(VIB) The results of a field trial with genetically modified poplar trees in Zwijnaarde, Belgium, shows that the wood of lignin modified poplar trees can be converted into sugars in a more efficient way. These sugars can serve as the
by Sepp Jannotta (MSU News Service) ... Robin Gerlach is the MSU professor coordinating research into the production of oil-producing algae, as well the feasibility of commercial-scale biofuel production based on microbes discovered in Yellowstone National Park. Part of a multi-institutional
(Morgan State) Maryland may soon delve into a new way of sustainable biofuel production, thanks to the research of Morgan State Assistant Biology Professor Dr. Viji Sitther. Last month, Dr. Sitther received a $100,000 Maryland Innovation Initiative grant to begin
(University of Bern, Switzerland) If grassland used intensively, biodiversity decreases. Particularly affected are rare species, a new study headed by Berner plant scientists shows. Such negative effects could be reduced if farmers would vary the intensity of their management in
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) A recent report authored by two University of California, Davis researchers examines the economics of the California low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) program. According to information released by the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies,
(EcoNews) A new study conducted by Drexel University environmental sociologist Robert J. Brulle, PhD, exposes the organizational underpinnings and funding behind the powerful climate change countermovement. This study marks the first peer-reviewed, comprehensive analysis ever conducted of the sources of
by Lisa Deeney (Agriland) A new European research project seeks grass crops that could be grown and harvested on marginal lands, away from areas suitable for food crops. According to the researchers, grass could be used to produce biofuels. The advantage of
by Chris Hanson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... Researchers at the Energy Biosciences Institute at the University of Illinois evaluated woody and grassy biomass feedstocks for cellulosic ethanol production at Illinois. Twenty-one species of short-rotation woody biomass were included in the study.
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Illinois researchers reported results from a decade of field trials with miscanthus, the first plots to be planted in the U.S. The average annual yield of miscanthus grown in seven Illinois locations over
by Martiin Kidston (Missoulian) If 1 ton of woody debris can produce 50 gallons of fuel, how many gallons of fuel could 42 million acres of dead and dying forests produce? Funded by a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department
(Alpha Galileo/Centre for Genomic Regulation) The study, published in Nature today, describes the sugar beet reference genome sequence generated by researchers both from the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics and the University of
by Jie Ma , Hong Luo , George E Devaull , William G. Rixey , and Pedro J. J. Alvarez (Environmental Science and Technology) Ethanol-blended fuel releases usually stimulate methanogenesis in the subsurface, which could pose explosion risk if methane accumulates
(University College London) A new UCL project is developing the idea that microalgae could provide more sustainable production of a wide range of useful oils – from omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids to lubricants to next-generation biofuels. Part of a wider funding
(US Department of Agriculture) The U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Energy (DOE) today announced $8 million in research grants to develop non-food feedstocks that can be used for bioenergy. The grants are part of a broader effort by the
(EurekAlert/Dartmouth) For first time, Dartmouth study puts a dollar value on snow's reflection of solar energy Replacing forests with snow-covered meadows may provide greater climatic and economic benefits than if trees are left standing in some regions, according to a Dartmouth
by Lauren D. Quinn, Elise C. Scott, A. Bryan Endres, Tom Voigt, Jody M. Endres (University of Illinois/FarmDocDaily) Media coverage of the controversy surrounding the use of certain non-native feedstocks for bioenergy is as pervasive as invasiveness itself. Plants such as giant reed
(Environmental Protection Agency) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently accepting applications for environmental education projects under the agency’s Environmental Education Grant Program. The program works to engage communities across the country through a wide variety of educational projects
by Barry Cohen (National Algae Association) When the National Algae Association opened its test center for algae production technologies and methods to high school and college students, many interesting things started to happen! Students are given the opportunity to see
(Oregon State University) Researchers at Oregon State University have discovered that one gene in a common fungus acts as a master regulator, and deleting it has opened access to a wealth of new compounds that have never before been studied
(E! Science News/Earth & Climate) The first long-term U.S. field trials of Miscanthus x giganteus, a towering perennial grass used in bioenergy production, reveal that its exceptional yields, though reduced somewhat after five years of growth, are still more than twice
by Steve Byrns (AgriLife Today) Pecos is usually egg-frying hot, bone dry and much of the groundwater is brackish, but Texas A&M AgriLife Research personnel know the area is prime real estate for conducting algae research, something they’ve been doing successfully
(Energy Business Review) The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has awarded funding of £1.15m to Robert Gordon University (RGU) and University of St Andrews researchers for a project to investigate photocatalytic bioethanol production. The four-year project is aimed at
(EurekAlert/BGI) In a collaborative study, researchers from Lanzhou University, BGI and other institutes have succeeded in unraveling the whole genome sequence of desert poplar, Populus euphratica, and the genetic bases underlying poplar to against salt stress. This work provides new insights for
by Rachel Passmore (NewBIO) ... The shrub willow lifecycle begins with a place to plant the seeds. Part of NEWBio's research focuses on the use of land that is undesirable for food production, land that contains "marginal soils". According to Dr.
