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(Louisiana State University/Science Daily) New research on the United States’ most economically important agricultural plant — corn — has revealed a different internal structure of the plant than previously thought, which can help optimize how corn is converted into ethanol. — It has been previously thought that cellulose, a thick and rigid
Education
January 22, 2019
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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … (S)cientists in Illinois may have just gotten incredibly close to finding the treasure that any crop producer has been searching for. In field testing across two different growing seasons, they showed >25% increase in biomass of pathway 3 plants compared to wild type,
January 21, 2019
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(WHIO TV) While clearing snow is a chore for most people, it gives Sinclair Community College an opportunity to teach students about chemistry and engineering while saving money. The college teaches students how to recycle cooking oil into biodiesel fuel that is then used to power its snow blowing and grass
January 20, 2019
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Our annual conference brings an interdisciplinary approach to environmental issues in an academic setting. We take a collegial approach where ideas are shared in small, informal sessions that are panel, paper, and presentation based and include roundtable discussions at meals. Students, professors, and government and industry professionals alike participate in
January 18, 2019
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(U.S. Grains Council) New information about global market development efforts for U.S. ethanol and the benefits of the biofuel to global customers is now available online at www.grains.org. The United States is the world’s low-cost ethanol producer and captured more than 65 percent of global ethanol trade in the 2017/2018
January 18, 2019
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by Tom Ziemer (University of Wisconsin-Madison/Phys.Org) If environmental engineer Daniel Noguera had his way, he would orchestrate a microbiome to pump out higher-value chemical products. In that vein, Noguera, the Wisconsin Distinguished Professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, along with graduate student Matt Scarborough and collaborators in the
January 16, 2019
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iGEM’s main program is the iGEM Competition. The iGEM competition gives students the opportunity to push the boundaries of synthetic biology by tackling everyday issues facing the world. Made up of primarily university students, multidisciplinary teams work together to design, build, test, and measure a system of their own design
January 15, 2019
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Futurepast offers six courses on verification and validation of GHG statements that can be taken individually, or as a package for a discounted price. The courses are interactive and available 24-hours a day. In accordance with ASTM E2659-18, a certificate will be awarded for individuals who have successfully completed a
January 14, 2019
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(Biofuels International) A new research study from the University of Cambridge is arguing that sustainable choices on palm oil should be made easier to understand and more accessible to consumers. The study is to be published in Environmental Research Letters. The study outlines how consumer goods companies and retailers need to be
January 10, 2019
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(Illinois Farmer Today) Faster conversion of land into agricultural production in recent years has raised the region’s carbon cost of producing grains, according to recently published research from an Iowa State University scientist. The study, published in the academic journal Environmental Research Letters, shows that increases in crop production due
January 8, 2019
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(University of Groningen/Phys.Org) … (Y)east cells produce ethanol as a ‘safety valve’ to prevent overload when their metabolic operation reaches a critical level. The new theory, which was published in Nature Metabolism on 7 January, could have far-reaching implications, as it also explains why cancer cells waste energy by producing lactate, known
January 8, 2019
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by Sarah Sloat (Inverse.com) Jacqueline Prawira has competed in science fairs since she was in fourth grade. … That science fair was one of many competitions that eventually took Prawira to the nation-wide 2018 BROADCOM Masters tournament in Washington, D.C., where she showed off her work in creating biofiber plastics, created from paper,
January 8, 2019
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by Myra Bredin (MentorWorks) … To address the goal of a widespread adoption of sustainable aviation fuel, the Impact Canada Challenge Platform has created the Sky’s the Limit Challenge. The Sky’s the Limit Challenge seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from aviation and promote the development of sustainable aviation fuel supply chains in Canada. It
January 4, 2019
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Join us for a two-day engaging workshop where you’ll learn new ways to have conversations about climate change that build respect and understanding. Discover your own personal climate story, and learn how to use it as a tool to inspire solutions. Participants will have the opportunity to: Learn about climate
January 3, 2019
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The Renewable Fuels Association, in partnership with TRANSCAER®, will host ethanol safety seminars in Vermont and Mississippi this month. All of the seminars are free to attend, but registration is limited. Certificates of Completion will be awarded to attendees at the completion of the course. The seminars are designed for
January 3, 2019
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by Hayley Dunning (Imperial College London) The Centre brings together researchers using synthetic biology to solve challenges such as in healthcare, biomaterials and sustainable energy. Synthetic biology is the application of engineering principles to biology; designing and creating biological components and systems that do not already exist in the natural world.
