani Group, one of the largest private sector group in
East Africa. The plant will process cane molasses from the
Kakira Sugar Mill.
Praj will provide key technologies for fermentation,
distillation, wastewater treatment including biomethanation
followed by biocomposting. The project will be supplied on
EPC basis including boiler, turbine, water treatment plant,
laboratory, auxiliary packages, etc. All of the steam
required and 50-60% of the electricity consumed by the
complex will be generated by the distillery plant itself.
Effluent generated by the plant will be converted into
biocompost for renewing the soil fertility, making this one
of
the
most
sustainable
distilleries.
Source:
http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2015/01/07/ugandas
-kakira-sugars-contracts-praj-for-ethanol-plant/ January 7
Maharashtra mills not able to meet financial
requirements of ethanol tender: Sugar mills in
Maharashtra arent able to supply ethanol to the oil
marketing companies under the recently announced buy
tender because they dont have the financial capacity
required by the bid documents. The tender requires mills to
provide a bank guarantee of 7.5% of the value of the total
ethanol offered, while the millers federation had demanded
a guarantee of just 1%. The states share of the 970 million
liter
tender
is
180
million
liters.
Source:
http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2015/01/05/mahara
shtra-mills-not-able-to-meet-financial-requirements-ofethanol-tender/January 5
20
The membership fee for the BRSI is as below.

Individual membership fees
Ordinary member- Rs 1000/- yearly (tenure- April to March)
Student member- Rs 500/- yearly (tenure- April to March)
Life membership- Rs 4000/- one-time payment
Institutional membership fee (one-time payment)
Academic institutions/ NGO/non-profit organizations - Rs 20,000/Industries - Rs 50,000/Mode of Payment: All the payments must be made only by bank transfer for which details are given on the
membership form.
BRSI News Letter is published by the Central Office of the Society

every quarterly in January, April, July and October
and circulated to its members by email.
Editor: Prof Ashok Pandey; Associate Editor: Dr Parmeswaran Binod
Disclaimer:
This email letter contains information disseminated for the members of the BRSI. If you are not the named addressee, you should not disseminate,
distribute or copy this email.
To ensure the delivery of the BRSI News Letters to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add binodkannur@gmail.com;
ashokpandey56@yahoo.co.in and brsi.india@gmail.com to your address book or safe senders list.
Please also note that the E-mail transmission cannot be guaranteed to be secured or error-free as information could be intercepted, corrupted, lost,
destroyed, arrive late or incomplete, or contain viruses. The sender, therefore, does not accept liability for any errors or omissions in the contents of this
message, or virus damage which arise as a result of e-mail transmission.
Also, the information provided in the News Letter is general only and the BRSI or its Council does not owe any legal binding on any information.
x----------------x-------------------x-------------------x-------------------x----------------x--------------x
21

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News Letter

Volume 12, No 2 [April 2015]

XII Convention if BRSI: The XII Convention of the Society

IMPORTANT NOTE: Only 450 delegates who register

XII Convention of BRSI

Publication of papers presented in NHBT-2015: Papers

Conferences, Symposia and Seminars

Starting date of submission

Closing date of Submission

Registration at normal rate

6 International Conference on Analysis of Microbial

8 International Symposium on Feedstock Recycling

Editor: Prof Ashok Pandey; Associate Editor: Dr Parmeswaran Binod

BRSI News Letter Vol. 12 (2) April 2015

Austria, September 7-10, 2015. Details can be found at

CESE-2015: 8 International Conference on Challenges in

3 Iberoamerican Congress on Biorefineries (CIAB),

President: Prof Datta Madamwar, Sardar Patel University,

Dr Thallada Bhaskar, Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun

Prof Ram Chandra, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology

Prof Vinod Kumar Garg, Guru Jambeshwar University, Hisar

Prof Sanjay P Govindwar, Shivaji University, Kolhapur

Prof P Gunasekaran, Thiruvalluvar University, Vellore

Prof Balasaheb P Kapadnis, Pune University, Pune

Prof Smita S Lele, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai

Prof Ashok Pandey, CSIR-National Institute of Interdisciplinary

Prof Ram Sarup Singh, Punjabi University, Patiala

Prof Indu Shekhar Thakur, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New

Prof Jyoti Prakash Tamang, Sikkim University, Sikkim

President: Prof Datta Madamwar, Sardar Patel University,

Dr G Baskar, St. Joseph`s College of Engineering, Chennai

Dr R Praveen Kumar, Arunai Engineering College,

Dr Parmjit S Panesar, SL Institute of Engineering &

Prof Kamal Kishore Pant, Indian Institute of Technology, New

Dr Ruipam Katki, Tezpur University, Tezpur

Call for BRSI Annual Awards

1. Young Scientist Award: Members of BRSI of 35 years or

BRSI News Letter Vol. 12(2) April 2015

the area of Genomics Sciences for his/her outstanding

on 7 January 2015 at Jalgaon. He is survived by his

General terms and conditions:

Nominee should be a BRSI member on at least one year

Application complete in all respects (one printed copies + a soft copy of

Incomplete applications or those without supporting

Professor Sudhir B Chincholkar

It is with deepest sorrow and profound grief we inform

Prof Chincholkar has been a Founding Governor of the

BRSI News Letter Vol. 12 (2) April 2015

2003. He was elected as Fellow of Biotech Research Society,

BRSI institutes Memorial Award

Technology, Trivandrum-Rs 10,000

MNRE New and Renewable Energy Young Scientist

BRSI News Letter Vol. 12(2) April 2015

Dr P Binod, Scientist, CSIR-National Institute for

aspects behind their existence in such a turgid

Dr. Dev Mani Pandey, Associate Professor, Department

The Arunai Engineering College had organized the 2

Dr Abhilash has published aook on Microbiology for

This book disseminates the interdisciplinary relationship,

Based on the works presented in the conference, four

BRSI News Letter Vol. 12 (2) April 2015

Engineering College auditorium on 28 January at

The 2 day of the conference was started with the invited

Prof. In Seop Chang, Dr. Thallada Bhaskar, Dr.S.Venkata