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(Caribou Biofuels/Biomass Magazine) Caribou Biofuels Inc., a company that develops hardware and systems to cost-effectively process biomass, has entered into an agreement with the Research Foundation for SUNY, on behalf of SUNY Cobleskill, to develop and commercialize a rotary gasifier that turns combustible waste into biofuel and a soil supplement. The
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(Aarhus University/EurekAlert!) Researchers have found an unusual, light-dependent enzyme in microalgae. A new project at the Department of Engineering, Aarhus University, will use the enzyme in a system to produce drop-in fuels from waste oils and fats. A grant of DKK 3 million (EUR 0.4 mill.) from the Novo Nordisk
December 13, 2019
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(Bismark State College) As the biomass industry grows and adapts to new technologies and innovations, qualified supervisors and managers will play an important role in ensuring the profitable operation of facilities well into the future. A Bachelor of Applied Science in Energy Management degree, available through Bismarck State College, will
December 12, 2019
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by Robson Tramontina, James L. Galman, Fabio Parmeggiani, Sasha R. Derrington, Timothy D. H. Bugg, Nicholas J. Turner, Fabio M. Squin and Neil Dixon (Green Chemistry) Sustainable production of fine chemicals and biofuels from renewable biomass offers a potential alternative to the continued use of finite geological oil reserves. However,
December 9, 2019
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by Sune Tjalfe Thomsen and Henning Jørgensen (IEA Bioenergy Task 39 Newsletter) 1. Status of transportation biofuel industry in Denmark In Denmark, a considerable part of the total energy demand is derived from renewable sources. In 2017, 26% of Denmark’s primary energy production of 658 PJ was from renewable energies (54%
December 6, 2019
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by Jim Shelton (Yale News) … The discovery, published online Nov. 27 in the journal Nature, finds a novel solution for two chemical tasks: producing methanol — a volatile, liquid fuel that is prized by industry — and removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Hailiang Wang, an assistant professor of chemistry
December 5, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) $2.25/gal or less than $3/gge (gallon gasoline equivalent) sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? That is one of the goals of a project that is working on developing engineered clostridial strains and a fermentation process that can directly utilize cellulose and fix CO2 for n-butanol production from
December 4, 2019
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by Lois Yoksoulian (University of Illinois News Bureau) Research from the University of Illinois and the University of California, Davis has chemists one step closer to recreating nature’s most efficient machinery for generating hydrogen gas. This new development may help clear the path for the hydrogen fuel industry to move into
December 3, 2019
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(ACS) July 7-14, 2020, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado Applications for 2020 are now open.APPLY NOW Apply by January 24, 2020 to be Considered for the Class of 2020. The application window will close at 11:59 p.m. (applicant’s local time) on Friday, January 24, 2020. Applicants will be notified
December 2, 2019
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by Milly Vincent (Daily Mail) Escherichia coli bacteria have been engineered by scientists to consume CO2; Scientists removed some genes added one for an enzyme that converts CO2; The bacteria feed off carbon dioxide instead of sugar to produce biofuels — … Escherichia coli bacteria have been engineered by scientists at the Weizmann
November 29, 2019
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(Solutions from the Land) Iowa agriculture, business, academic, government and conservation leaders met in Des Moines on Monday in a forum that began an exploration of the impacts that extreme weather events and changing climatic conditions are having on the state’s agriculture sector. More importantly, those participating in the event
November 26, 2019
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(University of Manchester) A move towards a more sustainable bio-based economy has been given a new boost by researchers who have been able to simplify a process to transform waste materials into high value chemicals. A collaboration between the UK and Brazil has shown that waste sugar cane and wheat
November 26, 2019
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(Dutch News) Researchers in Denmark have achieved speeds of up to 80 kph using a car powered by Dutch biofuel made from seaweed. The seaweed fuel was produced by scientists at the TNO research centre in Petten and at Wageningen University and is part of an EU-funded project to develop
November 21, 2019
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(Auburn University) Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM) Distinguished Research Professor of Industrial and Environmental Microbiology Ben Okeke has earned a Fulbright U.S. Scholar grant to study sustainable strategies for the production of renewable biodiesel fuels. His research study offers benefits for biofuel, agricultural and other industries. The Fulbright grant provides support
November 19, 2019
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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … In the Netherlands, BTG and GoodFuels are preparing for major investment in a new biorefinery to support shipping’s low carbon fuels demands. Biomass technology group BTG will set up a new company that can convert crude pyrolysis oil into diesel fuel suitable for the shipping
November 18, 2019
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by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Not only is the Manta Biofuel system a way to grow, harvest and process algae into oil that can be used for heating or powering heavy duty engines or ocean-going vessels, or as a feedstock for refineries; Dr. Ryan Powell sees the Manta Biofuel
November 16, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Even Hollywood is going green these days with the latest Bond movie sending 30 tons of food and biodegradable materials to anaerobic digester to generate electricity! And elephant poop is getting turned into upscale stationary paper. A revoluntionary catalyst is developed that is opening up hydrogen
November 15, 2019
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by Adam Hadhazy (Princeton University) Yeast already helps make bread and beer and cranks out the biofuel ethanol, but scientists believe it can be used to create an even more efficient fuel called isobutanol. Normally, yeast only creates a tiny amount of isobutanol. Now researchers at Princeton University have discovered a
November 15, 2019
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by Jeannie Kever (University of Houston) Holds Promise for Large-Scale Hydrogen Production, Desalination — Seawater is one of the most abundant resources on earth, offering promise both as a source of hydrogen – desirable as a source of clean energy – and of drinking water in arid climates. But even as
November 13, 2019
