English
Afrikaans
Albanian
Amharic
Arabic
Armenian
Azerbaijani
Basque
Belarusian
Bengali
Bosnian
Bulgarian
Catalan
Cebuano
Chichewa
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Corsican
Croatian
Czech
Danish
Dutch
Esperanto
Estonian
Filipino
Finnish
French
Frisian
Galician
Georgian
German
Greek
Gujarati
Haitian Creole
Hausa
Hawaiian
Hebrew
Hindi
Hmong
Hungarian
Icelandic
Igbo
Indonesian
Irish
Italian
Japanese
Javanese
Kannada
Kazakh
Khmer
Korean
Kurdish (Kurmanji)
Kyrgyz
Lao
Latin
Latvian
Lithuanian
Luxembourgish
Macedonian
Malagasy
Malay
Malayalam
Maltese
Maori
Marathi
Mongolian
Myanmar (Burmese)
Nepali
Norwegian
Pashto
Persian
Polish
Portuguese
Punjabi
Romanian
Russian
Samoan
Scottish Gaelic
Serbian
Sesotho
Shona
Sindhi
Sinhala
Slovak
Slovenian
Somali
Spanish
Sudanese
Swahili
Swedish
Tajik
Tamil
Telugu
Thai
Turkish
Ukrainian
Urdu
Uzbek
Vietnamese
Welsh
Xhosa
Yiddish
Yoruba
Zulu
by Luke McGrath (Bloomberg) Fossil fuels, long regarded for their high-energy return on investment, are not as efficient as once thought. In fact, their final yields are not much better than those of renewable options, according to a new study. Oil, coal and natural gas have generally returned energy at a
Education
by Kelley Christensen (Michigan Technological University) … Forest biomass is expected to be one of the key energy sources, but many people have wondered how to feed biofuel plants the materials they need without destroying forest resources. Whole-tree aspen logging promotes renewable biomass energy from tops and branches, parts of the tree
July 16, 2019
Read Full Article
7-day In-depth Course — Biogas plant operators and enthusiasts… If you want to really understand… How exactly biogas is produced from organic waste and biomass What to do when you run into troubles with your day-to-day operation What the most modern biogas technologies are If you should even consider building a biogas
July 15, 2019
Read Full Article
The NCSE 2020 Annual Conference engages more than 800 leaders from the sciences, education, government, policy, business, and civil society to foster a dialogue across these sectors on environmental policy and decision-making with the use of science. The Annual Conference program includes presentations by the leading experts and sessions that
July 15, 2019
Read Full Article
(United Nations) Young leaders from around the world are convening on Saturday, September 21 to showcase climate solutions and engage with global leaders on the defining issue of our time. The UN Youth Climate Summit is a platform for young leaders who are driving climate action to showcase their solutions at
July 12, 2019
Read Full Article
by Jill Sakai (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) With a new method to synthesize a popular pain-relieving medication from plants rather than fossil fuels, researchers at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center have found a way to relieve two headaches at once. A team led by John Ralph, a professor of biochemistry
July 12, 2019
Read Full Article
(Wall Street Journal) Two gas stations right next door to each other can have different prices for a gallon of gas. WSJ breaks down the different global, national and local factors that affect the price you pay at the pump. WATCH VIDEO
July 10, 2019
Read Full Article
(Simmons University) … In order to deliver the highest quality care and education, providers need accurate scientific information about the influence of climate change on diseases, respiratory function, nutrition, and morbidity. Providers are ethically bound to advance health holistically, and with climate change, this means translating information into advocacy. The effects
July 10, 2019
Read Full Article
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) While many are on vacation this time of year, the bioeconomy is not even close to taking a break. In fact, bioeconomy innovations, are like a beach goer in Florida this time of year – hot! Here are the top innovations for the week of July
July 10, 2019
Read Full Article
(Solutions from the Land) A company that says it is “dedicated to harnessing nature to help farmers sustainably feed the planet,” announced last month the launch of The Terraton Initiative™, a project designed to accelerate carbon sequestration at an unprecedented scale. … Among the steps cited by Indigo are regenerative farming practices
July 9, 2019
Read Full Article
(University of Tsukuba/EurekAlert!) University of Tsukuba researchers developed a new, highly efficient system for removing water from algae biomass with reusable nanostructured graphene, which can greatly increase the yield of ecofriendly biofuels, pharmaceuticals, and fertilizers — A team at the University of Tsukuba introduced a new procedure of harvesting energy and organic
July 9, 2019
Read Full Article
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Algae Biomass Organization advocates for algae-advancing policy and funding, serves as a hub for innovation and networking, and drives demand for “made with algae” products and services. Mark Allen, Chairperson of ABO, offers this enlightening overview of the Algae Interagency Working Group, current state of the algae
July 9, 2019
Read Full Article
(Environmental Protection Agency) EPA’s new program creates pathway to civil service for recent graduates — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is establishing the Green Interns Program to cultivate a collection of the best, qualified candidates to fulfill mission critical occupations nationwide. Starting September 30, 2019, the program will provide recent
July 8, 2019
Read Full Article
(Iowa State University Extension and Outreach) Iowa and Midwest agriculture has started to change in recent years. One visible change is the interest to grow crops for biofuel and bioproducts (referred to as “energy crops”). Fossil fuel usage contributes to the growing problem with greenhouse gases. Alternative energy options from plant
July 5, 2019
Read Full Article
(University of Arkansas) Jingyi Chen, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Arkansas, worked with scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory to develop a highly efficient catalyst for generating electrical energy from ethanol. Ethanol is an easy-to-store liquid fuel that can be produced from
July 3, 2019
Read Full Article
(UN Food and Agricultural Organization) FAO’s Liaison Office for North America is currently looking to hire a communication intern, to be based in Washington, DC, for a duration of 3 to 6 months: Key Functions Communications Intern Support the preparation and implementation of an integrated communications plan – which includes outreach to media, national and
July 3, 2019
Read Full Article
by Trent Knoss (University of Colorado Boulder) CU Boulder researchers have developed nanobio-hybrid organisms capable of using airborne carbon dioxide and nitrogen to produce a variety of plastics and fuels, a promising first step toward low-cost carbon sequestration and eco-friendly manufacturing for chemicals. By using light-activated quantum dots to fire particular
July 3, 2019
Read Full Article
On Thursday 11th July 2019, the Biorefinery Glas EIPAgri Operational Group in collaboration with Teagasc will host a free small-scale biorefinery field demonstration event at Shinagh farm in Bandon, Ireland. Funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine through the 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme, Biorefinery Glas is among the worlds first small-scale biorefinery demonstration
