Ghana is becoming the Jatropha centre in Africa south of the Sahara. The attraction which the country has as a welcoming place for investors interested in the wonder plant, Jatropha which hopefully, would be the world’s answer to alternative energy
As part of an effort to develop a new collection of alternative fuels, ecologist Julie Jastrow and her colleagues from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago planted seven different combinations of native
Every spring, the US Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Biomass Program hosts a FREE 2-day conference and expo exploring biomass as an energy source. The Biomass Program works with industry, academia and national laboratory partners
SCIENTISTS in Wales are working on a ground-breaking £1m scheme to turn grass into fuel. The Assembly Government- backed “grassohol” project aims to develop a commercially viable way to make ethanol which is used as an alternative to petrol. The
Biofuels Digest reports that in Ethiopia, Ardent Energy Group announced an agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MOARD) of Ethiopia to transfer 15,000 hectares, approximately 37,000 acres, to AEG for the purpose of cultivating jatropha and castor.
Corn cobs are both economical and environmentally friendly as a feedstock for cellulosic ethanol, university and government reports indicate, reaffirming POET’s strategy for commercializing its new technology. Removing corn cobs from fields for use in cellulosic ethanol production appears to
With their sweet, refreshing juices and succulent interior, watermelons are a favorite summertime treat, especially around July 4th. But now this Independence Day favorite could become even more of a patriotic commodity. Agricultural Research Service (ARS) studies in Lane, Okla.,
At the time, jatropha’s promise seemed boundless. APJ Abdul Kalam, the president, even used his presidential address that year to extol its virtues. Jatropha can survive in the most arid wastelands, the story went, so vast barren swathes of India
Farming Biodiesel, Inc., a sustainable, social Jatropha farming organization, in association with New Eye Productions and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), announces they will be featured in the upcoming television series titled Worldview Program. Breaking ground since 2007, Desert Center, California
Scientists have combined a discovery from a French garbage dump with breakthroughs in synthetic biology to come up with a novel method for turning plant waste into gasoline, without the need of any food sources. A synthetic biology lab at
The greatest irony of America’s 21st Century quest for energy independence is that it – whatever “it” turns out to be – most assuredly has been here all along! And none of the emerging cellulosic bioenergy feedstocks fits that description
Armenia’s climatic conditions are not suitable for sugarcane production; however, there are several alternative crops suitable to Armenia’s climate for cultivation on available agricultural land that is not intended for the production of food crops. In particular, Jerusalem artichoke has
The Institute for Sustainable and Renewable Resources, in Danville, Va., is studying the potential to use the Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosis), a perennial native sunflower species, as a feedstock for producing ethanol. The institute is a research center jointly affiliated
Sirona Fuels, an emerging leader in alternative fuels, announced that it has begun Jatropha planting operations in Haiti over the past month in a joint venture with 3C Missions, an organization that has established a relief fund for over 1,100
Camelina sativa is a member of the mustard family, a distant relative to canola, and the new darling of biodiesel production. Camelina plants are heavily branched, growing from one to three feet tall producing seed pods containing many small, oily
A life cycle analysis (LCA) comparing camelina-derived renewable jet and diesel fuels to petroleum fuels and biodiesel found that the green jet and green diesel fuels are lower in fossil energy demand and also lower in GHG emissions compared to
Most Jatropha growers currently plant and harvest Jatropha curcas primarily for its pure plant oil (PPO) for use as biofuel and biodiesel. However, it is shown that PPO only accounts for a mere 14% of the usable resources in every
(Green Transport and Energy) … But the problems of degradation and soil erosion by intensive monocultures must also be taken into account. To solve these issues, in the last few decades researchers have studied the advantage of wild tall prairie grasses,
Providing a local source of fuel is a critical element of energy independence and the jatropha plant has several qualities that make it an ideal choice as a fuel provider for a multi-function power unit (MPU) that can be used
Coskata’s biology-based technology enables production of ethanol from a wide variety of input material including biomass, agricultural and municipal wastes, as well as other carbonaceous material. Using proprietary microorganisms and patented bioreactor designs, the goal of Coskata is to play
