Education – Advanced BioFuels USA

Your Amazon Boxes Could Be Turned into Biofuel: A New Microorganism Munches on Cardboard to Create a Source of Energy.

by Mark Wilson (Fast Company) … The problem is that recycling centers, with so much excess cardboard, just toss the material into a dump. But what if we could do something else—anything else—with all these boxes? Like fuel a car? Thanks to Sun-Mi Lee, a research scientist at the Clean

December 2, 2020 Read Full Article

Renewable Energy Group Celebrates 25 Year Anniversary with Video Series

(Renewable Energy Group) This week REG is celebrating 25 years of operations! We will be releasing videos all week recounting the last quarter century of hard work and dedication that got us here. Here is how it all started: Hear from Myron Danzer, current REG General Manager, and Matt Schultes,

December 1, 2020 Read Full Article

Green Methanol Production in Container Format

(Ruhr University Bochum) Methanol is an important raw material for the chemical industry. So far it has mostly been obtained from fossil natural gas. A team with RUB participation wants to change that. — The idea is based on CO 2 recycling and renewable energies. Methanol is produced from fossil natural

November 30, 2020 Read Full Article

Research Creates Hydrogen-Producing Living Droplets, Paving Way for Alternative Future Energy Sources

(University of Bristol) Scientists have built tiny droplet-based microbial factories that produce hydrogen, instead of oxygen, when exposed to daylight in air. The findings of the international research team based at the University of Bristol and Harbin Institute of Technology in China, are published today in Nature Communications. Normally, algal cells

November 27, 2020 Read Full Article

Modern Alchemy: University of North Dakota Aims to Turn Corn Stalks, Stems and Leaves into Jet Fuel

(University of North Dakota/News Wise) One of the significant challenges for renewable alternative fuels could be solved if a consortium of research laboratories led by the University of North Dakota can turn corn waste into jet fuel. Wayne Seames, Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering in the College of Engineering &

November 25, 2020 Read Full Article

$2.5 Million DOE Grant to Help MSU Researchers Measure Benefits of Growing Trees for Biofuel

(Mississippi State University) A $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy will benefit Mississippi State researchers in the university’s Forest and Wildlife Research Center studying the economic and ecological benefits of growing trees for biofuel production. The DOE funding will help MSU scientists study how to produce better, hardier

November 25, 2020 Read Full Article

3-D Printed Corals, New Bioreactors to Boost Microalgae Production for Biofuels

by Fintan Burke (Horizon Magazine/Phys.Org) Using light as an energy source, photosynthetic microalgae can be used to produce products like biofuels and cosmetics. But algae grown in a reactor block out the light on which they feed. New reactor designs could solve this problem and help the industry move forward. Photosynthetic

November 24, 2020 Read Full Article

Novel Cellulose Finding May Lead to New Chemicals, Biofuels

by Jamie Oberdick (Pennsylvania State University/Phys.Org) A multi-institutional research group led by two Penn State faculty members has identified, for the first time, how cellulose crystals orient themselves relative to the cell wall in plants, with potential implications for chemical and energy development. “A more detailed understanding of the structure of

November 20, 2020 Read Full Article

Greenhouse Gases to Carbon Neutrality and Carbon Negativity; an Overview of Popular Emission Terms

by Aytek Yuksel (Cummins) … This article brings you the basics around some of the common terms associated with air quality and emissions. What are the different greenhouse gases (GHG)? There are four primary greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and fluorinated gases. These are called greenhouse

November 19, 2020 Read Full Article

LIFE SMART AgroMobility Project Will Produce Biomethane to Fuel Agricultural Vehicles

(UPM/Gasnam/NGV Journal) The LIFE SMART AgroMobility project will work and research for the next three years in the production of biomethane from the processing of agricultural waste to later be used as fuel for agricultural vehicles and for biofertilizers. Its main objective is to demonstrate the viability of a new model

November 18, 2020 Read Full Article

Carbon-Capture Breakthrough Could Be a Game-Changer in Utilising CO₂

by Matthew Hill and Munir Sadiq (Monash University) The CSIRO and Monash University have developed a revolutionary device that captures carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere. Its inventors say it’s the most cost-effective method of capturing CO₂ yet devised. In the short term, they hope their Airthena device will be used to produce the 100

