Videos of presentations from the 2009 Waste to Fuels Conference held May 17-19 in San Diego have been published. Topics include: overview of conversion technologies, use of forest waste, municipal solid waste and other waste feedstocks to make biofuels, along with sessions related to financing and
by Eric Bland (Discovery News) The genomes of 17 different ants, fungi and bacteria that eat through hundreds of pounds of leaf matter a year could ultimately lead to new techniques for making biofuels. Scientists from the University of Wisconsin, the
by Tom Schneider (Carlsbad Current-Argus) ... With the snipping of a ribbon, the Center of Excellence for Hazardous Materials Management moved its Algae Biofuels Project from pilot scale to the commercial demonstration level. Located on the grounds of the
"Without overcoming biomass recalcitrance, cellulosic biofuels will be more expensive than corn biofuels. Improved sugar conversion is not enough." From the presentation by Martin Keller, Ph.D., Director of the BioEnergy Science Center describing the efforts of the 304 people in
by Susanne Retka Schill (CheckBiotech) Researchers at two centers in St. Louis are gearing up to launch five-year research programs on algae, backed by U.S. DOE grants. The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center received $15 million and Washington University $20 million
by Ariel Schwartz (FastCompany) Hemp, soy, mustard, sunflower and palm oil can all be used to make biofuels, so why not elephant dung and World War Two-era fungus? Copenhagen-based Danisco A/S is using the fungus, which was discovered during WWII
Amyris Brasil Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Ltda., a wholly owned subsidiary of Amyris Biotechnologies, Inc., today announced the opening of the Amyris Renewable Products Demonstration Facility in Campinas. The facility, located in the midst of the sugar cane processing industry, secures
The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Buckeye Technologies Inc. and Myriant Technologies LLC (formed by BioEnergy International, LLC) have announced plans for a research and demonstration plant that will explore ways to harness byproducts from some
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is issuing this RFI to solicit feedback on the Draft “National Algal Biofuels Technology Roadmap” Document. This Draft Roadmap was prepared by a working group commissioned by DOE. Feedback will be incorporated into the
Instead of bringing sufficient supplies of biomass to processing facilities, Atlantic Biomass Conversions, Inc., proposes taking decentralized enzymatic conversion units to the crops. Following the model of wheat harvesting combines that follow the harvest season, they will develop a "Follow-the-Crop"
Emerging Markets has released Algae 2020 a 460-page study on algae biofuels markets, strategies and the commercialization outlook. The Algae 2020 study observes algal biomass can produce multiple fuels from a single feedstock, including biodiesel ethanol, biocrude, renewable diesel, renewable
Biofuels Digest published a special report on algae biofuels and CO2 sources, including an analysis of power plant fuel gas. "In the world of biofuels, algae is under the spotlight" writes Biofuels Digest special correspondent Sam Rushing in a report on
Metso and UPM have developed a new concept for the production of biomass-based bio-oil to replace fossil fuels in heating and power generation. Test production will begin at Metso's test plant in Tampere, Finland, in June 2009. Bio-oil can be manufactured
by Lisa Gibson, Biomass Magazine. Brazil could produce 4.6 billion to 8.2 billion liters (1.2 billion to 2.2 billion gallons) of biofuel from sugarcane residue by 2020, in addition to that made from sugar itself, according to a recently released
"Novozymes’ latest products for second-generation ethanol production are much better than anything previously seen on the market,” says Cynthia Bryant, Global Marketing Manager, Biomass industry at Novozymes. “While this in itself is a giant leap forward for the biofuel industry,
ATI Petroleum, a petroleum exploration management and operations company, announced that the US Department of Commerce awarded the first patent on bioreactor technology to ATI Petroleum. The bioreactor technology was created through a collaborative effort with the US Department of Energy,
Lignol Energy Corporation, a cellulosic ethanol and biorefining company, announced it has completed the first end-to-end production of cellulosic ethanol from its fully integrated industrial-scale biorefinery pilot plant in Burnaby, British Columbia. This production of cellulosic ethanol from Canadian woodchips followed the
by Bas Vlugt. 'The Sustainer is a containerised installation which can be used in rural areas to convert oil-bearing crops and seeds into edible oil and biodiesel. The seeds are stored in an integrated bunker which feeds the oil press.
