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by Karen B. Roberts (University of Delaware) … One hurdle that keeps promising CO2 electrolyzer technologies in academic laboratories rather than being scaled for industrial use — where they could make a dent in our carbon dioxide emission problem — is that the critical materials needed for the job, including membranes
National Science Foundation
January 20, 2022
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by Marc Arakaki (University of Hawai’i News) World-renowned microbiome research at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa received a major boost by the National Science Foundation. The five-year, $2,499,432 grant will support new research led by School of Life Sciences Professor Anthony Amend and his team to study how microbiomes influence food chains, which may lead to the creation
January 18, 2022
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(University of Arkansas) SIEV Technologies, a catalytic membrane reactor design company started by University of Arkansas researchers, has been awarded a $256,000 Small Business Innovation Research Grant from the National Science Foundation to develop technology that improves biofuel production. The grant will enable SIEV to continue developing its business model as
December 16, 2021
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by Elizabeth K. Gardner (Purdue University/Fence Post) Microorganisms can be neighborly — when breaking down complex plant fibers they divide the labor and are able to sustain a diverse community, as each member gets its share of food. Understanding how they are able to adapt in this way could lead
November 19, 2021
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(LSU College of Engineering/Globe Newswire/Associated Press) Each day, many of the products we use, whether we know it or not, are produced from natural gas or crude oil using carbon- and energy-intensive processes. But what if we could make those same products using CO2, thereby drastically reducing or even eliminating our
October 7, 2021
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(EurekAlert!/Pennsylvania State University) Controlling carbon release into the atmosphere will reduce carbon dioxide and slow global warming, but could there be unintended consequences for human health? Now, thanks to a three-year grant of about $400,000 from the National Science Foundation, researchers at Penn State will investigate potential positives and negatives of
October 1, 2021
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(Bergeson & Campbell) On December 28, 2020, the House overrode President Trump’s veto and passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (H.R. 6395) by a vote of 322 to 87, and the Senate passed the bill on January 1, 2021, by a vote of 81 to 13. Subtitle E of
January 20, 2021
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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
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(Carbon 180) We partner with policymakers, scientists, and businesses around the globe to develop policy, promote research, and advance solutions that transform carbon from a pollutant to a resource and foster a prosperous, carbon-conscious economy that removes more from the atmosphere than we emit. … The next administration will need
November 19, 2020
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(Standford University/EurekAlert!) Generations of political support for sugar cultivation have helped India become the second-largest producer of sugar worldwide. Now, the country’s commitment to renewable energy could create additional benefits, like conserving natural resources and providing better nutrition to the poor. Stanford researchers conducted the first comprehensive analysis of India’s sugar
August 6, 2020
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(Indiana Agriculture Coalition for Renewable Energy) Our first featured renewable energy project is a joint project between PU Chemical Enginering and PU Agronomy Department at the Sustainable Food, Energy and Water Systems (SFEWS) research project in West Lafeyette. … “This research will explore novel photovoltaic arrangements, structures, and materials such
April 30, 2020
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by Bill Hagy (Lee Enterprises Consulting, Inc./Biofuels Digest) A series of PowerPoint Presentations outlining key Federal Financial Programs and Assistance that are available to support the domestic bioeconomy have been provided. This was not intended to be an” all inclusive” listing of federal programs/resources available. The PowerPoints were divided into the three primary
April 21, 2020
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(University of San Diego Scripps Institute of Oceanography) Biologists and engineers design 3D printed corals that could help energy production and coral reefs — Researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego, and the University of Cambridge, U.K., have 3D printed coral-inspired
April 10, 2020
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Last week we shared the latest federal programs in the R&D space and this week we focus on the federal pre-commercial programs supporting biofuels, biopower, biochemcials and biobased products. Check out this slide guide from Bill Hagy at Lee Enterprises Consulting, for details on the