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(Bioenergy Insight) Plans to build the UK’s first commercial-scale Bio-Substitute Natural Gas (BioSNG) plant have been approved by the council. Cheshire West & Chester Council’s planning committee gave the green light to the £150 million (€174.2 million) project at Peel Environmental’s Protos site in Ellesmere Port, which will generate renewable
November 13, 2019
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by Soe Han Tha (Santa Barbara News Press) Households and businesses typically regard as waste the parts of plants that cannot be consumed, whether that be stems, roots, inedible leaves. What if this waste could be used as fuel or other commodity chemicals? A research group led by UCSB professor of chemical
November 8, 2019
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(Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association) Thirteen students from Minnesota State University, Mankato toured Guardian Energy in Janesville yesterday afternoon to learn about locally produced biofuel production. “Tours such as these educate students on the various roles ethanol plays in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, supporting the economy and improving our nation’s energy security,” said Jeanne
November 5, 2019
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(EurekAlert!/University of Illinois) The U.S. is the world’s largest producer of bioethanol as renewable liquid fuel, with more than 200 commercial plants processing over 16 billion gallons per year. Plants typically use dry grind processing methods; however, implementing fractionation techniques that separate corn components prior to fermentation can improve profitability, a
November 5, 2019
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(Welsh Government) The Counsel General and Brexit Minister, Jeremy Miles, visited Aberystwyth University today to open the new Bio-refining Centre and Seed Biobank buildings at the University’s Innovation and Enterprise Campus. Mr Miles, who is responsible for EU funding in Wales, announced a £3.7 million EU investment to extend the
November 4, 2019
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(Maersk) A.P. Moller – Maersk alongside with Wallenius Wilhelmsen, BMW Group, H&M Group, Levi Strauss & Co. and, Marks & Spencer to explore LEO – a blend of lignin and ethanol – that could be part of the future solution for sustainable shipping. — From the phone, tablet or computer you
October 31, 2019
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by Becky Webb (Chemistry World) Process generates bulk chemical from two renewable carbon sources — Scientists in China have developed a method to produce ethanol using the renewable resources lignin and carbon dioxide for the first time. The process uses a ruthenium–cobalt catalyst and involves three cascade reactions – breaking
October 31, 2019
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As the biomass industry grows and adapts to new technologies and innovations, qualified supervisors and managers will play an important role in ensuring the profitable operation of facilities well into the future. A Bachelor of Applied Science in Energy Management degree, available through Bismarck State College, will ensure that future
October 30, 2019
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by Brian Wallheimer (Purdue University) … Lignin, a complex compound in cell walls, blocks access to plant carbohydrates that could be cleaved into sugars and then fermented into biofuels. The compounds that hold plant cells together, as well as their tightly packed cell clusters, also block access to sugars for
October 25, 2019
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(University of Cambridge) A widely-used gas that is currently produced from fossil fuels can instead be made by an ‘artificial leaf’ that uses only sunlight, carbon dioxide and water, and which could eventually be used to develop a sustainable liquid fuel alternative to petrol. The carbon-neutral device sets a new
October 24, 2019
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by Shawn Robinson (University of Dayton News) The Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative has greenlighted the University of Dayton Heyne Energy and Appropriate Technology Lab and the University of Dayton Research Institute to be the first in the nation to prescreen alternative aviation fuels for viability to enter the American Society
October 23, 2019
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(Planet Forward at GW) Grand Prize: A storytelling voyage to Iceland with Lindblad Expeditions and Planet Forward in summer 2020! — There is no story more gripping than that of our changing planet — and the solutions to sustain it. While problems from climate to plastic use to conservation abound,
October 18, 2019
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by Viji Sitther, Behnam Tabatabai, Somayeh Gharaie Fathabad (Union of Concerned Scientists/Morgan State University) … We are excited to announce that the Sitther Biofuel Research Group at Morgan State University has developed a technology to generate a cost-effective biofuel using a model cyanobacterium. The team, consisting of graduate students Dr. Behnam
October 18, 2019
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by Laura Schmitt (The NewsStand) Clemson University College of Science professor Hong Luo has received a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture to develop genetically improved and more robust turfgrass and switchgrass. These perennial plants represent a multibillion-dollar segment of the U.S. agricultural economy. The
October 18, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Over 10 years (2007–2017), three Bioenergy Research Centers produced multiple breakthroughs in the form of deepened understanding of sustainable biomass production practices, targeted re-engineering of biomass feedstocks, development of new methods for deconstructing feedstocks, and engineering of microbes for more effective production of a diverse
October 18, 2019
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(University of Manchester/Phys.org) Researchers from the University of Manchester are using synthetic biology to explore a more efficient way to produce the next generation of biobased jet fuels—partly made from seawater. — The Manchester research group, led by Professor Nigel Scrutton, director of the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB) and supported
October 18, 2019
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(Vital) “Health Impact of Blending Ethanol into Gasoline in Five Global Cities” University of Illinois at Chicago, Energy Resources Center — Dr. Steffen Mueller, PhD, and others at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Energy Resources Center looked at the effect of biofuel in reducing cancers connected to chemicals such as
October 17, 2019
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(University of Pennsylvania/Phys.org) … Burning plants, however, is not a completely clean process; it produces emissions that vary depending on the species used, the combustion conditions, and the air pollution controls. To understand one component of these emissions, an international, multidisciplinary team led by University of Pennsylvania mineralogists used highly
October 16, 2019
