University/College Programs – Advanced BioFuels USA

Progress at the Pump

(North Carolina State University Campaign News) Professor Sunkyu Park, who has deep NC State roots, is working to turn waste from the pulp and paper industry into the biofuel of the future. Boosted by private support, his research could revolutionize the energy industry — in more ways than one. …

April 13, 2021 Read Full Article

Study Shows Higher Ethanol Blends Reduce CO2 Emissions

by Lura Roti (SDPB Radio) Results from a recent University of Nebraska Study could dramatically increase demand for ethanol. This is optimistic news for South Dakota corn farmers, ethanol manufacturers and family farm advocates. Redefining Renewable Fuels was a year-long study conducted by researchers from the University of Nebraska Department of Chemical

April 9, 2021 Read Full Article

Data Collection Project to Help Farmers Address Greenhouse Gas Emissions

by Leslie Reed (University of Nebraska–Lincoln/Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute/Nebraska Today) University of Nebraska–Lincoln researchers affiliated with the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute have received a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to better quantify carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions connected with corn production

April 8, 2021 Read Full Article

Separating Beer Waste into Proteins for Foods, and Fiber for Biofuels

(American Chemical Society/Phys.Org) … Once all the flavor has been extracted from barley and other grains, what’s left is a protein- and fiber-rich powder that is typically used in cattle feed or put in landfills. Today, scientists report a new way to extract the protein and fiber from brewer’s spent

April 7, 2021 Read Full Article

Why Combining Farms and Solar Panels Could Transform How We Produce Both Food and Energy

by Chris Mallory (The Counter) Agrivoltaics—putting solar panels on farmland—lead to astonishing productivity gains and improved energy efficiency. Except when they don’t. — … Mounted on 9-foot-tall beams, so lofty a tractor could pass below them, the solar panels slant against the blue sky of the high desert, throwing shade on

April 6, 2021 Read Full Article

They Produce Biodiesel from Low-Quality Animal Fats

(Polytech University of Madrid (Google Translation)) Researchers at the UPM obtain biodiesel from a mixture of low-quality animal fat with soybean oil and, once characterized according to technical regulations, have tested its behavior in a Diesel engine. — Today, renewable fuels, such as biodiesel, are the most promising alternative to partially

April 6, 2021 Read Full Article

Canada Invests in Innovative Clean Technology at the University of Alberta

(Natural Resources Canada) … Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, today announced a $2,890,000 investment in the University of Alberta’s biojet technology. The University of Alberta, along with project partners Alberta Innovates, FORGE Hydrocarbons Inc., Western Economic Diversification Canada, Future Energy Systems, CanmetENERGY Devon and Edmonton International Airport, are also providing funding toward this $7.4-million project. The investment will support

April 6, 2021 Read Full Article

‘Keep off the Grass’: The Biofuel that Could Help Us Achieve Net Zero

(Earlham Institute) Some grasses are a sustainable energy source that could be a driving force towards achieving net zero carbon emissions, according to new research that demonstrates their resilience to harsh growing environments. — The Miscanthus genus of grasses, commonly used to add movement and texture to gardens, could quickly become

April 5, 2021 Read Full Article

Carbon Dioxide Removal – A Call to Action — April 23, 2021 — ONLINE

Join us for a lively discussion of technologies that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and the ocean and permanently sequester carbon to slow and reverse the impacts of climate change. Speakers include: XPRIZE Foundation will discuss the new $100 Million Carbon Dioxide Removal Prize sponsored by Elon Musk. Learn

April 2, 2021 Read Full Article

A Better Way to Recycle CFRP: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Mild Chemical Recycling of Thermoset Composites

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From current carbon fiber recycling methods to the way of the future– mild chemical recycling – this slide guide from Washington State University researchers is one you won’t want to miss. Their latest research on chemical treatment under mild conditions of epoxy composites dives into

April 2, 2021 Read Full Article

Turning Hydrogen Production Green with Microalgae

by Laura Thomson interview with Akshat Tanksale (AZO CleanTech) Associate Professor Akshat Tanksale at Monash University speaks to AZoCleantech about his research on how microalgae could have significant benefits when applied to the hydrogen production industry. … What makes microalgae a suitable resource that could revolutionize hydrogen production? Unlike agriculture

April 1, 2021 Read Full Article

Shining, Colored LED Lighting on Microalgae for Next-Generation Biofuel

(American Institute of Physics/TechExplore) … In their paper, published in the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, Yangzhou University researchers in China show how a combination of monochromatic red and blue LED illumination on one type of microalga can enhance its growth and increase the biosynthesis of critical components, such as lipids, for

March 31, 2021 Read Full Article

A Stable Copper Catalyst for CO 2 Conversion

(Ruhr University Bochum) CO 2 can be converted electrochemically into raw materials for industry. So far, however, there is a lack of catalysts that are stable over a long period. A few tricks might solve the problem. Researchers at the Ruhr University Bochum and the University of Duisburg-Essen have developed a new catalyst for converting