March 31, 2020
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(Kansas State University) Kansas State University civil engineers are developing the right mix to reduce concrete’s carbon footprint and make it stronger. Their innovative ingredient: biofuel byproducts. — “The idea is to use bioethanol production byproducts to produce a material to use in concrete as a partial replacement of cement,” said Feraidon
March 17, 2020
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(National Science Foundation) Transportation produces a sizable amount of greenhouse gas emissions, largely by using petroleum to power internal combustion engines. Alternatives –- for example, organic materials such as grasses to produce fuels or electricity –- could avoid petroleum use altogether. Now, a team of scientists at the Great Lakes Bioenergy
February 28, 2020
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(Our Daily Planet) Yesterday, President Trump released his FY2021 budget, and the proposed cuts to federal agencies and research programs were severe.As Science Mag summarized, Trump’s budget proposes the following cuts: National Institutes of Health: a cut of 7%, or $2.942 billion, to $36.965 billion National Science Foundation (NSF): a cut of
February 11, 2020
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by Matthew Keck (Louisville Cardinal) Joshua Spurgeon, a University of Louisville renewable energy researcher, won the National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award. Along with the award, he will receive a $500,000 grant from the NSF that will go towards research and education over the next five years. Spurgeon is theme leader
February 5, 2020
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(National Science Foundation) Some trees, such as poplars, emit gases that worsen air pollution and alter climate. Poplar trees are sources of biofuels and other products, including paper and plywood. — Poplar trees are widely used in commercial products, but, like several other tree species, they emit gases to the atmosphere
January 17, 2020
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(Morgan State University) Funding Will Enhance Biofuel Production in Cyanobacteria Using Nanoparticles, While Preparing the Next Generation of Minority Biotechnologists — Morgan State University’s School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences (SCMNS) has announced its receipt of a $499,999 grant award from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The Excellence in Research (EiR) grant will
October 10, 2019
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(Lehigh News) A team at Lehigh is the first to use a single enzyme biomineralization process to create a solar-driven water splitting catalyst that produces hydrogen with the potential to be manufactured sustainably, cheaply and abundantly. — Engineers at Lehigh University are the first to utilize a single enzyme biomineralization process
August 14, 2019
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by Barri Bronston (Tulane University) Nicholas Sandoval’s lab at Tulane works on the development and application of advanced synthetic biology tools for microbes and other model cell lines for the purpose of therapeutics and sustainable fuel and chemical production. — Nicholas Sandoval, an assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at Tulane
August 14, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Algae Biomass Organization advocates for algae-advancing policy and funding, serves as a hub for innovation and networking, and drives demand for “made with algae” products and services. Mark Allen, Chairperson of ABO, offers this enlightening overview of the Algae Interagency Working Group, current state of the algae
July 9, 2019
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ClearFlame Engines spoke at a recent Biofuels Digest webinar about diesel fueled engines and how they can be running on ethanol via ClearFlame engines that can be easily integrated into existing designs. They’ve already demonstrated a 10% savings in fuel by retrofitting their work truck to use
June 10, 2019
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(Michigan State University) … Daniel Ducat, assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, received $1,033,970 from NSF’s Division of Systems and Synthetic Biology to investigate the fundamental interactions that underpin resilient microbial partnerships and may be key to solving some of the earth’s biggest resource challenges. Ducat’s team will
May 28, 2019
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(Louisiana State University/Science Daily) New research on the United States’ most economically important agricultural plant — corn — has revealed a different internal structure of the plant than previously thought, which can help optimize how corn is converted into ethanol. — It has been previously thought that cellulose, a thick and rigid
January 22, 2019
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(National Science Foundation) The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program supports active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by the National Science Foundation. REU projects involve students in meaningful ways in ongoing research programs or in research projects specifically designed for the REU program.