November 18, 2020 Read Full Article

‘Bold’ Ag Innovation Campus Breaks Ground in Crookston, Minnesota

(Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council/Biobased Diesel Daily) No small amount of grit, forward-thinking ideas or farmer leadership helped lead to a momentous day in Crookston, Minnesota, recently as ground was broken for the long-awaited Ag Innovation Campus’ small crush facility. “This is exciting―there are opportunities here,” said Tim Walz, the

November 18, 2020 Read Full Article

IIT-G Develops Method to Transform Industrial Wastes into Chemicals

(The Tribune) The Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT-G) on Monday said its researchers have formulated efficient ‘pincer’ catalytic systems that transform industrial/biomass wastes into valuable chemicals. According to the research team, tiny amounts of these ‘pincer catalysts’ repeatedly convert large amounts of industrial waste such as glycerol into lactic acid

November 17, 2020 Read Full Article

Tips for Picking the Right Cold Weather Biodiesel Blend

(Renewable Energy Group) …A common question Renewable Energy Group hears from fleet customers is, “What’s the right blend for me in the winter?” That leads to a cascade of other questions. Here are the ones we hear most frequently while we help fleets make sure they’re running on the right

November 17, 2020 Read Full Article

One Minute Video: The Use of Biofuels–Purchase Consciously

by Hannah DelSordo* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Created for Dickinson College’s Eco-Reps fall mission of People, Planet, Prosperity, this lively video helps people learn more about biofuels in order to consciously purchase vehicles that can reduce their carbon footprint. WATCH VIDEO *Hannah DelSordo expects her BA in International Studies and French

November 16, 2020 Read Full Article

OneUSDA Internship Program Application Deadline for Paid Summer 2021 Internship Is November 16

(U.S. Department of Agriculture)As part of the federal Pathways Program, the OneUSDA Internship Program offers paid, federal internships at USDA agencies and offices around the country for professional development opportunities in agriculture, natural resources, rural development, and other career fields. The program is available to high school to graduate students

November 14, 2020 Read Full Article

University of Eastern Finland Announces partnership with European Bioeconomy University’s Erasmus+ project to bring together bioeconomy studies

(Science Business/University of Eastern Finland) The School of Forest Sciences at the University of Eastern Finland is a partner in a new Erasmus+ project of the European Bioeconomy University, EBU, which seeks to develop a mechanism to enhance bioeconomy students’ cross-sectoral mindset. Thanks to a shared platform for online learning and

November 13, 2020 Read Full Article

Biobased Diesel Daily Editor Ron Kotrba Featured on National Biodiesel Board’s New Sustainability Website

(Biodiesel Sustainability Now/EIN Biofuel Industry Today) The National Biodiesel Board recently unveiled its new “Biodiesel Sustainability Now” website, which features sections such as “Sustainability Stories,” where readers can get inspired by biodiesel and renewable diesel in action; “The Basics,” which includes fundamental information about biodiesel and renewable diesel, explanations of

November 13, 2020 Read Full Article

Nano Grain-Based Ethanol Unit Opened at NSI

(Times of India) A nano grain-based ethanol unit, installed at the National Sugar Institute-Kanpur, was inaugurated by the vice-chancellor of the Harcourt Butler Technological University Kampur, on Thursday This unit is integrated with existing molasses-based ethanol unit and thus now the system would be ‘Multi Feed Stock Based Ethanol Unit’

November 10, 2020 Read Full Article

University of Kentucky Researchers Launch a $2 Million Project to Study Sulfur Variability in Biofuel Feedstocks

by Katie Pratt (University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment) Sulfur found in biofuel feedstock could pose serious problems to the industry, because it causes pollution, is toxic to the catalyst and corrosive to biorefinery equipment. A national group of scientists and industry partners led by researchers at the

November 6, 2020 Read Full Article

Renewable Fuels Association on the Election’s Impact on the Biofuel Sector

(RFD TV) One of the biggest issues the ag sector has been focusing on amid this election is the regulation of U.S. biofuels. Geoff Cooper, the president and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association, speaks with RFD-TV’s own Christina Loren on what he is focused on, what he would like

November 5, 2020 Read Full Article

Hybrid SOFC-Turbogenerator for Aircraft Newest DOE Awardee

(Maryland Energy Innovation Institute) In the latest round of funding, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $18.5M as part of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy’s (ARPA-E) Range Extenders for Electric Aviation with Low Carbon and High Efficiency (REEACH) program. The REEACH program objective is to develop a disruptive system to convert the chemical energy contained in

November 3, 2020 Read Full Article

CABBI Researchers Collaborate on Oilcane Pilot Project

by Jenna Kurtzweil (Brookhaven National Laboratory/Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation) From southeastern Florida to northern Mississippi to the Midwestern Corn Belt, CABBI scientists have struck sustainable oil with sugarcane. But the crop’s potential value to the renewable energy sector earns this particular variety a more appropriate designation: oilcane.

