(George Washington University) Already dense urban populations are growing. What will tomorrow's smart cities look like? How can they be sustainable? By 2050, nearly 70% of the world's population will be in urban areas, according to the UN. This surge will
by Blake Herzog (Yuma Sun) The University of Arizona's expanding research efforts into biofuel at its agricultural center outside Yuma is prompting the county to consider amending its zoning ordinance to allow for increased activity in that realm. The Yuma County
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... 17 — count them, 17 — different pyrolytic technology centers in the UK ... Tyre Pyrolysis: 2G BioPOWER 2G BioPOWER is developing a UK pyrolysis project to convert used tyres into partially renewable oil, steel and carbon black,
by Michelle Fredrickson (WSU News) A researcher at Washington State University has received a three-year $450,000 federal grant to develop computer models for using iron to more efficiently refine bio-oils and make better biofuels. Jean-Sabin McEwen, assistant professor in the Voiland
by Melody M. Bomgardner (Chemical & Engineering News) Researchers at the Joint BioEnergy Institute transform biomass into energy-rich fuel molecules -- .. JBEI researchers are zeroing in on concepts that others have decided are too difficult or would take too
(HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology) Jeremy Schmutz, faculty investigator at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, has received a grant from the National Science Foundation to study how switchgrass plants adapt to drought stress. Schmutz, who co-directs the Genome Sequencing Center at
(PR Web) Several of the plants grown as biofuel crops have proved to be invaders in some environments – spreading rapidly and overwhelming surrounding natural ecosystems. Scientists at Virginia Tech used two of the best-respected and most widely used weed
(Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) Switchgrass, a perennial native to the tallgrass prairie, is one of the most promising bioenergy crops in the United States, with potential to provide high-yield biomass on marginal soils unsuitable for traditional agricultural crops. New research by
(Business Wire/Biodico) Biodico, a sustainable biofuel and bioenergy company, today announced that the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center presented the results of a five-year joint research and development project with Biodico to Assistant Secretary of the
by Michael McDonald (Bloomberg Business) The Massachusetts Institute of Technology rejected demands from a student-led group to divest its $13.5 billion endowment of fossil-fuel investments, joining universities such as Harvard and Yale. MIT said in an announcement on Wednesday that it will
(Algae Biomass Organization) Six student scientists were presented with the fourth annual Young Algae Researcher Awards earlier this month for their contributions to fields of algae biology and engineering at the 2015 Algae Biomass Summit, the official conference of the Algae Biomass Organization (ABO). More than
(UT News) A researcher at The University of Texas at Austin will receive two grants totaling $15 million to study a native prairie grass, including how it can become a sustainable source of bioenergy amid global climate change. Tom Juenger, a
by Gonzalo A. Martinez, Stefano Rebecchi, Deborha Decorti, Joana M. B. Domingos, Andrea Natolino, Daniele Del Rio, Lorenzo Bertin, Carla Da Porto and Fabio Fava (Green Chemistry) The development of a multi-purpose four step-cascading biorefinery scheme for the valorization of red
by Lauren Klamm (Source) Colorado State University is one of 10 institutions in a $13.8 million research grant to improve sorghum as a sustainable source for biofuel production. ... Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, the five-year grant takes a
(Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute/PR Newswire) The Chesapeake Bay Seed Capital Fund has invested $150,000 into Manta Biofuel LLC, a company that produces crude oil from algae at a cost that is competitive with traditional petroleum, University of Maryland officials announce today. The
by Timothy Cama (The Hill) The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) internal watchdog is launching a project to analyze the environmental impact of the federal ethanol mandate. The EPA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) sent a letter to agency officials Thursday
by Katherine Bagley (Inside Climate News) A climate scientist who was the lead signatory on a letter urging President Obama to launch a federal investigation into whether fossil fuel companies "knowingly deceived the American people about the risks of climate change"
by Dr Jen Vanderhoven (CBMNet) In particular we would like to build an application for the societal challenge: BIOTEC-06-2017. Optimisation of biocatalysis and downstream processing for the sustainable production of high value-added platform chemicals Total project value €5-7 Million. Specific Challenge: The bio-based production of chemical building