July 2, 2019
Read Full Article
(European Commission) The production of biofuels like ethanol from non-food biomass is a lucrative prospect for the agricultural sector. However, due to the complexity and expense of the large-scale industrial process currently needed to produce such biofuels, they remain out of reach for many small-scale farmers. To change this, the EU-funded
July 2, 2019
Read Full Article
(Renewable Energy Group) Educational, product and technical information is available to anyone who wants to learn more about biodiesel, renewable diesel, and other fuels — Renewable Energy Group (Nasdaq: REGI) has launched a new website, regi.com, that includes hundreds of resources about cleaner fuels like biodiesel and renewable diesel, offering a wealth
July 2, 2019
Read Full Article
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has selected 21 leaders to participate in its 2019 Executive Energy Leadership program (Energy Execs), which provides non-technical business, governmental, and community leaders an opportunity to learn about advanced energy technologies, analytical tools, and financing to guide
July 1, 2019
Read Full Article
(Our Daily Planet) … (W)e’re proud to formally announce Our Daily Planet’s partnership with the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University to host a first-of-its-kind forum on climate change with presidential hopefuls this fall! All declared 2020 presidential candidates will have an opportunity to participate in this town-hall style forum, in
June 28, 2019
Read Full Article
by Zoe Saylor (Gist) … As the middle school humanities coordinator for Lowell School in Washington, D.C., she (Natalie Stapert) was tasked with coming up with a 6th-grade humanities curriculum that could bear the sisyphean burden of capturing tweens’ attention while meeting the school’s learning goals in literature, politics, and geography.
June 28, 2019
Read Full Article
(Advanced Biofuels USA) Jenna Bloxom, a political scientist from Colorado State University, joins the Advanced Biofuels USA board of directors to fill the position of Shannon Hollis of The Ohio State University. Hollis resigned, effective July 1, as she moves into a new position at Ohio State that takes her
June 27, 2019
Read Full Article
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) With retail sales of E15, or 15% ethanol, now approved in the summer months, some oil industry-backed organizations are issuing dire warnings about damage to boat engines – but E15 is clearly labeled as NOT approved for marine use. However – 10 percent ethanol is perfectly fine
June 25, 2019
Read Full Article
by Alayna DeMartini (Ohio State University College of Engineering) Although the stalks and leaves of a corn plant can be turned into ethanol, the high cost of collecting, storing, and transporting the material has limited its use in producing the fuel. Ajay Shah, an agricultural engineer at The Ohio State University, is
June 24, 2019
Read Full Article
(American Chemical Society) In 2020, the three ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering Lectureship Awards will recognize the contributions of early career investigators from around the world who are doing exceptional research that impacts sustainability, green chemistry, or green engineering. The awards are intended to be global in scope, reflecting ACS Sustainable Chemistry &
June 24, 2019
Read Full Article
(Science Magazine) Science/AAAS and SciLifeLab, a coordinated effort of four universities, have joined forces in creating the Science & SciLifeLab Prize for Young Scientists. Both Science/AAAS and SciLifeLab recognize that global economic health is dependent upon a vibrant research community and we need to incent our best and brightest to continue in their chosen
June 24, 2019
Read Full Article
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The University of Hawai’i is on top of the latest research on Hawaii’s tropical agriculture, its hot zone and tropical feedstocks for the bioeconomy. Peter Matlock, Strategic Advisor for Aviation Fuels and Special Projects for Joint BioEnergy Institute and who is developing the Institute for Tropical
June 24, 2019
Read Full Article
(Safe Gasoline Campaign) Gasoline and its emissions are one of the greatest threats to public health Americans face today. Transportation related pollution accounts for an estimated 50,000 premature deaths annually. When lead was removed from gasoline, it was replaced with benzene-laced octane enhancers—despite the fact that benzene is a well-documented carcinogen
June 22, 2019
Read Full Article
The global energy transition can’t succeed without the full participation of citizens. We need a paradigm shift towards more renewable energy which is sustainable, affordable and reliable, as well as an energy system that is more decentralised and digitalised. Our current energy system is highly centralised with states as the main
June 22, 2019
Read Full Article
(Centre international de formation européenne) The Master in Global Energy Transition and Governance is targeted at students and young professionals with a bachelor degree and is open to all academic disciplines. It aims to give a deep understanding of the complexity of the current energy transformations in Europe and worldwide. With its unique,
June 22, 2019
Read Full Article
(Iowa State University) Iowa State University researchers weren’t looking for a slow-release fertilizer that could feed crops while protecting water quality, but they may have found one. Researchers looking to add value to biochar – a solid, porous co-product of heating corn stalks and other sources of biomass to produce liquid
June 21, 2019
Read Full Article
(The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)/Phys.Org) Researchers have presented a new strategy for efficiently producing fatty acids and biofuels that can transform glucose and oleaginous microorganisms into microbial diesel fuel, with one-step direct fermentative production. The newly developed strain, created by Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee and his
June 19, 2019
Read Full Article
by Elton Alisson (FAPESP/Phys.Org) A group of researchers at the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), working in partnership with colleagues at the Brazilian Biorenewables National Laboratory (LNBR) in Campinas, São Paulo State, Brazil, have discovered that Trichoderma harzianum, a fungus found in the Amazon, produces an enzyme with the potential to play a key
June 19, 2019
Read Full Article
by Debi Durham (Iowa Economic Development Authority/Biofuels Digest) … For decades, we’ve applied our work ethic and expertise in laboratories, innovation centers and refineries throughout the state. As a result, we’ve become a leader in bioprocessing, in addition to our agrarian achievements. … There’s a lot happening on the biosciences front in
June 18, 2019
Read Full Article
(Bioenergy Insight) Professor Gyoo Yeol Jung and his research team utilised algae that grow three times faster than starch crops and succeeded in producing biofuel and biochemicals. … (T)he joint research team of the Pohang University of Science and Technology (Postech) and Seoul National University developed a new microorganism, which they
June 18, 2019
Read Full Article
By 2050, Africa’s young population—those between 0 and 24 years of age—will increase by 50 percent. As these young people work to overcome barriers to a more prosperous life, how will they get the information they need? Sharing information through innovative media platforms, such as serial dramas, music, and online