by Tony Kryzanowski (Ag Annex) ... “Chicken manure is high in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. It contains the main nutrients that algae need,” says, Bob Mroz, president and chief executive officer of a Maryland-based biotech company called HY-TEK Bio, which is
(Washington State University) ... NARA (Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance) is developing regional aviation biofuel solutions, since the aviation industry is in need of a viable and sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. IDX’s specific role within NARA was to propose a supply
(Delft University of Technology/Biodiesel Magazine) ... Researchers at TU Delft have developed a clever way of finding the fattest and therefore the most suitable examples among all the many species of algae. ... “The ultimate goal of our research is to make
by Seth Borenstein (Associated Press/US News and World Report) The United States is spewing 50 percent more methane — a potent heat-trapping gas — than the federal government estimates, a new comprehensive scientific study says. Much of it is coming
by Chris Hanson (Biomass Magazine) Researchers at the J. Craig Venter Institute in Rockville, Md. and Waseda University in Tokyo have modified cyanobacteria’s biological clock to remain in its daytime state. “We have shown that manipulating cyanobacteria’s clock genes can increase
(University of California) University of California, Los Angeles chemical engineering researchers have created a new synthetic metabolic pathway for breaking down glucose that could lead to a 50 percent increase in the production of biofuels. The new pathway is intended to
by Jade Boyd (Rice University) Synthetic biologists at Rice probe biochar’s impact on microbial signaling In the first study of its kind, Rice University scientists have used synthetic biology to study how a popular soil amendment called “biochar” can interfere with
(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Scientists report in Nature Communications that they have engineered yeast to consume acetic acid, a previously unwanted byproduct of the process of converting plant leaves, stems and other tissues into biofuels. The innovation increases ethanol yield from
(Algae Industry Magazine) Can scientists grow algae in polluted water on dairy farms and then safely feed it to livestock? That’s what Shelton Murinda, an associate professor of animal and veterinary sciences, Marcia Ewers of the biological sciences department, and
(Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego) Prospects for economic and sustainable fuel alternative enhanced with discovery Researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego have developed a method for greatly enhancing biofuel production in tiny marine algae. As
by Bruce Dorminey (Renewable Energy World) Shrub willow — the short rotation crop that kept the world in wicker baskets for centuries — is gradually finding new life as a cold-resistant biomass, particularly in upstate New York where it’s augmenting traditional
by Meg Cichon (Renewable Energy World) ... On Monday afternoon, Power-Gen and Renewable Energy World attendees headed to the Culture Fuels site to learn about their algal biomass technology. According to Mike Welch, research associate in Biofuels at University of South
by Jeff Spross (ThinkProgress.org) With any luck, future whisky fans may be able to enjoy their three fingers in the afternoon with the added knowledge they’ve contributed to a climate-friendly energy economy.According to E&E News, a biochemist in Scotland recently
by Chris Hanson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Douglas Tiffany, assistant extension professor at the University of Minnesota, discussed the economics of co-locating torrefaction, ethanol and coal power plants at the University of North Dakota on Nov. 6. “What we wanted to get
by Wallace E. Tyner (PennEnergy/Purdue University) ... So what is behind the differences in both my suggested values and the EPA proposal? The biggest difference in my original post and EPA is in the level of the corn ethanol mandate. EPA
(Science Daily) Expanding millions of hectares of Brazilian land to produce palm oil for food or for renewable, clean-burning biodiesel could result in extremely high emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) unless strict controls are put in place. This is according to
(Iowa Biodiesel Board) Program helps ensure long-term integration of biodiesel into American fuel supply Some instructors from throughout the Midwest who will train the diesel mechanics of tomorrow now have a thorough knowledge base on biodiesel. It’s thanks to recent training
(University of Nottingham) Scientists from The University of Nottingham have received vital funding to create new biofuels which will address the urgent need to find alternatives to fossil fuels. Researchers from the University and the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and