(The Advertiser/AAP) A plant used to make tequila could be good for something other than a hangover, University of Adelaide research shows. Agave produces large amounts of sugar that can be fermented into bioethanol, Associate Professor Rachel Burton says. Research from
(Globe Newswire/Alliance BioEnergy Plus, Inc.) Alliance BioEnergy Plus, Inc. (OTCQB:ALLM) (the "Company"), announced today that its’ subsidiary Ek Laboratories in Longwood, Florida, under the direction of Dr. Richard Blair, Dr. Peter Cohen and Dr. Zhilin Xie, achieved 63% conversion of Coastal
(De Gruyter) The use of biomass as a resource for fuels and chemicals is a very important topic in chemical research and chemical industry. -- The field of biorefineries combines cutting-edge research with innovative industrial goals. Biorefineries compiles the basic science
(Algae Industry Magazine) The Faculty of Engineering (FI) of the Autonomous University of Querétaro (UAQ), a Mexican public university based in the city of Santiago de Querétaro, Querétaro, is carrying out a greenhouse drainage water treatment project using microalgae so
(EurekAlert!/Algae Foundation) As industry grows, demand for trained algae researchers, scientists and engineers increases --- The Algae Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public about the algae industry, has been awarded a multi-year grant from the Department of
(Michigan State University) A new $1 million relationship between Michigan State University and ExxonMobil will expand research designed to progress the fundamental science required to advance algae-based fuels. David Kramer, MSU’s John Hannah Distinguished Professor in Photosynthesis and Bioenergetics at the
by Mark Emalfarb (Dyadic International) ... Mike Murtha's My Word column, "Feds must follow Fla. on ethanol repeal," on Monday is a misguided call to move the state backward in all three areas. Florida's universities and biotechnology companies — including the
(Alfred State/Biomass Magazine) New York Sen. Catharine Young announced that she has secured $1 million in state aid to help establish the Bio-refinery Development and Commercialization Center (BDCC) on Alfred State’s School of Applied Technology campus in Wellsville. The proposed BDCC
(Biofuels International) Wood-based BioVerno diesel by Finland’s UPM has been found to significantly reduce harmful tailpipe emissions, the company reports. A number of engine and vehicle tests have been carried out across key research institutes, such as VTT Technical Research Centre
(EurekAlert!/University of Eastern Finland) The hemicellulose sugars of barley straw can be effectively fermented into biobutanol, when starch is added during the pre-treatment or fermentation process, shows a new University of Eastern Finland study. Seeking to find alternatives to ethanol as
by Helen Tunnicliffe (The Chemical Engineer Today) Chemical engineers from Iran have found a way to produce biodiesel from castor oil without the need for extra petrochemical methanol, using a biorefinery set-up. Producing biodiesel from vegetable oils is not completely renewable,
by Gillian Klucas (University of Nebraska-Lincoln) ... The University of Nebraska-Lincoln will lead a $13.5 million, multi-institutional research effort to improve sorghum as a sustainable source for biofuel production. Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, this five-year grant takes a comprehensive
by Robert-Jan Bartunek (Reuters) Belgian researchers are examining the excrement of giant pandas to try to understand how they can digest tough bamboo, hoping for clues on how to develop new generations of biofuel. The genetic make-up of endangered pandas is that
by Ann Bailey (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The majority of Nebraskans who responded to a Rural Nebraska Poll are in favor of developing alternative sources of energy, including ethanol and biodiesel. About 2,000 rural Nebraska residents responded to the poll conducted by the
(Colleges and Institutes of Canada) Colleges and Institutes of Canada (CICan) has launched the Clean Tech Internship, an opportunity for small- and medium-sized cleantech businesses to take on a highly-qualified intern at no or low cost thanks to support
(Cardolite Corporation, SHD composite Materials Ltd and Solvay) Cardolite Corporation, SHD composite Materials Ltd and Solvay are supporting the Punch Powertrain Solar Team from the University of Leuven in building the PunchOne, a Belgian solar car based on bio-based resins. The Punch One, that
by Lisa Olliges (KOAM TV) Today PSU automotive students are learning how bio-diesel works as the alternative fuel becomes more mainstream. First it was ethanol now its bio-diesel. Steven Benzel, an automotive technology major says the course gave him new insights into
(Phys.org/Michigan State University) Researchers at Michigan State University have built a molecular Swiss Army knife that streamlines the molecular machinery of cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, making biofuels and other green chemical production from these organisms more viable. The team
by Eric Mortenson (Capital Press) The recent drop in oil prices put the brakes on biofuel production, but industry insiders believe in the long-term promise of the technology. -- It’s like leasing ground to the future. On about 90 acres that in
