by Brad Dixon (Georgia Institute of Technology) Lignin is one of the most plentiful organic polymers on Earth, making up about 20 to 30 percent of the dry mass of wood and other plants. Despite this abundance, lignin’s complex structure has challenged
biomass recalcitrance
Back TO HOMENovozymes & Fibenol Have Entered a Commercial Partnership to Demonstrate Lignocellulosic Biorefining on an Industrial Scale
(Fibenol) Due to their abundance worldwide, lignocellulosic residues have an enormous potential to substitute petrochemicals with bio-based alternatives. However, efficient cellulose degradation into sugars has long been an obstacle to the wider spread of lignocellulosic biorefineries. Now, the tide seems to
April 26, 2023 Read Full Article
Hemp Biofuels: High Energy, Low Environmental Impact
(Global Hemp Association) ... “Biofuel” is an umbrella term for a number of different types of energy produced from biomass. The main fuels are biodiesel, bioethanol, renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuel, and renewable natural gas. ... Studies show that hemp biomass, with
January 31, 2023 Read Full Article
Lifting Up Production
by Katie Schroeder (Ethanol Producer Magazine) In recent years, many ethanol producers have started migrating toward a more diversified biorefining model as they adapt to changing markets and changing times. The enzymes industry has not only kept pace with this
January 03, 2023 Read Full Article
Lignin: A Way towards the Sustainable Biorefinery
Siddhartha Pal (Praj Industries/Biofuels Digest) Various sources of lignocellulosic biomass, such as forestry waste and agricultural feedstocks, are available all over the world. The Lignocellulosic biomass consists of three major components: cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Cellulose and hemicellulose form a network
January 02, 2023 Read Full Article
Catalytic Process with Lignin Could Enable 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory/Biobased Diesel Daily) An underutilized natural resource could be just what the airline industry needs to curb carbon emissions. Researchers at three institutions—the U.S. DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Washington State University—report success
September 28, 2022 Read Full Article
PNNL: New Artificial Enzyme Breaks Down Tough, Woody Lignin
(Pacific Northwest National Laboratory/Ethanol Producer Magazine) A new artificial enzyme has shown it can chew through lignin, the tough polymer that helps woody plants hold their shape. Lignin also stores tremendous potential for renewable energy and materials. Reporting in the journal Nature
July 15, 2022 Read Full Article
Overcoming the Toughest Catalyst Challenges in the Bioeconomy: The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to LEC
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Terry Mazanec from Lee Enterprises Consulting takes us on a journey through the toughest catalyst challenges in the bioeconomy and, most importantly, how to overcome them. From feedstock consistency and availability to substrate intransigence and
June 30, 2022 Read Full Article
New Artificial Enzyme Breaks Down Tough, Woody Lignin
(Science Daily/DOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Study shows promise for developing a new renewable energy source -- An innovative artificial enzyme has shown it can chew through woody lignin, an abundant carbon-based substance that stores tremendous potential for renewable energy and
June 01, 2022 Read Full Article
Enzymes Discovered in Capybara Gut Can Accelerate Utilization of Agroindustrial Waste
by Karina Ninni (Agência FAPESP)– Converting agroindustrial waste into molecules of interest to society, such as biofuels and biochemicals, is one of the ways to mitigate dependence on oil and other fossil fuels. As one of the world’s largest producers
May 03, 2022 Read Full Article
New Perspective Highlights Promise of Hybrid Approach for Cellulosic Biofuel Production
by S. Heather Duncan (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Scientists with the Center for Bioenergy Innovation at ORNL highlighted a hybrid approach that uses microbes and catalysis to convert cellulosic biomass into fuels suitable for aviation and other difficult-to-electrify sectors. -- The
March 31, 2022 Read Full Article
New Bioprocesses for Lignin Valorization: The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to NREL’s Biological Lignin Work
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) NREL is focusing on commodity productswith sufficient market sizes to aid biofuels production (e.g., adipic acid), working with Lignin Util. & SepConfor lignin substrates, and developing innovative biocatalysts and bioprocesses for lignin valorization. Get all
March 25, 2022 Read Full Article
Waste Not, Want Not: New Process Turns Manure into Fatty Acids
by Mark E. Griffin (University of Wisconsin--Madison) University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers have demonstrated a new process for transforming a plentiful Wisconsin waste into fatty acids, energy-rich molecules that can be used to make fuels and a wide range of important
December 28, 2021 Read Full Article
Closing the Gap in Renewable Energy – the Next 80%?