January 3, 2019
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(World Energy Paramount /Biodiesel Magazine) Los Angeles-area civic leaders will join business aviation leaders on Jan. 17 to mark a milestone in the development and adoption of sustainable alternative jet fuels (SAJF) through Business Jets Fuel Green: A Step Toward Sustainability. The group will host a visually compelling, informative, day-long series
January 3, 2019
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(Uniradio Informa/Notimex (Google Translation)) They develop biosensors to optimize biodiesel production — The Institute of Engineering of the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC) developed biosensors in this border city, with the aim of optimizing the biodisel production process. The UABC researcher, Margarita Stoytcheva Zlateva, reported that the project “Development of nanostructured
January 2, 2019
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(Green Car Congress) A team from the University of California Riverside has investigated the influence of low-, mid-, and high-ethanol fueling—as well as the influence of the aromatic hydrocarbons in the fuel blend—on the regulated and greenhouse gas emissions, the mobile source air toxic pollutants, and the particulate emissions from a
January 2, 2019
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by Madhu Khanna (Farms.com) Ethanol production has increased sharply in the United States in the past 10 years, leading to concerns about the expansion of demand for corn resulting in conversion of non-cropland to crop production and the environmental effects of this. However, a new study co-authored by a University of
December 28, 2018
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Rebecca (Becky) Ong majored in chemical engineering and tacked on a degree in plant biology. “I had no plan to integrate them at all,” she says, “I was just interested in plants.” All of that changed, however, when Ong attended a lecture by Michigan State University professor Bruce Dale on
December 27, 2018
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(Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) … “My parents really instilled in me the importance of conservation,” says (Rebecca) Ong, an assistant professor of chemical engineering at Michigan Technological University and researcher at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC). “From an early age, I had this idea of sustainability and the
December 27, 2018
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(National Science Foundation) The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program supports active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by the National Science Foundation. REU projects involve students in meaningful ways in ongoing research programs or in research projects specifically designed for the REU program.
December 27, 2018
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by Max Witynski (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) The Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center hosted 10 REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) students in summer 2018. Seven students participated in bioenergy-related research at Michigan State, and three at UW–Madison. We asked them to tell us a little about their interests, motivations, and/or goals related to
December 27, 2018
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by Max Witynski (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Rebecca Smith has loved plants for a long time. In fact, her interest stems from an AP biology class in high school. “Something about the enormous variation and complexity in the plant kingdom sparked my interest,” says the assistant scientist at the Wisconsin Energy Institute
December 27, 2018
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(VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd/EurekAlert) Finnish pilot develops a new solution for sustainable forestry New unique mobile application puts forest Big Data to more efficient use The whole of Europe is feverishly looking for new ways to use farm, forest and fishery resources more responsibly and sustainably and to
December 26, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In California, on the final day of California’s 2018 legislative session, a bill sponsored by the Coalition for Renewable Natural Gas that would pave the way for a state renewable natural gas procurement program was approved by the Legislature, passing 29-10 in its reconciliation in the Senate.
December 26, 2018
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(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Seventeen students from Little Falls High School visited the Central Minnesota Renewables (CMR) plant … to learn more about Minnesota’s bio-based chemical industry. During the tour, the students, from grades 9 to 12, learned about the various processes of acetone and butanol production at CMR, which is
December 26, 2018
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SAVE THE DATE This 7-day training is IBBK‘s premium course. The many years of experience of the German biogas experts enable the worldwide transfer of know-how through lectures and interactive workshops. The integrated lab session as well as the visits to four unique biogas plant operations in Southern Germany complement the facts with practical insights
December 21, 2018
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The 3 day training seminar focuses on the biogas market in Africa with attention to the local characteristics of substrate selection, plant engineering, and biogas utilization. You will get practical knowledge about biogas plant operation, maintenance and the presented case studies will highlight the best methods of biogas production from biomass waste.
December 21, 2018
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This 4 day in-depth course will provide you with practical hands on knowledge. You will learn to master today’s plant operation challenges with skill. If you are A biogas plant operator or staff A farmer planning to operate an AD facility Working as a government official that is engaged with AD and
December 21, 2018
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(U.S. Department of Energy) Join us on this episode as we wade into the world of bioenergy and learn about the folks working to turn noxious waste into useful energy. Then read on for more bioenergy stories and background from the Department of Energy and our 17 National Labs! WARNING: Unless you’ve got a cast-iron
December 21, 2018
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(Renewable Fuels Association) The Renewable Fuels Association, in partnership with TRANSCAER®, will host four ethanol safety webinars in 2019, beginning next month. The first webinar will be held on Jan. 15, followed by March 19, July 2, and Aug. 13. The “Train the Trainer” webinars are funded through a Federal Railroad Administration/TRANSCAER® grant.