(PhyCO2/Biomass Magazine) Michigan State University and PHYCO2 have entered into a partnership to develop algae technologies produced from PHYCO2’s revolutionary and patented concept that promotes algae growth and sequesters, or captures, carbon dioxide from power plant emissions. The collaboration is a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) For every ton of corn, wheat, and rice harvested today, an equal amount of biomass is left behind on the fields. Within this biomass — of which nearly 2 billion tons are produced each year
(University of Guelph) Canadian farmers might one day grow sugar corn for a potentially huge alternative fuels market through a new project involving University of Guelph researchers. Along with scientists from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food
by Carl R. Woese (Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign/Science Daily) How farmers can sustainably, and affordably, meet humanity's growing demand for food, fuel -- Experts predict farmers can sustainably, and affordably, meet humanity's growing demand for food
(Algae Industry Magazine) In Japan, the Algae Biomass Energy System Development Research Center, headed by Professor Makoto Watanabe, was established at the University of Tsukuba on July 1. The new organization’s duties include fundamental research and empirical studies on algae
(Science News/Cardiff University) Researchers have devised a way of increasing the yield of biodiesel by using the waste left over from its production process. Using simple catalysis, the researchers have been able to recycle a non-desired by-product produced when biodiesel
by Robert F. Service (Science Magazine) Stuart Licht has designed the ultimate recycling machine. The solar reactor that he and colleagues built in his lab at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., takes carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere—a byproduct of
by Robert F. Service (Science Magazine) Liquid fuels aren't the only things made from oil. Chemical companies start with oil to make thousands of different products, including plastics and pharmaceuticals. Most of these other commodities are worth more than fuels. So
(Michigan State University) Michigan State University has earned a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to better understand how biofuel crops acquire nitrogen, insights that could help maximize yields while minimizing fertilizer use. Sarah Evans, an integrative biologist
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Tobacco’s been re-thought, re-engineered and re-invented as a platform for sustainable, low-carbon fuels, and green chemicals – who’s doing what, where and how? ... If tobacco’s reputation has fallen into disrepute on soil sustainability and smoking
by Simon Constable (The Street) Harvard's $32.7 billion endowment would generate significantly lower returns if climate-change activists convince the university to abandon fossil fuel investments, according to a new study. Such a strategy might cost the fund more than $100 million
by Michelle Ma (University of Washington Today) Groves of poplar trees could one day fuel our vehicles and be the source of chemicals that we use in our daily lives. A five-year, $40 million study is laying the foundation for
(Tokyo Tech News) Studies of the genes involved in oil synthesis in microalgae allow scientists to use a gene promoter to increase algal production of triacylglycerols, which in turn enhances potential biofuel yields. ... Now, Hiroyuki Ohta at Tokyo Institute
(Tokyo Tech News) Tokyo Tech researchers successfully introduced an engineered lipid remodeling system into a transgenic plant to enhance biofuel production. Triacylglycerols from plants can be used to produce environmentally friendly and renewable biodiesel. Therefore, there has been great interest in
(Iowa State University) The National Science Foundation (NSF) has added three years and $8.48 million to the grant supporting the NSF Engineering Research Center for Biorenewable Chemicals based at Iowa State University. That brings NSF’s total funding of the center (known
(Press Trust of India/Business Standard) Five IITs have come together to set up a virtual centre spread across their campuses to develop advanced technologies in the area of biofuels. This is a joint initiative of IITs and Department of Biotechnology (DBT)
(Biofuels International) Scientists have mutated variants of a certain fungus to double the production of endoxylanase enzymes, which are used in bioethanol production. ... To address this problem, researchers have taken a common fungus called Aspergillus nigerand through careful exposure
by by msemmawhite (Auvisa.org/2GreenEnergy) ... Biodiesel can be truly green when it’s produced and distributed locally and grown efficiently without extensive use of pesticides and fertilizers. An even better option would be a crop that also can improve marginal land and produce
(Office of Senator Heidi Heitkamp) U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today announced $250,000 in federal funding for research at the University of North Dakota (UND) to study biomass as a biofuel and solar energy absorption by nanoparticles. “North Dakota has a rich