by Chris Hanson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Douglas Tiffany, assistant extension professor at the University of Minnesota, discussed the economics of co-locating torrefaction, ethanol and coal power plants at the University of North Dakota on Nov. 6. “What we wanted to get
by Buhl, Christine, Ph.D., (University fo Wisconsin-Madison) Genetic modification may be utilized to enhance various traits in trees for forestry and biofuel applications. Among these modification targets are gibberellic acid and lignin. Gibberellic acid (GA) is a plant hormone that promotes
(Center For Agricultural And Rural Development/PR NewsWire/Yahoo!Finance) A new analysis by Iowa State University economists Bruce A. Babcock and Sebastien Pouliot of the EPA's ethanol market system finds that it works effectively and as intended in tracking compliance with the
by Noah Fierer, Joshua Ladau, Jose C. Clemente, Jonathan W. Leff, Sarah M. Owens, Katherine S. Pollard, Rob Knight, Jack A. Gilbert, Rebecca L. McCulley (Science Magazine) Tallgrass prairie is extinct across much of its former range in the midwestern
by Mary C. Scholes, Robert J. Scholes (Science Magazine) In the past, great civilizations have fallen because they failed to prevent the degradation of the soils on which they were founded (1). The modern world could suffer the same fate at a
by Chris Hanson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) In August, Ernest Moniz, secretary for the U.S. DOE, announced more than $22 million in new investments to develop a more efficient feedstock supply chain for advanced biofuels, in addition to more affordable algae-derived
(4-Traders.com) Prof. (Emeritus) Aharon Gedanken from the Department of Chemistry at Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel, who is currently a visiting chair professor at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), southern Taiwan, has developed a microwave-based process that transforms waste cooking oils
by Felix Creutzig, Esteve Corbera, Simon Bolwig and Carol Hunsberger (IOP Science) Integrated assessment models suggest that the large-scale deployment of bioenergy could contribute to ambitious climate change mitigation efforts. However, such a shift would intensify the global competition for
(US Environmental Protection Agency) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced the 2013 recipients of EPA’s People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) Phase I grants. Forty teams of graduate and undergraduate students from across the country are each receiving
by Stephanie Fischer (Stuttgart Daily Leader) DeWitt became the first Community of Innovation after city leaders saw the opportunity in developing a biofuel resource. A new winter crop and the technology to turn it into biofuel are making their way to
by Brianne Pfannenstiel (Kansas City Business Journal) The University of Missouri-Kansas City was awarded two grants totaling more than $2 million this week. The first is a grant valued at $1.2 million from the U.S. Department of Energy's Joint BioEnergy Institute to fund research into how
(The Norwegian University of Science and Technology/Alpha Galileo) Until now, it has taken weeks to make biofuel from trees. This slow pace has been a bottleneck for the industry. Researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have now
(University of Tennessee) “Green diesel” is on the move, and a recent demonstration tour showed Southeastern audiences just how far the biobased fuel can go. Coordinated by the Southeast Partnership for Integrated Biomass Supply Systems (IBSS), the 900-mile mobile tour featured
by Katie Fehrenbacher (GigaOm) Utah State University Professor Jason Quinn and his team took 15 years of weather data from over 4,300 places in the world and ran a series of simulations to predict how much algae oil could be
(Algae Biomass Organization) First place awards for students at University of Texas at Austin and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC-San Diego Six student scientists were presented with the second annual Young Algae Researcher Awards today in Orlando, Florida for their contributions
(Rapid City Journal/Associated Press) It's 2004, and South Dakota State University forage crop breeder Arvid Boe is trying to figure out what insect has been wreaking havoc with his switchgrass plants in an experimental plot at Dakota Lakes Research Farm
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Scientists from the University of Illinois have reported that they have engineered yeast to consume acetic acid, a previously unwanted byproduct of the process of converting plant leaves, stems and other tissues into biofuels. This innovation increases ethanol