by Sergey Nuzhdin, Kristen Davis, Meredith Brooks, Ann Carpenter, Pierre Wensel, and Cindy Wilcox, (Cluster for Sustainable Seaweed Solutions (CS3)/Biofuels Digest) .. (A) similar marine “Blue Revolution” is the potential key to meet global demand for biofuel, feed, and food security
November 10, 2021 Read Full Article
Disrupting Tropical Seaweed Farming with Offshore Submersible Cages
by Steven Hermans (Phyconomy) Former CEO of Catalina Sea Ranch Phil Cruver is developing a submersible cage system to take tropical seaweed farming offshore and into a new era. In addition to providing higher yields, the cages should also protect
October 10, 2021 Read Full Article
Effect of Lignin-Blocking Agent on Enzyme Hydrolysis of Acid Pretreated Hemp Waste
by Daehwan Kim, Chang Geun Yoo, Jurgen Schwarz, Sadanand Dhekney, Robert Kozak, Craig Laufer, Drew Ferrier, Skylar Mackay, Madyson Ashcraft, Richard Williams and Sinyeon Kime (RSC Advances) Hemp wastes (stems and branches), fractionated after hemp flower extraction for the production
September 20, 2021 Read Full Article
Recent Innovations in Turning Agricultural Waste into Biofuels
by Raj Shah and Amanda Loo (altenergymag.com/Koehler Instrument Company) Wastes from fields and wastes from processing are the two kinds of agricultural wastes. Field wastes are present after harvesting crops and include stems, leaves, and stalks, and waste after processing
August 19, 2021 Read Full Article
New Solvents to Break Down Plant Cellulose for Bioethanol
(Science Daily/Kanazawa University) Researchers experimented with different combinations of zwitterionic molecules to produce a solvent that is liquid below 100°C and very effective at breaking down cellulose. This research may lead to much more cost-effective and safe production of biofuels,
August 12, 2021 Read Full Article
Enzyme from Amazon Fungus Could Enhance Efficiency of Second-Generation Ethanol Production
by Maria Fernanda Ziegler (Agência FAPESP) Researchers at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil have found an enzyme from the Amazon fungus Trichoderma harzianum to be capable of breaking down biomass. Fungi of the genus Trichoderma are present
August 11, 2021 Read Full Article
Energycane Produces More Biodiesel than Soybean at a Lower Cost
(University of Illinois/EurekAlert!) Bioenergy from crops is a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. New crops such as energycane can produce several times more fuel per acre than soybeans. Yet, challenges remain in processing the crops to extract fuel efficiently. Four new studies
July 08, 2021 Read Full Article
Bioconversion Improvements: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Biorefinery Waste for Bioplastics
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Being in a big state, Texas A&M University has some big goals like overcoming the key challenges for biorefinery cost-effectiveness and sustainability in the BETO MYPP and bring down the biofuel cost to $3/GGE. How
June 23, 2021 Read Full Article
“Dominating” Fungus Could Provide Solution to Producing More Biofuels and Valuable Chemicals
(University of York) he discovery of a novel enzyme that releases a valuable chemical from agricultural waste could provide an important breakthrough in the upscaling of renewable fuels and chemicals, a new study shows. ... Researchers – led by the University of York
May 06, 2021 Read Full Article
The Green Secrets of Goat Poop – Smarter Materials, Better Medicines, and Sustainable Biofuels
(Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory/SciTechDaily) Microbes found in the goat gut microbiome could help humans convert plant material into valuable, eco-friendly commodities. Converting the tough fibers and complex sugars in plants into biofuels and other products could be humanity’s ticket to smarter materials,
March 16, 2021 Read Full Article
News Release: Groundbreaking Research into White-Rot Fungi Proves Its Value in Carbon Sequestration from Lignin
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory) A foundational study conducted by scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) shows for the first time that white-rot fungi are able to use carbon captured from lignin as a carbon source. The research confirms a hypothesis
March 01, 2021 Read Full Article
Termite Gut Microbes Could Aid Biofuel Production
(American Chemical Society/EurekAlert!) Wheat straw, the dried stalks left over from grain production, is a potential source of biofuels and commodity chemicals. But before straw can be converted to useful products by biorefineries, the polymers that make it up must be
February 18, 2021 Read Full Article
Biochemical, Deacetylation and Mechanical Refining Process: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to NREL’s Biomass Deconstruction
What does an ideal biomass deconstruction process need? Find out in this illuminating slide guide from Xiaowen Chen, Senior Chemical Engineer in the Catalytic Carbon Transformation and Scale-up Center at National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Also take a peek into NREL’s
February 05, 2021 Read Full Article
From Biofuels and Other Chemicals to Methane Production: Study Peers into the Mysteries of a Goat's Gut
by Sonia Fernandez (University of California - Santa Barbara/Phys.Org) ... "This has been the longest single effort in my lab," said (Michelle) O'Malley, who with her research team way back in 2015 first embarked on an ambitious project to characterize gut
February 02, 2021 Read Full Article
Understanding Bacteria's Metabolism Could Improve Biofuel Production
by Jules Bernstein (University of California - Riverside/Phys.Org) A new study reveals how bacteria control the chemicals produced from consuming 'food.' The insight could lead to organisms that are more efficient at converting plants into biofuels. The study, authored by scientists at
December 03, 2020 Read Full Article
Novel Cellulose Finding May Lead to New Chemicals, Biofuels
by Jamie Oberdick (Pennsylvania State University/Phys.Org) A multi-institutional research group led by two Penn State faculty members has identified, for the first time, how cellulose crystals orient themselves relative to the cell wall in plants, with potential implications for chemical and
November 20, 2020 Read Full Article
New Lignin-Splitting Method Inspired by Nature
by Mark E. Griffin (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) ... “Bacteria and fungi break down plants through a number of different ways. When you see mushrooms growing on dead logs in a forest, they are breaking down the plant cell
October 29, 2020 Read Full Article
Positive Results Achieved from NREL's Use of Industry-Relevant Ozone Treatment to Deconstruct Biomass
by Zia Abdullah (U.S. Department of Energy/National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Achieves high sugar yields with low enzyme loadings; Deconstructing Biomass with a Common Pulp and Paper Industry Method -- Ozone treatment (aka "ozonolysis") of lignocellulose pulp is a widely practiced method for
May 26, 2020 Read Full Article
Lignin Research Yields Additional Answers into Bacteria's Role
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory/Phys.Org) A collaboration between the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and three other national laboratories has yielded new insight into the ability of bacteria to break down the hardy part of a plant known as lignin. The additional
April 09, 2020 Read Full Article
Why Ethanol Endures as Important Market for Midwestern Farmers
by Jim Spencer and Mike Hughlett (Star Tribune) The biofuel's intended uses for energy independence and greenhouse gas reduction have become matters of debate. But no one questions its political clout, economic importance or staying power. -- ... Janet McCabe is
January 20, 2020 Read Full Article
Forest Service Grants License for Biomass Conversion Technology
by Matt Thompson (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The U.S. Forest Service announced in November its intent to grant a license for technology that can efficiently fractionate lignocellulosic biomass to a Canadian company, Whispering Green Energy. And that license has now been granted,
January 02, 2020 Read Full Article
Conversion Technologies: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to BETO’s Carbon-Based Fuels and Co-Products
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Why is working with biomass so challenging? Jonathan Male, Director at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) set out to answer that question at ABLC NEXT in San Francisco. Check out his illuminating
December 17, 2019 Read Full Article
Water-Based Tech Converts Biomass into Food Ingredients – Renmatix and Cargill Sign Joint Development Agreement
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Functional food ingredients from unused plant materials is just what Renmatix and Cargill are aiming to explore with their new joint development agreement, but what makes this breaking news even more fascinating is that Renmatix
December 16, 2019 Read Full Article
UCSB Chemical Engineer Looks at Microbes Found in Herbivores’ Guts to Turn Plant Waste into Fuel
by Soe Han Tha (Santa Barbara News Press) Households and businesses typically regard as waste the parts of plants that cannot be consumed, whether that be stems, roots, inedible leaves. What if this waste could be used as fuel or other commodity
November 08, 2019 Read Full Article
Scientists Develop Efficient Methods to Turn Woody Biomass into Fuels
by Brian Wallheimer (Purdue University) ... Lignin, a complex compound in cell walls, blocks access to plant carbohydrates that could be cleaved into sugars and then fermented into biofuels. The compounds that hold plant cells together, as well as their
October 25, 2019 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Breakthroughs at the Bioenergy Research Centers
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Over 10 years (2007–2017), three Bioenergy Research Centers produced multiple breakthroughs in the form of deepened understanding of sustainable biomass production practices, targeted re-engineering of biomass feedstocks, development of new methods for deconstructing feedstocks, and
October 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Undergraduates Participate in Bioenergy Research at GLBRC
(Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Each year, the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) hosts a group of undergraduate students to participate in the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program, designed to immerse students in research. This summer, 11 undergraduate
October 11, 2019 Read Full Article
Betting on Waste
(EurekAlert!/University of California - Santa Barbara) Most of the materials that maintain our modern lives -- fuels, pharmaceuticals and other commodity chemicals -- come from non-renewable sources. Over time the acquisition of these materials becomes more costly as their supplies diminish.