March 29, 2021 Read Full Article

A Sweet Soy Story – World’s 1st Bioplastic from Soy Molasses

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Four companies developed the first process in the world to produce compostable bioplastic from food and feed production side streams. A biopolymer plant will be built in Uusikaupunki, Finland, in which bioplastic production will be piloted on an industrial scale. Finnfoam, Brightplus, VTT Technical Research

March 29, 2021 Read Full Article

Biocrude Passes the 2,000-hour Catalyst Stability Test

by Karyn Hede (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Sewage and food waste biocrude conversion process reaches major milestone — A large-scale demonstration converting biocrude to renewable diesel fuel has passed a significant test, operating for more than 2,000 hours continuously without losing effectiveness. Scientists and engineers led by the U.S. Department

March 26, 2021 Read Full Article

New Clean Energy Process Converts Methane to Hydrogen with Zero Carbon Dioxide Emissions

by Lynne Roeder (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Novel bimetallic catalyst also yields valuable solid carbon co-products for manufacturing industries — … Researchers from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and West Virginia University (WVU), in collaboration with industry partners Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) and C4-MCP, have developed a process that converts methane—the primary

March 22, 2021 Read Full Article

Genome Scalpel Invented for Industrial Microalgae to Efficiently Turn CO2 into Biofuel

(Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters/EurekAlert!) A single-celled alga undergoes genome surgery to remove non-essential parts. This can lead to a most efficient cellular factory for producing sustainable biofuels from sunlight and carbon dioxide. Researchers from the Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology (QIBEBT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)

March 18, 2021 Read Full Article

Characteristics of the Soil in Biofuel Crop Fields Affect Its Potential to Store Carbon

(NewsWise) Microbiome and soil chemistry at long-term bioenergy research sites challenge the idea that switchgrass increases carbon accrual in surface soils on marginal lands. — In this study, researchers characterized the influence of crop and site on fungal and bacterial community structure, potential enzyme activity, soil carbon chemistry, and total

March 16, 2021 Read Full Article

Are ’Bacterial Probiotics’ a Game-Changer for the Biofuels Industry?

(DTU Biosustain) New research suggests that the diversity of the microbial community involved in sugarcane ethanol fermentation processes plays a significant role in its performance. Selecting the right bacteria could increase ethanol production by more than a billion liters per year, considering Brazil alone. In a study recently published in

March 11, 2021 Read Full Article

Researchers Eye Cactus as a Drought-Tolerant Crop for Biofuel and More

by Shane McGlaun (Slash Gear) … Researchers from the University of Nevada have been researching drought-tolerant crops that could be used for biofuel, sustainable foods, and forage crops. The team specifically looked at cactus called Opuntia ficus-indica because the plant has high heat tolerance and requires little water. Of all the crops the

March 10, 2021 Read Full Article

Research Shows E30 Is Safe for Long-Term Use in Non-FFVs

by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts on March 8 announced that ground-breaking research conducted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with support from the Nebraska Department of Administrative Services clearly demonstrates that E30 is safe for long-term use in non-flex fuel vehicles (FFVs). “The research partnership between the

March 9, 2021 Read Full Article

Online Algae Cultivation Classes — 8-Week Classes Start March 22, 2021 — ONLINE

(Santa Fe Community College) Alternative Fuels – ALTF 161 – Introduction to Algae Cultivation (3 credits) is an 8-week, online class that covers the fundamentals of sustainable algae farming, microalgae and seaweeds, basics of algae biofuels, algae as wastewater treatment, and algal food products. Students will learn an overview of algal biology

March 8, 2021 Read Full Article

USC Scientists May Have Unlocked Kelp’s Potential as a Major Biofuel Source

by Gary Polakovic (USC News) Using a “kelp elevator,” researchers at the USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies were able to grow the biofuel crop in large quantities in the open ocean. … Scientists at the USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies on Santa Catalina Island, working with private industry, report that a

March 3, 2021 Read Full Article

High-Performance Electrocatalysts to Propel Development of Direct Ethanol Fuel Cells

(Chinese Academy of Science Headquarters/EurekAlert!) Researchers from the Institute of Process Engineering (IPE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Nanjing Normal University recently reported a strategy for boosting the electrocatalytic performance of palladium (Pd) in ethanol oxidation reaction, the key anodic reaction of direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs), offering a

March 2, 2021 Read Full Article

NCERC Exploring New Uses for Corn

by Rhiannon Branch (Brownfield Ag News) The director of the National Corn to Ethanol Research Center says they have some big research projects in the works paving the way to new uses for US corn. John Caupert tell Brownfield they are finding more and more products can be made from corn

February 19, 2021 Read Full Article

Termite Gut Microbes Could Aid Biofuel Production

(American Chemical Society/EurekAlert!) Wheat straw, the dried stalks left over from grain production, is a potential source of biofuels and commodity chemicals. But before straw can be converted to useful products by biorefineries, the polymers that make it up must be broken down into their building blocks. Now, researchers reporting in ACS