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(CanIndia) The Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IITM) on Monday said it has entered into an agreement with ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company (EMRE) for research on energy and biofuels. In a statement issued here, IIT-M said it will be a five year joint research agreement focusing on biofuels, data analytics, gas
October 14, 2019
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by Katharine Gammon (Inside Science) An experiment off the coast of California may bolster efforts to make biocrude from “the Sequoia of the sea.” — Catalina Island, …. Its waters are also home to an unsual-looking science experiment: a floating bed of planted kelp that is pushed down and pulled up
October 14, 2019
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by Mark E. Griffin (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits make up the biggest chunk of potential living space for microbes in the environment, but ecologists still don’t know a lot about how the microorganisms that reside there establish and maintain themselves over the course of a
October 11, 2019
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(University of Wisconsin-Madison) Prolific biofuels researcher James Dumesic has been named the winner of the 2019 Eni Energy Transition Award. The internationally renowned Eni Awards were established in 2007 to recognize excellence in energy and environmental research. The Energy Transition Award honors recent research and technological innovation that promote the transition
October 11, 2019
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(Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Each year, the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) hosts a group of undergraduate students to participate in the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program, designed to immerse students in research. This summer, 11 undergraduate students joined laboratories at Michigan State University and the University
October 11, 2019
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(Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Inspired by bacteria’s role in natural plant decay, researchers at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center and Michigan State University have mimicked a bacterial pathway to break down the toughest parts of a plant in preparation for biofuel processing. The new method, published August 16 in ChemSusChem, uses
October 11, 2019
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(Morgan State University) Funding Will Enhance Biofuel Production in Cyanobacteria Using Nanoparticles, While Preparing the Next Generation of Minority Biotechnologists — Morgan State University’s School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences (SCMNS) has announced its receipt of a $499,999 grant award from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The Excellence in Research (EiR) grant will
October 10, 2019
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(BioHiTech Global, Inc./PR Newswire) Company expects to deliver a total of 12 units to these universities that will be capable of diverting a total of more than 2 million pounds of food waste from landfills each year — BioHiTech Global, Inc. (“BioHiTech” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: BHTG), a technology and services
October 9, 2019
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(U.S. Department of Energy) Are you a student looking to jumpstart an exciting career in the field of bioenergy? Or are you already employed in a STEM field and looking for additional education and workforce training to pivot into the bioenergy industry? Are you curious about opportunities in the bioenergy industry?
October 9, 2019
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(Office of the Department of Education; the Hon Dan Tehan MP, Minister for Education; the Hon Karen Andrews MP Minister for Industry, Science and Technology; John Alexander OAM, MP, Member for Bennelong ) The Morrison Government is investing in the development of an Australian biomanufacturing sector that will use biological systems
October 9, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Wouldn’t it be great if we could boost fermentation of high-toxicity biomass hydrolysates? Well, folks are working on this via enhanced biocatalytic tolerance. At the recent DOE BETO 2019 Project Peer Review, Felix Lam and Gregory Stephanopoulos from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, shared how they
October 4, 2019
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(Algae Biomass Organization) Four student scientists were recognized with the Algae Biomass Organization’s Young Algae Researcher Awards for their contributions to fields of algae biology and engineering at the 2019 Algae Biomass Summit, held in Orlando, Florida, September 16-19. The awards are presented at the annual conference to recognize outstanding research
October 3, 2019
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(United Arab Emirates Ministry of Climate Change and Environment) The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) today announced the launch of the Green Barjeel research project that aims to leverage innovative methods to grow microalgae biomass with a high lipid content in tower-shaped structures. Run in cooperation with American University
October 2, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the U.S. Department of Energy has selected 35 projects totaling $73 million for bioenergy research and development support. Funded through the DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, these projects will help reduce the price of drop-in biofuels, lower the cost of biopower,
October 2, 2019
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(Ruhr University Bochum (Google Translation)) Enzymes use cascade reactions to produce complex molecules from comparatively simple raw materials. The principle was copied by researchers. An international research team has converted carbon dioxide into raw materials using nanoparticles. The scientists at the Ruhr University Bochum and the University of New South
September 30, 2019
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(VTT) Production of biofuel by gasification of biomass residues was successfully validated in the EU’s COMSYN project in September. The process performance was verified with bark in an 80 hour-long test run at VTT. The syngas conversion to Fischer-Tropsch (FT) products was conducted by IneraTec GmbH. The main focus of the
September 30, 2019
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One-Day Professional Development Certificate Course for Mid-Career Professionals November 18, 2019 (8:30 am to 4 pm EST) On the Campus of George Washington University in Washington, D.C Choose to attend in person at GW or livestreamed to your location. This one-day GWU professional development certificate course for mid-career professionals will
September 30, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Some people believe in magic and some don’t but MAGIC is real in this case – the Marine AlGae Industrialization Consortium, that is. MAGIC is working on answering the question “How do we produce that remaining 15 bboe/year of energy-dense, liquid hydrocarbon fuels to meet the
September 26, 2019
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(CNRS/Phys.org) A unique new flexible and stretchable device, worn against the skin and capable of producing electrical energy by transforming the compounds present in sweat, was recently developed and patented by CNRS researchers from l”Université Grenoble Alpes and the University of San Diego (U.S.). This cell is already capable of