November 3, 2020 Read Full Article

Bioenergy Research Team Sequences Miscanthus Genome

(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign/Phys.Org) An international research team has sequenced the full genome of an ornamental variety of miscanthus, a wild perennial grass emerging as a prime candidate for sustainable bioenergy crops. The genome project—led by scientists at the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI), a Department of Energy

October 30, 2020 Read Full Article

7 Big Deals, and Why They’re Big — Microsoft, Cargill, ADM, Aemetis, Lygos, Alaska Airlines, SkyNRG, Biofine, and Ways2H

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) There’s been a barrage of big deals this week and here’s The Digest’s exclusive take on the biggest 7 deals, why they are big, and more. In today’s Digest, we’ve got the latest deal details that include Microsoft, Cargill, ADM, Aemetis, Lygos, Alaska Airlines, SkyNRG, Biofine,

October 29, 2020 Read Full Article

New Lignin-Splitting Method Inspired by Nature

by Mark E. Griffin (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) … “Bacteria and fungi break down plants through a number of different ways. When you see mushrooms growing on dead logs in a forest, they are breaking down the plant cell wall into small pieces that they ‘eat’ so that they

October 29, 2020 Read Full Article

Making Biodiesel from Dirty Old Cooking Oil Just Got Way Easier

(RMIT University/EurekAlert!) New ultra-efficient catalyst can recycle old cooking oil into biodiesel and turn food scraps into high-value complex molecules — Researchers have developed a powerful, low-cost method for recycling used cooking oil and agricultural waste into biodiesel, and turning food scraps and plastic rubbish into high-value products. The method harnesses

October 27, 2020 Read Full Article

Sustainable Bioeconomy Vital for Freshwater Resources

(Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research/Phys.Org) In the future, the world may increasingly rely on renewable biomass resources for the provision of food, fodder, fiber and fuel. How this transition to a bioeconomy will affect Nordic water resources, is something BIOWATER, a Nordic Centre of Excellence, is currently looking into. In a

October 23, 2020 Read Full Article

UW Oshkosh, Agra Energy Bring Biofuel Technology to Dairy Farms

(University of Wisconsin Oshkosh/Biomass Magazine) The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh has partnered with Agra Energy Corp. to promote a new technology that converts biogas to fuel. The renewable solution makes use of Agra Energy’s Micro-GTL (gas-to-liquids) technology that converts methane-rich biogas into liquid fuels that meet diesel fuel specifications. “Agra Energy’s

October 21, 2020 Read Full Article

Happy Bioenergy Day!

CELEBRATE BIOENERGY DAY! Remember, bioenergy includes transportation energy like ethanol, biodiesel, renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuel, biojet, biobutanol and more. Let’s celebrate their contribution to defossilization of transportation as organizations all over the United States and Canada – businesses, nonprofits, universities, and state and local governments – showcase the many

October 21, 2020 Read Full Article

New Technology Turns Delivery Boxes into Biodiesel

(The Korea Bizwire) A newly developed technology is capable of producing biodiesel, an eco-friendly fuel for automobiles, using paper waste generated by parcel deliveries. Researchers from the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) announced Tuesday that they had developed a microorganism that can produce base materials for biodiesel from

October 20, 2020 Read Full Article

Communicating the Bioeconomy through Maps

(Teagasc) What is the bioeconomy? Is it relevant to me, my sector, my business, the place where I live or my farm? What is unique about it? How does Ireland compare relative to other European countries? And how can I get involved? These are questions that a series of maps, released

October 20, 2020 Read Full Article

New Grants Support RFA’s Award-Winning Safety Education

(Renewable Fuels Association) The Renewable Fuels Association has recently been awarded $75,000 in grants to support its safety education program through on-site seminars and Internet webinars. Both grants were received via the association’s work with TRANSCAER, a voluntary national outreach effort that focuses on assisting communities to prepare for and respond

October 19, 2020 Read Full Article

The Climate Threat to Bank Portfolios

by Kelsey Tamborrino (Politico’s Morning Energy) U.S. banks’ loan portfolios are more exposed to climate change-induced risks than previously thought, according to a new report from business sustainability group Ceres. Roughly half of syndicated loans among major U.S. banks — the large loans issued to one borrower from multiple lenders — are vulnerable