by Shane Hickey (The Guardian) James Seers’s reworking of the plumbing under domestic sinks separates out solid waste and oil and has the potential to save water companies millions ... He came up with a reworking of the U-bend pipe fitted under
(Washington State University) Hanwu Lei, Washington State University Tri-Cities associate professor in biological systems engineering, was awarded a $494,000 grant this fall to research catalysts, which will be used to increase the energy output and performance of biofuels. Lei said he
(KMVT) A Boise based non–profit called Greenspeed Research is racing to build a biodiesel trophy truck to compete in the Baja 1000. Greenspeed Research was born out of a student club at Boise State. They built the world’s fastest vegetable
by Mark Harris (The Guardian) In Las Cruces, New Mexico, a pilot project is using heat-loving algae to clean wastewater and generate energy --- ... “Galdieria sulphuraria is one of the most interesting microorganisms on the planet,” says Peter Lammers, a
by Lisa W. Alexander, Ellen R. Haynes, Jason Burris, Samuel Jackson & C. Neal Stewart Jr (Biofuels) Exploiting heterosis through hybrid breeding is essential to increase biomass yields of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum). However, life cycle timespan for clone evaluation for field
(Southeast Partnership for Integrated Biomass Supply Systems) The Chemistry and Biology in Bioenergy Interdisciplinary Workshop for High School Teachers sponsored by IBSS recently took place at the University of Tennessee (July 13-17). The workshop was designed to assist teachers with their
by Robert Mills (Iowa State University) Researchers from Iowa State University and the Bioeconomy Institute have been awarded nearly $2 million to study production of biochar for use as a soil amendment that stores carbon underground instead of allowing carbon
by Olga Pavuk (The Baltic Course) Production of bioethanol is an alternative energy source of utmost importance in replacing ordinary fuel made from hydrocarbons. Latvian scientists have succeeded in producing bioethanol and furfural from plant waste – wheat straw. Co-generation
by Jesse Sokolow (Frequent Business Traveler) Alaska Airlines announced a new partnership with Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance, or NARA, that is aimed at furthering the production and use of alternative jet fuel made from leftover tree limbs and branches after
(yle) Researchers say that in 35 years, Finland could theoretically get all of its energy needs using only renewable energy sources. Researchers at the Lappeenranta University of Technology say they've found ways to make such a transition feasible, both economically
by Marty McCarthy and Arlie Felton-Taylor (ABC Rural) Could Australian agriculture help to literally fuel the United States Navy's expansion in the Asia-Pacific? -- That is the question a Queensland researcher is trying to answer, as the US moves towards powering
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory recently announced it has selected 16 projects to receive funding through its Carbon Capture Program, including two focused on algae. According to the DOE, the program funds development
(Algae Industry Magazine) Scientists at the John Innes Centre, in Norwich, England, have discovered that Euglena gracilis, the single cell algae that inhabits most garden ponds, has a whole host of new, unclassified genes that can make new forms of
by Jan Overney (Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne) Microalgae are a promising feedstock for biofuels, but current methods of harvesting and dewatering them are unsustainable. Now researchers have shown that growing the algae with certain filamentous fungi to form lichens can
(University of Adelaide) The solid waste left over from wine-making could make a competitive biofuel, University of Adelaide researchers have found. Published in the journal Bioresource Technology, the researchers showed that up to 400 litres of bioethanol could be produced by
by Beverly James (University of Florida) Imagine jet fuel made from a crop that’s renewable, brings in income and can feed cattle. Researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences have found a way to turn mustard
by Tang Chia-ling and Jake Chung (Taipei Times) An inter-university research team has developed a microalgae-based carbon capture technology and established the nation’s largest pilot microalgae farm at a university in Tainan in hopes of helping the nation conserve energy
by Jan Overney (Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne) To cut the cost of biofuels, their production-process can be enhanced to include additional valuable biochemical compounds. A recent experimental study focuses on one source of biomass: residues from Brazilian palm oil
by Venkatesha Babu (Business Today) ... A catalyst being developed by Shell Technology Centre Bangalore (STCB), one of the three tech hubs of Shell besides the ones in Houston and Amsterdam, holds out the promise of converting agricultural and municipal waste
by Phil McKenna (Green Biz) The fate of the world’s oceans may rest inside a stainless steel tank not quite the size of a small beer keg. Inside, genetically modified bacteria turn corn syrup into a churning mass of polymers that