September 12, 2019 Read Full Article
US-India Consortium for Development of Sustainable Advanced Lignocellulosic Biofuel Systems
by Vermerris, Wilfred; Ingram, Lonnie O.; O'Connor, George; Pullammanappallil, P.; Shanmugam, K. T.; Tong, Zhaohui; Wilkie, Anne; Jose, Shibu; Bardhan, Sougata; Kitchen, Newell; Fritschi, Felix; Alavalapati, Janaki; Quesada-Pineda, Henry J.; Smith, Robert; Lal, Pankaj ; Gan, Jianbang (University of Florida/U.S.
August 30, 2019 Read Full Article
Supercomputing Improves Biomass Fuel Conversion
by Holly Ober (Univesity of California Riverside News) Researchers combine supercomputing with nano-imaging to reveal how to efficiently break down plant biomass and transform it into transportation fuels -- ... In order to access the energy-rich sugars found in the plant
August 05, 2019 Read Full Article
Bacteria Turn Agri Waste to Biofuel, First-of-Its-Kind Research
by Himanshu Nitnaware (Pune Mirror) ... The researchers worked to find an alternative to fossil fuels through biodegradation of agricultural waste such as wheat straw, and sugarcane bagasse as substrates. The biodegradation was brought about by busing cellulose-degrading bacteria and their enzymes for sustainable
May 01, 2019 Read Full Article
ICGEB’s Novel Yeast Strain Increases Ethanol Production
by R. Prasad (The Hindu) The strain produces ethanol by fermenting rice and wheat straw -- Compared with currently available strains, a robust yeast strain (Saccharomyces cerevisiae NGY10) that can produce up to 15.5% more ethanol when glucose or lignocellulose biomass — rice
April 17, 2019 Read Full Article
From Bioenergy to Bioproducts: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to JBEI
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Joint BioEnergy Institute is a U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Research Center dedicated to developing advanced biofuels—liquid fuels derived from the solar energy stored in plant biomass that can replace gasoline, diesel and jet fuels. Inside
April 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Cricket Bacteria Break Down Lignin, Highlighting Ecology's Utility in Applied R&D
(North Carolina State University/Phys.org) Researchers have discovered that a bacterium found in camel crickets is capable of breaking down lignin—the stuff that makes wood tough—opening new research pathways for the development of biofuels and chemical manufacturing. The study also highlights
March 22, 2019 Read Full Article
Bright Skies for Plant-Based Jet Fuels
by Aliyah Kovner (Berkeley Lab) Joint BioEnergy Institute researchers demonstrate that jet fuels made from plants could be cost competitive with conventional fossil fuels -- ... However, a new analysis by scientists at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
March 20, 2019 Read Full Article
Biomass Breakdown: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Sweetwater Energy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sweetwater Energy has developed a unique and patented technology for producing low-cost sugars and clean lignin fiber from multiple non-food plant materials to help meet the modern world’s increasing demand for biochemicals, bioplastics and biofuels. Jack Baron,
March 18, 2019 Read Full Article
This Beetle’s Gut May Hide Clues to Making Better Biofuels
(Berkeley News) The passalid beetle’s unique gut architecture helps it transform decaying wood into energy-rich materials. -- Decaying wood doesn’t make the most nutritious food, but the long-horned passalid beetle has evolved to make the best of it. The guts of
March 13, 2019 Read Full Article
Research Uncovers Potential Sustainable Refining Method for Lignin
(Phys.Org/Texas A&M University) Lignin, used as a renewable resource to produce high-value products, has presented both production and economical challenges for biorefinery operations. However, a Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientist suggests the use of an extraction method, plus other refining processes
February 27, 2019 Read Full Article
Biomass Separation Technology: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Attis Industries
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Attis Industriesis a diversified company focused on innovation and technology including renewable fuels, bio-based plastics, healthcare and communications infrastructure. At a recent investor meeting, Attis offered this illuminating overview of their proprietary biomass processing technology, Attis’ renewable fuels, investment
February 25, 2019 Read Full Article
Rebecca Smith Brings Enthusiasm, Ingenuity to Bear on Tough Lignin
by Max Witynski (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Rebecca Smith has loved plants for a long time. In fact, her interest stems from an AP biology class in high school. “Something about the enormous variation and complexity in the plant kingdom sparked my
December 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Breaching the Biomass Problem: ORNL Team Provides Supercomputer-Aided Insights for How to Turn Plants into Fuel and Materials
by Jonathan Hines (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Humans have found uses for woody plants since time immemorial—tools, shelter, firewood. Today, scientists are working to add more major uses to the list: renewable, cost-competitive biofuel and value-added materials. Turning trees and waste
December 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Why a Curious Crustacean Could Hold Secret to Making Renewable Energy from Wood
(University of York/EurekAlert!) Scientists studying the digestive system of a curious wood-eating crustacean have discovered it may hold the key to sustainably converting wood into biofuel. Gribble are small marine invertebrates that have evolved to perform an important ecological role eating the
December 04, 2018 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Lee Lynd issued a call to action in a recent Nature Biotechnology commentary: Three key measures should be part of any effort to revitalize cellulosic biofuels. First, pursue commercial deployment in achievable, successively enabling steps, proceeding from where the industry is
November 07, 2018 Read Full Article
The Grand Challenge of Cellulosic Biofuels