September 25, 2019
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by David Nutt (Cornell University) The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded an interdisciplinary team of Cornell researchers $2 million to study the combination of inorganic semiconductor nanoparticles and bacterial cells for more efficient bioenergy conversion. … The Cornell project was one of six selected by the DOE’s Office of
September 25, 2019
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(University of Cordoba/EurekAlert!) In line with the fight against climate change and the search for a sustainable future, the idea appears of a future society based on hydrogen used as a fuel. This biofuel of the future could be what cars and engines run on (they actually already do), but without
September 24, 2019
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by Emma Gilsenan (AgriLand) Biorefinery – which converts biomass to energy and other beneficial by-products – could potentially add more value to an outside block of land, according to UCD lecturer, Bridget Lynch. Speaking to AgriLand at the National Ploughing Championships this week, James Gaffey, a researcher in IT Tralee along with his
September 23, 2019
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by Todd Neeley (DTN Progressive Farmer) With a reported big deal for biofuels in flux, an economist at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign put forward a plan on Thursday to account for more than 4 billion gallons of biofuels exempted to small refineries from the Renewable Fuel Standard from 2016
September 23, 2019
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(University of Canterbury/Scoop) … This research will develop a new process and materials to produce bio-hydrogen and capture carbon dioxide by using New Zealand wood biomass resources from log harvesting and wood processing. The bio-hydrogen produced could be used as transport fuel, a chemical feedstock for methanol, ammonia and oil
September 19, 2019
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(Technion–Israel Institute of Technology) The E-TAC water-splitting technology facilitates an unprecedented energetic efficiency of 98.7% in the production of hydrogen from water and has other key advantages over water electrolysis. A startup company, H2Pro, was founded based on this development and is working on its commercialization. Researchers at the Technion–Israel Institute
September 18, 2019
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by Sachi Wickramasinghe (University of British Columbia) … Researchers at the University of British Columbia have developed a hydrogen supply chain model that can enable the adoption of zero-emission, hydrogen-powered cars—transforming them from a novelty into everyday transportation in just 30 years. In a new study published this week, UBC researchers provide an
September 18, 2019
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(Green Car Congress) The US Department of Energy (DOE), through its Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER), has launched a major initiative to develop bioenergy crops through genomics-based research. Danforth Center Principal Investigator, Andrea Eveland, Ph.D., will lead a multi-institutional project under this initiative to deepen the understanding of sorghum, a
September 18, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Vermont, representatives from Vanguard Renewables, Middlebury College, Vermont Gas, Goodrich Farm, and the State of Vermont were on hand the other day to celebrate the official groundbreaking for the largest anaerobic digester east of the Mississippi, with Middlebury will be the primary consumer of the
September 17, 2019
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(Ruhr-Universität Bochum (Google Translation)) Mushrooms of the order Trichosporonales have unusual genetic characteristics, as an international research team now found out. Some Trichosporonales fungal species are of interest to the industry and are considered to be potential producers of biofuels. But to use them, one would first have to know
September 16, 2019
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(New Zealand AutoCar) As Mazda prepares to launch its first electric vehicle onto the market, another division of the Japanese manufacturer is working on extending the life of the internal combustion engine. The latest idea? A carbon-neutral biofuel. Mazda is providing funding to the Tokyo Institute of Technology, which is
September 16, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) PACE – Producing Algae for Coproducts and Energy, has several project goals including increasing algal biomass productivity to >25 grams dry weight per meter squared per day using robust engineered algal strains to reduce costs. So how do we get these high value, high market algal
September 16, 2019
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(Advantage News) The National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center at SIUE Executive Director John Caupert hosted U.S. Rep. Mike Bost (R-Illinois) in late August as part of a congressional visit and to participate in a student research project. Bost toured the NCERC’s demonstration plant and laboratories, noting significant upgrades to the center’s pilot
September 13, 2019
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by Hannah Osborne (Newsweek) Scientists have created a device that turns carbon dioxide into formic acid—a venom produced naturally by ants that can be used as a biofuel. The prototype electrolyzer, which runs on renewable electricity, produced the purified liquid fuel at high concentrations, potentially paving the way for a
September 13, 2019
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(Manufacturers Monthly) The potential to manufacture high-value products from sugarcane and cotton by-products is one step closer to realisation with an injection of funding from the Australian federal government into a project by Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Professor Ian O’Hara, of the Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities, will lead
September 13, 2019
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(EurekAlert!/University of California – Santa Barbara) Most of the materials that maintain our modern lives — fuels, pharmaceuticals and other commodity chemicals — come from non-renewable sources. Over time the acquisition of these materials becomes more costly as their supplies diminish. A prime example is petroleum, from which we derive fuels
September 12, 2019
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(University of Missouri College of Engineering) Mizzou Engineering’s Jianlin Cheng has put his world-class protein prediction skills to stellar use in the field of healthcare, and now, he’s part of a critical effort in bioenergy — one that could dramatically improve the prospects of biofuels as fossil fuel reserves dwindle. Cheng and James
September 9, 2019
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by Liz Gyekye (BioMarket Insights) “It is fascinating that a humble yeast is the superstar of the next industrial revolution.” — Hong Kong-based plastics and real estate mogul Li Ka-Shing has announced a donation of HK$500 million (USD$64 million), via his Li Ka Shing Foundation, to the Hong Kong University of Science
September 6, 2019