December 27, 2018
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(University of Arkansas News) A University of Arkansas biologist working on research that could decrease the need for agricultural fertilizers and boost the production of biofuels recently received grants totaling more than $1 million from the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy. Daniel Lessner, associate professor in the
December 20, 2018
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by Chris Barncard (University of Wisconsin–Madison) An unprecedented comparison of hundreds of species of yeasts has helped geneticists brew up an expansive picture of their evolution over the last hundreds of millions of years, including an analysis of the way they evolved individual appetites for particular food sources that may be
November 12, 2018
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by Matt Carr (Algae Biomass Organization/Biofuels Digest) Algae-derived products and technologies are on the cusp of changing nearly everything. Algae will transform how we eat; will make the materials in your shoes more sustainable; provide fuel for vehicles and planes; recycle greenhouse gases and deliver many more products that have yet to be commercialized. … There is a
November 6, 2018
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(U.S. Department of Energy) It powers nearly every aspect of our daily lives, but in low- to middle-income countries, more than one billion people live without electricity. The issue is particularly overwhelming in sub-Saharan Africa where, according to the U.S. Agency for International Development, 600 million people — an estimated 70
September 14, 2018
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(University of Arkansas) A University of Arkansas biologist is developing methods that could make the production of biofuel — ethanol and diesel made from sources such as plant material — more efficient and environmentally sound. Ruben Michael Ceballos will use a protein derived from microorganisms that live in acidic geothermal pools
September 3, 2018
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by Sarah Huddle (Old Dominion University) … Cutting-edge research in the Batten College of Engineering and Technology at Old Dominion University is fueling the bioeconomy through the discovery of useful applications for algae as well as a proprietary process that can make these applications scalable for commercialization through partnerships with the private
September 3, 2018
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) CBiRC was founded in 2008 with funding from NSF, creating an Engineering Research Center focused on advanced manufacturing for sustainable biobased chemicals. The R&D program creates a multi-year, interdisciplinary, multi-institutional center that joins academia, industry and government in partnership to produce transformational engineered systems. Peter Keeling
May 2, 2018
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(Brookhaven National Laboratory/Biodiesel Magazine) Scientists studying plant biochemistry at the U.S. DOE’s Brookhaven National Laboratory have discovered new details about biomolecules that put the brakes on oil production. The findings suggest that disabling these biomolecular brakes could push oil production into high gear—a possible pathway toward generating abundant biofuels and plant-derived
by J.D. Warren (UCR Today) Relatively cheap “biomass” has been a poor option due to its production cost — UC Riverside researchers have developed a streamlined process that could finally make the ethanol production cost from abundant “second generation” plant wastes competitive with “first generation” ethanol made from sugars. “We introduced a
November 15, 2017
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(University of Wyoming) Agricultural economists at the University of Wyoming will generate models of what economies in the Upper Missouri River Basin might look like if raising biofuels and carbon capture technologies were implemented. UW is part of the four-year, $6 million National Science Foundation project working with Montana State University
October 9, 2017
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(Phys.Org/University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Corn is grown not only for food, it is also an important renewable energy source. Renewable biofuels can come with hidden economic and environmental issues, and the question of whether corn is better utilized as food or as a biofuel has persisted since ethanol came
June 21, 2017
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by Leslie Shown (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) If science classes at Bonduel Middle School had a rallying cry it would be, “Don’t expect to find the answers in the book!” And Lisa Sorlie, enthusiastic advocate of innovative classroom science, would definitely be holding the megaphone. “Too often, classroom science has
May 31, 2017
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by Douglas L. Faulkner (Cleantech Conservative/Biofuels Digest) … The Trump Administration’s two recent Executive Orders on “Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth” and especially, “Promoting Agriculture and Rural Prosperity in America” (March 28 & April 25, respectively), not only highlight renewable energy/fuels, but also explicitly seek input from the private sector
May 17, 2017
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(Washington State University/Biomass Magazine) Researchers at Washington State University Tri-Cities have been awarded a National Science Foundation I-Corps grant to explore the market potential of their biojet fuel research. The team has successfully demonstrated a new, water-based process for deconstructing and recovering lignin from biomass and converting it into jet
December 2, 2016
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by Evelyn Boswell (Montana State University) A regional interdisciplinary team led by Montana State University has received $6 million to develop new innovations at the intersection of food, energy and water systems while training the next generation of scientists. The four-year grant from the National Science Foundation will allow MSU,
November 4, 2016
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by Taylor Kubota (Stanford News) Two Stanford faculty are part of an interdisciplinary team of researchers who will share a $24 million Science and Technology Center grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The grant will found a bioengineering research and education center. The NSF awards Science and Technology grants to
October 12, 2016