by Lee R. Lynd (Energy Today/Nature Biotechnology/Dartmouth College) Why cellulosic biofuels have fallen short of expectations and what we can do about it. -- A robust second-generation biofuels industry based on inedible cellulosic biomass available as wood, grass, and various wastes was
November 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Sampling Guts of Live Moose to Understand How They Break down Biomass
(Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory/Phys.Org) Microbes in the gastrointestinal tract of ruminants such as moose help break down recalcitrant plant biomass into carbon nutrients, but how do they do this over the course of seasons when the moose diet changes, and what
October 26, 2018 Read Full Article
Researchers Find Value in Unusual Type of Plant Material
by Mark E. Griffin (University of Wisconsin-Madison/Phys.Org) An ideal biorefinery would turn renewable crops into a variety of fuels and products with little waste. A significant challenge in realizing this vision is what to do with lignin, a fibrous and difficult-to-break-down material
October 09, 2018 Read Full Article
Engineering Plants for a Sustainable Future
by Staffan Persson (University of Melbourne/Phys.org) ... Our new discovery, published in Nature Plants, shows how plant walls could be manipulated in the future to change the way we produce biofuels, bioplastics and other biomaterials. ... In particular, understanding how to control the production
October 08, 2018 Read Full Article
New Method More than Doubles Sugar Production from Plants
(SwissInfo.ch) Chemists at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) have developed a method that can significantly increase the yield of sugars from plants, improving the production of renewable fuels, chemicals and materials. Producing fuels and chemicals from biomass (for example
September 25, 2018 Read Full Article
Enzyme Discovery Could Boost Biofuel Production
(European Commission) EU-funded researchers have discovered a new family of enzymes able to break down wood into its chemical components. The findings may lead to more efficient production of biofuels and other valuable chemicals derived from biomass. -- Wood is regarded as
August 28, 2018 Read Full Article
Complex Networks Identify Genes for Biofuel Crops
(U.S. Department of Energy/Phys.Org) To improve biofuel production, scientists must understand the fundamental interactions that lead to the expression of key traits in plants and microbes. To understand these interactions, scientists are using different layers of information (about the relationships
August 15, 2018 Read Full Article
NREL: Novel Genetic Method Improves Efficiency of Enzyme
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory/Biomass Magazine) Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the University of Georgia developed a new genetic engineering technique to dramatically improve an enzyme’s ability to break down biomass. The new method, Evolution by
July 11, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of July 11th
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of invention and change is just too strong, we’ve realized, to highlight annual or even quarterly or monthly rankings and summaries of significant product and service advances. For now, we’re going to be tracking
July 11, 2018 Read Full Article
New ‘Promiscuous’ Enzyme Helps Turn Plant Waste into Sustainable Products
(University of Portsmouth) A new family of enzymes has been discovered which paves the way to convert plant waste into sustainable and high-value products such as nylon, plastics, chemicals, and fuels. The discovery was led by members of the same UK-US enzyme
July 03, 2018 Read Full Article
WSU Professor Lands $500,000 Grant to Pursue Lignin to Biofuel Conversion
by Maegan Murray (Washington State University Tri-Cities) WSU Tri-Cities associate professor Xiao Zhang is targeting the use of lignin — a common material that makes the cell walls of plants rigid — to create affordable biofuels and bioproducts. Interested in the project,
June 22, 2018 Read Full Article
NREL Finds Easier Ways to Deconstruct Biomass
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory/Ethanol Producer Magazine) If there's an easier, more efficient method, science will find a way. That's certainly the case in producing cellulosic biofuels, which, at least for now, requires a two-step process to free the sugars trapped in
June 07, 2018 Read Full Article
Research Shows How Genetics Can Contribute for Advances in 2G Ethanol Production
(FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO/EurekAlert!) The study focused three fungi species which produce enzymes with application in biomass degradation; scientists in Brazil reveal how these substances are regulated and how they can interact synergically. Production of second-generation
April 17, 2018 Read Full Article
A New Tailor-Made Approach to Biofuels
(Phys.Org/CORDIS) ... Some microbes have natural structures called cellulosomes that contain cellulases, enzymes that break down cellulose efficiently into sugars. The EU-funded CELLULOSOMEPLUS project developed designer cellulosomes (DCs) to achieve high yields of fermentable sugars from the organic fraction of municipal solid waste
April 11, 2018 Read Full Article
Lumber’s Lure: Thanks to Physics, Viable Biofuel May Grow in the Woods
by Chris Lee (Ars Technica) Future biofuel production requires new catalysts—or better training for stubborn enzymes. ... I thought New Zealand would offer some chemistry-minded contrast. The country makes a lot of money on timber exports, but this profit is generally not from primary forest.
April 06, 2018 Read Full Article
NUS Team Discovers Bacterium that Produces Only Biobutanol Directly from Cellulose
(Green Car Congress) A team of engineers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) recently discovered that a naturally occurring bacterium, Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum TG57, isolated from waste generated after harvesting mushrooms, is capable of directly converting cellulose to biobutanol. In an open-access paper in the journal Science
April 06, 2018 Read Full Article
New Insights into How Cellulose Is Built Could Indicate How to Break It Apart for biofuels
(Phys.Org/Pennsylvania State University) A comprehensive look at how plants build cellulose, the primary building block of the walls of most plant cells that is used in a wide variety of manmade materials, could have important implications for its use in biofuels.