by Richard Hamilton (Ceres) This presentation was part of “Growing Energy” at Biomass 2009 in March. The President and CEO of Ceres, Hamilton promoted breeding hardier plants, resulting in more efficient harvesting of their stems, stalks and leaves for cellulosic
GREAT FALLS, Mont., -- Thirteen seed companies, processors and researchers of camelina have formed the first trade association focused on camelina production and processing in North America. The North American Camelina Trade Association (NACTA) will work to promote research, production
Research shows that, as a fuel for heat and power applications, corn stover reduces the life-cycle fossil-fuel emissions of carbon dioxide by factors of approximately 15 and 25 compared to natural gas and coal, respectively. This means significant amounts of
University of Illinois plant geneticist Stephen Moose has developed a corn plant that yields corn that would make good silage, due to a greater number of leaves and larger stalk, which could also make it a good energy crop. READ
by Elizabeth Nesbitt (Journal of International Commerce and Economics) The increasing use of industrial biotechnology by the Chinese liquid biofuels and chemical industries is expected to help offset energy security and environmental concerns generated by China’s robust economic growth. The expanding use of bioprocesses
by Kristina J. Anderson-Teixeira, Sarah C. Davis, Michael D. Masters and Evan H. Delucia (Global Change Biology Bioenergy) One potentially significant impact of growing biofuel crops will be the sequestration or release of carbon (C) in soil. Soil organic carbon (SOC)
A leading U.S. ethanol producer, Poet, announced the opening of an $8 million pilot plant that will produce cellulosic ethanol from corn cobs and other crop residue. READ MORE
Harvesting cobs will provide an additional revenue stream for farmers, without requiring them to change their planting practices. Agriculture equipment manufacturers are developing a wide range of options for farmers to ensure that harvesting cobs will not significantly slow the
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., Feb. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- A new crop management guide is available for producers interested in learning more about growing switchgrass as a non-food, low-carbon source for biofuels and biopower. Published by Blade Energy Crops, a seed brand
Following three years of research, a team of energy, biotechnology and agribusiness veterans announced the formation of SG Biofuels, a San Diego, CA-based plant oil company specializing in the development of Jatropha as a low-cost, sustainably produced source of oil.
by Andrea Zippay (Farm and Dairy) A rather low-budget, low-input crop may be a boon to northwest Pennsylvania farmers. Camelina sativa, an oilseed from the Brassica family, is a valuable crop for biofuel production. Already in production in Crawford County,
Following three years of research, a team of energy, biotechnology and agribusiness veterans today announced the formation of SG Biofuels, a San Diego, CA-based plant oil company specializing in the development of Jatropha as a low-cost, sustainably produced source of
Through its purchase of Blue Sky Biofues, Sirona has acquired an Oakland, CA-based refinery that produces high-quality biodiesel from both virgin and non-virgin feedstocks. READ MORE
Also known as gold-of-pleasure or false flax, camelina, the main feedstock used for the recent Japan Airlines test flight, is good candidate for a sustainable biofuel source, given its high oil content and ability to grow in rotation with wheat
Southerners may best know sorghum as sweet, biscuit-topping syrup. But the small grain’s uses range from a dependable, drought-tolerant food crop to biofuel source, says a University of Georgia researcher who led a team that recently sequenced the plant’s genome.
Following a successful start-up in the fourth quarter of 2008, POET Research Center in Scotland, S.D. is now producing cellulosic ethanol at a pilot scale, completing a crucial step toward development of commercially viable cellulosic ethanol. The Scotland plant is
On January 7, 2009, Continental Airlines flew a successful demonstration out of Houston in partnership with Boeing, GE Aviation/CFM International, and Honeywell’s UOP. One of the Boeing 737’s two engines was powered with standard A1 aviation fuel. The other ran
Verenium operates one of the nation’s first cellulosic ethanol pilot plants, an R&D facility, in Jennings, Louisiana and has recently entered the start-up phase at its 1.4 million-gallon-per-year demonstration-scale facility. Stacks of crushed sugar cane stalks pile up waiting to
Switchgrass grown for biofuel production produced 540 percent more energy than needed to grow, harvest and process it into cellulosic ethanol, according to estimates from a large on-farm study by researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. READ MORE: Article |
Researchers at Texas A&M have developed a new modeling tool to help prospective biofuel producers better estimate sorghum crop yield potential in a given region under various conditions. READ MORE.