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The National Corn-to-Ethanol Center opened its doors for tours, lunch and demonstrations during a recent open house celebration. “We’re not only celebrating our 10 year anniversary but we are really celebrating the biofuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Next-gen biofuels technologies may be key to making the International Space Station cost effective — not to mention, other destinations in the NASA agenda. Which may explain why a high-tech algae outfit, Evodos, is advertising
by Rachel Carter (The Examiner) ...State Line Biofuels operates a 120,000 gallon/year (300 gallon per batch capacity) biodiesel production facility, providing biofuel and livestock meal for on-farm use. The production capacity of State Line Biofuels can additionally serve oilseed pressing and biodiesel production
(Waste Management World) Researchers at Wake Forest University in North Carolina have developed a new sugar based catalyst that could cut the cost of producing biodiesel from poor quality waste oil and fats, such as those which are routinely removed
by Todd Nelson (Finance & Commerce) University of Minnesota researchers are working to domesticate a perennial grain crop known as intermediate wheatgrass that one day could appear in your car’s fuel tank, your pantry or even distinctive new craft brews. Intermediate
(University of Queensland) A University of Queensland researcher hopes to use a chemical found in lemons and other citrus fruits to make clean, renewable jet fuel. Dr Claudia Vickers is modifying baker's yeast to produce a synthetic form of the natural
by Tim Stephens (University of California Santa Cruz) A novel device that uses only sunlight and wastewater to produce hydrogen gas could provide a sustainable energy source while improving the efficiency of wastewater treatment. A research team led by Yat Li,
(American Chemical Society) A new study has found that liquid wastes from hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” that was treated and released into local streams in Pennsylvania still contained elevated levels of salts and other contaminants, which could be dangerous to
(Basque Research) In her PhD thesis Ruth Sanz-Barrio, an agricultural engineer of the NUP/UPNA-Public University of Navarre and researcher at the Institute of Biotechnology (mixed centre of the CSIC-Spanish National Research Council, Public University of Navarre and the Government of
(Algae Industry Magazine) The Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) has announced that University of Massachusetts Amherst Associate Professor Dr. Chul Park has been awarded the 2013 Paul L. Busch Award. The WERF Endowment for Innovation in Applied Water Quality Research is honoring Dr.
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) Although biofuels certainly provide bioenergy, they remain a bit outside the usual use of the term, bioenergy. That said, the bioenergy degree at Ohio State University’s Agricultural Technical Institute can provide the foundation for
(UFOP) In general, pure biodiesel is not applicable in modern diesel engines with particulate filters, as the particulate filter regeneration process would lead to a dilution of engine lubricant by the biofuel. Also a larger share of biogenic components in
(Algae Industry Magazine) The University of Arizona (UA) is the lead institution for the Regional Algal Feedstock Testbed, or RAFT, partnership, which was recently awarded $8 million over four years by the Department of Energy (DOE) to research how algae
(Science Daily) UCLA chemical engineering researchers have created a new synthetic metabolic pathway for breaking down glucose that could lead to a 50 percent increase in the production of biofuels. The new pathway is intended to replace the natural metabolic pathway
(BusinessWire/Greenbelt Resources) Study to Identify Approach for Optimal Yield of Ethanol Fuel Conversion from Food Waste Fermentation Greenbelt Resources Corporation (OTC: GRCO) and its wholly-owned subsidiary Diversified Ethanol Corporation today announced their investment in a research effort with California Polytechnic State University
by Dan Cossins (The Scientist) Could the fungus-gardening activities of leafcutter ants teach humans how to produce sustainable biofuels? In a humid room at the University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW), large Tupperware boxes hold thick beds of gray fungi, pockmarked with holes and
by Allison Goodrich (The Register-Mail) Carl Sandburg College is climbing back on the “go green” bandwagon, making further attempts to help jump start the manufacturing job market through means of a new biofuels-focused program. The two-year AAS (associate in applied
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) ... (Bruce) Babcock (the Cargill endowed chair of energy economics at Iowa State University) is more optimistic about the potential for E85 consumption to grow. If corn prices stay low and gasoline prices stay
by Christopher Doering (Des Moines Register) A study from Iowa State University said the cost of installing tanks to handle fuel with 85 percent ethanol could be cheaper than purchasing energy credits to avoid blending the fuel mostly made from