(US Department of Energy) “Sustainability in Bioenergy: A Nation Connected” is a short documentary highlighting personal stories and the efforts being made by communities across the United States to develop, produce, and provide bioenergy, while ensuring it is environmentally, economically,
by Kati Moore (Duke Environment) Zackary Johnson, Arthur P. Kaupe Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology in Marine Science at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment, has received a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to establish a consortium
(Green Car Congress) Researchers at the University of Maryland are proposing a new process to isolate and to direct the evolution of microorganisms that convert cellulosic biomass or gaseous CO2 and H2 to biofuels such as ethanol, 1-butanol, butane, or
(Kansas State University) A Kansas State University biochemistry professor has reached a milestone in building a better biofuel: producing high levels of lipids with modified properties in oil seeds. Timothy Durrett, assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biophysics in the College of
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Another barrier to commercially viable biofuels from sources other than corn has fallen with the engineering of a microbe that improves isobutanol yields by a factor of 10. The finding of the Department of Energy’s BioEnergy Science
(Green Car Congress) A team at the University of Georgia, Athens led by Distinguished Research Professor Michael Adams has discovered tungsten in what appears to be a novel enzyme in the biomass-degrading thermophilic bacterium Caldicellulosiruptor bescii. Tungsten is exceptionally rare
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Scientists from the University of Maryland will report in the Journal of Theoretical Biology that they have isolated several different strains of bacteria that make high concentrations of biofuels from cellulosic biomass or from carbon
by Robert Arnason (The Western Producer) ... Agriculture Canada scientists and university biofuel experts are developing a novel use for corn that might level the playing field. Instead of using corn grain to make ethanol, the scientists are proposing a process similar
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) A proposal by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to change ethanol blending rules would significantly increase carbon emissions to the equivalent of adding nearly one million more passenger vehicles on the road, according to an
by Emma Cooper (Chemistry World) By using bigger building blocks, scientists in the UK have shown they can make much longer oligosaccharide sequences than previously possible. The traditional synthetic route to long chain oligosaccharides is drawn out and complicated; they require
by Maegan Murray (WSU Tri-Cities/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Doctoral student Baran Arslan experienced bioproducts production processes this summer that he formerly had only seen in the lab on the nano scale. He participated in a new summer course through Washington State University
(Press TV) Iranian researchers have produced biodiesel from the flixweed crop as a potential renewable energy substitute for non-renewable fossil fuels. Under a project to deliver a new generation of green transport fuel, researches at the Islamic Azad University produced 2 liters
by Ron Kotrba (Biomass Magazine) Photobioreactor manufacturers detail their latest designs and performance metrics and provide project updates from around the globe. ... Whether through open ponds, raceways or closed photobioreactors (PBR), growing algae is both a science and an art. ... PBRs
by Scott Seitz (Norwalk Reflector) Revenue for local farmers is below the ‘break-even point’ -- In 2012, corn was priced as high as $8.25 per bushel, while soybeans went for as much as $18. Fast forward to today, where corn
(Green Car Congress) A team from the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, University of Hawaii at Manoa is developing a new one-pot process to produce gasoline-grade (C6–C18) hydrocarbon oil from polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)—an energy storage material formed from renewable feedstock in many
(Phys.Org) Cellulose hydrolysis has many industrial applications in such fields as biofuel production, food, paper, cosmetic, pharmaceutical industries and textile manufacture. A novel approach to cellulose hydrolysis using a consortium of motile bacteria moving on solid surfaces and carrying microbial
(Energizing Arkansas) A nonprofit is trying to grow camelina, which can be combined with vegetable oil to produce an alternative fuel source, to encourage economic and biofuel development in DeWitt. Tami Hornbeck made the best of it during a recent field day in DeWitt, where consultants, financers, farmers
by Bruce Dorminey (Renewable Energy World) A rapid-growing tree, many researchers think poplar is missing its calling as a high-quality cellulosic bioenergy feedstock. -- As the world’s fastest growing temperate tree species, poplar can add a dozen feet annually and reach maturity