December 21, 2018
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(North Dakota State University/Phys.Org) The many benefits of a biomass-made material called biochar are highlighted in a new publication in which Ghasideh Pourhashem, assistant professor at NDSU’s Department of Coatings and Polymeric Materials and Center for Sustainable Materials Science, is the lead author. he 24-page article, “Policy Support for Biochar: Review
December 21, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign has been researching the economic incentives and policy implications of energy crops such as miscanthus and switchgrass. Madhu Khanna, from University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, gave this illuminating overview of the environmental benefits of energy crops at ABLC Global 2018 in San Francisco – and
December 21, 2018
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The 2019 Planet Forward Summit is a two-day national conference on sustainability storytelling. A diverse group of students, scientists, communicators, innovators, private sector leaders, and policymakers will share inspiring stories of our planet, and learn techniques of effective communication and compelling storytelling. On Day 2, we will celebrate and reward the
December 21, 2018
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(University of Arkansas News) A University of Arkansas biologist working on research that could decrease the need for agricultural fertilizers and boost the production of biofuels recently received grants totaling more than $1 million from the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy. Daniel Lessner, associate professor in the
December 20, 2018
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(American GreenFuels/PRNewswire) … American GreenFuels, LLC (“American GreenFuels”) recently launched its “You Are What You Heat” campaign, which is dedicated to educate consumers about the option to heat their home with Bioheat® heating oil, utilizing certified biodiesel produced by American GreenFuels. Biodiesel is a renewable, cleaner-burning alternative to diesel fuel that
December 20, 2018
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(National Biodiesel Board) In keeping with the spirit of the season, five biodiesel users have unveiled new vehicle “wraps” that are helping to share their stories of sustainability and emissions reductions with area residents from Maine to the Midwest. “Our annual biodiesel vehicle wrap program provides matching funds to help biodiesel
December 19, 2018
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by Monika Kundu Srivastava (TechExplorist) … Scientists at the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune, have developed a faster, environment-friendly method for conversion of industrial biomass into biodiesel. An organic compound called furfural is produced from agricultural waste biomass like bagasse, cottonseed hulls, sawdust, oat hulls, rice hulls, wheat husk, and bran. Typically furfural
December 19, 2018
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(Green Car Congress) The US Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded a three-year, $1 million grant to a team of researchers led by a UMass Lowell mechanical engineering professor that is working to develop renewable fuel additives from sawdust and other wood byproducts. The project is part of the Department of Energy’s Co-Optima
December 19, 2018
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(Universiti Malaysia Sabah/Phys.Org) Researchers are investigating ways to improve biodiesel production by using electrical fields to break open microalgae cells with varied results, according to a new study in the Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology. Lipids inside microalgae are a promising source of biofuel. Microalgae cells must first be broken apart
December 18, 2018
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by Aditi Gyanesh (Times of India) What do you do with vegetable oil after use? Flush it down the drain? You could convert it into biodiesel, as PES University students have been doing for the past three years. SH Kavitha, PhD student, department of biotechnology, has been converting used vegetable oil from different sources
December 17, 2018
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(GreenAir Online) British Airways is challenging UK academics to create a new generation of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) based on carbon reduction potential, innovation, value to the UK economy and feasibility to implement. In a collaboration with Cranfield University, a competition with a first prize of £25,000 to fund further research
December 15, 2018
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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 December 14th. In today’s Digest, biobased beer can rings, algae and bugs, chitin-based plastic breakthrough, gribble gut enzymes, banana based products — these and more,
December 14, 2018
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(ExxonMobile)Discover the wonderful world of algae, along with a very inquisitive young scientist. WATCH VIDEO
December 14, 2018
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(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Twenty students from Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa (BBE) High School toured Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company (CVEC) in Benson this morning to learn about ethanol production. “School tours allow students a first-hand look at the ethanol production process and its role of advancing our local economy in addition to promoting our energy
December 13, 2018
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(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Eighteen students from Springfield High School toured Highwater Ethanol today to learn more about homegrown renewable energy production. During the tour, the students, from grades 10 to 12, learned about the various processes in ethanol production at Highwater Ethanol, which produces 59.5 million gallons a year. “By getting
December 13, 2018
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(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Thirty students from Milaca High School toured the Central Minnesota Renewables (CMR) plant today to gain a better understanding of clean Minnesota-produced renewable chemicals. The students, who are from Milaca’s FFA chapter, were briefed on the various processes of bio-based chemical production such as acetone and n-butanol. “It’s
December 13, 2018
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(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Twenty students from Benson High School toured the Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company (CVEC) plant today to get a better understanding of how clean homegrown renewable energy is produced. During the tour, the students learned about the different stages in ethanol production including incoming grain grading, grain handling, fermentation,
December 13, 2018
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(Delft University of Technology/Phys.Org) Vanessa Rieger created a model which assesses the impact and the contribution of road traffic emission scenarios on O3 and CH4 concentration and the subsequent climate effect. She will defend her Ph.D. thesis at TU Delft on Friday 7 December. Impact Emissions of road traffic crucially influence
December 13, 2018
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Researchers at IT Tralee Secure over €1.2m in Funding for Research in Bioeconomy and Marine Sectors.
(Institute of Technology Tralee) Institute of Technology Tralee has been awarded €1.26 million in new funding to partner in two new research initiatives. This brings to over €11m the total value of research grants secured by IT Tralee from competitive national and EU funding bodies in the past 12 months.