The Northeast Bioenergy Scholars Program is an exciting summer research experience program for enthusiastic undergraduates who are interested in exploring bioenergy utilizing cutting-edge techniques. Check out the list of current topics and locations for summer research opportunities. An accepted scholar receives
(Alpha Galileo Foundation) Researchers at the Iberoamerican University (IBERO) in Mexico City, look to consolidate a pilot biorefinery that will use the waste of various fruits, vegetables, flowers and plants produced in urban and rural areas, to transform them into
by Kaytlyn Leslie (The San Luis Obisbo Tribune) Cal Poly will receive $1.5 million to fund biofuel research, according to a Department of Energy news release. Cal Poly was one of two universities in the country to receive money to research the
(UPI.com) Algae-derived biofuels can reduce the life cycle of carbon dioxide emissions by at least 50 percent compared to petroleum fuels, a U.S. university study found. The peer-review study -- the first to analyze real-world data from an existing algae-to-energy demonstration
by Erika Gebel Berg (Chemical and Engineering News) Protein Engineering: Scientists evolve a bacterial protein pump that pulls butanol out of cells to make microbes into better biofuel factories Biologists can engineer microorganisms to make biofuels, such as butanol or octanol,
(The Fish Site) A team of European scientists is on a mission to prove that microalgae can be used to produce bioethanol as a biofuel for less than €0.40 a litre. ... The EU-funded project DEMA ('Direct Ethanol from MicroAlgae') is focusing
by Julie Hare (The Australian) Researchers from James Cook University are close to producing a low-cost biofuel extracted from seaweed that will be powerful enough to fly jet aircraft. That same seaweed may also have helped to clean up tailings at a
by Chris Kick (Farm and Dairy) ...At 10 feet tall and higher, (Jon) Griswold’s “giant miscanthus” surpasses even the tallest of corn hybrids and the tallest of farmers. And its dense, wide-reaching foliage makes for a fort-like appearance from the roads. ...Griswold
by Anna King (KPLU) Washington State University will lead a new federal research center focused on finding new biofuels for jet airplanes. ...WSU will work closely with the FAA, MIT near Boston and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The project,
(EurekAlert) "Biofuel" has become a global buzzword, with cars and trucks powered by fuel made from corn, corncobs and stalks, switchgrass and even waste oil from cooking french fries, envisioned as a way to stretch out supplies of crude oil
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Corn stover. It’s that inedible leftover from the corn crop, and if you’ve ever noted how big a corn plant is in comparison to the size of the ear, you know there’s a lot of
By James A. Foley (Nature World News) An estimated 1 million tons of coffee grounds are generated by java-loving Americans each year, and researchers at the University of Cincinnati have found a way to take what is usually thrown in
by Tony Fitzpatrick (Washington University/Algae Industry Magazine) Synechocystis 6803 – a versatile, specialized cyanobacterium – can produce ethanol, hydrogen, butanol, isobutanol and potentially biodiesel. And it’s a natural at converting CO2 to useful chemicals that could help both tame
(Clemson University) Clemson University researchers focusing on switchgrass as a renewable fuel source are looking to fungi and bacteria — nature’s specialists in decomposing plants and animals into elements that can be reused to support life — to help make cost-competitive
by Mickie Anderson (University of Florida) ... Many research teams in academia and private industry are struggling, however, with one vexing problem with algae as a fuel source: The conditions that promote algal growth aren’t the same as the conditions that
(BusinessWire/SeQuential Pacific Biodiesel) -SeQuential Pacific Biodiesel, the longest-running commercial biodiesel producer in the Pacific Northwest, announces the production of its 20 millionth gallon of clean-burning, locally produced fuel, a milestone in the company’s 8 years of business in Oregon and
by Rod Santa Ana (AgriLife) Second-generation bioenergy plants could be released in two years ...“Unlike corn, or even switchgrass, sugarcane is unique in that it can be crossed with different species, including sorghum, to create new plant varieties with favorable traits that
(Phys.Org) ... Researchers from VIB (the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology) who are associated with KU Leuven have developed yeast strains that produce bio-ethanol from waste with an unprecedented efficiency. As a result, they are well placed to become important players on a