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by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, a new White House report, titled “Federal Alternative Jet Fuel Research and Development Strategy,” sets out prioritized federal research and development goals and objectives to address key scientific and technical challenges that inhibit the development, production, and use of economically viable alternative jet
August 1, 2016
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by Corinne Young and Michele Jalbert (re:chem/Biofuels Digest) A Billion Ton Bioeconomy. For those of us who have worked in this space for the last decade, the US government’s aspiration to grow the sector to such size and scope is music to our ears. At the Renewable Chemical & Advanced Materials
June 20, 2016
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(University of Arkansas) A University of Arkansas chemistry professor has received a $400,000 award from the National Science Foundation to investigate a roadblock in the harvesting of biomass from perennial plants for the purpose of creating a source of renewable energy. “Biofuel derived from perennial plants, such as grass and
June 17, 2016
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by William Westhoven (Parsippany, NJ Daily Record) A Lincoln Park educator has been awarded a $450,000 grant to help fund continued research into the development of biofuel alternatives in certain regions of the United States. Montclair State University announced Tuesday that Pankaj Lal, an assistant professor of earth and environmental studies,
March 23, 2016
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by Karen B. Roberts (University of Delaware) UD scientist’s research shows promise in creating sustainable algae-based biofuels — At the University of Delaware, associate scientist Jennifer Stewart is working to create sustainable algae-based biofuels that could reduce carbon dioxide and other harmful emissions in the atmosphere. … Many scientists have proposed growing
February 24, 2016
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CRISPR-Cas9 Tool Expedites Production of Biofuel Precursors and Specialty Polymers in Living Systems
by Sarah Nightingale (Phys.Org) A team led by a researcher at the University of California, Riverside has adapted the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system for use in a yeast strain that can produce useful lipids and polymers. The development will lead to new precursors for biofuels, specialty polymers, adhesives and fragrances. Published
January 27, 2016
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by Karen B. Roberts (University of Delaware/Biomass Magazine) … At the University of Delaware, associate scientist Jennifer Stewart is working to create sustainable algae-based biofuels that could reduce carbon dioxide and other harmful emissions in the atmosphere. … Many scientists have proposed growing algae on power plant smokestacks to neutralize their emissions,
December 28, 2015
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(University of Massachusetts Amherst) University of Massachusetts Amherst computational chemist Scott Auerbach has been awarded a three-year, $330,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to improve basic understanding and optimize the process of producing fuels such as gasoline from plant biomass instead of from petroleum. For more than 50 years,
December 9, 2015
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by Maegan Murray (WSU Tri-Cities/Washington State University) Researchers at Washington State University Tri-Cities have figured out a way to successfully convert a common wood byproduct into hydrocarbon molecules that could be used as jet fuel. Bin Yang, an associate professor of biological systems engineering, said the hydrocarbons from his new
December 4, 2015
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(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 HudsonAlpha, will analyze the underlying genetics for how the grass,
October 26, 2015
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(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 professor of integrative biology, will lead scientists from multiple
(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 as CBiRC, “See-burk”) to the maximum allowed: 10 years
September 8, 2015
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(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 heritage of conservation and we must continue to develop
September 2, 2015
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“If we’re serious about reducing Climate Change caused by Green House Gases, then we need serious actions,” said Joanne Ivancic, Executive Director of Advanced Biofuels USA on Capitol Hill in Washington DC. “The first steps are including the price of Green House Gas (GHG) effects in non-renewable carbon fuels and
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) Advanced Biofuels USA introduced a new idea for capturing externalities of non-renewable fuels at the Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency EXPO + Forum held in the Caucus Room of the US House of Representatives Cannon Office Building last week. As part of a
(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 commercial development of an innovative method developed at UT to
July 3, 2015
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(The Toledo Blade) The University of Toledo is getting $199,997 for an algae biomass research project. U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) said in a news release today that the National Science Foundation is awarding the grant to advance research and develop possible commercial applications of a low-cost product called
April 3, 2015
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by Robert E. Kozak* (Advanced Biofuels USA) In looking at ways to jump-start this country’s bogged down production of biomass based jetfuel (Jet-A, JP-5, JP-8) and rocket fuel (RP-1/2), the early history of the US space program should serve as a guide. Walter McDougall’s 1986 Pulitzer Prize winning book “the Heaven
(University of Illinois/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Farmers interested in bioenergy crops now have a resource to help them determine which kind of bioenergy crop would grow best in their regions and what kind of harvest to expect. Researchers at the University of Illinois have published a study identifying yield zones for
December 8, 2014
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(The White House Office of Science and Technology) … Continued progress into the future will depend on ensuring a climate-smart citizenry and a next-generation American workforce of city planners, community leaders, engineers, and entrepreneurs who understand the urgent climate-change challenge and are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and training to seek and implement solutions.