(Candy & Snack TODAY) Two new hybrid species of sugarcane capable of maintaining productivity in temperatures as low as 50 degree F could potentially allow cultivation beyond the current region and expand sugar yield by as much as 25
TERRA projects seek to accelerate the development of sustainable energy crops for the production of renewable transportation fuels from biomass. To accomplish this, the projects uniquely integrate agriculture, information technology, and engineering communities to design and apply new tools for
(Southeastern Partnership for Integrated Biomass Supply Systems) Contrasting with ethanol production with microorganisms to ferment raw material into liquid fuel, biomass materials can be directly “gasified” through controlled burning (called pyrolysis, literally “fire splitting”). Gasification releases energy stored in complex plant
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It’s been around for a generation or so — fast pyrolysis, that is. Though in the original low-tech incarnation — known as “cooking fire” — pyrolysis has been around since the dawn of man. But
(EurekAlert!/GigaScience) Biofuels and biogas bioinformatics: Virtual containers unload a wealth of resources to tackle climate change -- New research in the Open Access journal GigaScience presents a virtual package of data for biogas production, made reusable in a containerized form
by Itai van Rijn (Y Net News) New research shows that growing and producing bioethanol from algae of the species sea lettuce has potential but is not currently viable economically. ... New research at Tel Aviv University, which has just recently been
(U-Tokyo Research) Missing link in microbial cellulose decomposition -- A University of Tokyo research group has revealed for the first time the three-dimensional structure and mechanism of action of a key enzyme of bio-fuel production, cellobionic acid phosphorylase (CBAP). This result is
(Extension.org) Renewable energy production options are growing thanks to expanded farm equipment capabilities for harvesting biofuel feedstocks like shrub willow. -- Harvesting is the single most expensive operation in the production of shrub willow biomass, accounting for about 30% of costs
by Lynn Yarris (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) Berkeley Lab Study Shows Orange Carotenoid Protein Shifts More Than Just Color for Cyanobacterial Photoprotection ... “Prior to our work, the assumption was that carotenoids are static, held in place by the protein scaffold,” Kerfeld
[caption id="attachment_63689" align="alignleft" width="300"] A plenary session at the World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology (July 19, 2015, Montreal).[/caption] by Stefaniya Becking* (Advanced Biofuels USA) If one is looking for an international gathering of leaders in industrial biotechnology to expand their professional
(Science Daily) A new study, led by Professor Nick Hewitt of Lancaster University, examined changes in ground level ozone in response to projected land use change associated with future biofuel cultivation. Publishing in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, the researchers
by M Najmuz Zafar (Muscat Daily) A group of scientists and academics are undertaking a research on producing biofuel from biological and agricultural waste, which they say, will lay the foundation of biofuel industry in Oman. “Although the research employs local
by Douglas R. Kauffman, Jay Thakkar, Rajan Siva, Christopher Matranga, Paul R. Ohodnicki, Chenjie Zeng, and Rongchao Jin (ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces) The catalytic conversion of CO2 into industrially relevant chemicals is one strategy for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Along
(University of California Santa Cruz) We are the UC Santa Cruz iGEM team! We are a team of 24 bioengineers, biochemists, and MCD biologists and overall a group of passionate undergraduates involved in an exciting international synthetic biology competition. The iGEM program
(New Holland) Following the United States Department of Energy’s announcement to award State University of New York up to $3.5 million to fund a research project that seeks to develop ways to reduce the cost of delivering biomass for refinement,
by Ryan Masters (Santa Cruz Sentinel) The salt ponds of Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, just north of San Jose International Airport, may hold the key to a sustainable energy source. For more than 100 years, people have
(Egypt Independent) EgyptAir plans to launch its first plane run on biofuel, replacing traditional jet fuel, in one year, said Civil Aviation Minister Hossam Kamal during a graduation project ceremony for students of the Engineering Institute of Aviation and Technology. The
(Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) Researchers from across the world, including from Virginia Tech, plan to mimic the chemistry of the brown rot fungus to improve biorefining processes. BioMim, a $4 million, four-year project funded by the Research Council
(American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev/Biomass Magazine) Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel and University of Florida researchers have been awarded a United States-Israel Bi-national Agricultural Research and Development Fund (BARD) grant to improve the production of biogas