February 18, 2021 Read Full Article

Washington State University Pyrolysis and Biochar Publications

(U.S. Biochar Initiative) Visit this page for an index to a number of high quality biochar research reports and publications by the WSU Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources (CSANR). Contents include: Integrated biochar research: A roadmap A Rapid Test for Plant-Available Water-Holding Capacity in Soil-Biochar Mixtures Biochar Production

February 17, 2021 Read Full Article

Continued Success for SoBT Researchers with Climate-Friendly Industrial Methodologies

(Dublin City University) A consortium led by researchers based in the School of Biotechnology at DCU continues to redefine the methodology employed in the distilling industry, towards improving sustainability in the workflows which are commonplace in distilleries the world over. Asst. Profs. Gunes and Lawler, of the School of Biotechnology

February 17, 2021 Read Full Article

New Synthetic Route for Biofuel Production

(Ruhr-Universitaet-Bochum/Phys.Org) A German-Chinese research team has found a new synthetic route to produce biofuel from biomass. The chemists converted the substance 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) produced from biomass into 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF), which could be suitable as a biofuel. Compared to previous methods, they achieved a higher yield and selectivity under milder reaction conditions.

February 9, 2021 Read Full Article

From Biofuels and Other Chemicals to Methane Production: Study Peers into the Mysteries of a Goat’s Gut

by Sonia Fernandez (University of California – Santa Barbara/Phys.Org) … “This has been the longest single effort in my lab,” said (Michelle) O’Malley, who with her research team way back in 2015 first embarked on an ambitious project to characterize gut microbes in large herbivores. The purpose? To understand how these animals

February 2, 2021 Read Full Article

Boosting the Efficiency of Carbon Capture and Conversion Systems

by David L. Chandler (Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Phys.org) Systems for capturing and converting carbon dioxide from power plant emissions could be important tools for curbing climate change, but most are relatively inefficient and expensive. Now, researchers at MIT have developed a method that could significantly boost the performance of systems that

January 28, 2021 Read Full Article

University in Dubai on a Mission to Turn Palm Waste into Biofuel

(Khaleej Times) Fallen leaves are gathered and raw materials are shredded to produce biomass pellets. A university in Dubai is embarking on a project to turn the waste of the region’s vast palm tree crop into sustainable and cost-effective biofuel. Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Dubai is collaborating with a Saudi-based

January 25, 2021 Read Full Article

Abandoned Cropland Should Produce Biofuels

by Steinar Brandslet (Norwegian University of Science and Technology/Phys.Org) Growing perennial grasses on abandoned cropland has the potential to counteract some of the negative impacts of climate change by switching to more biofuels, according to an NTNU research group. Researchers consider increased use of biofuels to be an important part

January 23, 2021 Read Full Article

DSM and TU Delft Launch AI4B.io Lab

(Delft University of Technology) Royal DSM and TU Delft today announce the establishment of the Artificial Intelligence Lab for Biosciences (the AI4B.io Lab). This laboratory will be the first of its kind in Europe to apply artificial intelligence (AI) to full-scale biomanufacturing, from microbial strain development to process optimization and scheduling.

January 22, 2021 Read Full Article

Aberdeen Leading the Field with New Energy Transition Degree

(University of Aberdeen) The University of Aberdeen has today launched the UK’s first postgraduate degree programme in Energy Transition Systems and Technologies. The new course, which is available to study full-time on campus from September (depending on Covid-19 situation), or part-time online, reinforces and builds upon the city’s reputation as a

January 21, 2021 Read Full Article

CoverCress Inc. and University Partners Selected as Start-up Inventor of the Year

by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Missouri, CoverCress Inc. and its university partners Illinois State University and the University of Minnesota were selected as the Start-up Inventor of the Year by the Patent, Trademark, and Copyright Section of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis (BAMSL). This award reflects the use

January 19, 2021 Read Full Article

BioMADE Manufacturing Scale-up Accelerator, Top 10 Predictions for ’21

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Today, a look into the Bioindustrial Manufacturing And Design Ecosystem (BioMADE), a Manufacturing USA Institute working to build a sustainable, domestic end-to-end bioindustrial manufacturing ecosystem. And, the Digest’s Top 10 Predictions and Markets for 2021. We were joined by Patrick Rose of the US Department

January 19, 2021 Read Full Article

New Discovery Could Make Biofuel Production Simpler and Less Expensive

(AZO CleanTech) Scientists have figured out a cheaper, more efficient way to conduct a chemical reaction at the heart of many biological processes, which may lead to better ways to create biofuels from plants. Scientists around the world have been trying for years to create biofuels and other bioproducts more cheaply;

January 14, 2021 Read Full Article

Researchers Use Advanced Light to Reveal How Different Biofuels Behave

by Marisa Ramiccio (University of Central Florida/TechXplore) Vehicles have evolved to become more efficient and sophisticated, but their fuel hasn’t necessarily evolved along with them. The Department of Energy is determined to identify cleaner burning and renewable alternatives to gasoline, and through the work of two UCF researchers, the DOE is

January 14, 2021 Read Full Article

Enzyme Twin with Biotechnological Potential: Green Algae Are Popular Objects in Biotechnology because They Have Hydrogen-Producing Enzymes.