by Ron Kotrba. A group of Spanish developers working under the company name Ecofasa, headed by chief executive officer and inventor Francisco Angulo, has developed a biochemical process to turn urban solid waste into a fatty acid biodiesel feedstock. “It
by Susan Wilson. Algae has been cultivated primarily as a source of biofuel, but Renewed World Energies (RWE) is taking it one step further. The company wants to clean up power plant and industrial plant emissions using algae and then
by Susanne Retka Schill. Western Biofuels Inc. released the results of an independent validation test and announced plans to build a 1.4 MMgy demonstration plant for a new biofuel process. Fuel chemist Nicholas Irving, president and founder of Western Biofuels,
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
Velocys, Inc. (“Velocys”), has been awarded a $5 million commercialisation grant, applicable over a period of two and a half years. The grant will assist in commercialising the Oxford Catalysts Group’s microchannel technology for hydro-processing − an important step in
Waste Management, Inc. and InEnTec LLC announced the formation of S4 Energy Solutions LLC, a joint venture to develop, operate and market plasma gasification facilities using InEnTec's Plasma Enhanced Melter (PEM™) technology. The joint venture is expected to process waste
Some researchers hope to turn plants into a renewable, nonpolluting replacement for crude oil. To achieve this, scientists have to learn how to convert plant biomass into a building block for plastics and fuels cheaply and efficiently. In new research,
U.S. Freedom Bio Fuels, LLC, manufacturer of Biodiesel production equipment for the commercial end user, has developed a processor for converting animal fat to fuel. There BD65AF processor will produce 200 gallons of fuel per day without acid pre-treat. READ
The Crowley County Commissioners announced the award of a $9,000,000 Private Activity Bond Allocation through the Colorado Department of Local Affairs. This allocation authorizes the issuance of $9 million in tax free bonds to support the development of an animal
Biofuels Digest presents a special report on biofuels aviation, including coverage of feedstocks, airlines, aircraft manufacturers, engine makers and policy. READ MORE
According to Biofuels Digest, in Florida, PetroAlgae said that it believes it is now the closest company to commercialization of micro crops as a biofuel will complete its microcrop demonstration farm in Florida this year and will commence booking revenues
Scientists in California are reporting use of a first-of-its-kind approach to craft genetically engineered microbes with the much-sought ability to transform switchgrass, corn cobs, and other organic materials into methyl halides — the raw material for making gasoline and a
Honeywell Aerospace is gearing up for biofuel tests on its APUs and engines this summer in a bid to stay ahead of the alternative fuel push. ... That project is now entering a second phase with biofuel tests, and Honeywell
GreenFuel Technologies, one of the first companies to enter the algae biofuels business, is shutting down after running out of money. Investor Duncan McIntyre of Polaris Venture Partners on Wednesday confirmed GreenFuel Technologies' demise, saying that the company is a
Süd-Chemie AG (Germany), a leading manufacturer of catalysts and adsorbents, and The Linde Group (Germany), a leading global company in the sector of gases and engineering, have launched the production of climate-friendly biofuels based on lignocellulosic biomass in Munich. The
... “Developing the next generation of biofuels is key to our effort to end our dependence on foreign oil and address the climate crisis -- while creating millions of new jobs that can't be outsourced,” Secretary Chu said. “With American
Rentech, Inc., announced a plan to build a plant in Rialto, California for the production of ultra-clean synthetic fuels and electric power from renewable waste biomass feedstocks. The Rialto Renewable Energy Center (Rialto Project) is designed to produce approximately 600
Mascoma Corporation announced that the company has made major research advances in consolidated bioprocessing, or CBP, a low-cost processing strategy for production of biofuels from cellulosic biomass. CBP avoids the need for the costly production of cellulase enzymes by using
by Amanda Lyle ----- Converting cellulose quickly and cheaply into biofuel may be feasible any day now - what remains to be seen is who will be the first to use synthetic biology to create an organism capable of such
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
Genifuel has teamed up with Pacific Northwest National Labs to make natural gas out of algae. Why? It's cheaper and easier than producing liquid fuel. Why crush algae when you can incinerate it? That's one way to describe a shift
A 76-year-old manufacturer of car wash soaps says it's developed a new line of clean biofuel products that could revolutionize alternative fuels. Stone Soap Co. Inc. has applied for a patent for the chemistry behind three related products: a so-called
...At The University of Texas at Austin, the scope of the project includes identifying the best strains of algae for producing oil from sites in Texas and from the university's algal culture collection, harvesting the algal strains, breaking the algal
Based on technology exclusively licensed from North Carolina State University, the CentiaTM process can use virtually any triglyceride feedstock (virgin oils, waste greases, animal fats, algal oils, among others) to produce fuels similar to petroleum-derived gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.