October 19, 2020 Read Full Article

NCERC at SIUE Creates Future Leaders of Future Fuels

(Southern Illinois University Edwardsville) The National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center (NCERC) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has launched a new initiative “Future Leaders of Future Fuels,” focused on developing its own employees’ knowledge of the biofuels industry. The Future Leaders group consists of Scientific Analysts Rachel Carpio and Kaitlin Lasseigne, Operations Manager

October 16, 2020 Read Full Article

Process Systems Engineering for Biofuels Development

edited by Adrian Bonilla-Petriciolet, Gade Pandu Rangaiah , Christian V. Stevens (Wiley) A comprehensive overview of current developments and applications in biofuels production — Process Systems Engineering for Biofuels Development brings together the latest and most cutting-edge research on the production of biofuels. As the first book specifically devoted to process systems

October 15, 2020 Read Full Article

New Star-Studded Netflix Doc Suggests Regenerative Agriculture Will Solve the Climate Crisis — Exclusive

by Sophie Hirsch (Green Matters) To significantly mitigate the climate crisis, there are a lot of problems humans need to solve — and as the new Netflix documentary Kiss the Ground suggests, one of the biggest problems is right under your feet: the soil. Narrated by Woody Harrelson and featuring music from

October 15, 2020 Read Full Article

A State Policy Landscape: K12 Climate Action

(K12 Climate Action/Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Program) A State Policy Landscape: K12 Climate Action looks at key areas where states have policies that can support schools in moving toward climate action. The report highlights opportunities for growth by focusing on state-level policy in the following areas. With 98,000 public schools

October 15, 2020 Read Full Article

Activate Fellowship Application Open DEADLINE October 30, 2020

(Activate.org) A two-year fellowship to turn your technology concept into a product. TWO YEARS OF FUNDING Fellows receive a yearly living stipend of $80,000 to $110,000 plus a health insurance stipend and travel allowance. This enables them to focus on their project full-time. Each project also receives $100,000 of research

October 14, 2020 Read Full Article

Lallemand to Sponsor RFA Young Professionals Network in 2021

by Jackie Pohlman (Renewable Fuels Association) Today (October 9, 2020), the Renewable Fuels Association is proud to announce that Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits has partnered with RFA as the title sponsor of the Young Professionals Network in 2021. As the YPN meets the goals of its growing membership base, new

October 13, 2020 Read Full Article

Q&A: How Regenerative Ag Benefits Farmers in General Mills’ Key Sourcing Regions

by Nate Birt (Farm Journal Ag Web) Over the past year, a wave of global food companies have transitioned their focus from sustainable to regenerative agriculture. General Mills—maker of Cheerios cereal, Yoplait yogurt, Nature Valley granola bars and Pillsbury desserts, among its more than 100 brands—has been doing that for years.

October 13, 2020 Read Full Article

What Is Flex Fuel? It’s All about Renewable Options

by Tony Markovich (The Drive) … Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFV) have spread throughout the automotive industry during the past 20 years and offer customers a fuel choice other than traditional gasoline. It’s not a hybrid or an electric car, but it’s something, and every little something can help. Read The Drive’s Garage

October 9, 2020 Read Full Article

WEBINARS: Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Early Career Training Webinar Series — Monthly September 9-December 16, 2020

CHCI is proud to announce the launch of our virtual recruitment series. Join us for a series of events designed to make you a more competitive applicant for CHCI or any leadership development program. All events will feature information about all of CHCI’s professional programs, unless the session title notes

October 9, 2020 Read Full Article

CHCI Announces New Social Equity Fellowship to Advance Equality in Society

(Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute) For over 40 years, CHCI has empowered Latino leaders and their communities to make a positive impact in our nation’s politics, culture, and society – yet, we know there is still work to be done. This year, a focus on the Hispanic community is more important

October 9, 2020 Read Full Article

Algae for Fuel Production on Mars

by Brian Wang (Next Big Future) Algae could be used for fuel production on Mars and it would also produce oxygen on Mars. It would also produce fertilizer for growing crops on Mars. Georgia Tech aims to reduce the Entry Descent Landing (EDL) mass of a crewed mission to Mars by

October 8, 2020 Read Full Article

Replacing Fossil Fuels? Gene-Edited Algae Could Help Cut Biodiesel Production Costs