California-based crop company Ceres Inc. has introduced two varieties each of switchgrass and high-biomass sorghum specifically designed to boost energy crop yields. Early buyers of the seeds include DOE-backed biofuels companies building demonstration cellulosic ethanol refineries as well as forward-thinking
by April Sorrow (University of Georgia) Half of all the fruit grown in Georgia is never eaten by people or animals. It rots in the fields. A University of Georgia researcher says that spoiled fruit could fuel cars. That wasted
by Dallas Hanks and Ralph Whitesides (Utah State University) ... Nearly all highway, airport, railway and military areas in the United States have fallow agronomic areas that require regular maintenance to keep them from becoming unsightly and unsafe. In addition
Great Plains-The Camelina Company has studied the science and agronomy of camelina for over 10 years and for the past three years has contracted with growers throughout the United States and Canada to grow the crop. Currently, the company is
ScienceDaily (Aug. 4, 2008) — In the largest field trial of its kind in the United States, researchers have determined that the giant perennial grass Miscanthus x giganteus outperforms current biofuels sources – by a lot. READ MORE
(Farm and Dairy) In most places in the East, they’re still talking about the coming biofuels revolution. But in Crawford County, Pennsylvania — thanks largely to Penn State Cooperative Extension — farmers already are involved in it. The local extension office
Sugar beet pulp left over from sugar production is rich in 5-carbon (C-5) and 6-carbon (C-6) sugars that are ideal for the production of advanced biofuels. Atlantic Biomass Conversions, Inc., is currently developing "evolved" enzyme sets to release C-5 and
Mike Edgerton (Monsanto) from the Global Stewardship session at the Biomass 2008 conference. Download PDF.
Neal Gutterson (Mendel Biotechnology) from the plenary sesssion at the Biomass 2008 conference.
One of the common frustrations that these leaders face is that the research and government organizations come to them for ideas or product samples, but instead of treating them as the drivers of innovation, they are treated as one of
(Task Force on Renewable Alternative Fuels Final Report) The Task Force on Renewable Alternative Fuels (Chapter 540 of 2007), chaired by Secretary of Agriculture Roger Richardson and staffed by the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA), consisted of two legislative members, the
(The Auto Channel) Though worlds apart, George Washington Carver and Henry Ford shared a vision of a future in which agricultural products would be put to new uses to create products and industries. One idea both men worked on more than
by David Bennett (Southeast Farm Press) Last year, many Southern farmers found out just how much water a corn crop requires. “A good, high-yielding corn crop will use 22 or 23 inches of water,” says Emerson Nafziger, professor of crop production
by Robert W. Hurter (HurterConsult, Inc.) The biorefinery is being touted as the way for the North American pulp and paper industry to reinvent itself. Feedstock for biorefineries includes virtually any biomass including forest waste, bark, fiber bearing sludge, construction waste,
by Guido Reinhardt, Nils Rettenmaier, Sven Gärtner, ifeu-Institut für Energie- und Umweltforschung Heidelberg GmbH (Chapter 2 and 4) Andreas Pastowski, Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt, Energie GmbH (Chapter 3) (WWF Germany) The study concludes that the use of tropical fallow land for planting oil
(Science Daily) Oklahoma State University’s sorghum-related biofuels research is taking a localized approach, with the aim of making possible the effective production of ethanol in the farmer’s own field. Sweet sorghum can be grown throughout temperate climate zones of the United
University of Delaware researchers are interested in developing a type of mallow, the seashore mallow, for biodiesel and ethanol production: And unlike soybeans and corn, which require annual plantings on valuable farmland to feed the growing appetite for biofuels, the
Syngenta has introduced sugar beet in India for cultivation in tropical climatic conditions. Tropical sugar beet brings significant agronomic, environmental and output advantages to Indian farming and the Indian economy. The beet delivers similar output yields to sugar cane and
A NASA scientist is confident that within five years commercial aircraft could be powered using a type of biofuel derived from saltwater plants, or halophytes, grown in desert areas and irrigated using sea water. While the concept may sound far-fetched,
by Adam Lashinsky and Nelson D. Schwartz (CNN Money/Fortune Magazine) You probably don't know it, but the answer to America's gasoline addiction could be under the hood of your car. More than five million Tauruses, Explorers, Stratuses, Suburbans, and other vehicles
(PubMed) The new route of the plant lipoxygenase pathway, directed specifically towards the ketodiene formation, was detected during in vitro experiments with Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) tubers. Through this pathway (9Z,11E,13S)-13-hydroperoxy-9,11-octadecadienoic acid (13-HPOD) is reduced to corresponding 13-hydroxy acid (13-HOD),
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