(National Science Foundation/Federal Register) The U.S. National Science Foundation's (NSF) Biomaterials (BMAT) Program requests input from stakeholders on opportunities, challenges, emerging areas, and frontiers in biomaterials research. This RFI will help inform NSF as it considers future program directions, new initiatives,
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Back TO HOMEChemists Design Novel Method for Generating Sustainable Fuel
by Tatyana Woodall (Ohio State News) Chemists have been working to synthesize high-value materials from waste molecules for years. Now, an international collaboration of scientists is exploring ways to use electricity to streamline the process. In their study, recently published in Nature Catalysis,
July 31, 2024 Read Full Article
Why Is Breaking Down Plant Material for Biofuels So Slow?
by Gail McCormick (Pennsylvania State University) Penn State researchers have revealed how molecular roadblocks slow the breakdown of cellulose, an abundant renewable resource in plants -- Cellulose, which helps give plant cell walls their rigid structure, holds promise as a renewable raw
May 09, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to the National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy has been catalyzing a surge in reports and plans relating to accelerating the transition to biotechnology — including the Bold Goals launched at ABLC 2024, the PCAST
May 06, 2024 Read Full Article
The White House Advances Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Leadership with the Launch of the National Bioeconomy Board
by Sarah Glaven (White House Office of Science and Technology Policy) Biotechnology harnesses the power of biology to create new services and products, which provide opportunities to grow the U.S. economy and workforce and improve the quality of our lives and the
April 04, 2024 Read Full Article
Terragia Secures $6M to Develop Cost-Competitive, Low-Carbon Biofuel Technology
(Trucking News/Terragia/Business Wire) The startup expanded its leadership team with climate tech veteran Kristin Brief joining as CEO, Lee Lynd transitions to CTO. -- Terragia Biofuel, a technology startup aiming to drive the next generation of biofuels, today announced it has raised
March 29, 2024 Read Full Article
CU Boulder’s Weimer Lab Unveils Economical Method for Producing Clean Fuel
by Susan Glairon (University of Colorado Boulder) The University of Colorado Boulder’s Weimer Lab has introduced an efficient and economical method to use renewable energy to produce fuel, opening doors to clean and sustainable energy sources for a wide array of industries,
August 30, 2023 Read Full Article
Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation Select Three Projects to Accelerate Biomanufacturing Innovation and Advance the U.S. Bioeconomy
(U.S. Department of Energy) Biotechnology and biomanufacturing continue to offer vast opportunities to advance science and engineering, support a growing U.S. bioeconomy, and provide solutions to our nation’s climate change challenges. To help accelerate innovation and develop new biomanufacturing approaches, three
August 29, 2023 Read Full Article
University of Illinois Study: Turning Food Waste into Bioenergy Can Become a Profitable Industry
(Newswise) Food waste is a major problem around the world. In the United States, an estimated 30 to 40% of edible food is lost or wasted, costing billions of dollars each year. One potential solution is to divert food waste from landfills
July 12, 2023 Read Full Article
Improving Rigor and Reproducibility Can Accelerate Catalytic Research
by Cody Wrasman, Jacklyn Hall, and Josh Schaidle (ChemCatBio) Achieving the Chemical Catalysis for Bioenergy Consortium's (ChemCatBio's) mission of accelerating catalyst and process development relies on rigorously collected and reproducible catalytic data. However, the best practices for collecting, processing, and reporting catalytic
June 14, 2023 Read Full Article
White House Wants to Hear from You about Its "New Bold Goals and Priorities to Advance American Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing"
by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) “You can do good and do well,” concluded Jim Lane, editor and publisher of the Daily Digest at the Presidential Forum on Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation which opened the Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference in Washington,
March 22, 2023 Read Full Article
Biden Administration to Unveil “Bold Goals” for Biotechnology, Biomanufacturing --- March 22, 2023 --- Washington, DC and ONLINE
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, the Biden Administration unveiled bold new goals for biotechnology and biomanufacturing, plus a new report — a delegation of 14 high-ranking officials are headed to ABLC 2023 this week in the capital to provide
March 22, 2023 Read Full Article
Program Solicitation from National Science Foundation: Accelerating Research Translation (ART) Program DEADLINE May 9, 2023
(National Science Foundation) PROGRAM SOLICITATION NSF 23-558 The Accelerating Research Translation (ART) program is an NSF-wide endeavor that welcomes proposals from all scientific, technological, and engineering fields. In the remainder of this solicitation, the program will be referred to as ART. Any
February 20, 2023 Read Full Article
Funding Opportunity Announced through Collaboration Between NSF and DOE DEADLINE April 18, 2023
(U.S. Department of Energy and National Science Foundation) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced a collaborative funding opportunity, “Accelerating Innovations in Biomanufacturing Approaches through Collaboration Between NSF and the