December 8, 2014
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(K-State Research and Extension) Converting cooking oil into fuel – the Biodiesel Initiative at Kansas State University allows for collaboration among many campus departments and industry organizations. MANHATTAN, Kan. – The sound of a diesel engine is distinct. Sure, some are louder than others, and diesel enthusiasts can usually recognize
November 26, 2014
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(University of Illinois) Farmers interested in bioenergy crops now have a resource to help them determine which kind of bioenergy crop would grow best in their regions and what kind of harvest to expect. Researchers at the University of Illinois have published a study identifying yield zones for three major
November 25, 2014
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By John Beltz Snyder (AutoBlogGreen) When sewage is treated at a wastewater treatment facility, biosolids are the byproduct. After being separated from the water, biosolids are usually sent to a landfill or incinerated. That doesn’t mean that they’re without value, however. Vitruvian Energy has created a process to make a
November 24, 2014
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(North Carolina State University/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Scientists are using biotechnology to chip away at barriers to producing biofuels from woody plants and grasses instead of the corn and sugarcane used to make ethanol. NC State’s Forest Biotechnology Group, which has been responsible for several research milestones published this year, summed
October 31, 2014
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by Elizabeth Summer (livescience.com/Phage Biocontrol, Inc.) The beneficial microbes that convert milk into yogurt and act in people’s guts to promote digestive health cause big problems in ethanol fermentation tanks. When fermenting corn to create ethanol, lactic acid bacteria can contaminate the tanks and proliferate, inhibiting the growth of ethanol-producing yeast. The
August 6, 2014
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(South Florida State College) Beginning this fall, South Florida State College (SFSC) will offer a Bioenergy Education Program to provide students with a foundation of environmental sciences and renewable energy. With a rising interest in green chemistry, sustainability, and escalating oil prices, bioenergy is on the forefront of the flourishing
July 18, 2014
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by Aaron Dubrow (National Science Foundation) Researchers use NSF-supported Stampede supercomputer to improve catalysts for conversion Scientists from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are using the National Science Foundation-supported Stampede supercomputer to improve biofuel production by determining how certain enzymes break down cellulose (plant cell walls). In a paper published in
July 2, 2014
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(Synthetic Biology Project) Environmental scientists and synthetic biologists have for the first time developed a set of key research areas to study the potential ecological impacts of synthetic biology, a field that could push beyond incremental changes to create organisms that transcend common evolutionary pathways. The Synthetic Biology Project at
June 9, 2014
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by Anne Trafton (MIT News) MIT chemists have devised a way to trap carbon dioxide and transform it into useful organic compounds, using a simple metal complex. More work is needed to understand and optimize the reaction, but one day this approach could offer an easy and inexpensive way to
March 6, 2014
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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 project funded by a grant through the Sustainable Energy Pathways
December 31, 2013
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(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 reported in this week’s online edition of the Proceedings
November 22, 2013
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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 global warming and sustain our energy supply. Genetically engineered, Synechocystis
September 9, 2013
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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The National Science Foundation recently opened a new funding opportunity under its Biotechnology, Biochemical, and Biomass Engineering program. According to the grant notice, the program supports fundamental engineering research that advances the understanding of cellular and biomolecular processes and eventually leads to the development
August 26, 2013
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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 Research and Innovation, widely known as EFRI, made a
August 15, 2013
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(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 help solve important practical problems,” said Kenneth Reardon, Jud
July 23, 2013
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by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ricardo Inc. is both strong on ethanol blends and efficient engines. … Earlier in June, an advanced combustion engine research project was announced where Ricardo will partner with the University of California-Berkeley, MIT, Lawrence Berkeley, Lawrence Livermore and Sandia National Labs. The partnership will
July 9, 2013