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Loyola University Chicago is expanding its biodiesel laboratory with much-needed additional space, and a new processor and analytical instrumentation. Lab manager Zach Waickman says Loyola built the school’s biodiesel program over the past five years
(University of Wisconsin Foundation) Lady beetles and energy to power your car or your lights may not seem as if they belong in the same sentence until you visit Professor Claudio Gratton, an entomologist working in the Wisconsin Energy Institute (WEI) at
(La Prensa) UNAM researchers are in the process of design and construction of a pilot plant for the production of quality biodiesel, edible oil from waste collected from restaurants and hotels of the Federal District, the product obtained would be
(University of Seville) The invention, jointly owned by the University of Seville and Cordoba University, identifies in a mill gender microbial strain that produces biodiesel Terribacillus cleanly, with higher performance and lower production cost than the currently employed in the
by Carl Zulauf and Nick Rettig (Ohio State University/FarmDocDaily) ... Corn processed into alcohol for fuel was not a factor in the 1970 period of farm prosperity. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) data series on this demand component does not
(Algae Industry Magazine) After a successful 2012 race season powered with yeast biodiesel, the Aggie A-Salt Streamliner, as the dragster is officially known, topped 73 miles per hour this week during its algae-fueled debut. The roadster, with a .8 liter
by Les Harrison (SouthEast Farm Press/UF Extension, Wakulla County) A canola cousin, carinata produces oil seeds that can be used to make an alternative fuel which is virtually indistinguishable from petroleum counterparts. Researchers at the University of Florida’s North Florida
by Ron Kotrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Millions of dollars and years of testing have already been invested in the attempt to increase ASTM’s allowable amount of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) contamination in jet fuel, which can occur from pipeline movement
by Alan Ohnsman (Bloomberg) ...Mimicking the way plants turn sunlight and carbon dioxide in the air into energy and oxygen, the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis at the California Institute of Technology is in a race to trump nature and slow global
by Natalie Johnson (UW Oshkosh Today) Tiny blue-green algae have big potential for using the sun’s energy to turn carbon waste into bio jet fuel, according to University of Wisconsin Oshkosh researchers. In July, UW Oshkosh microbiologist Toivo Kallas, along with
(Borneo Post) The Microbiology Research Group at the University Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Biotechnology Research Institute has developed a simple and easy way to produce biofertiliser from oil palm fibre empty fruit bunches (EFB) within 40 days. Its senior researcher Dr Md
This fall semester, Penn State World Campus is offering the following online graduate course: ABE 884 - Bioenergy Systems You are invited to register now for this advanced course in bioenergy principles and applications. The course examines the theories and applied technologies
by Erin Brodwin (Scientific American) A group of researchers enlist fungi and E. coli to make the first biofuel of its kind ... The team took Trichoderma reesei, a fungi widely known for its ability to efficiently decompose the non-edible parts of plants, plus a specially
(University of Queensland) Newly trialled native algae species provide real hope for the development of commercially viable fuels from algae, a University of Queensland scientist has found. Dr Evan Stephens and the team at UQ’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience, in collaboration
(EurekAlert!) Findings could ultimately boost crop and biofuels production A team including Dartmouth researchers has uncovered a protein that plays a vital role in how plant roots use water and nutrients, a key step in improving the production and quality of
(BusinessWire/Aurora Algae) In collaboration with Durack Institute of Technology, Aurora Algae has completed construction of a new algae cultivation test site in Geraldton, Western Australia, to evaluate the potential of the Mid West region for the production of microalgae. Aurora Algae
(Science Magazine) Addition by subtraction. By removing a specific gene, researchers reduced the amount of lignin (stained red) by 36% in cells in a plant’s stem, making it easier to recover sugar-rich parts of the plant that can be converted to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Using just CO2, sunlight and water – and some math right off Einsteins’ blackboard — researchers come up with a potential game-changing technology for making renewable fuels. The National Science Foundation’s division of Emerging Frontiers in