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(Rutgers University/Phys.org) Chinese and Rutgers scientists have discovered how aquatic plants cope with water pollution, a major ecological question that could help boost their use in wastewater treatment, biofuels, antibiotics and other applications. The study is in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The researchers used a new
September 5, 2019
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by Mike Williams (Rice University) Lab’s ‘green’ invention reduces carbon dioxide into valuable fuels — A common greenhouse gas could be repurposed in an efficient and environmentally friendly way with an electrolyzer that uses renewable electricity to produce pure liquid fuels. The catalytic reactor developed by the Rice University lab of chemical and
September 5, 2019
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(Federal University of Goiás (UFG)) Isabela Almeida Rodrigues, undergraduate student of International Relations, was awarded by the Brazilian Association of International Relations (ABRI) Isabela Almeida Rodrigues, undergraduate student at Universidade Federal de Goiás (Federal University of Goias), won the 3rd Contest of Scientific Initiation in International Relations of the Brazilian Association
August 30, 2019
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(Bioenergy Insight) A laboratory in Yucatán, Mexico has developed a prototype system that converts seaweed into biogas. Scientists started experimenting with sargassum after large quantities of the seaweed began washing up on the Yucatán coast. Raúl Tapia Tussell, head researcher in the renewable energy unit at the Yucatán Scientific Research
August 28, 2019
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by Nawar Hasan Imran Al-Esawi, Mansour Al Qubeissi and Ruslana Kolodnytska (Coventry University/Energies) The interest in biofuels was stimulated by the fossil fuel depletion and global warming. This work focuses on the impact of biodiesel fuel on ethanol/diesel (ED) fuel blends. The soybean methyl ester was used as a representative
August 28, 2019
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(Tokyo Tech News) Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kyoto University, Kazusa DNA Research Institute, and Tohoku University have identified a protein, Lipid Remodeling reguLator 1 (LRL1), in microscopic algae that is involved in the production of triacylglycerol, a biofuel precursor. They further reveal additional proteins and biochemical pathways that
August 26, 2019
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(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced approximately $40 million in FY 2019 funding for 29 projects to advance the H2@Scale concept. The focus of H2@Scale is to enable affordable and reliable large-scale hydrogen generation, transport, storage, and utilization in the United States across multiple sectors.
August 23, 2019
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(KFORNOW) Sorghum, the third most abundant cereal crop in the United States, is emerging as a star player in the biofuels industry. Right now, however, maximizing the crop’s potential is challenging. The function of much of its complete set of DNA remains a mystery. Without pinpointing the function of more of
August 23, 2019
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by Bob Yirka (Phys.org) A team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in France has found a way to improve the conversion of CO2 into fuels by mimicking the behavior of the diving bell spider. In their paper published in the journal Nature Materials, the group describes using captured air bubbles to
August 22, 2019
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(Sustainable Energy Fund) Energypath 2019 was held at DeSales University in Center Valley, PA on Thursday, July 25th, 2019. More than 240 industry and aspiring industry professionals attended the conference to learn about the future of energy financing from nationally recognized energy industry experts. The conference was preceded by a series of
August 21, 2019
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(Hoosier Ag Today) Via the department’s Facebook page, Purdue Agricultural Economics announced that Professor Dr. Wallace (Wally) Tyner passed away on Sunday. The post read, “Today we were saddened by the news of Dr. Wally Tyner’s passing. His contributions to the agricultural economics field made impacts across the globe. He will
August 19, 2019
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by Denise Chow (NBC News) “Solar methanol islands” could curb our reliance on fossil fuels that belch harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. — Huge solar farms floating in the ocean could be used to convert carbon dioxide in seawater into methanol, a fuel that can power airplanes, trucks and other long-haul
August 16, 2019
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(Rutgers Today) Scientists Discover Key Factors in How Some Algae Harness Solar Energy — Scientists have discovered how diatoms – a type of alga that produce 20 percent of the Earth’s oxygen – harness solar energy for photosynthesis. The Rutgers University-led discovery, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
August 16, 2019
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(National Biodiesel Education Program/University of Idaho) Adventure Awaits! After aliens invade, the earth is pretty bleak…that is, until deliverymen Brian and Chad (Team Brad) get a mysterious package with a clue to stop the intruders! Join Team Brad and their talking biodiesel car, Biobug, on an exciting road trip where biofuels may
August 15, 2019
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(eKapija) Scientists at the Institute for Multidisciplinary Research of the University of Belgrade have managed, according to the first results of a three-year project, unique in the world, to increase the production of fats in algae for around 30% through the method of “stressing”, which will have a great impact
August 15, 2019
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(Lehigh News) A team at Lehigh is the first to use a single enzyme biomineralization process to create a solar-driven water splitting catalyst that produces hydrogen with the potential to be manufactured sustainably, cheaply and abundantly. — Engineers at Lehigh University are the first to utilize a single enzyme biomineralization process
August 14, 2019
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by Barri Bronston (Tulane University) Nicholas Sandoval’s lab at Tulane works on the development and application of advanced synthetic biology tools for microbes and other model cell lines for the purpose of therapeutics and sustainable fuel and chemical production. — Nicholas Sandoval, an assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at Tulane
August 14, 2019
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(UFG Journal (Google Translation)) … A research conducted at the Federal University of Goiás (UFG) evaluates the use of fruits as alternative and unconventional sources of natural origin for ethanol production. In addition to testing with jamelão, a plant of Indian origin that has adapted well in several regions of Brazil,
August 12, 2019
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by Erin I. Garcia de Jesus (Stanford University News Service) Splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen presents an alternative to fossil fuels, but purified water is a precious resource. A Stanford-led team has now developed a way to harness seawater – Earth’s most abundant source – for chemical energy. — Stanford researchers have