(Genetic Literacy Project/ISAAA) Hiroshima University researchers developed a highly efficient genome editing system for microalga Nannochloropsis oceanica, which is a potential source of biodiesel. Algae gather high concentrations of lipids through photosynthesis and these lipids can be used as feedstocks for sustainable new energies called biodiesels. Nannochloropsis species are microalgae that produce high amounts of lipids. However, production

October 8, 2020 Read Full Article

Bacterial Cellulose Degradation System Could Give Boost to Biofuels Production

(National Institutes of Natural Sciences/Phys.Org) … When plants are processed into biofuels or other biomass applications, cellulose has to be degraded into simpler sugar molecules first, and this step can represent up to a quarter of the operating and capital costs of biofuel production. If this process can be made faster

October 8, 2020 Read Full Article

Prince William and the Royal Foundation Launched the Earthshot Prize

(Royal Foundation) Prince William and The Royal Foundation have launched The Earthshot Prize – the most prestigious global prize for the environment in history. The Prize will incentivise change and help to repair our planet over the next ten years – a critical decade for the Earth. The launch comes after two

October 8, 2020 Read Full Article

ISU: USDA Grant to Fund Anaerobic Digestion Research

(Illinois State University/Biomass Magazine) David Kopsell, professor of horticulture at Illinois State University, and LC (Liangcheng) Yang, assistant professor of environmental health at ISU, have received a two-year, nearly $150,000 grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The purpose of this USDA-NIFA grant program is to increase the capacity

October 7, 2020 Read Full Article

Climate Solutions Workshop for Educators — October 17 or 29, 2020 — ONLINE

The Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program and the Wisconsin Energy Institute are excited to bring no-cost interactive climate solutions workshops to your middle or high school classroom. Explore the En-ROADS simulation with us as you network with other teachers and imagine how this workshop fits into your curriculum. En-ROADS is

October 7, 2020 Read Full Article

ACS GCI Seeks Educators to Develop Undergrad Chemistry Modules DEADLINE November 20, 2020

What if chemistry students graduated with the toolset—and mindset—to tackle the grand challenges of sustainability? What if educators had go-to resources to teach fundamental chemistry concepts within the context of big-picture issues like the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals and using a systems thinking approach? The ACS GCI’s Green Chemistry Education

October 7, 2020 Read Full Article

Harnessing Plant Power for Renewable Energy

(University of Leeds) Tapping into the myriad uses of plants and fungi could save people and the planet, says new report — University of Leeds researchers have joined forces with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew to conduct research into the plants and fungi that could be used as a source of

October 7, 2020 Read Full Article

WEBINAR: Teach Climate Network Workshop: Supporting Youth Leaders — October 21, 2020

(Climate Generation) During this election season we are reflecting on the power of intergenerational climate change education and activism. As adults and youth come together in common cause, their voices and power are magnified. This month we look to youth for inspiration on what they are doing to turn hardship

October 6, 2020 Read Full Article

US EPA Announces $3 Million for 12 Food Waste AD Projects

(Bioenergy Insight) The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has selected 12 organisations and projects to receive around $3 million (€2.55 million) in funding to help reduce food loss and waste and divert food waste from landfills by expanding anaerobic digestion (AD) capacity in the US. The project types chosen for

October 6, 2020 Read Full Article

Award of Excellence Recipient Doug Tiffany Knows ‘Rural Values’

by Tom Bryan (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The prolific career of Doug Tiffany, recipient of the 2020 Award of Excellence, is indelibly linked to his connections to agriculture and farmland. Ethanol and its coproducts have been a frequent point of focus for the University of Minnesota production economist. … While seemingly

October 5, 2020 Read Full Article

Biorefining of Sugarcane Bagasse to Fermentable Sugars and Surface Oxygen Group-Rich Hierarchical Porous Carbon for Supercapacitors

by Xiaoxiang Wang, Li Cao, Rosmala Lewis, Tubuxin Hreid, Zhanying Zhang, Hongxia Wang (Renewable Energy) Oxygen-rich porous carbon from sugarcane bagasse via facile biorefining process. Symmetric cell exhibits high energy density of 5.86 Wh kg−1 with 97% retention. Solid residue yield reached 36.1% which can be a feedstock for valuable product. Revealed