December 13, 2018
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(Hiroshima University/Asian Scientist Magazine) By preventing bioengineered microalgae from growing outside the lab, researchers have reduced the risk of the genetically modified organisms escaping into the wild. Researchers at Hiroshima University, Japan, have developed a biocontainment strategy for genetically modified microalgae. They published their findings in ACS Synthetic Biology. … Some microbes
December 13, 2018
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by Christian Nordqvist (Market Business News) A team of scientists has converted wet biological waste into diesel-compatible fuel. We are now a step closer to producing renewable engine fuels from wet biological waste that are compatible with current diesel fuel infrastructure. … Biological waste includes, for example, food scraps. Pig manure is
December 13, 2018
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(News Diary Online) The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, says the university will soon install a mini-refinery equipment for processing of Jatropha a flowering plant. Abdulkareem said this on Thursday inhis welcome address at the 8th International Jatropha Conference, tagged:“Jatropha 2018,” organised by the University of Ilorin
December 13, 2018
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(University of Bonn) Study from the University of Bonn assesses potential implications of transitioning to plant-based plastics — Bioplastics are often promoted as an environmentally and climate-friendly alternative to conventional petroleum-based plastics. However, a recent study from the University of Bonn suggests that shifting to plant-based plastics could have less positive effects
December 11, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Karlsruher Institut für Technologie’s Bioliq pilot plant is producing synthetic fuels and chemicals from lignocellulosic, ash rich biomass. Bernd Zimmerlin from Karlsruher Institut für Technologie gave this illuminating presentation on the technology behind the magic, from fast pyrolysis to entrained flow gasifier at ABLC Global 2018
December 11, 2018
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by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) Advanced Biofuels USA was pleased to host a meeting with a dozen government representatives and business leaders from Jiangsu Province, China to discuss implementation of biofuels policies and promotion of biofuels in the US and China. In the US for a brief educational tour,
December 10, 2018
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(Renewable Fuels Association) For the 10th consecutive year, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) is partnering with the Renewable Fuels Foundation (RFF) to offer scholarships to students who are interested in attending the National Ethanol Conference (NEC), scheduled for Feb. 11-13, 2019 in Orlando. Two scholarships are available to students in higher
December 10, 2018
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by Cindy Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) Al-Corn Clean Fuel has been recognized by the Minnesota FFA Foundation for the company’s support of programing throughout southeast and southern Minnesota. The partnership between Al-Corn Clean Fuel and the Minnesota FFA Foundation allows for scholarship funds to assist 58 FFA chapters in select programs, including service projects. READ MORE
December 7, 2018
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(Niagara Frontier Publications) The Diesel Technology students in Wes Blidy’s class recently toured the Western New York Energy facility in Medina. The facility is the first ethanol plant in the northeast United States. They are a locally owned company with a mission of developing the full potential of Western New York’s renewable energy
December 7, 2018
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(Chinese Academy of Sciences/Phys.Org) … Thus, it is important to develop a highly efficient water-resistant catalyst to directly and selectively convert crude aqueous oxygenate mixtures to value-added chemicals; water-immiscible ones (easy separation after reaction) are especially of great importance. However, the efficiency and selectivity of the transformation process for biomass-derived intermediates remains
December 7, 2018
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(Muscat Daily) An Omani woman scientist is among those honoured at the fifth edition of the L’Oréal-Unesco ‘For Women in Science Middle East Fellowship’. Dr Lamya al Haj from the Sultan Qaboos University was recognised at a ceremony held on Monday along with four other extraordinary women from the GCC
December 6, 2018
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by Karen Binder (AgriNews) While most talk these days about ethanol swirls around fuel credits and marketing needs, the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center has quietly celebrated its 15th anniversary. And what a 15-year run it’s been. “The difference is that as policies, technologies and products have evolved, the center has evolved
December 6, 2018
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(King Abdullah University of Science and Technology/Phys.org) … This work on glycerol carbonate also supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiative, which aims to diversify the Kingdom’s economy from its current reliance on the oil industry. (Binod) Giri explains that this research stems from the idea that some of the hydrocarbons
December 5, 2018
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by Cici Zhang (Chemical and Engineering News) Increasing the fatty acids in crops’ seeds, leaves, and stems could make biofuels more economically viable — … Plant scientist Heike Sederoff of North Carolina State University, however, is very familiar with the oils that camelina offers. The highly concentrated fatty acids produced by
December 5, 2018
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Through presentations, exercises and plenary discussions participants will acquire solid knowledge of fundamental biochemistry and molecular biology and obtain an understanding of essential methods used in the biotech industry. The course enables participants to better understand and communicate with their R&D colleague’s and partners, by providing participants with the necessary background needed to understand the development
December 5, 2018
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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 December 5th. … #7 Cotton-based hybrid biofuel cell could power pacemakers In Georgia, a glucose-powered biofuel cell that uses electrodes made from cotton fiber could
December 5, 2018
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(Environmental and Energy Study Institute) Interns have the opportunity to learn the inner workings of an environmental nonprofit while contributing to our work advancing sustainable energy. EESI is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 1984 by a bipartisan Congressional caucus to provide timely information and develop innovative policy solutions
December 5, 2018
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by Lesetja Malope (City Press) … Thabang Mabapa is a self-confessed curious social entrepreneur who might just have a viable alternative to the country’s current fuel price crisis. He makes biofuel from castor oil extracted from castor trees and its growing demand is proving to be a disruptor in the commercial farming
December 5, 2018
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(University of York/EurekAlert!) Scientists studying the digestive system of a curious wood-eating crustacean have discovered it may hold the key to sustainably converting wood into biofuel. Gribble are small marine invertebrates that have evolved to perform an important ecological role eating the abundant supplies of wood washed into the sea from
December 4, 2018
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(Biofuels International) New research has evaluated a number of specific regions across the United States and concluded Florida is the best for algae production. According to a statement, the 19 month long study involving scientists from NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) and Arizona State University (ASU) concluded that Florida’s humidity and
December 3, 2018
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(Science Daily) Researchers successfully developed a biocontainment strategy for GMOs. Their new method prevents genetically modified microalgae from surviving outside of their test environment, enabling ways to more safely research the effects of GMOs. Hiroshima University (HU) researchers successfully developed a biocontainment strategy for genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. Their new
December 3, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Many prominent bioenergy critiques are feedstock-focused — for example, iLUC (Searchinger et al. 2008), carbon debt. Marginal land strategies identify areas where energy crops likely have competitive advantage for productivity and/or conservation based on Biophysical characteristics (land capability classification) and past/current land use (pasture/rangeland, ‘abandoned’ land.