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(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) at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point won the grant
July 5, 2013
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by Kenneth Prewitt (Science Magazine) Editorial: This month, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) will apply two criteria in its review of research proposals: intellectual merit and impact. One discipline, however, will have to meet a further test. In March, at the urging of U.S. Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK), Congress halted funding
May 3, 2013
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(Biological Sciences Curriculum Study) Teacher-collaborators will field test a 3-credit, online, graduate-level course designed to enhance teachers’ knowledge and practice related to energy concepts. The course is titled Energy: A Multidisciplinary Approach for Teachers (EMAT). Teacher-collaborators and their students will take part in a research study designed to measure the effects of
by Jessica Nelson (Auburn University) Maobing Tu, an assistant professor in the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, has received a $401,155 National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Award for his research in biofuels and bioenergy. The CAREER program offers the NSF’s most prestigious awards, honoring junior faculty who
March 25, 2013
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by Sepp Jannotta (Bozeman Daily Chronicle) A Bozeman biofuels startup is partnering with Montana State University to turn a fungus discovered in the highly acidic hot springs of Yellowstone National Park into sustainable energy. The discovery — a fungus pulled from a geyser basin in 2009 and now dubbed MK7
February 22, 2013
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(University of Massachusetts-Amherst NewsWise) Paul J. Dauenhauer, a chemical engineer at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, has received a five-year, $400,000 grant from the National Science Foundation’s CAREER program to conduct basic research on the chemical reactions that create biofuel from organic matter such as wood. The funding will allow
January 23, 2013
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by Mary Rosenthal (Biomass Magazine) Just a few weeks ago, the National Research Council released its report on the sustainability of biofuels derived from algae, affirming the potential of our industry to meet global fuel challenges in a sustainable manner. The 240-plus page report identified the key areas of sustainability
January 3, 2013
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by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Shane Robinson, associate professor in the Oklahoma State University Department of Agricultural Education, Communications and Leadership wants to teach students math and science through green energy and biofuels. He is partnering with the OSU Biobased Products and Energy Center (BioPEC), who has an objective to provide education about biobased products
December 20, 2012
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(Indiana Soybean Alliance) Indiana high school students now have the opportunity to make soy biodiesel from the vegetable oil found on grocery store shelves right in their science classrooms, thanks to the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA). The Soy Biodiesel Chemistry Kit was developed by Purdue University researchers and education professionals
December 18, 2012
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(Capital Press) Researchers already know how to turn algae into fuel. The challenge is how to make that profitable. A group from the University of Toledo is trying to make the process more efficient and says coming up with a solution may help the environment, too. The idea is to
November 27, 2012
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(National Science Foundation) The Bioenergy Center at North Carolina A&T State University (NCA&T) will be an educational and research resource for the United States in the field of thermochemical conversion of biomass to bioenergy. The efficient and economic production of energy from biomass and other renewable natural resources is necessary
November 2, 2012
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(EurekAlert!/University of Michigan) It looks like Mother Nature was wasting her time with a multimillion-year process to produce crude oil. Michigan Engineering researchers can “pressure-cook” algae for as little as a minute and transform an unprecedented 65 percent of the green slime into biocrude. “We’re trying to mimic the process
November 1, 2012
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by Nino Marchetti (EarthTechling) One of the major issues facing those growing biofuel crops are finding suitable locations where they can be grown sustainably, avoiding competition with food crops for land resources. A new renewable energy research project being undertaken by Arizona State University researchers aims to address this problem. The research project, funded through a nearly
October 26, 2012
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(University of New Hampshire News) Xiaowei Teng, assistant professor of chemical engineering at the University of New Hampshire, has received two National Science Foundation grants totaling nearly $1 million to improve the efficiency of ethanol oxidation fuel cell reactions. “With these grants, we’re trying to promote ethanol as a future
September 30, 2012