Mascoma Corporation today announced that the company has made major research advances in consolidated bioprocessing, or CBP, a low-cost processing strategy for production of biofuels from cellulosic biomass. CBP avoids the need for the costly production of cellulase enzymes by
Green Plains Renewable Energy, Inc., and BioProcessAlgae LLC have executed a grant award agreement with the Iowa Office of Energy Independence for a $2.1 million research and development grant from the Iowa Power Fund to build an algae pilot project
A technological breakthrough that dramatically reduces the cost of removing water from algae – making algae an economically feasible source of fuel was announced by Algae Venture Systems, an Ohio company. Algae VS process slashes the cost of harvesting, dewatering and
Southern Online Bio Technologies Ltd. (Southern Online Bio Technologies), an India-based internet services provider, is planning to establish a third (jatropha and pongamia-based) biodiesel plant by the end of 2009. The company also said that its second plant is being
Dynamotive USA, Inc. executed a long-term contract for the supply of feedstock for a planned 200 TPD BioOil® plant to be developed in southern Arkansas. Contract envisages the supply of 220,000 green tons per year of green residues (sawdust) for
Commercially valuable products can be generated from different microorganism such as bacteria, yeasts and algae. These include biofuels, bulk chemicals, natural products, antibiotics, pharmaceutical drugs and healthcare fragrances. READ MORE and MORE
CHEMREC is helping pulp and paper mills transform into Biorefineries with a unique, proprietary black liquor gasification technology. Opening up new markets in sustainable, low-carbon chemicals and fuels will be a step-change in the industry. Full implementation of the Chemrec technology
UOP is focused on developing profitable and efficient ways to convert biofeedstocks, such as oils from plants and algae, greases and certain waste products into valuable fuel and chemicals. UOP focuses on technologies that maximize the use of existing infrastructure
Solazyme's unique microbial conversion technology process allows algae to produce oil in standard industrial facilities quickly, efficiently and at large scale. These oils are tailored not only for advanced biofuel production, but also as replacements for fossil petroleum and plant
Virent’s BioForming® process pioneers the commercial production of biofuels and bioproducts which are both sustainable and economical. This technology can convert a wide roster of feedstocks, including non-food and home grown energy sources, into the variety of fuels and chemicals
MixAlco™ is a biomass conversion technology that transforms low-cost, readily available, non-food and non-sterile biomass into carboxylic acids, the chemical precursors to valuable industrial chemicals and transportation fuels. READ MORE.