(Wageningen UR) Wageningen URFood & Biobased Research is launching a large-scale European project in collaboration with Cosun (coordinating partner) and ten businesses from the Netherlands and abroad to extract more value from sugar beet pulp. After undergoing bio-refinery and other conversion
(Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute ) The Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS) program, an initiative of the Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech) in the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland, has approved 15 collaborative technology product development
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) You may have heard the old joke, “you can make anything out of lignin, except money.” Well, I hope to still be writing about ethanol the day that's been proven wrong. ... Earlier this year, I
by Hanna Loraine (University of Bath) A Jordanian PhD student has come to Bath to investigate how our algae research could help clean wastewater in her country. ... New ways of cutting down water wastage and overuse are in desperate
by Nancy Stauffer (MIT Energy Initiative) Chemical engineers and biologists at MIT have found a simple way to make yeast produce more ethanol from sugars: Spike the mixture they’re growing on with two common chemicals. Adding potassium and an acidity-reducing compound helps
(Umeå University) A research group at Umeå University has managed to capture and describe a protein structure that, until now, has been impossible to study. The discovery lays the base for developing designed enzymes as catalysts to new chemical reactions for
(US Department of Energy) The Energy Department today announced six projects that will receive up to $18 million in funding to reduce the modeled price of algae-based biofuels to less than $5 per gasoline gallon equivalent (gge) by 2019. This
by D'Lyn Ford (North Carolina State University) The same process plants use to respond to environmental stress acts as an on/off switch for a key enzyme in wood formation, NC State researchers have found. The discovery improves scientists’ understanding of how lignin,
by Amy Townsend-Small, Josette E. Marrero, David R. Lyon, Isobel J. Simpson, Simone Meinardi, and Donald R. Blake (Environmental Science and Technology) A growing dependence on natural gas for energy may exacerbate emissions of the greenhouse gas methane (CH4). Identifying fingerprints
(Michigan State University) Converting large tracts of the Midwest’s marginal farming land to perennial biofuel crops carries with it some key unknowns, including how it could affect the balance of water between rainfall, evaporation and movement of soil water to
by Michael McDonald (Bloomberg) Stanford, Oxford and Georgetown universities have won praise for promising to purge their endowments of direct investments in coal, embracing the fight against climate change. One detail gets lost in the celebration: the colleges have few, if
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... IVIG is an institute of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and its mission is: Training and development of human resources to act mainly in the areas of science and technology, infrastructure, energy and environment,
by Richard Martin (MIT Technology Review) New microbes and new techniques show promise for advanced biofuels, but the industry is still years away from real progress. Attempting to chart a path forward for the beleaguered biofuels industry, a group of researchers
(Green Car Congress) A study by researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Michigan State University colleague has concluded that even with a relatively high rate of electrification of the US light-duty fleet (40% of vehicle miles traveled and
(Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH)) Innovative extraction method sources chemicals from algae instead of from imported oils -- Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) welcomed news that The University of Toledo (UT) will receive $50,000 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support research into
by Scott Gordon (University of Wisconsin-Madison) A team of investigators at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Michigan State University have created a process for making the work environment less toxic—literally—for the organisms that do the heavy lifting in the increasingly
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Lead organization in development of energycane and sweet sorghum for use as biofuel crops in the deep South ... Bringing to fruition the first energy crop to sugar syrup processing facility READ MORE
by Rick Kubetz (Phys.Org) Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have, for the first time, uncovered the complex interdependence and orchestration of metabolic reactions, gene regulation, and environmental cues of clostridial metabolism, providing new insights for advanced biofuel