October 5, 2020 Read Full Article

EcoUniversity: Regulatory Training & Education

(EcoEngineers) Successful clean energy project owners require a solid grasp of the regulatory requirements that drive value to their projects. Our portfolio of training and education workshops will empower you to make informed decisions on your behalf and maintain compliance in an ever-evolving regulatory landscape as we transition to a low-carbon

October 2, 2020 Read Full Article

Science Students, Rise to the Challenge! Apply for a Scholarship to National Biodiesel Conference DEADLINE: November 8, 2020

(National Biodiesel Board) The National Biodiesel Board invites university students majoring in scientific fields of study, and who have a passion for biodiesel as an energy innovation on the rise, to apply for a special opportunity. Student members of the Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel can apply for a scholarship to

October 2, 2020 Read Full Article

MSU Researchers to Lead $11 Million Study to Deepen Understanding of Camelina

by Reagan Colyer (Montana State University News Service) A research team led by faculty in Montana State University’s College of Agriculture received $5.1 million from the U.S. Department of Energy designed to explore camelina, an oilseed with the potential to be an alternative biofuel and multi-use crop. The MSU team, led by Chaofu

October 1, 2020 Read Full Article

In Celebration of National Clean Energy Week, CEBN and the Business Council for Sustainable Energy Launch Interactive Suite of Infographics

(Clean Energy Business Network) Clean energy industries represented the growth sectors of the U.S. energy economy over the past decade, providing good-paying jobs while supporting a cleaner, healthier future for communities across the nation. In celebration of National Clean Energy Week, CEBN and the Business Council for Sustainable Energy are pleased to

September 30, 2020 Read Full Article

Powerful Pennycress: Dr. Sedbrook’s Research Team Is Transforming a Weed into a Crop

(Illinois State University) Though farmers consider pennycress (Thlaspi arvense) nothing more than a weed, Illinois State Professor of Genetics Dr. John Sedbrook is working to change their perspective—and the plant itself. Sedbrook and his student researchers in the School of Biological Sciences are genetically modifying pennycress as part of a

September 29, 2020 Read Full Article

New Tech Converts Natural Gas to Hydrogen at Scale Anywhere and Plastic-Eating Enzyme ‘Cocktail’ Heralds Hope for Plastic Waste

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … In today’s Digest, how Florida-based Transform Materials is literally transforming the petrochemical industry’s ability to convert flared natural gas often emitted at hydraulic fracking wellheads into hydrogen and acetylene using microwave plasma technology, and how scientists who re-engineered the plastic-eating enzyme PETase have now

September 29, 2020 Read Full Article

Switching to Switchgrass – Will DOE and USDA Funding Turn Switchgrass into a Rockstar Biofuel Feedstock?

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … So as we look for better biofuel feedstocks, we look at switchgrass because of new U.S. Department of Energy AND U.S. Department of Agriculture funding to study it for biofuels. Could it be the next biofuel feedstock Rockstar? Or will it be a

September 28, 2020 Read Full Article

“Just A Minute” Short Educational Video about Retrofitting to Use E85 in Existing Vehicles

(Advanced Biofuels USA) The third in the “Just A Minute about Renewable Fuels” short educational video series in four minutes explains how to decrease the carbon footprint of existing vehicles while waiting for electric vehicles to be affordable, available, powered by renewables using fair trade batteries. It describes flex fuel

September 25, 2020 Read Full Article

TSCA Fundamentals — October 19-29, 2020 — ONLINE

Invaluable training on the essentials of TSCA — Implementation of the amended Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) is very much a work in progress, and the US EPA’s regulatory actions require continuous monitoring. Staying on top of these changes is critically important, and training on current regulatory requirements is vital.

September 24, 2020 Read Full Article

RFA’s Virtual Heartland Tour Gives Congressional and Agency Staff an Inside Look at Ethanol Industry

(Renewable Fuels Association) Congressional staff and other federal and state decisionmakers got an up-close virtual look at the U.S. ethanol industry last week as part of the Renewable Fuels Association’s Virtual Heartland Tour. The event included a series of educational videos on timely topics and Q&As with farmers, ethanol producers and

September 24, 2020 Read Full Article

New Biochar Learning Center (BLC)

by Kelpie Wilson (US Biochar Initiative Newsletter) Biochar stories and research are found online everywhere now. That’s great, but how can you determine which information is most current and credible? Providing you with reliable answers is the goal of USBI’s new Biochar Learning Center (BLC) on the USBI website. Over the next year,