June 17, 2019
Read Full Article
(Alexia Foundation) The Alexia Foundation is pleased to announce that we will begin accepting applications for our 2019 competition on Sept. 4, 2019. The deadline for the 2019 professional and student competition will be Sept. 30, 2019. The Alexia recognizes photographic bodies of work that may elevate understanding of the human
June 16, 2019
Read Full Article
(Chinese Academy of Sciences/Phys.Org) Scientists at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a chemocatalytic approach to convert cellulose into ethanol in a one-pot process by using a multifunctional Mo/Pt/WOx catalyst. This approach opens up an alternative avenue for biofuel production. The findings
June 13, 2019
Read Full Article
(AZO CleanTech) … (T)he collaborative research team of POSTECH and Seoul National University created a new microorganism, which they christened as Vibrio sp. dhg. In their research, they effectively showed that Vibrio sp. dhg can be a capable microbial platform for the biorefinery of brown macro-algae which can substitute starch-crop biomass. Their
June 13, 2019
Read Full Article
(Yle Uutiset News) Someday, the process could help reduce or eliminate the reliance on fossil fuels, according to the researcher. — One day, it may be possible to fuel vehicles with biodiesel made with blue-green algae, according to doctoral student Mikael Jämsä, who researches molecular plant biology at the University of Turku. Jämsä
June 12, 2019
Read Full Article
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, a new report concludes that emissions from petroleum-based gasoline “are one of the biggest health threats facing the American public”. The report links a wide range of respiratory and even neurological diseases to toxic carcinogenic compounds refiners used to increase octane in gasoline. A
June 12, 2019
Read Full Article
(Brookhaven National Laboratory) Greatly boosts efficiency of ethanol electro-oxidation, offering promise for liquid-fuel-cell-powered drones — Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory and the University of Arkansas have developed a highly efficient catalyst for extracting electrical energy from ethanol, an easy-to-store liquid fuel that can be generated from
June 11, 2019
Read Full Article
(Urban Air Initiative) Steve Vander Griend, Technical Director of the Urban Air Initiative received the High Octane Award today at the Fuel Ethanol Workshop (FEW). The High Octane Award is given out by BBI International and Ethanol Producer Magazine each year to a person whose passion and unstoppable pursuits have significantly
June 11, 2019
Read Full Article
by Miro Korenha (Our Daily Planet) … Transportation took over last year as the biggest source of U.S. GHG emissions but if folks switch to EVs and our power plants are still running on fossil fuels then we’re failing to make progress. If you’re thinking of buying an EV but your utility is
June 11, 2019
Read Full Article
by Sarah Buynovsky (WNEP) It was an exciting Friday morning for biology students at Hazleton Area Academy of Sciences. “I love this project, I love it. I live for seeing the students really getting involved and getting excited about getting to use the lab equipment,” said lab assistant Stephen Pyle as he
June 10, 2019
Read Full Article
by Pablo M. Ahmed; Pablo M. Fernández; Lucía I. C. de Figueroa; Hipólito F. Pajot (Biofuel Research Journal) Countries producing olive oil generate a considerable amount of olive mill wastewater (OMWW), one of the most harmful agro-industrial effluents with a powerful polluting capacity. In fact, owing to its high pollution load, this
June 10, 2019
Read Full Article
(Univeristy of North Florida) Switchgrass—a Productive Native Species—Could Possibly Fuel Vehicles into the Future — Dr. Mike Aspinwall, an assistant professor of biology at the University of North Florida, was just awarded nearly half a million dollars from the USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture to study switchgrass as a viable
June 7, 2019
Read Full Article
by Gareth Roberts (Fleet News) A Government campaign aims to help educate drivers about greener fuels, with filling stations clearly identifying biofuel content. New labels are being rolled out across the UK. Petrol, which contains up to 5% renewable ethanol, will be labelled ‘E5’, while diesel, which contains up to 7% biodiesel, will
June 7, 2019
Read Full Article
by Laureen Fagan (Sustainability Times) Canadians are getting serious about clean transportation, and the government has announced the first 10 awards in a four-year program that will see $2.4 million committed to developing emissions-free solutions for aviation, rail and marine transport. While much of the world’s investment in the transportation
June 7, 2019
Read Full Article
Clean Energy Education and EmpowermentPoster Competition: The U.S. Clean Energy Education and Empowerment (C3E) program is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Department of Energy, Texas A&M Energy Institute, MIT Energy Initiative, and Stanford Energy, focused on acknowledging outstanding women leaders in the clean energy sector. Closing the gender gap and
June 6, 2019
Read Full Article
(Renewable Fuels Association) … The following key RFA resources on E15 are available publicly: RFA’s Model Misfuelling Mitigation Plan, which has become the de-facto gold standard approved and promoted by the EPA. Prior to selling E15, retailers must have plans in place outlining the measures they will take to reduce the
June 6, 2019
Read Full Article
by Amie Simpson (Brownfield Ag News) Southern Indiana Farmer Dave Gottbrath says many farmers would benefit from growth in the ethanol industry, but there is a lot of consumer confusion that must be addressed for that to happen. “It’s the public that doesn’t understand the difference in octane and there’s so
June 4, 2019
Read Full Article
(Our Daily Planet) Throughout the past year, young people like Greta Thunberg, a Swedish 16-year-old, have been gaining the attention of adults around the world on the issue of climate change. Not only has this encouraged legislative bodies like the British Parliament to declare climate change an emergency but it’s also forced parents
June 4, 2019
Read Full Article
(AZO Cleantech) Seaweed can be broadly termed as marine macroalgae, and belongs to one of the many groups of multicellular red, green and brown algae. Seaweed is widely used to produce vitamin supplements, cosmetics, plastics and animal feed in many parts of the world. The importance of seaweed has skyrocketed ever
June 4, 2019
Read Full Article
(Umea University/Phys.Org) Lorenza Ferro demonstrates the potential of Nordic microalgae for simultaneous production of biomass and municipal sewage treatment in our Nordic climate. She has also studied how microalgae and bacteria work together and how this impacts the composition of microbial communities in open algae cultures. … Algae biomass is considered
June 3, 2019
Read Full Article
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Thirty students from Dawson Boyd High School visited Granite Falls Energy yesterday in Granite Falls to learn about homegrown renewable energy production. During the tour, the students learned about the various processes of ethanol production at Granite Falls Energy, which produces 64 million gallons of ethanol a year.