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(Washington University/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Through the International Experience Program at Washington University in St. Louis, undergraduate students gain real-life and classroom experiences focusing on the difficult energy decisions countries must make. This unique program takes students to another country during the summer to study energy and environmental technology and policy
September 24, 2012
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(Oregon State University) Diatoms, tiny marine life forms that have been around since the dinosaurs, could finally make biofuel production from algae truly cost-effective – because they can simultaneously produce other valuable products such as semiconductors, biomedical products and even health foods. Engineers at Oregon State University concede that such
September 19, 2012
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(Algae Industry Magazine) Jon Strunk reports that over the last two months, University of Toledo (UT) researchers have won $4 million in nationally competitive awards from the federal government to explore ways society can benefit from algae’s hunger for phosphorus-rich wastewater, such as that which grows on the shores of
September 14, 2012
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by Luke Geiver (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A team of researchers will spend the next five years assessing the social, economic and ecological impacts of bioenergy projects happening in Michigan, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. Led by Michigan Tech University Professor Kathy Halvorsen, the team consists of 33 researchers who will “take
September 13, 2012
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(National Science Foundation) The National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced 15 Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) grants for fiscal year 2012, awarding nearly $30 million to 68 investigators at 26 institutions. During the next four years, teams of researchers will pursue transformative, fundamental research in three emerging areas:
August 30, 2012
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by Jennifer Donovan (Michigan Tech News) Is it possible to develop and produce biofuels in a sustainable way, without harming people or the environment? What policies need to be put in place to help that happen? Nearly three dozen researchers from four countries—including 15 from Michigan Tech—will spend the next 5
August 30, 2012
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(National Science Foundation/Biodiesel Magazine) Researchers contend that manufactured nanomaterials—now popular in consumer products such as shampoos, gels, hair dyes and sunscreens—may be detrimental to the quality and yield of crops, as reported in a paper in the online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Manufactured nanomaterials (MNMs) are man-made
August 26, 2012
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(My Monticello News) The study of microscopic algae may seem to have little practical application to those unfamiliar with the science, but a current project being conducted by two University of Arkansas at Monticello scientists could have a far-reaching impact on both the biofuels and nutritional supplements industry. Dr. Karen
August 23, 2012
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by Nathan Simone (The Auburn Plainsman) Sushil Adhikari, assistant professor of biosystems engineering, recently received a $335,748 grant from the National Science Foundation to conduct bioenergy research, specifically Adhikari’s speciality, the conversion of biomass into biofuels and products, for three summers. Adhikari intends to set up a program titled Research
July 31, 2012
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(R&D Magazine) With metabolically engineered microorganisms hungry for levulinic acid rather than sugar, a University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) chemical and biological engineer aims to create more sustainable, cost-effective processes for converting biomass into high-energy-density hydrocarbon fuels. …Brian Pfleger, a UW-Madison assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering, is among an
July 20, 2012
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(The Bioenergy Site) US-based Protabit, an off-shoot from the California Institute of Technology, has been awarded a Small Business Innovative Research grant (phase one) for engineering cellulose enzymes. The computational protein software platform designers will use the award from the National Science Foundation to engineer cellulose enzymes, which are used
July 17, 2012
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(Biofuels Digest) In Virginia, the NSF is calling for proposals for biological and chemical technologies, with a deadline of June 19, 2012. The proposals must deal with the potential for commercialization of the innovation and how it would lead ultimately to revenue generation. It is important that the proposed technology increase
April 10, 2012
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(EurekAlert/Stanford University) Along with photosynthesis, the plant cell wall is one of the features that most set plants apart from animals. A structural molecule called cellulose is necessary for the manufacture of these walls. Cellulose is synthesized in a semi-crystalline state that is essential for its function in the cell
February 23, 2012