(Ruhr University Bochum) Green algae have two almost identical hydrogen-producing enzymes. One has been researched for decades, the other received little attention – until recently. Hydrogen-producing enzymes, so-called hydrogenases, could be a source of regenerative energy. The RUB photobiotechnology working group has now characterized a hydrogenase from the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii that has so far

January 11, 2021 Read Full Article

Enter to Win Storyfest Award

(Planet Forward) Tell an inspiring story to move the Planet Forward — There is no story more gripping than that of our changing planet — and the solutions to sustain it. While problems from climate to the pandemic to plastic use to conservation abound, we’re looking for the stories surrounding the

January 8, 2021 Read Full Article

Energy Sorghum May Combine Best of Annual, Perennial Bioenergy Crops

by Julie Wurth (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment) … A study by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI) found that energy sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) behaves more like miscanthus in the way it efficiently captures light and uses

January 8, 2021 Read Full Article

Transforming Carbon Dioxide into Jet Fuel Using an Organic Combustion-Synthesized Fe-Mn-K Catalyst

Benzhen Yao, Tiancun Xiao, Ofentse A. Makgae, Xiangyu Jie, Sergio Gonzalez-Cortes, Shaoliang Guan, Angus I. Kirkland, Jonathan R. Dilworth, Hamid A. Al-Megren, Saeed M. Alshihri, Peter J. Dobson, Gari P. Owen, John M. Thomas & Peter P. Edwards (Nature Communications) With mounting concerns over climate change, the utilisation or conversion

January 4, 2021 Read Full Article

IISc Researchers Turn Stubble into Ethanol

by Chiranjeevi Kulkarni (Deccan Herald) At a time when pollution from stubble burning has become a concern, researchers from IISc have devised a way to extract ethanol from it which is a valuable fuel. Professor T V Ramachandra and his doctoral student Deepthi Hebbale presented the result of their experiments at

December 30, 2020 Read Full Article

Aircraft Fuel Cell Development Takes Flight after UL Lafayette Lands Grant

(University of Louisiana at Lafayette) An energy storage and power generation system being designed at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette could make flying the friendly skies less harmful to the environment. Solid oxide fuel cells are “a key component” within that system, said Dr. Xiao-Dong Zhou. Their inclusion in

December 28, 2020 Read Full Article

Sustainable Biodiesel from Neem Tree Trans-esterification

by David Bradley (Inderscience/Tech Xplore) The neem tree, Azadirachta indica, also known as the Indian Lilac, is well known for its oil extracted from its seed and fruit. It has been used in traditional medicine but has also been investigated for the pest control potential of natural products. Work published

December 28, 2020 Read Full Article

UAE Researchers Produce Biofuel from Date Seeds

(The National News) About one million tonnes of date seeds are produced from 40 million palm trees in the Emirates — A research team in the UAE have extracted a large quantity of biofuel from date seeds, signalling a huge potential boost for the country’s biofuel industry. About one million

December 28, 2020 Read Full Article

These Metal-Based Catalysts Can Boost Biofuel Yields

by Mike Timko (Worcester Polytechnic Institute/Biofuels Digest) A recent study led by a team from Worcester Polytechnic Institute shows that metal-oxide-based catalysts reduce char build up during biofuel conversion processes, increasing bio-crude oil yield and decreasing yields of low-value byproducts. … Utilizing wet food waste requires a fast and efficient

December 24, 2020 Read Full Article

UWM Scientist Receives Grant to Study Giant Kelp as a Biofuel

by Tom Luljak (WUWM) Giant kelp is usually found thousands of miles from Milwaukee. It’s known for being an incredibly fast-growing seaweed in the Pacific Ocean. But recently, scientists have learned that the kelp could be a huge source for biofuel. That’s where a UWM scientist, Felipe Alberto, comes into

December 18, 2020 Read Full Article

New Discovery Opens Novel Pathway for High-Titer Production of Drop-in Biofuels

(Aarhus University/EurekAlert!) Using an unusual, light-dependent enzyme and a newly discovered enzymatic mechanism, researchers from Aarhus University and MIT have enabled the biological synthesis of high-yield industry relevant production of climate neutral drop-in fuels from biowaste — … A special light-dependent enzyme, which was first discovered about three years ago, is

December 18, 2020 Read Full Article

Biden Wants the U.S. to Stop Contributing to Climate Change by 2050. Here’s What that Would Actually Take.

by Chris Mooney (Washington Post) … And all of it is powered by an array of solar and sometimes distant wind installations, which route electricity across the country thanks to a gargantuan network of power lines that triples the scale of the United States’ current transmission infrastructure. You see them