(Associated Press) Research into the potential of algae-based fuel is getting a $5 million boost from the U.S. Department of Energy. ... NMSU is working on the project along with Los Alamos, Argonne and Pacific Northwest national laboratories, Washington State and Michigan
by Andrew Freedman (Climate Central) A new study of the air above a natural gas field in Utah suggests that far more methane gas may be escaping into the atmosphere from drilling operations than previously estimated. The study, to be published
(UCLA Engineering) In April 2013, UCLA MAE Ph.D. student Wei Yu raised $1.6M series A venture capital for Lyxia Corporation, a biofuel startup based on research from UCLA MAE Professor Chih-Ming Ho’s Micro System Laboratories. Preceeding this, in July 2012,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The “ethanol blend wall” can be overcome and Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requirements can be met in 2014 and beyond through increased use of attractively-priced E85, according to a new economic analysis by the Center for Agricultural
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Miscanthus, sorghum, switchgrass, jatropha, camelina, carinata, and arundo. Who’s doing what to bring these crops to scale — and who are the potential big winners? ... Just when you start feeling great about bagasse or stover, you
(Algae Industry Magazine) GianCarlo Onorati writes in SantaCruz.com that a team of scientists from the University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC) are exploring the cultivation of algae in a self-sustaining greenhouse system using a new generation of solar panels
(The Pig Site) Work at the University of Minnesota shows that antibiotics used in the production of distillers dried grains (DDGS) are either inactivated during the production procedure or reduced to very low concentrations. Antibiotic residues in distillers grains (DG) were
(U.S. Department of Energy) During remarks at the Energy Department’s Biomass 2013 annual conference, Secretary Moniz today highlighted the important role biofuels play in the Administration’s Climate Action Plan to increase our energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) According to an article in the journal Phycologia, a recent research study examined a promising freshwater algal strain for possible genetic engineering applications that could make it a viable biofuel. The research, conducted by a research team in
by David Schwartz (Algae Industry Magazine) ...The Colorado Springs native got into alternative energy in the seventh grade when she heard some neighbors were making their own biodiesel in their basement, she says. “I thought that was a really cool
(Algae Industry Magazine) Funded by a $30,000 Rochester Institute of Technology grant, David Blersch, a University at Buffalo environmental engineer, and his students built a system that pumps water from Lake Erie ashore down two, 40-foot-long flumes. The water is
(AZOCleanTech) A collaboration between Rochester Institute of Technology’s Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences and Sweetwater Energy Inc. will give students experience with the Rochester-based company that has a sweet and sustainable niche. Sweetwater Energy provides its industry partners with
by Dan Dickson (Business Lexington) ... “[Switchgrass is] one of four or five native, warm-season grasses used on farms in Kentucky. Those grasses were here when the first European settlers came to Kentucky,” said Ray Smith, University of Kentucky extension forage
A team of students from Bodmin College in Cornwall make biofuel from algae and waste cooking oil – with a little help from Plymouth Marine Laboratory and a farm that uses only sustainable and renewable energy sources. This film is part of the ongoing
(Colorado State University) An interdisciplinary team of Colorado State University researchers has received a $2 million National Science Foundation grant to research new routes to the sustainable production of biofuels using photosynthetic bacteria. “The purpose of this basic research is to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... The Summer of Algae has passed, but dozens of companies have remained hot in pursuit of a solution for fuels, feed, nutraceuticals, fragrances, flavorings and tailored renewable oils. Their technologies? Closed systems, open-systems, hybrid systems. Hosts
(Algae Industry Magazine) Rocky Hill, CT-based Connecticut Innovations (CI), the state’s quasi-public authority responsible for growing Connecticut businesses through innovative financing and strategic assistance, has awarded a Connecticut Innovation Challenge grant of $150,000 to AgriFuels LLC of East Hartford, CT. ... The goal
by Jennifer Laaser (Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel) Look at a leaf-cutter ant colony, and it's a bustle of activity, with ants bringing pieces of leaves in, spreading them around on a honeycomb-like bed of fungus, and weeding the garden to remove