June 2, 2019
Read Full Article
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Thirteen students from Worthington High School visited the Heron Lake Bioenergy ethanol plant today to get a better understanding of clean Minnesota-produced renewable energy. During the tour, the students learned about incoming grain grading, grain handling, fermentation, grain storage, dried distiller grain production and storage, liquefaction and ethanol
June 2, 2019
Read Full Article
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Twenty-seven high school students toured the Al-Corn Clean Fuel ethanol plant in Claremont on Wednesday, May 22 to gain a better understanding of renewable fuel production. The students, from Austin High School, toured the various processes of ethanol production at the 125 million gallon-a-year facility. “By getting a
June 2, 2019
Read Full Article
(GreenAir Online) The British Airways project with renewable fuels company Velocys is “well advanced”, say the two partners, and production of waste-to-jet fuel is slated to start in 2024 from a new facility in north-east England. An 80-acre (32ha) brownfield site near Immingham on the Humber estuary, with a direct fuel
June 2, 2019
Read Full Article
by Edwin L. Aguirre (University of Massachusetts Lowell) A team of researchers from UMass Lowell, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and China Agricultural University in Beijing has developed a new, sustainable way of converting wet biological waste into diesel-compatible fuel, using heat and water. The process, called hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), converts
May 31, 2019
Read Full Article
by Sebastien Malo (Reuters) Jennifer Holmgren, chief executive of carbon recycling firm LanzaTech, explained modestly how the Chicago-based startup had cut multi-million-dollar deals on four continents, including in China, aimed at helping curb climate change and air pollution. At the Jingtang Steel Mill in Heibei province, the company uses bacteria to convert
May 31, 2019
Read Full Article
(Renewable Fuels Association) Did you know you can win free fuel just by reporting what prices you are paying at the pump? For the third year in a row, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is sponsoring the “Ethanol Days of Summer” contest, which begins Memorial Day. The contest encourages consumers to submit
May 29, 2019
Read Full Article
(University of Wisconsin-Stout) Could the algae on Lake Menomin make biofuel? That is the question some University of Wisconsin-Stout students looked at as part of their research for capstone projects. Jerica Hall, a senior studying mechanical engineering, talked about the findings she and fellow students Isaac Audette, senior, manufacturing engineering, St. Paul; Colin
May 28, 2019
Read Full Article
(Shoolini University/PR Newswire) Depleting levels of fossil fuels and air pollution are a major concern for environmentalists around the world and a lot of emphasis is being put on biofuels and renewable resources. Biodiesel seems to be just the right solution for meeting the energy requirements of the future. In their
May 28, 2019
Read Full Article
(Neste) Neste and VTT have today agreed on strategic cooperation which fosters the joint use and development of research infrastructures in Finland. The cooperation aims at strengthening Finnish expertise in bio and circular economy as well as developing cleaner fuel solutions. The strategic cooperation of Neste and VTT is based on
May 28, 2019
Read Full Article
(Michigan State University) … Daniel Ducat, assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, received $1,033,970 from NSF’s Division of Systems and Synthetic Biology to investigate the fundamental interactions that underpin resilient microbial partnerships and may be key to solving some of the earth’s biggest resource challenges. Ducat’s team will
May 28, 2019
Read Full Article
by Ula Chrobak (Popular Science) … In a surprising and counterintuitive proposal published Monday in the journal Nature Sustainability, Stanford University scientists argue that we can limit warming by chemically converting methane to carbon dioxide. “Our paper is a call to view methane removal as an opportunity,” says Rob Jackson, the study’s lead author.