December 3, 2018
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(University of Borås/Alpha Galileo) Wastes become resources in the project Ways2Taste, where researchers at the University of Borås are developing methods for growing fungi on material that would otherwise have become waste. The goal is to produce climate-smart materials–including a whole new source of protein. Two of the world’s major environmental
November 30, 2018
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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 November 29th. … #3 Munich researchers use algae to convert waste gas to carbon fiber In Germany, researchers at the Technical University of Munich are
November 30, 2018
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(Science/Business) Europe’s leading universities in the field of the bioeconomy are looking to further intensify their existing cooperation to develop common problem-solving approaches for society’s most urgent challenges. JOINT PRESS RELEASE from the Universities of Hohenheim, Bologna, and Eastern Finland, AgroParisTech, BOKU Vienna, and Wageningen University and Research Think Tank for
November 27, 2018
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(Ruhr-Universität Bochum) How exactly certain algae enzymes produce hydrogen has previously been the subject of speculation. Dr. Martin Winkler, dr. Jifu Duan, Prof. dr. Eckhard Hofmann and Prof. Dr. med. Thomas Happe from the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB), together with colleagues from Freie Universität Berlin, succeeded for the first time in exactly reproducing the pathway of the
November 26, 2018
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(University of Huddersfield) The use of seawater in the production of bioethanol significantly reduces of water footprint in the bioethanol production industry. Bioethanol is a climate-friendly alternative to petrol and its adoption has been encouraged by many governments. In the fight against global warming, bioethanol fuel is seen as a climate-friendly
November 23, 2018
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by Lina Zeldovich (National Public Radio) … But a team of scientists at Ben-Gurion University in Israel is preparing something different: turkey poop. They say that when cooked under the right temperature, pressure and other conditions, turkey droppings transform into a form of coal, which can fuel power plants and serve
November 23, 2018
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(Norwegian University of Science and Technology/EurekAlert) Norway’s forestry wastes could meet 20 per cent of its aviation fuel needs while protecting the environment — Even travelling relatively short distances in Norway’s populated south, say from Bergen to Trondheim, two major coastal cities 700 km apart, takes up to 12 hours by car
November 22, 2018
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(Biofuels Digest) Watch ABLC Global presentations on BioChannelTV. WATCH VIDEO
November 21, 2018
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by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Israel, researchers at the Ben-Gurion University Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research have published a study in the Journal of Cleaner Production showing the use of hydrothermal carbonization to transform human waste into hydrochar for use as biofuel. A byproduct of the process is a liquid fertilizer for
November 21, 2018
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(ResearchGate) The new method reduces carbon emissions and turns wastewater treatment plants into green generators. A significant downside to wastewater treatment plants is their carbon footprint. Now, researchers have found a way to reduce carbon emissions from sewage and produce hydrogen energy at the same time. Their method uses purple bacteria and electrical
November 19, 2018
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by Jon Vanderford (1011 Now) The algae found in a lab at the University of Nebraska’s Beadle Center may hold the key to clean water. Research on algae first started several years ago with a goal of producing oil. “The initial impetus was a DOE project involving many labs here in
November 16, 2018
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Alan Brent (Victoria University of Wellington’s School of Engineering and Computer Science) … Where we haven’t reached consensus is what to do with heavy transport and aviation, which our economy (like any other) highly depends on. For KiwiRail to switch from electric to diesel locomotives just doesn’t make sense—unless, of course, they
November 16, 2018
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The USA Science & Engineering Festival Expo will return to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC on April 25-26, 2020! Sneak Peek Friday, the ultimate STEM field trip, will offer students and teachers the opportunity to experience the Expo before the general public on Friday, April 24,
November 15, 2018
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(The Engineer) Researchers in Germany have developed an enzyme-based biofuel cell that can match the performances of fuel cells made using platinum. — Described in Nature Communications, the biofuel cell uses the enzyme hydrogenase as a catalyst in place of the precious metal. However, enzymes must be stored in an aqueous environment, making
November 15, 2018
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(University of Maryland) The Maryland Energy Innovation Institute (MEI2) is focused on translating university energy research into new clean energy companies in the State of Maryland and thus simultaneously benefiting our environment and creating high paying jobs to help our State economy. MEI2 proposes a unique opportunity through the following seed
November 14, 2018
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(BTN Live BIG) With a specially-built algae growth system, University of Maryland researchers are scrubbing excess nutrients from Chesapeake Bay waters, a process that will help restore oxygen levels in the troubled coastal ecosystem. The algae, in turn, can be used to produce methane, a renewable resource for green energy. WATCH
November 14, 2018
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by Bruno Roque and Jakeline de Oliveira * (University of Goiás/Advanced Biofuels USA) The New Brazilian Policy for biofuels called RenovaBio was one of the topics addressed at the 15th Congress of Research, Education and Extension (Conpeex) held on October 16, 2018, at Federal University of Goiás (UFG in Portuguese).