Carbon Diversion, Inc., has been operating for two years at the Campbell Industrial site in Kapolei, Oahu, Hawaii, testing and refining the CDI Carbonization™ equipment for managing various feedstocks including rubber tires, macadamia shells and other green wastes, sewage sludge,
Many technologies have been used over the years to destroy troublesome waste, including incineration, but at an expense to the environment. Now, technological development at Changing World Technologies, Inc., has produced a new process that allows waste to be reformed
Mascoma’s R&D team is focused on developing biofuels from non-food biomass wood, straws, fuel energy crops, paper pulp and other agricultural waste products. The knowledge and expertise being generated by Mascoma's R&D activities can be transferred to target other high-value products
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
Genencor, a division of Danisco A/S, launched Accellerase® 1500, the next generation of its cellulosic ethanol enzyme product, which has significantly improved formulation and higher activity resulting in higher ethanol yields and robust operation in a wider variety of processes.
The Taipei Times reports that scientists from the Universities of Leeds and Cardiff in the UK are exploring ways to convert glycerol, a ubiquitous waste-product of biodiesel production, into high-value hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide. The 6.8 billion gallons of
South Korean scientists have developed a high-tech process to extract commercially viable chemical compounds from a biodiesel by-product that can help cut costs of making the synthetic fuel, according to the South Korean government. READ MORE
Gulf Alternative Energy Corporation announced that it is expanding its strategic development to other forms of alternative energy beyond its ethanol pre-processing technology. It is now exploring additional alternative energy projects to add value to its operations. Gulf Alternative Energy Corp.
by Peter Halling (Novozymes, Inc.) He talked about an industry perspective, from the point of view of Novozymes, a company that actively pursues sustainability in its business practices. Novozymes is the world leader in industrial enzymes and microorganisms with 700 products used
by Simon Bennett (CleanTech Investor) ‘Furanics’ are a new class of biofuels, named after the furan rings in the fuel's molecules. The molecule contains six carbon atams and one oxygen atom and has a high energy content similar to that
Univenture, Inc. and AlgaeVenture Systems, announced the details of a disruptive solid liquid separation and dewatering technology specifically designed for microalgae which reduces the cost barrier for harvesting, dewatering, and drying by over 99.75%. Prototype and laboratory testing has successfully
In a paper published in the early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Frances H. Arnold, the Dick and Barbara Dickinson Professor of Chemical Engineering and Biochemistry at Caltech, and her colleagues report the construction of
by Peter Halling (Novozymes, Inc.) He talked about an industry perspective, from the point of view of Novozymes, a company that actively pursues sustainability in its business practices. Novozymes is the world leader in industrial enzymes and microorganisms with 700
Peter Halliing, Novozymes, discussed the value of using enzymes and microbes in production of advanced biofuels to increase efficiency and yield--to produce more with less. From the "Devining Sustainability: Science, Standards and Scorecards" session of the US Department of Energy's
Bill Roe, Coskata, describes Coskata's "feedstock flexible" ethanol production process and provides and update on commercialization developments. From the Advanced Biofuels Research& Development session of the US Department of Energy's Biomass 2009 conference. Download PDF
Jim Imbler, Zeachem, provides a view of the world of cultivation and production of advanced biofuels--illustrated with Zeachem's experiences so far. From the Advanced Biofuels Research & Development sessions at the US Department of Energy's Biomass 2009 conference. Download PDF
Josh Heaslewood, JBEI at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, explains issues of biomass recalcitrance and work being done to convert hemicellulose, pectin and cellulose into the building blocks of advanced biofuels. From the Advanced Biofuels Research & Development session at the
Tim Donohue, GLBRC, explains the work being done to promote and develop the conversion of biomass to fuels. Includes illustration and discussion of catalytic and enzymatic processes. From the Advanced Biofuels Research & Development session at the US Department of
Brian Davison, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, provides an in-depth look at the challenges to breaking down cellulose so that it can be used to produce advanced biofuels. From the Advanced Biofuels Research & Development session at the US Department of