April 01, 2018 Read Full Article
Team Discovers Enzyme Domains that Dramatically Improve Performance
(Phys.Org/ National Renewable Energy Laboratory) It was more than 10 years in the making, but when it came to uncovering the secrets of the molecular structure of enzymes, perseverance paid off. By studying and comparing the workhorse cellulose-degrading enzymes of two
March 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Protein Studies Inform Biofuels Research
(University of Wisconsin – Madison/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Advances in biofuels research tend to involve reduced costs, greater reagent stability, more diverse and valuable end products, or faster reactions, which often increase product yields as well. But to understand at a deeper level
March 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Fungal Enzymes Could Hold Secret to Making Renewable Energy from Wood
(Phys.Org/University of York) An international team of researchers, including scientists from the University of York, has discovered a set of enzymes found in fungi that are capable of breaking down one of the main components of wood. The enzymes could now
February 20, 2018 Read Full Article
USDA Awards Attis $3 Million Grant for Lignin Technology
(Meridian Waste Solutions Inc./Ethanol Producer Magazine) Meridian Waste Solutions Inc., an integrated, non-hazardous solid waste services and innovative technology company, recently announced the award of a $3 million grant from the USDA to support the commercialization of patented and patent-pending lignin
January 17, 2018 Read Full Article
Less Chewing the Cud, More Greening the Fuel
(Phys.Org/Rothamsted Research) ... But now a multinational team of researchers, from the UK, Brazil and the US, has pinpointed a gene involved in the stiffening of cell walls whose suppression increased the release of sugars by up to 60%. Their findings
January 12, 2018 Read Full Article
NREL Research Finds a “Sweet Spot” for Engineering Better Biofuel Enzymes
(U.S. Department of Energy) Added sugar takes on a whole new meaning in the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL’s) work to uncover the secrets behind one of nature’s most powerful tools—cellulose-degrading enzymes. Researchers at NREL are seeking to unlock the bioenergy stored
December 31, 2017 Read Full Article
Nature Demonstrates How Bacteria Degrade Lignin and Provides Better Understanding to Make Biofuels
(Phys.Org/Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory) The production of biofuels from plant biomass is a highly promising source of energy, but researchers are trying to find microbes that readily degrade recalcitrant lignin found in plant biomass. Recent comprehensive genomic and metabolomic analysis of
December 22, 2017 Read Full Article
New Solvent Contributes to Next-Generation Biofuel Production from Biomass
(Phys.Org/Kanazawa University) Compared to first-generation biofuels produced from food crops, production of second-generation biofuels for daily use is an urgent issue. In this study, researchers developed a novel carboxylate-type liquid zwitterion as a solvent of biomass, which could dissolve cellulose with
December 05, 2017 Read Full Article
Rot Is Hot to Trot: Brown Rot Fungi Cries “Tora! Tora! Tora!” to Biomass
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... When it comes to fungi, their ability to break even the most recalcitrant of hardwoods down is well-documented and anyone who has spent a day in a rainforest knows it. But there’s rot and there’s
December 05, 2017 Read Full Article
Research Is Making Plant Waste a Viable Option in Ethanol Production
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
November 15, 2017 Read Full Article
Study Speeds Transformation of Biofuel Waste into Useful Chemicals
by Jules Bernstein (Phys.Org/Sandia National Laboratories) A Sandia National Laboratories-led team has demonstrated faster, more efficient ways to turn discarded plant matter into chemicals worth billions. The team's findings could help transform the economics of making fuels and other products from
November 10, 2017 Read Full Article
Iconic Species May Hold Clues on Low Quality Forage Digestion
by Robert Arnason (Western Producer) ... But the beaver also has a lesser known skill: it can survive on a diet of branches and twigs. Scientists with Agriculture Canada want to know how the beaver pulls off that trick, because the knowledge
October 25, 2017 Read Full Article
POET “Breakthrough" in Cellulosic Ethanol Production
by Julie Harker (Brownfield Ag News) The nation’s largest ethanol producer says it’s made a breakthrough in cellulosic ethanol production. Matt Merritt with POET-DSM tells Brownfield they are using a combination of heat, pressure and acid to break down materials to
October 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Enzymes at Work: Breaking Down Stubborn Cellulose for Biofuels
(Science Daily/Graz University of Technology) Researchers have observed enzymes breaking down cellulose to aid the production of biofuels. ... Typically, biorefineries use a mix of hydrolytically active enzymes which utilize water molecules to breakdown plant material -- as happens in natural degradation processes.