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(Red Orbit) The carbon footprint of humans will be reduced by four awards for plant and microbial research issued under a new joint U.S./Japanese program Four joint United States and Japanese research teams have been awarded funding totaling about $12 million (about Yen 960 million) to develop new environmentally-friendly techniques
December 8, 2011
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(PressZoom/Iowa State University) An Iowa State University research team is collaborating with scientists at the Samuel Roberts Nobel Foundation and also with scientists in Japan to develop an international partnership to help make strides in the technologies needed towards a low-carbon society. The research will look at the chemistry
December 8, 2011
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(National Science Foundation) A sustainable world is one in which human needs are met equitably without harm to the environment, and without sacrificing the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Growing evidence for the role of energy use in global change and awareness of limitations in our energy
November 9, 2011
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by Marc Valero (Highlands Today) With ethanol production poised to bring jobs and a major economic impact to Highlands County, South Florida Community College is partnering with biofuels companies to create a bioenergy education program. SFCC hopes to secure grant funding to create an educational program that will prepare individuals to
October 31, 2011
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(Salk Institute) Bionic bacteria may help fight disease and global warming A strain of genetically enhanced bacteria developed by researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies may pave the way for new synthetic drugs and new ways of manufacturing medicines and biofuels, according to a paper published September 18
September 23, 2011
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by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Iowa’s research community has been awarded $20 million through the National Science Foundation’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research with the goal of establishing the state as a leader in renewable energy technology and production. The program directs funds toward states that have not
September 14, 2011
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(Trillium FiberFuels/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Trillium FiberFuels Inc. has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research grant to further its work in developing innovative technologies for creating fuel-grade ethanol from straw and other biomass. This latest award to Trillium from the National Science Foundation supports additional development of a unique enzyme
September 6, 2011
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by Bryan Sims (Biodiesel Magazine) Detroit-based startup biodiesel technology developer NextCAT Inc. has received $498,830 in funding from a National Science Foundation Phase II Small Business Innovation Research award. The funding will help commercialize alternative biodiesel catalyst technology, developed at the National Biofuels Energy Laboratory at Wayne State University, for
August 31, 2011
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by Liz Ahlberg (University of Illinois) Many energy researchers and environmental advocates are excited about the prospect of gaining more efficient large-scale biofuel production by using large grasses like miscanthus or switchgrass rather than corn. They have investigated yields, land use, economics and more, but one key factor of
August 30, 2011
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by Mark Reagan (Dodge City Globe) Dodge City High School biology teacher Shannon Ralph said she’ll never look at algae like she used to. Ralph spent six weeks this summer in Lawrence attending the Research Experience for Teachers and Shaping Inquiry from Feedlot to Tailpipe Grant (RET Shift) on the
August 19, 2011
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by Justin B. Phillips (Contra Costa Times) Deep within the Joint BioEnergy Institute, eight researchers are hard at work trying to find solutions to the growing global energy crisis. The team diligently researches renewable, carbon-neutral alternatives to fossil fuels in the hopes of finding a resource abundant enough to meet
August 10, 2011
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(University of Glasgow) Scientists from the University of Glasgow are working with international colleagues on a £5.4m collaboration to improve the process of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process whereby biological systems convert sunlight into food and the source of all the fossil fuels we burn today. Glasgow scientists Professor Lee
April 1, 2011
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(VermontBiz.com) Saint Michael’s College biologist Dr Mark Lubkowitz and his students join a team of researchers from the University of Missouri, University of Florida, Purdue University and the University Nebraska-Lincoln, on a five-year project to study the genes that control the movement of carbohydrates in corn. Saint Michael’s and the
March 24, 2011
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Based on the June 25-26, 2007 Workshop in Washington, DC, with Dr. George Hubner, University of Massachusetts–Amherst, Workshop Chair View the PDF
June 26, 2007
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