Andy Aden, National Renewable Energy Laboratory provides an assessment including biochemical and thermochemical pathways, and a review of sustainability challenges. From the Advanced Biofuels Research and Development session at the US Department of Energy's Biomass 2009 conference. Download PDF
Gerson Santos-Leon, Abengoa Vioenergy New Technologies, presents a combination enzymatic and gasification process as part of the Biofuels Commercialization session of the US Department of Energy's Biomass 2009 conference. Download PDF
Jack Huttner, DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol, explores the current science and financial situation of cellulosic ethanol production and commercialization. From the plenary session of the US Department of Energy's Biomass 2009 conference. Download PDF
In October of 2008, ASTM International, originally known as the American Society for Testing and Materials, added the “Cold Soak Filtration Test” procedure to its mandated biodiesel testing methods. The stated goal of the Cold Soak Filtration Test is to
Royal Dutch Shell plc and Codexis, Inc., announced an expanded agreement to develop better biocatalysts that could accelerate commercialisation of next generation biofuels. ... As part of the agreement, Codexis will work closely with Shell and Iogen Energy Corporation to
by Dylan Dodd and Isaac K. O. Cann (Global Change Biology Bioenergy) The combustion of fossil-derived fuels has a significant impact on atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and correspondingly is an important contributor to anthropogenic global climate change. Plants have evolved photosynthetic
Mascoma Corporation, a leader in the development of low carbon cellulosic ethanol, announced that the company’s demonstration facility in Rome, New York, is now producing ethanol from non-food cellulosic biomass. The demonstration facility has the flexibility to run on numerous
The joint venture company will initially focus on developing and securing financing for a first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol facility in Highlands County, Florida and expects to break ground on that site in 2010. The estimated construction cost for this 36
Researchers at Virginia Tech, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and the University of Georgia have produced hydrogen gas pure enough to power a fuel cell by mixing 14 enzymes, one coenzyme, cellulosic materials from nonfood sources, and water heated to
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have developed a two-step method to convert the cellulose in raw biomass into a promising biofuel. The key to the new process is the first step, in which cellulose is converted into the "platform"
A team of scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Delaware and Yeshiva University, has developed a new catalyst that could make ethanol-powered fuel cells feasible. The highly
Research is under way to pinpoint the enzymes produced in the four-spotted gribble’s stomach, and the genes that control them, so that the process can be applied to woody biofuel crops such as willow. The investigation is being carried out
At the University of Nottingham, two of six research projects being run by the national £27m BBSRC Sustainable Bioenergy Centre hope to lead the way in the development of sustainable bioenergy fuels — Ethanol and Butanol using non-food crops, such
A patented Michigan State University process to pre-treat corn-crop waste before conversion into ethanol means extra nutrients don't have to be added, cutting the cost of making biofuels from cellulose. READ MORE
The “self-shading” phenomenon for algae results in a layer that limits the amount of algae per acre that can be grown and harvested. The Light Immersion Technology developed by Bionavitas fundamentally changes this equation by enabling the algae growth layer
Cornell plant scientists have invented a new method that uses manure and other farm byproducts to remove toxic hydrogen sulfide from biogas -- a renewable energy source -- derived from the breakdown of animal waste. READ MORE
U.S. scientists say they can turn E.coli, a strain of bacteria present in the human digestive tract, into a fuel that is twice or three times more efficient than ethanol. The scientists, attached to the University of California in Los
California scientists say they can use E.coli, a strain of bacteria present in the human digestive tract, to make a fuel that is twice or three times more efficient than ethanol. READ MORE: Article 1 | Article 2 | Abstract
ZeaChem, a company that uses the microbes in termite guts to make ethanol, announced it has raised $34 million to build its first plant. The biorefinery, which could be located in Boardman, Ore., will begin operating next year, making 1.5
Two German scientists investigated the feasibility of replacing fossil fuels with biomass as the primary energy supply. Their paper, published in the journal Naturwissenschaften, posited a scenario in which degraded lands were planted with fast growing trees, which were then