November 14, 2018
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(Loyola Phoenix (Chicago)) One of Loyola’s intercampus shuttles stopped running on the road, and another couldn’t drive faster than 20 miles per hour after biodiesel froze in their engines Friday, Loyola officials said. A third shuttle stopped running Tuesday for the same reason, according to the university, leaving students to wait
November 14, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) 3Bar Biologics’ Bio-YIELD uses naturally occurring microbes that are precisely matched to specific crops and soil environments. These microbes were discovered and isolated during a 15-year extensive research process by scientists at The Ohio State University. The Bio-YIELD inoculant system makes it easy for farmers to
November 14, 2018
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The 2019 GC&E Conference and 9th Annual GSC Conference provides a perfect venue to present your research, deepen your understanding through sessions and workshops, network with green chemistry and engineering leaders, and meet fellow peers around from around the world. POSTER COMPETITION Students participating in the poster session have a
November 12, 2018
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by Leyla Battista-Channell* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Auburn, Alabama: Home to the Auburn tigers, the “loveliest village on the plains,” and this year’s host to the Thermochemical Sciences Symposium. Previously held at other universities, why Auburn University this year? The Biosystems Engineering department at Auburn University has been on the rise
November 12, 2018
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The first Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals was held in 1978 and hosted by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Oak Ridge, TN). It was the first technical meeting focusing exclusively on the biotechnologically-‐mediated conversion of renewable feedstocks, especially lignocellulosic plant biomass, to fuels and chemicals. This annual meeting soon
November 12, 2018
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by Chris Barncard (University of Wisconsin–Madison) An unprecedented comparison of hundreds of species of yeasts has helped geneticists brew up an expansive picture of their evolution over the last hundreds of millions of years, including an analysis of the way they evolved individual appetites for particular food sources that may be
November 12, 2018
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(U.S. Department of Energy/Phys.Org) … Researchers processed and experimentally measured ethanol production from five different herbaceous feedstocks. They examined two annuals (corn stover and energy sorghum) along with three perennials (switchgrass, miscanthus, and restored prairie). They determined that a lignocellulosic ethanol refinery could use a range of plant types without having
November 12, 2018
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(The Hindu) The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has signed a three-year, Rs. 11 crore deal with The Energy and Research Institute to set up a centre to produce “advanced biofuels and bio-commodities.” This is the fifth such dedicated centre for bioenergy-research and development set up by the Department. The others are
November 10, 2018
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(ePURE) Online resource answers common questions about renewable ethanol and sustainable biofuels — Ethanol Facts, a new online resource for information about renewable ethanol, launched today as part of an effort to help inform the public about the production, use, sustainability and importance of ethanol as a renewable fuel. The ethanolfacts.eu website has been
November 9, 2018
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(Linköping University/Phys.Org) Using the energy from the sun and graphene applied to the surface of cubic silicon carbide, researchers at Linköping University, Sweden, are working to develop a method to convert water and carbon dioxide to the renewable energy of the future. They have now taken an important step toward this
November 9, 2018
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(Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft/TechExplore) … Even then, gasoline would still be required to power combustion engines, which will be operating for decades to come. The only sustainable way to keep us mobile is to replace this gasoline with alternative fuels. Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Microengineering and Microsystems IMM, working together with twelve
November 7, 2018
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Lee Lynd issued a call to action in a recent Nature Biotechnology commentary: Three key measures should be part of any effort to revitalize cellulosic biofuels. First, pursue commercial deployment in achievable, successively enabling steps, proceeding from where the industry is today. Second, maximize social and environmental benefits based on examples
November 7, 2018
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Cyclotron Road is a fellowship program affiliated with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory that supports leading entrepreneurial scientists as they advance a project with the potential for global impact. Since 2015, more than $15 million has been awarded to 41 fellows who have gone on to generate more than $75
November 6, 2018
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by Richard Cuthbertson (CBC News) Dalhousie University chemical engineer Sophia He is converting coffee grounds into fuel that could power cars — When chemical engineer Sophia He was recruited to Dalhousie University’s agriculture school five years ago, she began to brainstorm with local farmers about how leftover organic material could be turned into
November 5, 2018
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The 14th Annual Summer Institute for Climate Change Education will be in Washington D.C, co-hosted by the Lowell School. Join a network of teachers from across the country dedicated to bringing climate change education into Humanities classrooms! Content will be focused for grades 6-12 teachers in Social Studies/ELA/Political Science/Environmental Studies
November 5, 2018
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(Tokyo Tech News) Results from a collaborative study by Tokyo Tech and Tohoku University, Japan, raise prospects for large-scale production of algae-derived starch, a valuable bioresource for biofuels and other renewable materials. Such bio-based products have the potential to replace fossil fuels and contribute to the development of sustainable systems and
November 5, 2018
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German-Language STEM Workshops at University of Rhode Island for High School Students–CO2 Experiment
by Michael Eggleston* (Advanced Biofuels USA) For scientists, technicians, engineers and mathematicians, Germany offers a broad range of opportunities when it comes to higher education and professional development. The University of Rhode Island’s (URI) German International Engineering Program (GIEP), together with the Goethe-Institut Boston and the American Association of Teachers
November 5, 2018
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by Lee R. Lynd (Energy Today/Nature Biotechnology/Dartmouth College) Why cellulosic biofuels have fallen short of expectations and what we can do about it. — A robust second-generation biofuels industry based on inedible cellulosic biomass available as wood, grass, and various wastes was widely expected to be in place by now. Anticipated benefits
November 5, 2018
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(North American Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance) EcoAgriculture Partners, a non-profit, integrated-landscape-management advocacy group, has announced a new climate smart agriculture (CSA) training curriculum is under development. Louise Buck, the organization’s director of collaborative management, was in New York City for last month’s Climate Week NYC , where she introduced the Training Curriculum