October 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Ames Laboratory Announces New Science in Converting Biomass
(Ames Laboratory/Ethanol Producer Magazine) In every plant—from trees to crops—there exists a substance that makes up its wood or stems, fiber, and cell walls. This substance is a complex natural polymer called lignin, and it is the second largest renewable carbon
October 10, 2017 Read Full Article
Top 10 Wood Waste Projects – Not Letting Waste Go to Waste
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... Regardless of which side of the fence you are on, the chopping continues and there are literally tons of wood waste left behind that doesn’t get used up, but we can all agree we
October 02, 2017 Read Full Article
Crossing the Valley of NLACM with Alcohol-to-Hydrocarbon Technology
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) There’s one crossing worse than the Valley of Death and that is the Valley of NLACM. Although it sounds more like a goose trying to say “You’ll like him” — it’s the Natural Law of Alternative Commodity
September 26, 2017 Read Full Article
Getting to the Point (Mutations) in Re-Engineering Biofuel-Producing Bacterial Enzymes
(Newswise/U.S. Department of Energy) Researchers from Spain, Poland and Ireland have developed a new computational method to rapidly screen the effects of point mutations in bacteria to make biofuel production more efficient -- Converting fibrous plant waste, like corn stalks
September 15, 2017 Read Full Article
A Sweeter Way to Make Green Products: University of Delaware Researchers Invent Novel Process for Extracting Sugars from Wood
by Tracey Bryant (University of Delaware) ... A UD research team has invented a more efficient process for extracting the sugars from wood chips, corn cobs and other organic waste from forests and farms. ... Basudeb Saha, associate director for research at UD’s
September 11, 2017 Read Full Article
Targeted Microbial Development: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Biological Upgrading of Biomass Sugars
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy is supporting projects to investigate and recommend promising pathways for advanced biological upgrading of biomass sugars and lignin to hydrocarbons (HC) and co-products to support the DOE BETO 2022 goal
September 11, 2017 Read Full Article
Norwegian and French Researchers Discover a Novel Enzymatic Mechanism that May Revolutionize Biorefining and Sustainable Production of Biofuels
by Ruth Lothe (Norwegian University of Life Sciences) In 2010, researchers at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) were the first to describe a new class of enzymes that have created a revolution in the area of biorefining. These
September 06, 2017 Read Full Article
Biotechnology Researchers Turn to Landfill Sites
(Phys.Org/Bangor University) Far from being a load of rubbish, landfill sites should be considered one of the great untapped resources in the search for new enzymes for biotechnology, and could fuel more efficient biofuel production. A new research paper in mSphere by biologists
August 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Energy Department Announces Additional MEGA-BIO: Bioproducts to Enable Biofuels Award
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced today that it will award a fourth project—up to $1.8 million—under the MEGA-BIO: Bioproducts to Enable Biofuels Funding Opportunity. In August 2016, DOE's Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) selected three projects for
August 02, 2017 Read Full Article
War on Recalcitrance: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to the BioEnergy Science Center
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The BioEnergy Science Center (BESC) is a multi-institutional (18 partners), Department of Energy-funded research organization performing basic and applied science dedicated to improving yields of biofuels by focusing on the fundamental understanding and elimination of biomass
July 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Loosening of Lignocellulose: Switchgrass and Success in Sugar Release
(U.S. Department of Energy) Introduced traits remain stable, improving biofuel production in a field setting. -- ... Near-term fossil fuel alternatives could reduce carbon emissions and ensure U.S. energy security. One alternative uses switchgrass, a perennial plant, that is
July 24, 2017 Read Full Article
'On Your Mark, Get Set' Neutrons Run Enzyme's Reactivity for Better Biofuel Production
by Jeremy Rumsey and Heidi Hill (U.S. Department of Energy) Producing biofuels like ethanol from plant materials requires various enzymes to break down the cellulosic fibers. Scientists using neutron scattering have identified the specifics of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction that could
July 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Into the Wild: Exploring Yeast Biodiversity for Better Biofuel
by Leslie Shown (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) In the world of biofuels research, the baker’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae gets a lot of love, with scientists commonly tweaking the yeast’s fermentative qualities to enhance ethanol production. Researchers at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center
June 30, 2017 Read Full Article
Understanding Why Cellulose Resists Degradation Could Lead to Cost-Effective Biofuels
(Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory/Phys.Org) A major bottleneck hindering cost-effective production of biofuels and many valuable chemicals is the difficulty of breaking down cellulose—an important structural component of plant cell walls. A recent study addressed this problem by characterizing molecular features
June 06, 2017 Read Full Article
A Decade of Bioenergy Research
by Patrick C. Miller (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Department of Energy’s three bioenergy research centers have no intention of resting on their accomplishments. -- In the 10 years since the U.S. DOE established three bioenergy research centers with the goal
June 02, 2017 Read Full Article
New Strategy to Enhance the Efficiency of Cereal Straw for Biofuel Production
(Phys.Org/University of Hong Kong) Straw is commonly used for feeding animals, burning, baling, etc. As one of the "Three Canton Treasures", straw can actually be used as a raw material to produce biofuel. ... With an increasing demand on biofuel in recent
May 09, 2017 Read Full Article
Trash into Treasure: Sandia Could Help Biofuel Pay for Itself with Goods Made from Waste
(U.S. Department of Energy/Sandia National Laboratories/EurekAlert!) A recent discovery by Sandia National Laboratories researchers may unlock the potential of biofuel waste -- and ultimately make biofuels competitive with petroleum. Fuel made from plants is much more expensive than petroleum, but one
May 09, 2017 Read Full Article
Why a Hong Kong Plant Scientist with a Biofuel Research Breakthrough Has to Leave for Greener Pastures
by Viola Zhou (South China Morning Post) Lydia Lam Pui-ying will further her study at Kyoto University in Japan -- Hong Kong and Japanese scientists have discovered a new way to make biofuel from rice straw, which may offer a cheaper
May 05, 2017 Read Full Article
Biofuels, Livestock Benefit from Termite Research
by Larry Lee (Brownfield Ag News) A University of Wisconsin professor says his termite research might help the biofuels, livestock, and paper industries improve lignin processing. Researcher Cameron Currie says breaking down the woody substrate in plants called lignin is challenging
April 25, 2017 Read Full Article
Lignocellulosic Biomass Deconstruction
Bernard Cooker (Chemical Processing Solutions/Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) Cheap, plentiful lignocellulosic biomass (LCB), consisting of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, is deconstructed to release useful chemical intermediates in the bioeconomy. These include glucose from cellulose, glucose and other sugars from hemicellulose,
April 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Researchers Outline 23 Barriers to Advanced Biofuels’ Success
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Virginia, researchers from Virginia Tech University have determined that 52% of advanced biofuels facilities were already closed in 2015 and have determined a list of 23 barriers that could potentially explain why these projects
April 12, 2017 Read Full Article
Researchers Find New Way to Typify Cellulose, Advance Bioproducts
(Washington State University/Biomass Magazine) Researchers at Washington State University Tri-Cities and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have found a new way to define the molecular structure of cellulose, which could lead to cheaper and more efficient ways to make a variety of