Researchers at the California Institute of Technology are exploring the use of biomass or ethanol as a primary fuel in fuel cells instead of hydrogen to produce energy from electrochemical reactions with fewer emissions and greater efficiency than internal combustion
For every tonne of biodiesel made from vegetable oil, 100kg of thick, viscous glycerol is produced as a byproduct. The annual 6.8 billion liters of biodiesel production in the EU yields around 680,000 tonnes of crude glycerol. Although some of
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is offering to guarantee loans of up to $250 million for commercial-scale biorefineries that produce biofuels from something other than corn starch. One company that plans to apply for a loan guarantee is Florida-based
by Sam Bond (edie.net) A fungus that makes biodiesel as part of its natural lifecycle has attracted the attention of American scientists wishing to tap into its potential. The fungus has been discovered living in trees in the Patagonian rainforests
In 2006, Green Star started plans to construct biorefineries that produce ethanol from low cost agricultural waste products (wood chips, switch-grass, rice stalks, municipal waste, etc.) from biomass based on its proprietary process patents and production of biodiesel integrating Green
by Amit Avasthi and Vicki Fong (Penn State University, gantdaily.com) A little known fungus tucked away in the gut of Asian longhorned beetles helps the insect munch through the hardest of woods according to a team of entomologists and biochemists. Researchers
Following independent paths of investigation, two research teams are announcing this month that they have successfully converted sugar-potentially derived from agricultural waste and non-food plants-into gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and a range of other valuable chemicals. READ MORE
C2 Biotechnologies, LLC of Germantown, New York (C2B) harnesses the power of biology to fuse different proteins, specifically, enzymes with desirable characteristics, into one product using a fusion enzyme technology platform. Download PDF or READ MORE
Several thousand gallons of bio diesel fuel that meets ASTM specification D-975 have been produced, road tested in diesel vehicles and declared ready for volume production, according to Harrison Dillon, President and Chief Technology Officer, Solazyme, Inc. South San Francisco,
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters announced July 10, 2008, that the FAA has selected the X PRIZE Foundation to develop a strategy to create monetary incentives for developing renewable aviation fuels and technologies to stem the affect of pollutants from
(New Energy and Fuel) A new bacterium, a cyanobacterium that is energized by sunlight and excretes the sugars glucose and sucrose with some cellulose has been created by Dr. R. Malcolm Brown and Dr. David Nobles at the University of Texas
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
Virginia Dale and colleagues (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) from Stewardship sesssion at Biomass 2008 conference. Bioenergy feedstock choices. Download PDF.
GeneSyst upgraded the weak acid hydrolysis process to convert biomass from municipal waste to fuel ethanol by making it a 'continuous (flow) process ' using the patented Gravity Pressure Vessel instead of the former 'pump and pressure' tanks (batch). READ
by Jennifer Holmgren (UOP) This March 2008 presentation reviews biomass-based manufacturing technologies and aviation fuel requirements. READ MORE
U.S. Department of Energy has included Pacific Ethanol in a matching award totaling $24.32 million to build the first cellulosic ethanol demonstration plant in the Northwest United States. The plant will employ a technology to produce ethanol from wheat straw,
(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
by Jeremy Elton (Treehugger) A team of scientists led by James Dumesic at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has discovered a way (subscription needed) to turn the sugar commonly found in fruits like apples and oranges into a biofuel with 40%
Based on the June 25-26, 2007 Workshop in Washington, DC, with Dr. George Hubner, University of Massachusetts--Amherst, Workshop Chair View the PDF
BIOPOLYGEN Group of the MEEC, Israel, reports a successful completion of the first phase of its new biomass hydrolysis process tests and announces the plans to construct and demonstrate a small-scale pilot biorefinery for co-production of second generation ethanol, organic-mineral
by Michael E. Himmel, Shi-You Ding, David K. Johnson, William S. Adney, Mark R. Nimlos, John W. Brady and Thomas D. Foust (Science Magazine) Lignocellulosic biomass has long been recognized as a potential sustainable source of mixed sugars for fermentation to biofuels and other biomaterials. Several technologies have
Wood with altered properties and cheaper ethanol through more efficient production are two possibilities as a result of a find by a biologist at Washington University in St. Louis. Erik Nielsen, Ph.D., Washington University adjunct professor of biology in Arts
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