(Spero Energy Inc./Ethanol Producer Magazine) A company that licenses Purdue intellectual property has received federal funding to develop its one-step, patent-pending technology that could improve the efficiency of alternative fuel production. Spero Energy Inc. has received a two-year Phase II SBIR
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) This week, we'll hear from someone that was part of a project to restart an idled ethanol plant in 2013. It was an ambitious and interesting effort and I'm sorry to hear it wasn't
(Morgan State) CycloBurn Combustion System™ Provides Relief to Poultry Farmers and Protects Environment Morgan State University professor and lab director for the School of Engineering’s Industrial and Systems Engineering department, Dr. Seong W. Lee, and his research team are the recipients
(EnAlgae) EnAlgae researchers have published an economic model to help to explore the economics of cultivating macroalgae at sea. The model and report can be found here as outputs WP2A7.06 and WP2A7.11. Both documents together are a study into the
(Algae Industry Magazine) Two research papers recently published by EnAlgae scientists point to real potential advantages in using algae as a feed ingredient and as a wastewater treatment, but only with further improvements in algal technology. ... The first paper is an
by Jesse Daystar, Carter Reeb, Ronalds Gonzalez, Richard Venditti, Stephen S. Kelley (Science Direct) Highlights •Cradle-to-grave environmental impacts of biofuels from five major feedstocks in the Southern U.S. •Thermochemical conversion pathway studied for ethanol production •Global warming impacts, eutrophication, acidification, and other impacts studied •95% reduction
(University of Manchester) Scientists at The University of Manchester have made an important discovery that forms the basis for the development of new applications in biofuels and the sustainable manufacturing of chemicals. Based at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB), researchers
(Danforth Plant Science Center) Understanding key phenotype-to-genotype associations will enhance efforts to bring products to market -- The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center announced today it was awarded an $8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy ARPA–E TERRA program.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Six projects land major multi-year awards for Project TERRA, Tramsportation Energy Resources from Renewable Agriculture In Washington, ARPA-E announced awards totaling $30 million for projects seeking to accelerate the development of sustainable energy crops for the
(US Department of Agriculture/Ohio State University) The long term goal of this project is to commercialize an integrated anaerobic digestion system (iADs) that promises cost competitive bioenergy and biofuels production from lignocellulosic biomass. The specific objectives of this proposal are
by Chris Mooney (The Washington Post) ... Rather than acting like perfect homo economicuses, they’ve found, we’re highly swayed by the energy use of our neighbors and friends — peer pressure, basically. At the same time, we’re also heavily biased by the
by Cherie Winner (Pennsylvania State University) By virtue of their chloroplasts, plants are superb harvesters of solar energy. They use it to build leaves, flowers, fruits, stems, and roots. We harvest a small percentage of that energy in the form of
(Iowa Biodiesel Board/Biodiesel Magazine) A federal grant has helped expand a program to educate diesel technicians about biodiesel throughout the Midwest. Working in conjunction with the Iowa Biodiesel Board, the regional Clean Cities initiative makes the “Biodiesel for Diesel Technicians” program
by Scott Miller (Clemson University) A new public-private partnership led by Clemson University and a worldwide biomass and bioenergy producer will research the use of crops that can both open new markets for South Carolina landowners and support the growing
by James Hataway (University of Georgia) Researchers at the University of Georgia have used a gene editing tool known as CRISPR/Cas to modify the genome of a tree species for the first time. Their research, published recently in the early
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... DRI is the environmental research branch of the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE). We are involved in evaluating environmental concerns and consequences of biomass/biofuel systems, from cradle to grave. In addition, we apply analytical
(University of Florida) The UF Bioenergy and Sustainability School Summer Internship Program is a program sponsored by the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, with funding from the IFAS Dean of Research. The intent of this program is to introduce undergraduates to
(The American Society of Agronomy/Biodiesel Magazine) In the U.S., federal mandates to produce more renewable fuels, especially biofuels, have led to a growing debate: Should fuel or food grow on arable land? Recent research shows farmers can successfully, and sustainably,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... There are a lot of biofuel sources in Ukraine. And KNU is the center of fundamental and applied researches at this field (formation, reforming, etc.) READ MORE
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