May 24, 2019
Read Full Article
by Krishna Ramanujan (Cornell Chronicle) One of the big issues with sustainable energy systems is how to store electricity that’s generated from wind, solar and waves. At present, no existing technology provides large-scale storage and energy retrieval for sustainable energy at a low financial and environmental cost. Engineered electroactive microbes could
May 23, 2019
Read Full Article
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) New Mexico Consortium is non-profit corporation formed by 3 NM universities to facilitate research collaborations for universities, industry & Los Alamos Laboratory. They are looking to algae as a solution where cell factories could produce energy in a carbon neutral way with a primary focus on
May 21, 2019
Read Full Article
by Neha Arora (Science Trends) … Biofuels, particularly bioethanol and biodiesel, have been touted as one of the most propitious and greener alternatives since the beginning of the millennium. In this regard, algal-derived biofuels have the potential to become the savior of our dwindling fossil fuel reserves. … The energy-rich compounds,
May 21, 2019
Read Full Article
The Carbon Footprint Challenge is a UNITECH International initiative, enabled by its corporate partners Covestro, Bühler and Evonik as well as nine top European universities connected to the Unitech network. We invite you, passionate students and young professionals to join the Carbon Footprint Challenge and together with us fight climate
May 21, 2019
Read Full Article
by David A Ramirez‐Cadavid, Katrina Cornish, Upul Hathwaik, Robert Kozak, Colleen McMahan and Frederick C Michel Jr. (Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology) Taraxacum kok‐saghyz (TK) is a rubber‐producing plant being developed as a commercial alternative source of natural rubber (NR). The objective of this study was to investigate processes to extract
May 21, 2019
Read Full Article
In order to promote young scientists early in their career, SciLifeLab has engaged in a collaboration with AAAS and Science magazine to award an annual prize in the area of life science for the best PhD thesis work. An essay based on the thesis is submitted to the editorial board of Science and four winners are
May 17, 2019
Read Full Article
by Paula Mohr (Farm Progress) 35 fuel promotion events are scheduled across the state offering discounts on E85 and E15. — Minnesota drivers who stop at selected gas stations with E85 and E15 this spring and summer have the opportunity to fill’er up with discounted fuel and learn more about ethanol-blended products.
May 17, 2019
Read Full Article
(UNCTAD) Stockholm Environment Institute and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The agreement is an overarching mechanism to foster cooperation on trade and environment, backed up by the research and convening capacities of SEI and UNCTAD. The main purpose of collaboration
May 17, 2019
Read Full Article
by Michael Le Page (New Scientist) … While in theory carbon dioxide captured from the air could replace fossil fuels as a feedstock for the global chemicals industry, in practice it would likely require vastly more clean electricity than we currently have. … They calculated that capturing carbon from the air to use as
May 16, 2019
Read Full Article
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Northwestern University has been conducting research on the identification of bioprivileged molecules using computational approaches at their Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. Linda J. Broadbelt from Northwestern University, gave this illuminating overview of novel pathways to propionic acid, identifying putative enzymes, evaluation of candidate bioprivileged molecules using
May 16, 2019
Read Full Article
by Paul Grad (Chemical Engineering) … (C)onverting CO2 into a solid offers an attractive alternative method for safely and permanently removing CO2 from the atmosphere. To date, CO2 has only been converted into a solid at extremely high temperatures, making it industrially unviable. The team created a liquid metal electrocatalyst that contains metallic elemental cerium nanoparticles, which facilitate
May 15, 2019
Read Full Article
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. Here are the top innovations for the week of May 15th. In today’s Digest, mushroom burial suits, fish gut bioplastic, algae foam bags, power generated from human sweat, castor oil polyamides — these and
May 15, 2019
Read Full Article
(University of Wisconsin-Madison) … Transportation, heating and the plastics and chemicals we use every day all rely on petroleum products, but our insatiable appetite for fossil fuels will have catastrophic consequences for the health of the planet if left unchecked. That’s why engineers at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), which
May 14, 2019
Read Full Article
(Climate Generation) There has never been a more important time in our history to share our climate stories. Add your personal narrative to the chorus of voices to build understanding and inspire action on climate change. EYEWITNESS is a collection of short stories, poems and sketches that speak to the diverse range of
May 14, 2019
Read Full Article
by Jackie Hendry (SDPB Radio) U.S. Senator John Thune made a classroom visit to New Tech High School in Sioux Falls. In January, students wrote letters to South Dakota’s congressional delegation, and Thune took them up on the invitation. He also answered a variety of student questions—most centering on climate change,
May 14, 2019
Read Full Article
(Michigan Technological University/Science Codex) What is the genetic basis for eucalyptus trees to produce that fragrant oil many of us associate with trips to the spa? Carsten Külheim, associate professor in Michigan Technological University’s School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, has spent the past 10 years of his career studying eucalyptus.
May 10, 2019
Read Full Article
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From the Netherlands arrives the news that BP, Nouryon (formerly AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals), and the Port of Rotterdam have joined forces to explore the opportunity of making ‘green hydrogen’ via water electrolysis for BP’s refinery in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, which has the potential for significant reductions
May 10, 2019
Read Full Article
(Loughborough University) Loughborough University has been awarded £200,000 for two projects which aim to make the transport sector more environmentally friendly. Dr Jin Xuan, a Senior Lecturer in Low Carbon Processes, Dr Tanja Radu, a Lecturer in Water Engineering, and Dr Jonathan Wagner, a Lecturer in Chemical Engineering, successfully bid for the grant which
May 9, 2019
Read Full Article
(EPFL) EPFL researchers have created a smart device capable of producing large amounts of clean hydrogen. By concentrating sunlight, their device uses a smaller amount of the rare, costly materials that are required to produce hydrogen, yet it still maintains a high solar-to-fuel efficiency. Their research has been taken to the
May 8, 2019
Read Full Article
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Coal powers the GM Bolt with West Virginia license plates parked in the EV section at Frederick Maryland’s Green Neighbor Festival, explained the enthusiastic owner. Actually, it’s his wife’s car. His is the Volt (with a “V”). He and his WVA extended family have