by Ron Kortrba (Biodiesel Magazine) Chemical engineering students at Worcester Polytechnic University in Massachusetts have been investigating biodiesel production using the Globe jacketed reactor system from Syrris. “As part of their senior thesis, some of our undergraduate students suggested a
by ANI (Yahoo! News) ..."It is thought that Jatropha's future lies in further improvement of Jatropha for large-scale production on marginal, non-food croplands through breeding and/or biotechnology," John E. Carlson, professor of molecular genetics at Penn State, said. "The more that is
by Rod Pyle (Huffington Post) A team of university students is counting down toward the ultimate science ride, a weightless flight aboard a modified NASA jet to see just how certain fires burn in zero gravity. The experiment, led by engineering
by Jennifer Donovan (Michigan Tech News) Working to identify key genes in the root development of poplar trees, three Michigan Technological University scientists have come up with a new model for how genes interact and affect each other’s function. They
by Edward Hill (VICNEWS.com) Seaweed – it’s great for sushi, and perhaps even better for biofuels. A study by a University of Victoria mechanical engineering student has shown that large-scale seaweed farms could make environmental sense in B.C. in terms of
by Chenda Ngak (CBSNews.com) Professor Juergen Polle is packing up his laboratory on a sweltering morning in New York City, but the beakers and test tubes aren't going on summer break. The professor of biology at Brooklyn College has run out
by Thomas Anderson (TG Daily) According to the new research results of the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, lignocellulosic biomass can be used in the production of high-quality biofuels for the price of less than one euro per litre. A new technology
(JustMeans.com/Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable Technology) Promising biofuels research at a Wisconsin biotech company and a partner university is getting a boost from a $224,967 National Science Foundation grant. C5.6 Technologies of Middleton, Wis., and the Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable Technology (WIST)
by Carl Franzen (The Verge) ...Chang-Yeob Lee of the Royal College of Art wants to radically transform London's BT Tower at some point in the future, equipping it with exterior carbon fiber and steel rigging, designed to capture and convert air
by Susanne REtka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Bruce Dale urges careful thought about energy and agriculture. A 1-ton-per-day pilot facility on the campus of Michigan State University geared up this spring to produce pretreated biomass for feed trials. It’s part of
(Science Daily) All chefs know that "you have to break some eggs to make an omelet," and that includes engineers at Iowa State University who are using high-frequency sound waves to break down plant materials in order to cook up
(Midwest Aviation Sustainable Biofuels Initiative) MASBI found that a coordinated effort by both private and public interests would be one of the most effective ways to move the Midwest biofuels industry forward and take a pivotal step toward diversifying the
(The Research Council of Norway) ...The yellowish, slimy growth that many of us have come across on ropes that have lain in seawater is the marine organism known as tunicates. Tunicates are basically living filter tubes that suck bacteria and other
(Wall Street Daily) ...Meet the gribble. Essentially, gribbles are the termites of the sea. That is, they’re marine pests that feed exclusively on wood. As you can imagine, that doesn’t make them very popular with the seafarers of the world. But thanks
by Dahai Gao, Shishir P. S. Chundawat, Anurag Sethi, Venkatesh Balana, S. Gnanakaran, and Bruce E. Dale (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) Substrate binding is typically one of the rate-limiting steps preceding enzyme catalytic action during homogeneous reactions. However,
(University of Illinois/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Two University of Illinois scientists have developed an environmentally friendly and more economical way of pretreating miscanthus in the biofuel production process. "We pretreat the biomass with switchable butadiene sulfone in the presence of water to break
(United Sorghum Checkoff Program) The Sorghum Checkoff in collaboration with the NCERC at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (formerly the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center) is pleased to announce a successful bench-scale evaluation of sweet sorghum juice sugars with corn mash for
(Algae Industry Magazine) An algae research proposal from Oklahoma State University’s Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center (FAPC) was ranked No. 1 of 28 plant-related research projects, resulting in $100,000 in funding from the Oklahoma Center for
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