December 17, 2020 Read Full Article

Engineers Go Microbial to Store Energy, Sequester CO2

by Blaine Friedlander (Cornell University/Science Daily) By borrowing nature’s blueprints for photosynthesis, bioengineers have found a way to efficiently absorb and store large-scale, low-cost renewable energy from the sun – while sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide to use later as a biofuel. By borrowing nature’s blueprints for photosynthesis, Cornell University bioengineers have

December 17, 2020 Read Full Article

From Co-Product Lignin to Biodegradable Polyurethanes: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Lignin Valorization

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) There is such a thing as green polyols for polyurethanes! And as you probably know, cellulosic ethanol produces tons of co-product lignin, so check out this slide guide that dives into the basic polyurethane chemistry, how lignin-based polyurethanes are made, pretreatment, structural changes, the latest

December 15, 2020 Read Full Article

Consortium for Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Education (CABLE) Bioeconomy Career Fair — February 4, 2021 — ONLINE

The Consortium for Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Education is hosting its first virtual career fair on Thursday, February 4, 2021 from 10am-3pm (CST). The career fair will be attended by students from over 20 different universities across the nation. A comprehensive range of industry, government, and university employers in the bioeconomy sector will

December 10, 2020 Read Full Article

The Use of Biogas at the Dickinson College Farm

by Hannah DelSordo* (Advanced Biofuels USA) In recent years, Dickinson College of Carlisle, PA, has been interested in innovative environmental practices that will improve the community and foster a hands-on learning experience for the students. In 2008, students and staff at the College Farm began experimenting with small scale biogas

December 9, 2020 Read Full Article

Illinois Community College ‘Building a Pipeline of Biodiesel Technicians’

by Ron Kotrba (Biobased Diesel Daily) Illinois-based Lewis and Clark Community College is making progress toward “building a pipeline of biodiesel technicians,” according to a recent presentation given by Chris Reynolds, the school’s associate professor of automotive technology. Year one’s objectives toward this end included building awareness and interest in

December 8, 2020 Read Full Article

George Washington University Offers Environmental and Energy Management Graduate Program

(Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition) The George Washington University will be offering full-time and part-time interdisciplinary graduate studies as part of their Environmental and Energy Management (EEM) program. Offerings include the EEM Master of Science degree or the Greenhouse Gas Management Graduate Certificate. The program is designed specifically for professionals in the environmental

December 8, 2020 Read Full Article

Understanding Bacteria’s Metabolism Could Improve Biofuel Production

by Jules Bernstein (University of California – Riverside/Phys.Org) A new study reveals how bacteria control the chemicals produced from consuming ‘food.’ The insight could lead to organisms that are more efficient at converting plants into biofuels. The study, authored by scientists at UC Riverside and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, has been

December 3, 2020 Read Full Article

Researchers Aim to ‘Upcycle’ Nutrient Waste on Farms Using Duckweed

by Tim Schley (Penn State News) New approach to nutrient management could make money for farmers and land managers; Best management practices for reducing runoff and other nutrient losses in agriculture have been difficult to implement, according to Penn State researchers. The team is hoping that duckweed could help make

December 3, 2020 Read Full Article

Catalyzing the Carbontech Ecosystem: Startup Application DEADLINE January 27 2021

(Carbon to Value Initiative) The Carbon to Value (C2V) Initiative will unlock a new carbontech economy, bringing innovative solutions to scale as rapidly as possible through the creation of a robust, powerful, and collaborative new ecosystem. Applications are now open for startups to join the first C2V accelerator cohort, which will

December 3, 2020 Read Full Article

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WIU School of Agriculture Part of Second Pennycress Research Grant

(Western Illinois University) Just 12 months after Western Illinois University Agriculture Professor Win Phippen announced the award of a $10 million federal grant to investigate the use of Pennycress as a commercial cash crop, a second grant has been awarded that dovetails into the initial grant and helps ensure a

September 1, 2020 Read Full Article

Hemp Farm in Ohio Shows Possible New Source of Low Cost, Easily Processed Biomass

by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) “They seem to be serious,” said Atlantic Biomass’ Bob Kozak reflecting on a tour of a hemp farm in central Ohio. He noted, “They are going all-in, putting their own money into this—no grants and planting 26 acres the first year.” Kozak was there

September 1, 2020 Read Full Article

Making Enzymes Fit for Industrial Applications

(Ruhr University Bochum) Bacterial enzymes are often powerful but also very sensitive catalysts. They therefore need a special environment in order to access their performance. Researchers at RUB have developed new techniques with which bacterial enzymes can be efficiently coupled to electrodes. Together with a team from the University of

August 31, 2020 Read Full Article

Phenotyping and Trait Predictions: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Sorghum as Energy Crop

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Take genotype + environment + management practices and you’ve got phenotyping, a measurable characteristic or trait of a plant. In this case, we look at sorghum from Purdue University’s Dr. Melba Crawford and how they are using multi-modality sensing and modeling for high throughput phenotyping of

August 31, 2020 Read Full Article

Chemistry Education for a Sustainable Future Also, CALL FOR MODULE DEVELOPMENT TEAM DEADLINE: November 2020

by Jenny MacKellar (American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute) As we work towards developing green chemistry education resources for the undergraduate chemistry curriculum, we return to our green chemistry education road map vision: “Chemistry education that will equip and inspire chemists to solve the grand challenges of sustainability.” To achieve this