May 8, 2019
Read Full Article
(Research Institutes of Sweden) The objective of the new agreement between VTT and RISE is to establish a framework for collaboration in the field of bio- and circular economy test and demo infrastructures. The purpose is to create a comprehensive infrastructure portfolio for the benefit of their customers, and to plan
May 7, 2019
Read Full Article
by Matt Simon (Wired) … But what if we could weaponize air conditioning units to help pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere instead? According to a new paper in Nature Communications, it’s feasible. Using technology currently in development, AC units in skyscrapers and even your home could get turned into machines
May 3, 2019
Read Full Article
by Bob Yirka (Phys.org) A team of researchers working at the University of Twente has solved the mystery of why a drop of oil bounces repeatedly when dropped in a water/ethanol gradient but eventually falls to the bottom of a jar. In their paper published in the journal Physical Review Letters,
May 2, 2019
Read Full Article
by Himanshu Nitnaware (Pune Mirror) … The researchers worked to find an alternative to fossil fuels through biodegradation of agricultural waste such as wheat straw, and sugarcane bagasse as substrates. The biodegradation was brought about by busing cellulose-degrading bacteria and their enzymes for sustainable development and an environment-friendly approach. … The experts discovered a
May 1, 2019
Read Full Article
by Kevin Keane (BBC News) … The fuel is made from waste wooden pellets which are heated, turned into a gas and mixed with other ingredients. A team from Heriot-Watt University is close to working with a major airline on piloting the biomass fuel. … The Edinburgh-based university is one of three which
May 1, 2019
Read Full Article
by Kevin Clemens (Design News) … “We’ve been working for a number of years on ways to make engines for cars and trucks cleaner and more efficient, and we’ve been particularly interested in what you can do with spark ignition [as opposed to the compression ignition used in diesels], because it’s intrinsically
May 1, 2019
Read Full Article
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Forty-seven students from Pierz Healy High School toured Central Minnesota Renewables (CMR) in Little Falls yesterday to learn more about clean Minnesota-produced renewable chemicals. “We were pleased to welcome Pierz Healy High School to our plant to learn about locally produced bio-based chemicals. Tours like this are an
April 30, 2019
Read Full Article
(MOTOR’N TV) Stations have the Ethanol your Muscle Car needs to achieve its full potential! There are a lot of informational websites and videos on Ethanol. Even M.I.T. has done a study and its favorable to E-85. WATCH VIDEO
April 30, 2019
Read Full Article
by Vincent Matthews (San Francisco Examiner/San Francisco Unified School District) We’re celebrating earth day every day here at the San Francisco Unified School District. We’re improving our recycling practices, encouraging energy saving initiatives, exploring clean transportation options and more. … Aging, natural gas-fired equipment to be replaced with clean, efficient heat
April 29, 2019
Read Full Article
by Valerie Nikolas (Medill Reports) Researchers at Northwestern University’s Jewett Lab use E. coli and other strains to innovate new renewable compounds — At Northwestern University’s Jewett Lab in the Center for Synthetic Biology, researchers aim to create sustainable chemicals and materials out of existing organic compounds. Using cell-free metabolic
April 29, 2019
Read Full Article
(Our Daily Planet) … While climate change can be a difficult subject to discuss with kids (there’s not a lot of good news), not doing so leaves kids woefully unprepared to understand the planet they will inherit. That’s why a children’s amusement park in Poitiers, France has made its mission to
April 29, 2019
Read Full Article
(Siouxland News) Siouxlanders had the chance to get in touch with nature Sunday afternoon at the Siouxland Earth Day Celebration. From birds and bees to plants of all shapes and sizes, this event had various activities and experiences, all as a way to get in touch with Mother Earth. “Learning about different
April 29, 2019
Read Full Article
(Ruhr-Universität Bochum) The key to long life for bioelectrodes that convert sunlight into electricity lies in an oxygen-free environment. Proteins involved in photosynthesis can be used to inexpensively and efficiently generate solar energy. Although these proteins, such as photosystem I, are inherently robust, the lifetime of isolated protein complexes in semi-artificial
April 29, 2019
Read Full Article
by Kelly Manning (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Growth Energy) Educating students key to rural development and growth. — … And as I grew older and traveled around the country witnessing the new role of technology in agriculture and improvements in conservation, I saw firsthand that we needed to do a better job educating our
April 26, 2019
Read Full Article
(University of Nebraska-Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources) … University of Nebraska–Lincoln entomologist Joe Louis is investigating ways to help sorghum naturally resist sugarcane aphids, the crop’s most damaging pest in the United States. Louis earned a five-year, $1.5 million Faculty Early Career Development Program award from the National Science Foundation to
April 26, 2019
Read Full Article
(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign/Phys.Org) Surplus industrial carbon dioxide creates an opportunity to convert waste into a valuable commodity. Excess CO2 can be a feedstock for chemicals typically derived from fossil fuels, but the process is energy-intensive and expensive. University of Illinois chemical engineers have assessed the technical and economic feasibility
April 26, 2019
Read Full Article
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) No matter what you think of engineers, they have an important role to play in achieving goals of the Green New Deal and climate change mitigation. It was a great way to spending Earth Day — at University of Maryland College Park as a
April 25, 2019
Read Full Article
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In North Carolina, engineers at Duke University are developing a smart robotic system for sniffing out pollution hotspots and sources of toxic leaks. Their approach enables a robot to incorporate complex calculations of airflows in confined spaces made on the fly, rather than simply guide the robot
April 24, 2019
Read Full Article
by Yu Hsiao-han and Chung Yu-chen (Focus Taiwan News Channel) Academia Sinica Thursday unveiled a technique that facilitates the production of more biofuel using cryo-electron microscopy, a technology that enables researchers to better capture the structure of enzymes — biological catalysts that accelerate the process by which biomass is transformed
April 24, 2019
Read Full Article
(Science Daily/Nanyang Technological University) Scientists have developed a sustainable way to demonstrate a new genetic modification that can increase the yield of natural oil in seeds by up to 15% in laboratory conditions. — The new method can be applied to crops such as canola, soybean and sunflower, which are in a
April 24, 2019
Read Full Article