November 2, 2018
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(North American Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance) Poplar saplings being grown at the University of California Davis are not expected to survive the rigorous conditions simulating prolonged droughts and heat waves that are being imposed on them. But they are helping a team of researchers make ones that can. Poplar provides a
November 2, 2018
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(North American Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance) An international research team has found they can increase corn productivity by targeting the enzyme in charge of capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. In a report published in the journal Nature Plants, researchers note that corn is a staple food for billions of people around
November 2, 2018
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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 November 1st In today’s Digest, biobased credit cards, useful products from diapers, chicken-fat biodiesel, mobile-based precision ag, biodegradable insualtion, soy synth meat, algae-based straws —
November 2, 2018
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(India Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology) Memorandum of Understanding was exchanged between Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India and The Energy and Research Institute (TERI) today (31st October 2018) for setting up of India’s first ever DBT–TERI Centre for Integrated Production of Advanced Biofuels
November 1, 2018
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by Chuck Zimmerman (Energy.AgWired.com) The National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) is announcing plans to launch a new competition for student members in conjunction with the 2019 Agri-Marketing Conference in Kansas City. The competition will take place on Tuesday, April 9. The Student NAMA Sales Competition is an individual sales call skills challenge. With this
November 1, 2018
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(Xinhua) Israeli researchers have discovered a method to turn the waste generated by olive oil production into fuel used by vehicles, the news website Ynet published Friday. During the olive oil production process, of every 1,000 kg of olives squeezed in the olive press, only 200 kg of olive oil are
October 31, 2018
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(Algae Biomass Organization) Six student scientists were presented with this year’s Young Algae Researcher Awards for their contributions to fields of algae biology and engineering at the 2018 Algae Biomass Summit, held in The Woodlands, Texas Oct 14-17. The awards are presented at the annual conference to recognize outstanding research projects by early-career scientists
October 31, 2018
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by Charles Dunlap (The Mexico Ledger) … “The question is whether there will be a restraining order prohibiting the rules to go forward or not,” Murphy (Steve Murphy, POET general manager at the Laddonia refinery) said, adding the EPA is trying to apply the rule governing E10 to E15. “It has to
October 29, 2018
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(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Seventeen students from Red Rock Central High School toured Highwater Ethanol today to learn about their local ethanol facility’s business practices and economic footprint. The students, who were 12th graders from the school’s Ag Business class, were briefed on the various processes of ethanol production at Highwater Ethanol, which
October 29, 2018
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(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Fourteen students from Minnesota State University, Mankato toured Guardian Energy yesterday to get a closer look at clean renewable energy production. During the tour, the students learned several components of ethanol production including incoming grain grading, grain handling, fermentation, grain storage, dried distiller grain production and storage, ethanol
October 29, 2018
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by Emma Stoye (Chemistry World) Scientists constructing enzyme library make serendipitous discovery — Researchers have made more active, heat tolerant versions of two potentially useful enzymes by reconstructing the forms thought to exist in the ancestor to all modern vertebrates 450 million years ago. They say this approach – demonstrated on a
October 29, 2018
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(University College Dublin Innovation) €28 million in total invested in BEACON and National Bioeconomy Campus; Launch at Lisheen part of inaugural Bioeconomy Ireland Day — Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed TD today launched the new €22.2 million BEACON Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre at the €5.75 million National Bioeconomy Campus
October 26, 2018
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by Jessica Cox (Colorado State University/Phys.Org) … Another source used to create biofuel is algae – both single-celled microalgae and macroalgae such as kelp. Though algal biofuels are a more sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, there remains room to improve the production of the algae used to create them. Ken Reardon, the Jud and Pat Harper
October 26, 2018
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by Rochelle Li (The Cornell Daily Sun) A Cornell professor believes biofuel can make fuel cleaner, and was recently granted $2 million by the Department of Energy to research the future of biofuel use in diesel engines. Prof. Thomas Avedisian, mechanical and aerospace engineering, hopes to answer whether enough biofuel can
October 26, 2018
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(Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory/Phys.Org) Microbes in the gastrointestinal tract of ruminants such as moose help break down recalcitrant plant biomass into carbon nutrients, but how do they do this over the course of seasons when the moose diet changes, and what microbes are involved? Now, an international research team has studied
October 26, 2018
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(Biofuels International) An Austrian university of technology, TU Wien (TUW), announced in a public release that it has developed a diesel engine that utilises over 70% bioethanol. TUW detailed the technology used in the development of the engine, which uses both diesel and bioethanol in a ‘special’ dual-fuel combustion process which
October 26, 2018
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(Iran Front Page) A group of Iranian researchers have developed the knowhow to produce biodiesel out of chicken fat. … In a laboratory project, Iranian researchers managed to carry out nanocatalysis-based synthesis which makes it possible to turn chicken fat into biodiesel. … “In recent years, researchers working in this field have
October 25, 2018
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(Texas A&M AgriLife Research/Ethanol Producer Magazine) A $2.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office to Texas A&M AgriLife Research will help researchers investigate potential discoveries for waste products used in lignocellulosic biofuel production, turning them into valuable agents used in producing commercial products such as biodiesel
October 24, 2018
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by Max Witynski (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) … For researchers, this means that the more carbon in the crop that ends up as carbon in the fuel, the better. But carbon efficiency may not be the whole story: fuel quality and energy requirements are also key factors for selecting next-generation biofuels