August 7, 2019
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by Alex Portal (Black Hills Pioneer) A local senior at Black Hills State University is pioneering the use of biodiesel fuel on campus. “The idea is to take the cooking oil from A’viands cafeteria, convert it to biodiesel, and then use it to power facilities equipment,” said Nick Pappas, of Spearfish, who
August 6, 2019
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by Geri Kelly (University of Arizona News) Researchers at the UA Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health will study alternatives to diesel fuel, commonly used to power equipment in underground mines, to reduce cancer and respiratory disease in miners. — … With a $1.78 million grant from the National Institute of
August 6, 2019
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by Holly Ober (Univesity of California Riverside News) Researchers combine supercomputing with nano-imaging to reveal how to efficiently break down plant biomass and transform it into transportation fuels — … In order to access the energy-rich sugars found in the plant cell walls, researchers have renewed focus on solvating lignin, a
August 5, 2019
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by M Somasekhar (The Hindu Business Line) A nanocarbon catalyst developed by IIT-Hyderabad can be used to convert corn cob waste into valuable fuels — Using sugar and salt, researchers at IIT Hyderabad have developed a nanocarbon catalyst to help in the production of biofuel precursors. The catalyst shows better efficiency and
August 1, 2019
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by Araceli Guadalupe Romero-Izquierdo, Fernando Israel Gómez-Castro, Claudia Gutiérrez-Antonio, Rogelio Cruz Baraja, Salvador Hernández (Computer Aided Chemical Engineering) … In this work, a biorefinery scheme using waste cooking oil (WCO) is presented, aiming to obtain biodiesel and biojet fuel simultaneously as main products. The modelling of the biorefinery scheme is performed in
August 1, 2019
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(Uppsala University/Science Codex) Soon we will be able to replace fossil fuels with a carbon-neutral product created from solar energy, carbon dioxide and water. Researchers at Uppsala University have successfully produced microorganisms that can efficiently produce the alcohol butanol using carbon dioxide and solar energy, without needing to use solar cells.
August 1, 2019
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(Ruhr University Bochum) The heart of the biological catalyst is introduced in the last step. The process is complex. A team from the Ruhr University Bochum and the University of Oxford has found out how hydrogen-producing enzymes, the so-called hydrogenases, are activated during their biosynthesis. They showed how the cofactor – a
July 29, 2019
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(U.S. Department of Energy) Today, the U.S. Department of Energy announced $50 million for new and innovative research of technologies for trucks, off-road vehicles, and the fuels that power them. Funded through the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), these selections highlight the DOE’s
July 29, 2019
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by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … A $118 million pie in new investment money for this Tennessee-based biomass company. The financing was anchored by an equity investment from WindSail Capital Group, which partnered with investors Coppermine Capital and Stairway Capital in the Genera financing. The money will be used for
July 26, 2019
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by Jonathan Male (U.S. Department of Energy) Algae is a fast-growing industry that needs a skilled workforce of scientists, researchers, and engineers to advance algae technology and the commercialization of algal products to support the bioeconomy. With funding from the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) within the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office
July 22, 2019
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by Luke McGrath (Bloomberg) Fossil fuels, long regarded for their high-energy return on investment, are not as efficient as once thought. In fact, their final yields are not much better than those of renewable options, according to a new study. Oil, coal and natural gas have generally returned energy at a
July 16, 2019
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by Kelley Christensen (Michigan Technological University) … Forest biomass is expected to be one of the key energy sources, but many people have wondered how to feed biofuel plants the materials they need without destroying forest resources. Whole-tree aspen logging promotes renewable biomass energy from tops and branches, parts of the tree
July 16, 2019
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by Jill Sakai (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) With a new method to synthesize a popular pain-relieving medication from plants rather than fossil fuels, researchers at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center have found a way to relieve two headaches at once. A team led by John Ralph, a professor of biochemistry
July 12, 2019
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(Simmons University) … In order to deliver the highest quality care and education, providers need accurate scientific information about the influence of climate change on diseases, respiratory function, nutrition, and morbidity. Providers are ethically bound to advance health holistically, and with climate change, this means translating information into advocacy. The effects
July 10, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) While many are on vacation this time of year, the bioeconomy is not even close to taking a break. In fact, bioeconomy innovations, are like a beach goer in Florida this time of year – hot! Here are the top innovations for the week of July
July 10, 2019
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(University of Tsukuba/EurekAlert!) University of Tsukuba researchers developed a new, highly efficient system for removing water from algae biomass with reusable nanostructured graphene, which can greatly increase the yield of ecofriendly biofuels, pharmaceuticals, and fertilizers — A team at the University of Tsukuba introduced a new procedure of harvesting energy and organic
July 9, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Algae Biomass Organization advocates for algae-advancing policy and funding, serves as a hub for innovation and networking, and drives demand for “made with algae” products and services. Mark Allen, Chairperson of ABO, offers this enlightening overview of the Algae Interagency Working Group, current state of the algae
July 9, 2019
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(Iowa State University Extension and Outreach) Iowa and Midwest agriculture has started to change in recent years. One visible change is the interest to grow crops for biofuel and bioproducts (referred to as “energy crops”). Fossil fuel usage contributes to the growing problem with greenhouse gases. Alternative energy options from plant
July 5, 2019