by Anya Kamenetz (KNKX/NPR) More than 80% of parents in the U.S. support the teaching of climate change. And that support crosses political divides, according to the results of an exclusive new NPR/Ipsos poll: Whether they have children or not, two-thirds of Republicans and 9 in 10 Democrats agree that the
April 24, 2019
Read Full Article
(Atlas Obscura Community) Atlas Obscura is searching for a student pursuing a degree in conservation, ecology, or science communication who is looking to advance their skills in science communication. This individual will have the opportunity to join our September 2019 Expedition Amazon trip 154 for an immersive week in one of the planet’s most
April 19, 2019
Read Full Article
(Worcester Polytechnic Institute/PR Web) Isobutanol has been hailed as a possible green replacement for fossil fuels like gasoline, but producing it has proven difficult and costly. In a paper in Nature Communications, a research team that includes a WPI chemical engineer shows how a novel process may make producing this and
April 19, 2019
Read Full Article
(Growth Energy) Growth Energy, in partnership with the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE), announced the release of their new curriculum aimed at educating high school students to the world of biofuels. The curriculum is the first industry-supported biofuels curriculum that provides students a guided in-classroom experience and will offer ag educators the tools needed
April 19, 2019
Read Full Article
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Fourteen students from St Peter High School toured Guardian Energy in Janesville this morning to learn about homegrown renewable fuel production. During the tour, the students, who were from the school’s plant science class, learned about several components of ethanol production including incoming grain grading, grain handling, fermentation,
April 18, 2019
Read Full Article
(Solutions from the Land) Florida agricultural leaders are calling for deeper exploration of farmers, ranchers, and forest land owners as suppliers of environmental protection as well as of food and fiber. The Florida Climate-Smart Agriculture Work Group has declared its ambitions to craft a plan for how the state’s 26 million acres of
April 18, 2019
Read Full Article
by R. Prasad (The Hindu) The strain produces ethanol by fermenting rice and wheat straw — Compared with currently available strains, a robust yeast strain (Saccharomyces cerevisiae NGY10) that can produce up to 15.5% more ethanol when glucose or lignocellulose biomass — rice and wheat straw — is fermented has been isolated by
April 17, 2019
Read Full Article
(Office of Alabama Governor Kay Ivey) A $39,757 grant, awarded by Gov. Kay Ivey, will enable Auburn University to determine if an oilseed crop can be successfully grown and marketed in Alabama as a biofuel and become another cash crop for the state’s farmers. Carinata, also known as Ethiopian mustard, is
April 16, 2019
Read Full Article
by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy. AgWired.com) For the seventh consecutive year, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) has received a TRANSCAER® National Achievement Award for its industry-leading ethanol safety program. RFA hosted numerous ethanol safety training events in 2018, giving more than 1,800 emergency responders the tools and information they need to effectively respond to
April 12, 2019
Read Full Article
by Megan Guess (ARS Technica) … Daniel Cohn and Leslie Bromberg, a pair of researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), published a paper with the Society of Automotive Engineers, suggesting that the best way forward is not to wait for all-electric or hydrogen-powered semis, but to build a plug-in
April 12, 2019
Read Full Article
(Roscommon Herald) NUI Galway has launched a new laboratory to research the generation of biofuels from organic waste. Professor Piet Lens, a leading expert in environmental biotechnology, will lead a team of 25 PhD and post-doctoral researchers in the university’s Department of Microbiology Programme, ‘Innovative Energy Technologies for Bioenergy, Biofuels and
April 12, 2019
Read Full Article
by Erin Semmler (ABC News) A central Queensland oil refinery has made biofuel from old tyres that can work in a standard diesel engine; Hopes are the production of the fuel, once commercialised, will help curb tyre waste and offer fuel security in the event of market failure; One passenger tyre will provide approximately
April 12, 2019
Read Full Article
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Twenty-seven students from Central High School in Norwood Young America visited Heartland Corn Products in Winthrop yesterday to get a closer look at how clean, homegrown renewable fuels are produced. The students, from the school’s Small Gas Engines class, toured the various processes of ethanol production at Heartland
April 10, 2019
Read Full Article
by Dr. Joya Mannan (Market Screener/Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station) Dr. Mohammad Alam, head of the Fats and Oils Program at the Process Engineering Research and Development Center (PERDC), has received a grant from the Malaysian Palm Oil Board to fund several semesters of teaching and short courses about the significance of
April 10, 2019
Read Full Article
(FuelsFix/Renewable Fuels Association) The Renewable Fuels Association gets a lot of questions about using biofuel blends in motorcycles, so they decided to ask the bikers who know best. WATCH VIDEO
April 9, 2019
Read Full Article
by Whitney Clavin (California Institute of Technology/Phys.org) … Researchers have for decades made strides in using sunlight to split water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen, wherein the resulting hydrogen gas can be used as stored fuel. But the method is still too expensive. Materials called catalysts are needed to run the
April 9, 2019
Read Full Article
(Pennsylvania State University) The global shift to clean energy is creating opportunities for project developers and policy experts to drive renewable energy initiatives and encourage a culture of sustainability. Prepare yourself to help shape the future by graduating from one of Penn State’s energy and sustainability programs, offered completely online
April 9, 2019
Read Full Article
(Purdue University/Phys.org) Gen3Bio has designed mobile 15-gallon enzymolysis pilot plants to be placed in wastewater treatment facilities to transform algae into specialty bio-based chemicals, such as biofuels or bioplastics. — A startup is advancing a unique way to transform algae used to purify municipal wastewater into specialty bio-based chemicals such as
April 8, 2019
Read Full Article
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Twenty-two high school students from Minnewaska High School toured Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company (CVEC) on April 5 to gain a better understanding of renewable fuel production. The students, from grades 9-12, toured the various process of ethanol production at CVEC, which has an annual output of 50 million
April 8, 2019
Read Full Article
(Urban Air Initiative) A newly published study finds that most vehicles on the road today can adapt to mid-level ethanol blends, helping cars run more efficiently while reducing greenhouse gas emissions along with other pollutants. The study was conducted by North Carolina State University and commissioned by the Urban Air Initiative. “This study
April 8, 2019
Read Full Article