March 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Heard on the Floor: Disruptive Technology, Feedstocks under the Microscope at ABLC 2017’s Opening Day
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... While there were big questions, there were big answers, beginning with a panel on The Sustainable Agriculture Imperative. John Pieper from Dupont Industrial Biosciences shared their latest work with cellulosic ethanol in the corn
March 02, 2017 Read Full Article
ORNL: Populus SNP Dataset Holds Promise for Biofuels
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory/Biomass Magazine) Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have released the largest-ever single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) dataset of genetic variations in poplar trees, information useful to plant scientists as well as researchers in
January 20, 2017 Read Full Article
‘Glue’ That Makes Plant Cell Walls Strong Could Hold the Key to Wooden Skyscrapers
(University of Cambridge) Molecules 10,000 times narrower than the width of a human hair could hold the key to making possible wooden skyscrapers and more energy-efficient paper production, according to research published today in the journal Nature Communications. The study,
December 22, 2016 Read Full Article
New Understanding of One of Nature’s Best Biocatalysts for Biofuels Production
(U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science) Producing fuels from plants and other renewable sources requires breaking down the chemical cellulose; a major candidate to drive, or catalyze, this stubborn chemical is a ubiquitous microorganism called Clostridium thermocellum that works well in hot
July 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Better Understanding Could Lead to More Cost-Effective Production of Cellulosic Biofuels
(Phys.Org) Plant cell walls, which constitute the bulk of plant biomass, are diverse, complex, and dynamic in their structural composition and integrity. Cell walls are innately resistant to deconstruction by biological or chemical catalysts. This property is often referred to
July 01, 2016 Read Full Article
Research Examines Obstacles to Making Biofuel from Perennial Plants
(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
June 17, 2016 Read Full Article
OSU Researching Bacteria to Begin Biofuel Production Process
(Oklahoma State University/Biomass Magazine) The popular method of breaking down lignin to convert biomass into valuable biofuels and chemicals is done by using fungi. However, researchers at Oklahoma State University are turning that process on its head. Babu Fathepure, associate professor
June 06, 2016 Read Full Article
USDA, DOE Partner to Invest $10 Million in Green Energy Research
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the joint investment of $10 million towards research that will drive more efficient biofuels production
May 09, 2016 Read Full Article
Researchers' New Advance in Quest for Second Generation Biofuels
(Phys.Org) ... The team, including Professor Paul Walton and Professor Gideon Davies of the Department of Chemistry at York, today presents the first published molecular structure of one of the key enzymes (lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases or LPMOs) involved in these processes. Reported
March 02, 2016 Read Full Article
Seeking Better Biofuels
by Melody M. Bomgardner (Chemical & Engineering News) Researchers at the Joint BioEnergy Institute transform biomass into energy-rich fuel molecules -- .. JBEI researchers are zeroing in on concepts that others have decided are too difficult or would take too
October 26, 2015 Read Full Article
International Research Team Seeks More Efficient Biomass Refinement Processes
(Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University) Researchers from across the world, including from Virginia Tech, plan to mimic the chemistry of the brown rot fungus to improve biorefining processes. BioMim, a $4 million, four-year project funded by the Research Council
July 20, 2015 Read Full Article
Unlocking Lignin for Sustainable Biofuel
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory/NewsWise) Lignin–hemicellulose simulation demonstrates potential for predictive modeling using NAMD -- Turning trees, grass, and other biomass into fuel for automobiles and airplanes is a costly and complex process. Biofuel researchers are working to change that, envisioning
July 08, 2015 Read Full Article
E4tech Releases Evidence-Base Report on European Bioeconomy
by Isabel Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Europe, E4tech has just completed a new study, ‘From the Sugar Platform to biofuels and biochemicals’ for the European Commission (DG ENER), a comprehensive evidence base for policymakers and industry. The report found that the
May 11, 2015 Read Full Article
Renmatix Acquires Mascoma Demonstration Plant in New York
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Another step towards commercial scale, aimed at “secure supply” of cellulose-lignin solids for Renmatix’ Georgia facility Renmatix announced that it has acquired existing assets of the former Mascoma corporation’s 56,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Rome,
May 06, 2015 Read Full Article
Engineered Softwood Could Transform Pulp, Paper and Biofuel Industries
by Krista Eastman (University of Wisconsin-Madison) Scientists have demonstrated the potential for softwoods to process more easily into pulp and paper if engineered to incorporate a key feature of hardwoods. The finding, published in this week's Proceedings of the National Academy
April 24, 2015 Read Full Article
Tobacco Plants May Boost Biofuel and Biorefining Industries
(Science Daily) Researchers will genetically modify tobacco plants to produce enzymes that can break down biomass from forest raw materials. This may lead to a more effective, economic and sustainable production of biofuels, they say. ... Today the forest-based biorefining industries face
April 13, 2015 Read Full Article
Direct Conversion of Plant Biomass to Ethanol by Engineered Caldicellulosiruptor bescii
by Daehwan Chung, Minseok Cha, Adam M. Guss, and Janet Westpheling (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) The ever-increasing demand for transportation fuels, the decrease in global petroleum reserves, and the negative impact of greenhouse gases resulting from burning petroleum
April 13, 2015 Read Full Article
Gina Lewin Explores How Ants Break Down Cellulose
by Silke Schmidt (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) ... In the summer of 2009, Gina Lewin participated in a National Science Foundation-funded program called Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU), which invites college juniors and seniors to join research projects around the country. At
April 09, 2015 Read Full Article
Daniel Amador-Noguez Engineers Better Bacteria for Biofuels
... (Daniel) Amador-Noguez’s lab focuses on understanding metabolism in biofuel-producing bacteria with the goal of engineering microbes that can more efficiently convert plant biomass to energy. It’s exciting research, but it’s also the kind of data-driven work that Amador-Noguez hungered
April 09, 2015 Read Full Article
UGA Researchers Create Trees that Are Easier to Turn into Fuel
(University of Georgia/Biomass Magazine) Researchers at the University of Georgia have discovered that manipulation of a specific gene in a hardwood tree species not only makes it easier to break down the wood into fuel, but also significantly increases tree
March 27, 2015 Read Full Article
Novel Pretreatment Could Cut Biofuel Costs by 30 Percent or More
(Science Daily/University of California-Riverside) Researchers have invented a novel pretreatment technology that could cut the cost of biofuels production by about 30 percent or more by dramatically reducing the amount of enzymes needed to breakdown the raw materials that form
February 27, 2015 Read Full Article
North Carolina State University Announces Biofuel Breakthroughs
(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
October 31, 2014 Read Full Article
Bacteria Found in Cow Rumens Could Be Harnessed to Process Biofuel
(University of Wisconsin-Madison) What do biofuels look like on the Wisconsin landscape? Some might think of corn or switchgrass. But what about that herd of cows? What you can’t see might fool you. Cows are walking natural biodigesters, says CALS
September 25, 2014 Read Full Article
Louisiana Entrepreneur Embodies Industry Switch from Emphasis on Biofuels to Bioproducts
[caption id="attachment_56190" align="alignleft" width="300"] Entrance to industrial Harvey Canal, Harvey, Louisiana[/caption] by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Golden Leaf Energy’s Troy A. Clark grew up in Louisiana. Studying chemical engineering at Tulane University brought him into contact with the oil industry.