September 23, 2020 Read Full Article

Researchers Working to Grow Algae for Biofuels in the Dark Using Solar Energy

by Jeff Kart (Forbes) …The researchers working on this are from University of California, Riverside (UCR) and it’s part of a two-year project. Those involved are being tight-lipped about the methods they’ll be using (pending the upcoming publication of research on a closely related project). What’s been announced so far: The work

September 23, 2020 Read Full Article

2020 U.S. C3E Poster Competition DEADLINE October 16, 2020

Students and early-career researchers are invited to participate in a poster competition at the annual U.S. C3E Symposium and Awards, which will be held December 8-9, 2020. The poster competition allows Symposium attendees to learn more about cutting-edge research in a variety of clean energy fields. A poster committee with

September 23, 2020 Read Full Article

2020 U.S. C3E Symposium and Awards — December 8-9, 2020 — ONLINE

The ninth U.S. Clean Energy Education and Empowerment (C3E) Women in Clean Energy Symposium and Awards will be held virtually on December 8-9, 2020. The C3E Symposium explores current topics in clean energy, recognizes accomplished women awardees, and builds a strong and interconnected network. Winners of the ninth annual C3E

September 23, 2020 Read Full Article

Researchers Create New Tool for Controlling Genes in Methanogens

(University of Arkansas) University of Arkansas researchers have developed an efficient tool for controlling genes in methanogens, a finding that could advance research in fields as diverse as climate change and biofuel production. The tool, a variation of the CRISPR-Cas9 system, was used to repress targeted gene functions in methanogens without

September 23, 2020 Read Full Article

Wisconsin Energy Bingo for Clean Energy Week — September 21-25, 2020

(Wisconsin Energy Institute) Celebrate Clean Energy Week from Sept 21-25 (or any time of the year) by completing energy bingo challenges from the bingo card here! You can also find a printable version here. Get an Energy Bingo by completing five challenges, during Clean Energy Week, that line up in a row across, up/down, or

September 22, 2020 Read Full Article

European Renewable Ethanol Industry Launches New Resource for Consumer Information on E10 Fuel

(ePURE) E10info.eu answers common questions about production, use and availability of ethanol petrol blend that helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions — E10info.eu, a new online resource for consumer information about the widely available E10 fuel blend, launched today (September 17, 2020) as part of a broader effort to highlight the importance

September 22, 2020 Read Full Article

Bestseller Foundation in Collaboration with Intellecap Africa Launches the First of Its Kind Accelerator for Waste Value Enterprises

(Intellecap) Based on the aspiration to support enterprises and build the waste sector in East Africa, BESTSELLER FOUNDATION in collaboration with Intellecap Africa launched the Waste to Value Challenge in December 2019. The Challenge was launched across four countries; Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda, and received over 400 applications out of

September 16, 2020 Read Full Article

New Process Boosts Lignin Bio-oil as a Next-Generation Fuel

(Georgia Tech News Center) A new low-temperature, multi-phase process for upgrading lignin bio-oil to hydrocarbons could help expand use of the lignin, which is now largely a waste product left over from the production of cellulose and bioethanol from trees and other woody plants. Using a dual catalyst system of superacid

September 14, 2020 Read Full Article

Plants Rule! Harnessing the Sun for a Negative-Carbon Bio-economy — September 29, 2020 — ONLINE

Tom L. Richard, PhD, Penn State professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering and Director of PSU Institutes of Energy and the Environment shares the importance of biological processes in reaching a Carbon-negative future and what is needed to reverse our already excessive concentration of Carbon Dioxide in our atmosphere. Dr. Richard

September 12, 2020 Read Full Article

Department of Energy Invests $72 Million in Carbon Capture Technologies

(U.S. Department of Energy) Today(September 1, 2020), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the award of approximately $72 million in federal funding to support the development and advancement of carbon capture technologies under two funding opportunity announcements (FOAs). Under this cost-shared research and development (R&D), DOE is awarding $51 million

September 12, 2020 Read Full Article

Coconut Waste Could be Used for Cheaper Biodiesel and Bioethanol Production

by Victoria Sinla (Nature World News) It has been found that the production of biodiesel and bioethanol from coconut waste is possible with specific chemical processes. As an environmentally attractive alternative to diesel fuel, biodiesel can be produced using the method of transesterification, with the use of alcohol to react with edible

September 11, 2020 Read Full Article

PODCASTS: DITCHED: Fossil Fuels, Money Flows and the Greening of Finance — Mondays through September 2020