As ICAO Member States begin to implement the Carbon Offset and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), there is growing importance for airlines to have a carbon strategy to ensure their business is not only compliant but also profitable. There are three options to comply with the environmental goals of
April 8, 2019
Read Full Article
As ICAO Member States begin to implement the Carbon Offset and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), there is growing importance for airlines to have a carbon strategy to ensure their business is not only compliant but also profitable. There are three options to comply with the environmental goals of
April 8, 2019
Read Full Article
(Algae Industry Magazine) Susan Kraemer writes in solarpaces.org that to use solar thermal energy to convert farmed algae to fuel, the solar fuels research team at Australian National University (ANU), led by John Pye together with Mahesh Venkataraman, proposed a new process, detailed in their paper Modelling of a 50 MWth On-Sun Reactor
April 3, 2019
Read Full Article
How can companies and agriculture enter into a circular bioeconomy, and how do we ensure that its further development will be of value to industry and society? These questions are the focal points of the conference Circular Bioeconomy Days 2019, to be held from 25 to 27 June 2019 at Aarhus
April 3, 2019
Read Full Article
The demand for land and biomass is expected to increase, as a growing and wealthier global population requires more food, paper, textiles, etc. Additional biomass demand arises as policies, regulations and strategies are aligned with visions about a biobased circular economy, which have been formulated in response to concerns about
April 3, 2019
Read Full Article
(Task 39 – Commercializing Liquid Biofuels/International Energy Agency (IEA Bioenergy)) … Bioenergy plays an important role in the decarbonization of the transportation sector. Its medium and long-term benefits depend on the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions brought forth by the conversion of renewable feedstocks, which can be quantitatively determined through a Life
April 2, 2019
Read Full Article
(BC Green Games) BC Green Games is a digital eco-storytelling contest designed to closely link with BC’s new curriculum while supporting teachers and promoting place-based environmental education. Our project-style contest offers teachers and students a 21st century learning opportunity in scientific exploration, storytelling, campaigning and policy development. Teams document and share their
April 2, 2019
Read Full Article
(City of Surrey) Orgaworld and the City of Surrey are committed to increasing the awareness of waste management and sustainable living through education, early adoption and applied research. In addition to a visit to our on-site Education Centre, we encourage exploration of the wide range of available materials that map to
April 2, 2019
Read Full Article
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Twenty-eight students from Cedar Mountain High School toured Highwater Ethanol in Lamberton on March 27 to learn more about ethanol production. “We were pleased to welcome Cedar Mountain High School’s students to get a first-hand look at how clean Minnesota-grown renewable energy is produced. “During the tour, they
April 2, 2019
Read Full Article
(University of Minnesota/EurekAlert!) New paper presents how researchers have estimated for the first time the health damages caused by corn production — A new study establishes that environmental damage caused by corn production results in 4,300 premature deaths annually in the United States, representing a monetized cost of $39 billion. The paper,
April 2, 2019
Read Full Article
(The Exponent) Three Purdue students brought home top honors and a $20,000 prize at this year’s Student Soybean Product Innovation Competition for their biodegradable soybean based drinking straw, according to a Purdue press release. “Team Stroy” is made up of Natalie Stephenson, a senior in the Krannert School of Management; Morgan Malm, a graduate
April 2, 2019
Read Full Article
By Michael Eggleston* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Rhetoric is a fundamental part of social change. According to a 2015 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, the majority of American scientists support the idea that participation in policy debates and engagement with citizens and journalists is necessary to further their work.
April 1, 2019
Read Full Article
(Algae Biomass Organization) The National Center for Marine Algae and Microbiota (NCMA) at the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences will be offering two courses this year that may be of interest to ABO members looking to enhance their culturing and identification skills: The Algal Culturing Course will be ideal for graduate students,
March 29, 2019
Read Full Article
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Twelve students from Minneota High School visited the Archer Daniels Midland Company’s Carbohydrate Solutions plant in Marshall on Wednesday, March 27 to get a better understanding of renewable fuel production. The students, all 12th graders, toured the various production process areas at ADM Carbohydrate Solutions, which included ethanol
March 29, 2019
Read Full Article
by RudyCrisafulli, Fernando M.de Lino Amorim, Suzana M.L.de Oliveira Marcionilio, William Mendes Cunha, Brenda R.S.de Araújo, José A.Dias and José J.Linares (Electrichemistry Communications) Vinasse is used for the first time for preparation of a Pt/C electrocatalyst. Deposition of Pt particles was achieved with some cotton-like agglomerations. Vinasse-prepared Pt/C was very active for glycerol
March 28, 2019
Read Full Article
by Lisa Gibson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) An American Ethanol partnership facilitated an ethanol-focused presentation to future and current mechanics at one Universal Technical Institute campus. — Mechanic certification focuses intensely on engines themselves, and the mechanical aspects of engine parts. It makes sense, then, that mechanics are just as susceptible to believing
March 27, 2019
Read Full Article
(Biofuels International) A new study has shown the first evidence of programmed cell death, or apoptosis, in algae, which could have wide-reaching implications for the production of biofuels. Results of the research carried out by University of Alberta (UAlberta) microbiologists were published in a paper titled ‘Phaeobacter inhibens induces apoptosis-like programmed cell
March 27, 2019
Read Full Article
(Algae Industry Magazine/Chinese Academy of Sciences) … However, the high concentration of carbon dioxide in flue gases generally inhibits the growth of industrial microalgae. Therefore, reducing the so-called “CO2 poisoning effect,” i.e., improving tolerance to high levels of CO2, has become a priority in the development of super microalgae for carbon fixation.
March 27, 2019
Read Full Article
(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Forty-one students from Ridgewater College toured Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company (CVEC) in Benson yesterday to learn about an important ethanol co-product, dried distiller’s grains with solubles (DDGS). “Tours like this educate students on the role ethanol plays in boosting the economy in rural Minnesota and reducing harmful greenhouse
March 27, 2019
Read Full Article
Our Sponsors
FREE Subscription! Advanced Biofuels USA events calendar; policy and actions; education newsletters