September 23, 2014 Read Full Article
UCLA Develops Metabolic Pathway to Convert Sugars into Biofuels
(University of California) University of California, Los Angeles chemical engineering researchers have created a new synthetic metabolic pathway for breaking down glucose that could lead to a 50 percent increase in the production of biofuels. The new pathway is intended to
November 22, 2013 Read Full Article
Team Uses a Cellulosic Biofuels Byproduct to Increase Ethanol Yield
(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Scientists report in Nature Communications that they have engineered yeast to consume acetic acid, a previously unwanted byproduct of the process of converting plant leaves, stems and other tissues into biofuels. The innovation increases ethanol yield from
November 22, 2013 Read Full Article
Crafting a Better Enzyme Cocktail to Turn Plants into Fuel Faster
by Tom Rickey (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Scientists looking to create a potent blend of enzymes to transform materials like corn stalks and wood chips into fuels have developed a test that should turbocharge their efforts. The new research, published in
November 06, 2013 Read Full Article
Extreme Energy, Supercritical Water, Nanostuff and Biofuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) At the frontier of exotic temperature and pressures, even everyday materials like water begin to act strangely in ways that can drive energy transformation. New work in nanocatalysts may make those frontiers more accessible, and
November 06, 2013 Read Full Article
University of Missouri-Kansas City Wins $2M in Grants to Fund Research in Biofuel, Health
by Brianne Pfannenstiel (Kansas City Business Journal) The University of Missouri-Kansas City was awarded two grants totaling more than $2 million this week. The first is a grant valued at $1.2 million from the U.S. Department of Energy's Joint BioEnergy Institute to fund research into how
October 29, 2013 Read Full Article
Wood Completely Broken Down into Its Component Parts
(Fraunhofer) Crude oil is getting scarce. This is why researchers are seeking to substitute petroleum-based products – like plastics – with sustainable raw materials. Waste wood, divided into lignin and cellulose, could serve as a raw material. A pilot plant
October 28, 2013 Read Full Article
Wood Chips to Biofuel in Hours
(The Norwegian University of Science and Technology/Alpha Galileo) Until now, it has taken weeks to make biofuel from trees. This slow pace has been a bottleneck for the industry. Researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have now
October 25, 2013 Read Full Article
Cellulosic Byproduct Increases Ethanol Yield
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Scientists from the University of Illinois have reported that they have engineered yeast to consume acetic acid, a previously unwanted byproduct of the process of converting plant leaves, stems and other tissues into biofuels. This innovation increases ethanol
October 22, 2013 Read Full Article
Demystifying Cellulose
by Scott Mowrey (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A primer outlines the inherent challenges for biofuel production using biomass Raw cellulose from plant biomass is composed of six classes of materials with varying percentages and widely different physical and chemical properties: cellulose, hemicelluloses
October 16, 2013 Read Full Article
Next-Generation Biofuels Are Inching Towards Reality, Gallon by Gallon
by Bryan Walsh (Time Magazine) It’s not that companies don’t know how to make cellulosic ethanol or biofuel from algae. It’s that they’ve struggled to do so cheaply and at a scale large enough to compete with oil. “The technology
October 14, 2013 Read Full Article
Helping Bacteria Tolerate Biofuels
by Erika Gebel Berg (Chemical and Engineering News) Protein Engineering: Scientists evolve a bacterial protein pump that pulls butanol out of cells to make microbes into better biofuel factories Biologists can engineer microorganisms to make biofuels, such as butanol or octanol,
September 19, 2013 Read Full Article
Brazil’s Big Six in Advanced Biofuels & Chemicals: Who’s Doing What Now?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) After taking a leading role in the global first generation wave of ethanol production, here come the Brazilians — with some hot North American technologies in tow — to take on next-generation biofuels and chemicals.
September 18, 2013 Read Full Article
The One-Stop, Get It Hot, Biobased Candy Men: Midori and Low-Cost Cellulosic Sugars
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Midori reports they have broken through on a 100-year quest for low-cost cellulosic sugars. And found a way to turn your cotton tees into sugars, too. About a year ago, a little-known company called Midori Renewables
September 12, 2013 Read Full Article
Flagship VentureLabs Launches Midori Renewables
(Flagship Ventures/PR NewsWire) New Venture is Commercializing a Novel Catalytic Process to Convert Non-Food Biomass Into Sugar Flagship VentureLabs announced today that Midori Renewables is globally deploying their Breaking the Biomass Barrier™ technology, a novel catalyst that melts non-food biomass into
September 06, 2013 Read Full Article
Researchers Look to Grass to Make Gas
(Clemson University) Clemson University researchers focusing on switchgrass as a renewable fuel source are looking to fungi and bacteria — nature’s specialists in decomposing plants and animals into elements that can be reused to support life — to help make cost-competitive
September 04, 2013 Read Full Article
Argonne Leadership Computing Facility Scientists Look to Nature to Develop Biofuel Catalysts
(Argonne Leadership Computing Facility/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Scientists working at the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility are looking to nature’s catalysts, enzymes, for inspiration in their quest to find a more effective means of converting biomass into renewable fuel. The research is aimed
August 30, 2013 Read Full Article
New Bioprospecting Activity: Students Can Collect and Share Data with GLBRC Scientists
(Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Bioprospecting for Cellulose-Degrading Microbes: Filter Paper Assay Method Students collect samples that they predict will contain communities of cellulose-degrading microbes and test for the ability of microrganisms in their samples to break down pure cellulose (filter
August 29, 2013 Read Full Article
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