October 22, 2018
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(Algae Industry Magazine) Scientists at The Australian National University (ANU) have engineered tiny carbon-capturing engines from blue-green algae into plants, in an innovation that can help boost the yields of important food crops such as wheat, cowpeas and cassava. READ MORE/WATCH VIDEO
October 20, 2018
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by Kevin Zimmerman (Westfair Communications) “It’s a huge problem, both in the United States and internationally,” said REA Operations Manager Eric Metz. “And with population growth increasing, there’s going to be more Brown FOG going into the sewer systems,” which can result in overflows and blockages that can be expensive to
October 15, 2018
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by Jill Sakai (University of Wisconsin-Madison) A compound that has scientists seeing red may hold the key to engineering yeasts that produce better biofuels. A red pigment called pulcherrimin, naturally produced by several strains of wild yeasts, is synthesized in part through the same biochemical pathway that researchers hope to use
October 15, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) All through this month, Digest subscribers have been voting on the 40 Hottest Transformative Technologies in the Advanced Bioeconomy. While the Hot 50 concentrates on organizations — this set of rankings could include a complete process, a component, subprocess, a metabolic pathway, a computational system, a
October 12, 2018
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(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign/Phys.Org) For centuries, sugarcane has supplied human societies with alcohol, biofuel, building and weaving materials, and the world’s most relied-upon source of sugar. Now, researchers have extracted a sweet scientific prize from sugarcane: its massive and complex genome sequence, which may lead to the development of hardier
October 11, 2018
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(PHYCO2) PHYCO2 LLC reached a new milestone in its three-year pilot program with Michigan State University, announcing today the operation of its new, scalable algae production technology reactor, which will reduce the level of carbon emissions produced by electric power generation boilers. In 2015, PHYCO2 engaged with MSU to test its patented
October 11, 2018
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(Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) KIT’s researchers succeeded in producing renewable methane from a biomass-based synthesis gas mixture in their pilot plant for honeycomb methanation. The quality of this synthetic natural gas (SNG) is comparable to that of fossil natural gas and can be used as fuel in cogeneration and heating plants
October 11, 2018
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(University of Idaho National Biodiesel Education Program) Are you interested in starting your own biodiesel business? Our website now has a page with resources that may help you. Biodiesel Business Information These videos may assist you in determining what you need for your biodiesel business. Learning How To Make Biodiesel We
October 10, 2018
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by Theresa Duque (University of California Berkeley) A bacterium named Moorella thermoacetica won’t work for free. But UC Berkeley researchers have figured out it has an appetite for gold. And in exchange for this special treat, the bacterium has revealed a more efficient path to producing solar fuels through artificial photosynthesis. M.
October 10, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sustainable intensification of agricultural systems in combination with biorefinery processing can produce more biomass for bioenergy without imposing iLUC. That’s the topic of this illuminating overview from Poul Erik Laerke and Uffe Jørgensen of Aarhus University Foulum, as presented at a recent IEA Bioenergy Task 43
October 10, 2018
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(Rutgers Today) Green algae stole genes from bacteria to survive in harsh environments, Rutgers-led study suggests — Green algae that evolved to tolerate hostile and fluctuating conditions in salt marshes and inland salt flats are expected to survive climate change, thanks to hardy genes they stole from bacteria, according to a Rutgers-led study. These Picochlorum single-celled
October 9, 2018
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by Mark E. Griffin (University of Wisconsin-Madison/Phys.Org) An ideal biorefinery would turn renewable crops into a variety of fuels and products with little waste. A significant challenge in realizing this vision is what to do with lignin, a fibrous and difficult-to-break-down material in the cell walls of plants that gives them their
October 9, 2018
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by Michelle Beckford (go-Jamaica.com/University of Technology, Jamaica) The University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech, Ja.) and Elhydro Limited on Tuesday, October 2, 2018 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalise collaboration in biodiesel production and research. The MoU agreement signed by UTech, Jamaica President, Professor Stephen Vasciannie and Elhydro Limited President,
October 9, 2018
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by Staffan Persson (University of Melbourne/Phys.org) … Our new discovery, published in Nature Plants, shows how plant walls could be manipulated in the future to change the way we produce biofuels, bioplastics and other biomaterials. … In particular, understanding how to control the production of flexible primary walls, which support cell growth,
October 8, 2018
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by Laura Shields (Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Improving poplar biomass production under stress conditions — … Stresses, such as high temperatures and a lack of freshwater, can cause reduced crop growth or even complete loss. The rising frequency of these stressful periods inspires a race to find more tolerant plants.
October 8, 2018
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by Curtis Tate (North Jersey Record) CSX, the railroad that operates trains carrying millions of gallons of crude oil and ethanol through New Jersey every week, rolled out its Safety Train on Wednesday to help first responders prepare for an incident. The train includes the most common types of tank cars firefighters are likely
October 6, 2018
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by Edwin L. Aguirre (University of Massachusetts Lowell) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded a three-year, $1 million grant to a team of researchers from UMass Lowell, the University of Maine and Florida-based Mainstream Engineering Corp. to develop renewable fuel additives made from “woody biomass” – particularly sawdust from sawmills. “The
October 5, 2018
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by Julianne Beck (Northwestern University Campus News) A new collaboration led by Michael Jewett, professor of chemical and biological engineering at Northwestern University, will combine recent technological advancements in bioengineering to develop a transformative production system for next-generation biofuels and bioproducts. The multi-institutional project is supported by a three-year, $1.6 million contract
October 5, 2018
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(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Associati0n) Twenty-eight students from Sleepy Eye High School’s Natural Resources class toured Highwater Ethanol in Lamberton yesterday to get a better understanding of clean Minnesota-produced renewable energy. During the tour, the students were briefed on the various processes of ethanol production at the plant as well as potential career opportunities
October 5, 2018
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