(Political Climate) You may have seen the headlines about universities ditching their fossil fuel investments. Or perhaps you saw the news that BlackRock, one of the world’s largest financial firms, is getting out of coal and putting climate change at the center of its investment strategy. Pension funds, insurers, family offices

September 11, 2020 Read Full Article

Researchers Investigating a Renewable Solvent for Biofuel Production

(SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry) A research team at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) has a plan to turn waste into a green solvent for biofuel production. Doctors Chang Geun Yoo and Gyu Leem and their graduate students, Yunxuan Wang and Shuya Li, in the departments

September 10, 2020 Read Full Article

WEBINAR: Science and Other Ways of Knowing Workshop — September 30, 2020

Investigate how race, culture, and ethnicity impact our experience and understanding of climate change, and practice integrating scientific and traditional ecological ways of knowing in your lesson plans. This workshop is designed to support k-12 educators and families doing at home education. Participants will leave with new enthusiasm for climate

September 8, 2020 Read Full Article

Testing Household Food Waste Bin Behavior Change in Ireland

(BioCycle Magazine) The Food Waste Recycling Project is an initiative of Cré (Composting & Anaerobic Digestion Association of Ireland), the Regional Waste Management Planning Lead Authorities Connacht Ulster, Eastern Midlands, Southern (WMPLA) and the Irish Waste Management Association. With funding from the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE),

September 7, 2020 Read Full Article

Scientists Develop Technique to Produce Biofuel from Algae to Boost India’s Clean Energy Efforts

by Ankita Singh (The Logical Indian) The ministry said in that the use of microalgae has been strongly considered for the production of biofuels. — Indian scientists have developed low-cost biodiesel from microalgae under the INSPIRE programme of ministry of science and technology. The Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (Inspire) is

September 7, 2020 Read Full Article

How Farming Has Changed in Every State the Last 100 Years

(Houston Chronicle) Using current and past Census data, Stacker tracks the way the American farming industry has changed over the past century. Over the past century, American farming has changed dramatically. Crops with long histories like tobacco are still prevalent throughout the South, while many farmers across the country are now

September 5, 2020 Read Full Article

DOE Awards $1.3 Million Grant to Study Beneficial Links Between Biofuel Sorghum and Fungus

(AZO Cleantech) For years, researchers have been trying to harness the crop-growing benefits of the symbiotic relationship between plants and fungi. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), for example, can deliver water and nutrients to the roots of plants like sorghum, a grain used to produce biofuels. The US Department of Energy (DOE)

September 4, 2020 Read Full Article

Expert Q&A: Negative Emissions & Environmental Assessment Could Help Save the Planet

by Anthony J. Campanella (State University College at Buffalo/Planet Forward) George Washington University recently hosted a daylong workshop for NGOs on carbon dioxide removal and negative emissions. … One of the experts presenting at the event, Stanford University senior research scientist Katherine Mach, sat down with us to tell us more

September 4, 2020 Read Full Article

SUNY ESF Receives USDA Grant: Biomass Products Will Reinvigorate Abandoned Land

(SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry) SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), as a member of a mid-Atlantic consortium, has received $630,000 over five years from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop biomass systems and products with the potential to put abandoned lands and people

September 4, 2020 Read Full Article

ARPA-E Announces $16.5 Million for Technologies Supporting the Biofuels Supply Chain

(U.S. Department of Energy/ARPA-E) Today, the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy announced $16.5 million in funding for six projects as part of the Systems for Monitoring and Analytics for Renewable Transportation Fuels from Agricultural Resources and Management (SMARTFARM) program. These projects will develop technologies that bridge the data gap in the biofuel

September 4, 2020 Read Full Article

Ethanol Fuel Blends Safety Training for All First Responders and Interested Public—Be Prepared in a Changed World

by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) 1) We are no longer living in an all-hydrocarbon fuel world. 2) If there’s water involved, the ethanol stays with the water. 3) AR-AFFF is the only firefighting foam that can successfully extinguish an ethanol fire or suppress flammable vapors. 4) When firefighters are

September 3, 2020 Read Full Article

GTI Tech Talk Webinar Series — 30 minutes Monthly — ONLINE

The energy industry is in the midst of significant transformations. Technological innovation has produced an unprecedented abundance of affordable and clean energy supplies, with natural gas, efficiency, and renewable resources each playing essential roles in this dramatic transition. While great progress has been made, the ultimate set of solutions to