August 29, 2020 Read Full Article

UB Engineer Joins DOE-Funded Project to Purify Water and Produce Fuel

by Peter Murphy (University at Buffalo) UB engineering professor Ian Bradley and his research group are collaborators on a $2 million project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy that will study the use of algae to purify wastewater while simultaneously producing biomass for fuel production. The project is led by

August 28, 2020 Read Full Article

Low Carbon Cash Cover Crop: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to CoverCress

The Digest recently reported on CoverCress and why the U.S. Department of Energy’s $13 million grant for new high-value feedstock, pennycress, is so key. For an in-depth visual guide on how CoverCress is delivering new farm income and low carbon intensity feedstocks while producing cover crop benefits, how it fits between

August 28, 2020 Read Full Article

ClearFlame Engine Technologies Awarded $1.1 Million Department of Energy Phase II Grant

(ClearFlame) Funding will support R&D for clean engine technology on heavy-duty engines — ClearFlame Engine Technologies, a start-up company dedicated to the development of clean engine technology, has been awarded a two-year, $1.1 million Phase II grant from the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The

August 24, 2020 Read Full Article

New Soil Models May Ease Atmospheric CO2, Climate Change

(North America Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance) … In an article published in Nature Geoscience, Cornell University’s Johannes Lehmann and others wrote that scientists should develop new models that more accurately reflect the carbon-storage processes beneath our feet in order to effectively draw down atmospheric carbon dioxide. Carbon’s journey into the soil

August 21, 2020 Read Full Article

Can the U.S. Take Tips from Stockholm to Reduce Our Fossil Fuel Dependence?

by Sadie Tetreault (George Washington University/Planet Forward) … He (tour guide Zennid) outlined how the metro system in Stockholm is electric and how the public buses run on biofuels. Additionally, most car owners power their vehicles with electricity or biofuels. One challenge that he identified was making this work for

August 21, 2020 Read Full Article

Non-Top500 Argonne System Helps Find Method to Convert CO2 into Ethanol

(Inside HPC/Northern Illinois University) By supercomputing standards, Argonne National Lab’s Bebop (stood up in 2017, 1.75 teraflops, bumped off the Top500 list after the June 2019 ranking) seems something of a second-tier player. But non-Top500 systems like Bebop can still take a star turn, as shown by the results of a research team

August 21, 2020 Read Full Article

Enzyme Cocktail Developed in Brazil Powers Production of Second-Generation Ethanol

by Maria Fernanda Ziegler (Agência FAPESP/EurekAlert!) Brazilian researchers used genetic engineering to develop a low-cost platform for the production of enzymes that break down sugarcane trash and bagasse for conversion into biofuel. The novel molecules have many potential industrial applications. Researchers at the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and

August 19, 2020 Read Full Article

Waste Industry Biogas to Diesel Fuel: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to T2C-Energy

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … A new project is focused on optimizing this new TRIFTS technology at a relevant engineering scale capable of utilizing both the CO2 and CH4 portions of biogas and incorporating them into the hydrocarbon backbone of the final product of the process (renewable drop-in diesel).

August 18, 2020 Read Full Article

Circular Scale: T2C Finds a Path to Feedstock-Scaled Renewable Diesel from Biogas

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A new technology has arrived in South Florida for the conversion of biogas to diesel fuels. If you thought of this as a biogas-to-paraffins technology, that would be fine, too. But it’s not strictly a methane-to-paraffins technology, because this technology from T2C also utilizes the CO2

August 18, 2020 Read Full Article

Showcase Bioeconomy: Research Wants to Combine Species Protection and Palm Oil Production

(University of Hohenheim) In Sumatra, smallholders in particular have a key function, according to a study on the conversion of rainforests into monocultures and their effects — Oil palm plantations as far as the eye can see. In addition to a dramatic decline in many animal and plant species, such plantations often lead

August 17, 2020 Read Full Article

Dual-Purpose Hemp Cultivars Have Best Biofuel Potential

by Katie Pratt (University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment) Dual-purpose industrial hemp cultivars show the best potential for coproduction of biofuel and bioproducts, according to University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment study. In the study led by Jian Shi, UK assistant professor in the Department

August 14, 2020 Read Full Article

Nano-Synthesis of Solid Acid Catalysts from Waste-Iron-Filling for Biodiesel Production Using High Free Fatty Acid Waste Cooking Oil

by E. O. Ajala, M. A. Ajala, I. K. Ayinla, A. D. Sonusi & S. E. Fanodun (Scientific Reports) Waste-iron-filling (WIF) served as a precursor to synthesize α-Fe2O3Fe2O3 was converted to solid acid catalysts of RBC500, RBC700, and RBC900 by calcination with temperatures of 500, 700 and 900 °C respectively and afterwards