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(University of Arkansas) Jingyi Chen, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Arkansas, worked with scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory to develop a highly efficient catalyst for generating electrical energy from ethanol. Ethanol is an easy-to-store liquid fuel that can be produced from
July 3, 2019
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by Trent Knoss (University of Colorado Boulder) CU Boulder researchers have developed nanobio-hybrid organisms capable of using airborne carbon dioxide and nitrogen to produce a variety of plastics and fuels, a promising first step toward low-cost carbon sequestration and eco-friendly manufacturing for chemicals. By using light-activated quantum dots to fire particular
July 3, 2019
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(European Commission) The production of biofuels like ethanol from non-food biomass is a lucrative prospect for the agricultural sector. However, due to the complexity and expense of the large-scale industrial process currently needed to produce such biofuels, they remain out of reach for many small-scale farmers. To change this, the EU-funded
July 2, 2019
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(Our Daily Planet) … (W)e’re proud to formally announce Our Daily Planet’s partnership with the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University to host a first-of-its-kind forum on climate change with presidential hopefuls this fall! All declared 2020 presidential candidates will have an opportunity to participate in this town-hall style forum, in
June 28, 2019
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by Alayna DeMartini (Ohio State University College of Engineering) Although the stalks and leaves of a corn plant can be turned into ethanol, the high cost of collecting, storing, and transporting the material has limited its use in producing the fuel. Ajay Shah, an agricultural engineer at The Ohio State University, is
June 24, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The University of Hawai’i is on top of the latest research on Hawaii’s tropical agriculture, its hot zone and tropical feedstocks for the bioeconomy. Peter Matlock, Strategic Advisor for Aviation Fuels and Special Projects for Joint BioEnergy Institute and who is developing the Institute for Tropical
June 24, 2019
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The global energy transition can’t succeed without the full participation of citizens. We need a paradigm shift towards more renewable energy which is sustainable, affordable and reliable, as well as an energy system that is more decentralised and digitalised. Our current energy system is highly centralised with states as the main
June 22, 2019
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(Iowa State University) Iowa State University researchers weren’t looking for a slow-release fertilizer that could feed crops while protecting water quality, but they may have found one. Researchers looking to add value to biochar – a solid, porous co-product of heating corn stalks and other sources of biomass to produce liquid
June 21, 2019
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(The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)/Phys.Org) Researchers have presented a new strategy for efficiently producing fatty acids and biofuels that can transform glucose and oleaginous microorganisms into microbial diesel fuel, with one-step direct fermentative production. The newly developed strain, created by Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee and his
June 19, 2019
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by Elton Alisson (FAPESP/Phys.Org) A group of researchers at the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), working in partnership with colleagues at the Brazilian Biorenewables National Laboratory (LNBR) in Campinas, São Paulo State, Brazil, have discovered that Trichoderma harzianum, a fungus found in the Amazon, produces an enzyme with the potential to play a key
June 19, 2019
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by Debi Durham (Iowa Economic Development Authority/Biofuels Digest) … For decades, we’ve applied our work ethic and expertise in laboratories, innovation centers and refineries throughout the state. As a result, we’ve become a leader in bioprocessing, in addition to our agrarian achievements. … There’s a lot happening on the biosciences front in
June 18, 2019
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(Bioenergy Insight) Professor Gyoo Yeol Jung and his research team utilised algae that grow three times faster than starch crops and succeeded in producing biofuel and biochemicals. … (T)he joint research team of the Pohang University of Science and Technology (Postech) and Seoul National University developed a new microorganism, which they
June 18, 2019
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(Chinese Academy of Sciences/Phys.Org) Scientists at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a chemocatalytic approach to convert cellulose into ethanol in a one-pot process by using a multifunctional Mo/Pt/WOx catalyst. This approach opens up an alternative avenue for biofuel production. The findings
June 13, 2019
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(AZO CleanTech) … (T)he collaborative research team of POSTECH and Seoul National University created a new microorganism, which they christened as Vibrio sp. dhg. In their research, they effectively showed that Vibrio sp. dhg can be a capable microbial platform for the biorefinery of brown macro-algae which can substitute starch-crop biomass. Their
June 13, 2019
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(Yle Uutiset News) Someday, the process could help reduce or eliminate the reliance on fossil fuels, according to the researcher. — One day, it may be possible to fuel vehicles with biodiesel made with blue-green algae, according to doctoral student Mikael Jämsä, who researches molecular plant biology at the University of Turku. Jämsä
June 12, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, a new report concludes that emissions from petroleum-based gasoline “are one of the biggest health threats facing the American public”. The report links a wide range of respiratory and even neurological diseases to toxic carcinogenic compounds refiners used to increase octane in gasoline. A
June 12, 2019
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(Brookhaven National Laboratory) Greatly boosts efficiency of ethanol electro-oxidation, offering promise for liquid-fuel-cell-powered drones — Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory and the University of Arkansas have developed a highly efficient catalyst for extracting electrical energy from ethanol, an easy-to-store liquid fuel that can be generated from
June 11, 2019
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by Pablo M. Ahmed; Pablo M. Fernández; Lucía I. C. de Figueroa; Hipólito F. Pajot (Biofuel Research Journal) Countries producing olive oil generate a considerable amount of olive mill wastewater (OMWW), one of the most harmful agro-industrial effluents with a powerful polluting capacity. In fact, owing to its high pollution load, this
June 10, 2019
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(Univeristy of North Florida) Switchgrass—a Productive Native Species—Could Possibly Fuel Vehicles into the Future — Dr. Mike Aspinwall, an assistant professor of biology at the University of North Florida, was just awarded nearly half a million dollars from the USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture to study switchgrass as a viable