August 12, 2020 Read Full Article

Success in Promoting Plant Growth for Biodiesel

(Japan Science and Technology Agency/Phys.Org) In JST Strategic Basic Research Programs, a group led by Zhongrui Duan (Researcher, Waseda University) and Motoki Tominaga (Associate professor, Waseda University) succeeded in promoting plant growth and increasing seed yield by heterologous expression of protein from Arabidopsis (artificially modified high-speed motor protein) in Camelina sativa,

August 11, 2020 Read Full Article

Turning Carbon Dioxide into Liquid Fuel

by Joseph E. Harmon (Argonne National Laboratory) New electrocatalyst efficiently converts carbon dioxide into ethanol. … A research team, led by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory in collaboration with Northern Illinois University, has discovered a new electrocatalyst that converts carbon dioxide (CO2) and water into ethanol

August 11, 2020 Read Full Article

Biofuels Project Led by John Sedbrook Awarded $13 Million from DOE

by Rachel Hatch (News Illinois State University) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded a $13 million grant to a nationwide project led by Illinois State University. Professor of Genetics John Sedbrook will head up the project aimed to genetically strengthen a plant for use in sustainable energy efforts. “We’re

August 4, 2020 Read Full Article

Using E85 Fuel to Power Your Electric Car

by Dick Hagen (The Land) … So where does E85 fit into this challenge? As the fuel for a small internal combustion engine perched somewhere in your electric car which can be cranked up periodically as you motor across America. Once employed, this small engine then recharges your car battery

July 31, 2020 Read Full Article

Israelis Turning Watermelon Waste into Fuel of the Future

Racheli Wacks (ZAVIT* Environment and Science News Agency/YNetNews) Malali watermelon is known for its large crunchy seeds, which make a popular snack in Israel, and while 97% of the fruit is discarded in the field, a new study shows that the discarded produce could be used to produce renewable energy —

July 30, 2020 Read Full Article

New Catalyst for Creating Syngas from Waste CO2

by Amanda Doyle (The Chemical Engineer) A catalyst produced via flame spray pyrolysis can be used to turn waste CO2 into syngas for use in fuels and feedstocks. The catalyst has been developed by a team at UNSW Sydney using flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) to make zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles. FSP is

July 29, 2020 Read Full Article

Lithium Ion Battery Waste Used in Biodiesel Production from Discarded Vegetable Oil

(Tech Xplore/American Institute of Physics) … Brazilian researchers demonstrated a new chemical approach for producing biodiesel from domestic cooking oil waste by using hydroxide lithium mixed with either sodium hydroxides or potassium hydroxides as catalysts. Their work, published in the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, by AIP Publishing, could enable future studies related

July 22, 2020 Read Full Article

Harnessing Biomass, Manure to Fuel Farms through Multi-institutional Project

(Penn State News) Transdisciplinary research team aims to create new value chains on U.S. farms, with emphasis on the generation of renewable natural gas, improved rural economic outcomes and protection of the environment. — A new federal grant will allow a research team led by Iowa State University, Penn State and

July 22, 2020 Read Full Article

Discovery Yields Road Map to Oxygenated Hydrocarbon Production

by Mark E. Griffin (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) … Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center scientists are enamored with one particular kind of long chain fatty acid, called furan fatty acid, because it could substitute for petroleum-based products including fuel, engine lubricant, medicines and food additives. Now, a team of

July 20, 2020 Read Full Article

IIT Guwahati Researchers Make Biofuel from Non-Edible Seeds

(Times of India) The Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT-G) researchers have developed methods to produce biofuels from non-edible seeds. … As plants and trees found in India, such as peela kaner, mahua, gulmohar, neem, rain tree, castor and kusum produce seeds that have oil, from which biofuels can be made,

July 17, 2020 Read Full Article

The NEGEM Project – Assessing the Realistic Potential of Carbon Dioxide Removal and Its Contribution to Achieving Climate Neutrality

(NEGEM) ● Reducing GHG emissions continues to be the main priority in climate change mitigation, but carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere (CDR) is increasingly seen as a necessary supplement to traditional emission cuts. ● The NEGEM project will quantify the real-world potential for CDR and assess the feasibility of

July 17, 2020 Read Full Article

A ‘Made in Oman’ Biofuel

by Conrad Prabhu (Oman Observer) … New research spearheaded by an Omani scientist and her team has uncovered the potential to harness high-quality biodiesel fuel from these (date) pits. Indeed, a pilot study funded by Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) has all the hallmarks of a ‘Waste-to-Energy’ success story with the

July 17, 2020 Read Full Article

Microbes Pave Way for Green Flight

by Irini Angelidaki (Technical University of Denmark) … “Soon bacteria, yeast, and fungi will become the factories that produce not only fuel, but also a wide range of chemicals, plastics, and even proteins,” says Professor Irini Angelidaki, DTU Environment. An important realization in the bioeconomy is that the idea of replacing

July 16, 2020 Read Full Article

E-Fuels Can Replace Fossil Fuels

by Ib Chorkendorff (Technical University of Denmark) The aircraft, ships, and lorries of the future must be powered by e-fuels—fuels produced partly from captured CO2—and partly from hydrogen produced by the splitting of water. … According to the physics professor’s vision, aircraft, ships, and lorries of the future will be powered

July 16, 2020 Read Full Article

Biogas into Methanol in a Container

by Philip Loldrup Fosbøl (Technical University of Denmark) Sustainable fuel has moved a big step closer with a new demonstration plant that can convert biogas into the liquid fuel methanol. Currently, biogas is either incinerated to provide electricity and heat—or upgraded into methane (natural gas, ed.). “Methanol has a higher

July 16, 2020 Read Full Article

More Biofuel from Same Amount of Biomass

by Peter Vang Hendriksen (Technical University of Denmark) It is possible to produce much more biofuel from the same amount of biomass by combining electrolysis with biomass gasification. — In the Synfuel project, the researchers have succeeded in combining two known technologies so that more biofuel can be produced from the same

July 16, 2020 Read Full Article

Milking Algae Can Produce Eco-Friendly Biofuel

by Hannah C. (The Science Times) … Furthermore, the costs of culturing, collecting, and extracting algae can be countered by a safer way of milking the algae. Alice Uchida and Masaki Ihara led a team from Shinshu University, Japan in the development of cultivating microalgae while tackling three major issues of milking algae. The

July 15, 2020 Read Full Article

Scientists from Russia and Germany to Develop New Biotechnology Using Algae

(Peter the Great St.Petersburg Polytechnic University/EurekAlert!) Project to create a resource and CO2-neutral energy closed-loop technology from microalgae Chlorella sorokiniana and duckweed Lemna minor. — Researchers of Peter the Great St.Petersburg Polytechnic University(SPbPU) in collaboration with Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) completed an international joint project to create a resource and CO2-neutral energy closed-loop technology

July 14, 2020 Read Full Article

Qatar University, MME Work on Biofuels for Sustainable & Clean Energy Sources

(The Peninsula) In cooperation between Qatar University (QU) and the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME), a joint research team worked on the scientific project aiming to address the main challenges represented by lack of cleaning, renewable energy globally and the continuous production of wastewater that the world faces and hinders

July 13, 2020 Read Full Article

Odia Scientist-Led Team Develops Tech for Producing Biofuel

by Sudhir Mishr (The Pioneer) The present scenario calls for production of biofuels using green technology. The term biofuel is referred to as liquid or gaseous fuels that are predominantly produced from biomass. Biofuels are important because they can replace petroleum based fuels. Biofuels are generally considered as offering many priorities,

July 13, 2020 Read Full Article

New Biojet Fuel Could Be a Viable Alternative to Fossil Fuel

by Maegan Murray (Washington State University Tri‑Cities) A Washington State University Tri-Cities researcher is producing and testing a group of hydrocarbon molecules made from lignin, a waste material from biofuel production, as a new biojet fuel that could replace petroleum-based fuels and lead to greater performance and reduced emissions. Bin Yang,

July 9, 2020 Read Full Article

IIT-Hyderabad Uses Machine Learning to Study Biofuel Supply

by Syed Akbar (Times of India) Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Hyderabad have developed a method using machine learning algorithms to study supply chain network of biofuels. According to the IIT-Hyderabad team, the method considers revenue generation not only as an outcome of sale of biofuel but

July 3, 2020 Read Full Article

New Candidate for Raw Material Synthesis through Gene Transfer

(Karlsruhe Institute of Technology/Phys.Org) Cyanobacteria hardly need any nutrients and use the energy of sunlight. Bathers are familiar with these microorganisms—often incorrectly called “blue-green algae”—as they often occur in waters. A group of researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) has discovered that the multicellular species Phormidium lacuna can

July 3, 2020 Read Full Article

George Washington University to Fully Divest from Fossil Fuels by 2025

by Gabby Birenbaum (The Hill) George Washington University on Monday became the latest U.S. school to announce it will fully divest its endowment from fossil fuel holdings. The board of trustees pledged to achieve full divestment by 2025 and carbon neutrality by 2030, in addition to taking steps like phasing out single-use plastics. “Our

June 30, 2020 Read Full Article

Bioenergy 2nd Edition Biomass to Biofuels and Waste to Energy Published by Academic Press

(Elsevier) Bioenergy: Biomass to Biofuels and Waste to Energy, 2nd Edition presents a complete overview of the bioenergy value chain, from feedstock to end products. It examines current and emerging feedstocks and advanced processes and technologies enabling the development of all possible alternative energy sources. Divided into seven parts, bioenergy

June 30, 2020 Read Full Article

Engineers Find Neat Way to Turn Waste Carbon Dioxide into Useful Material

by Lachlan Gilbert (University of South Wales Sydney Newsroom) Making catalysts to convert waste carbon dioxide into useful industrial products has been expensive and complicated – until now. UNSW engineers show it’s as easy as playing with Lego. — Chemical engineers from UNSW Sydney have developed new technology that helps convert

June 30, 2020 Read Full Article