June 7, 2019
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by Laureen Fagan (Sustainability Times) Canadians are getting serious about clean transportation, and the government has announced the first 10 awards in a four-year program that will see $2.4 million committed to developing emissions-free solutions for aviation, rail and marine transport. While much of the world’s investment in the transportation
June 7, 2019
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(AZO Cleantech) Seaweed can be broadly termed as marine macroalgae, and belongs to one of the many groups of multicellular red, green and brown algae. Seaweed is widely used to produce vitamin supplements, cosmetics, plastics and animal feed in many parts of the world. The importance of seaweed has skyrocketed ever
June 4, 2019
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(Umea University/Phys.Org) Lorenza Ferro demonstrates the potential of Nordic microalgae for simultaneous production of biomass and municipal sewage treatment in our Nordic climate. She has also studied how microalgae and bacteria work together and how this impacts the composition of microbial communities in open algae cultures. … Algae biomass is considered
June 3, 2019
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(GreenAir Online) The British Airways project with renewable fuels company Velocys is “well advanced”, say the two partners, and production of waste-to-jet fuel is slated to start in 2024 from a new facility in north-east England. An 80-acre (32ha) brownfield site near Immingham on the Humber estuary, with a direct fuel
June 2, 2019
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by Edwin L. Aguirre (University of Massachusetts Lowell) A team of researchers from UMass Lowell, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and China Agricultural University in Beijing has developed a new, sustainable way of converting wet biological waste into diesel-compatible fuel, using heat and water. The process, called hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), converts
May 31, 2019
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(University of Wisconsin-Stout) Could the algae on Lake Menomin make biofuel? That is the question some University of Wisconsin-Stout students looked at as part of their research for capstone projects. Jerica Hall, a senior studying mechanical engineering, talked about the findings she and fellow students Isaac Audette, senior, manufacturing engineering, St. Paul; Colin
May 28, 2019
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(Shoolini University/PR Newswire) Depleting levels of fossil fuels and air pollution are a major concern for environmentalists around the world and a lot of emphasis is being put on biofuels and renewable resources. Biodiesel seems to be just the right solution for meeting the energy requirements of the future. In their
May 28, 2019
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(Neste) Neste and VTT have today agreed on strategic cooperation which fosters the joint use and development of research infrastructures in Finland. The cooperation aims at strengthening Finnish expertise in bio and circular economy as well as developing cleaner fuel solutions. The strategic cooperation of Neste and VTT is based on
May 28, 2019
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(Michigan State University) … Daniel Ducat, assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, received $1,033,970 from NSF’s Division of Systems and Synthetic Biology to investigate the fundamental interactions that underpin resilient microbial partnerships and may be key to solving some of the earth’s biggest resource challenges. Ducat’s team will
May 28, 2019
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by Ula Chrobak (Popular Science) … In a surprising and counterintuitive proposal published Monday in the journal Nature Sustainability, Stanford University scientists argue that we can limit warming by chemically converting methane to carbon dioxide. “Our paper is a call to view methane removal as an opportunity,” says Rob Jackson, the study’s lead author.
May 24, 2019
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by Krishna Ramanujan (Cornell Chronicle) One of the big issues with sustainable energy systems is how to store electricity that’s generated from wind, solar and waves. At present, no existing technology provides large-scale storage and energy retrieval for sustainable energy at a low financial and environmental cost. Engineered electroactive microbes could
May 23, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) New Mexico Consortium is non-profit corporation formed by 3 NM universities to facilitate research collaborations for universities, industry & Los Alamos Laboratory. They are looking to algae as a solution where cell factories could produce energy in a carbon neutral way with a primary focus on
May 21, 2019
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by Neha Arora (Science Trends) … Biofuels, particularly bioethanol and biodiesel, have been touted as one of the most propitious and greener alternatives since the beginning of the millennium. In this regard, algal-derived biofuels have the potential to become the savior of our dwindling fossil fuel reserves. … The energy-rich compounds,
May 21, 2019
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by David A Ramirez‐Cadavid, Katrina Cornish, Upul Hathwaik, Robert Kozak, Colleen McMahan and Frederick C Michel Jr. (Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology) Taraxacum kok‐saghyz (TK) is a rubber‐producing plant being developed as a commercial alternative source of natural rubber (NR). The objective of this study was to investigate processes to extract
May 21, 2019
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(UNCTAD) Stockholm Environment Institute and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The agreement is an overarching mechanism to foster cooperation on trade and environment, backed up by the research and convening capacities of SEI and UNCTAD. The main purpose of collaboration
May 17, 2019
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by Michael Le Page (New Scientist) … While in theory carbon dioxide captured from the air could replace fossil fuels as a feedstock for the global chemicals industry, in practice it would likely require vastly more clean electricity than we currently have. … They calculated that capturing carbon from the air to use as
May 16, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Northwestern University has been conducting research on the identification of bioprivileged molecules using computational approaches at their Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. Linda J. Broadbelt from Northwestern University, gave this illuminating overview of novel pathways to propionic acid, identifying putative enzymes, evaluation of candidate bioprivileged molecules using
May 16, 2019
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by Paul Grad (Chemical Engineering) … (C)onverting CO2 into a solid offers an attractive alternative method for safely and permanently removing CO2 from the atmosphere. To date, CO2 has only been converted into a solid at extremely high temperatures, making it industrially unviable. The team created a liquid metal electrocatalyst that contains metallic elemental cerium nanoparticles, which facilitate
May 15, 2019
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