January 19, 2023 Read Full Article
Chemists Create an 'Artificial Photosynthesis' System that Is 10 Times More Efficient than Existing Systems
by Louise Lerner (University of Chicago News) UChicago breakthrough creates methane fuel from sun, carbon dioxide and water -- For the past two centuries, humans have relied on fossil fuels for concentrated energy; hundreds of millions of years of photosynthesis
November 18, 2022 Read Full Article
Biofuel Research: Full Decarbonization of U.S. Aviation Sector Is within Grasp
(SciTechDaily/Arizona State University) The study found that planting the grass miscanthus on 23.2 million hectares of existing marginal agricultural lands – land that often lays fallow or is poor in soil quality – across the United States would provide enough
November 15, 2022 Read Full Article
EERE Teams with the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security on the Civic Innovation Challenge 2022
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) has teamed with the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on NSF’s Civic Innovation Challenge 2022 (CIVIC), a national
February 11, 2022 Read Full Article
UD and LSU Collaborate to Advance Manufacturing Technologies that Employ Carbon Dioxide and Renewable Energy
by Karen B. Roberts (University of Delaware) ... One hurdle that keeps promising CO2 electrolyzer technologies in academic laboratories rather than being scaled for industrial use — where they could make a dent in our carbon dioxide emission problem — is
January 20, 2022 Read Full Article
$2.5M for Food-Chain Microbiome Research Could Impact Agriculture, Biofuel Systems
by Marc Arakaki (University of Hawai'i News) World-renowned microbiome research at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa received a major boost by the National Science Foundation. The five-year, $2,499,432 grant will support new research led by School of Life Sciences Professor Anthony Amend and his team to study how microbiomes
January 18, 2022 Read Full Article
Local Startup SIEV Technologies Earns $256,000 Small Business Award
(University of Arkansas) SIEV Technologies, a catalytic membrane reactor design company started by University of Arkansas researchers, has been awarded a $256,000 Small Business Innovation Research Grant from the National Science Foundation to develop technology that improves biofuel production. The grant will
December 16, 2021 Read Full Article
Microbes’ Sense of Community, Cooperation Could Improve Biofuels
by Elizabeth K. Gardner (Purdue University/Fence Post) Microorganisms can be neighborly — when breaking down complex plant fibers they divide the labor and are able to sustain a diverse community, as each member gets its share of food. Understanding how
November 19, 2021 Read Full Article
LSU, Delaware to Develop Chemical Manufacturing Processes Using CO2 Feedstocks and Renewable Energy
(LSU College of Engineering/Globe Newswire/Associated Press) Each day, many of the products we use, whether we know it or not, are produced from natural gas or crude oil using carbon- and energy-intensive processes. But what if we could make those same
October 07, 2021 Read Full Article
Mitigating Carbon May Have Unintended Consequences
(EurekAlert!/Pennsylvania State University) Controlling carbon release into the atmosphere will reduce carbon dioxide and slow global warming, but could there be unintended consequences for human health? Now, thanks to a three-year grant of about $400,000 from the National Science Foundation, researchers
October 01, 2021 Read Full Article
Sustainable Chemistry Research and Development Act Passed as Part of National Defense Authorization Act
(Bergeson & Campbell) On December 28, 2020, the House overrode President Trump’s veto and passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (H.R. 6395) by a vote of 322 to 87, and the Senate passed the bill on January 1, 2021,
January 20, 2021 Read Full Article
Researchers Aim to 'Upcycle' Nutrient Waste on Farms Using Duckweed
by Tim Schley (Penn State News) New approach to nutrient management could make money for farmers and land managers; Best management practices for reducing runoff and other nutrient losses in agriculture have been difficult to implement, according to Penn State
December 03, 2020 Read Full Article
Transition Book: Priorities for Administrative Action on Carbon Removal in 2021+
(Carbon 180) We partner with policymakers, scientists, and businesses around the globe to develop policy, promote research, and advance solutions that transform carbon from a pollutant to a resource and foster a prosperous, carbon-conscious economy that removes more from the
November 19, 2020 Read Full Article
Exploring the Sustainability of the Indian Sugar Industry
(Standford University/EurekAlert!) Generations of political support for sugar cultivation have helped India become the second-largest producer of sugar worldwide. Now, the country's commitment to renewable energy could create additional benefits, like conserving natural resources and providing better nutrition to the poor. Stanford
August 06, 2020 Read Full Article
Resources for R&D, Pre-Commercial/Demo, Commercial Phases: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Federal Programs Supporting the Bioeconomy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) If you missed the DigestConnect webinar last week, check out the slide guides from Bill Hagy’s presentation on what federal programs and resources are available for biofuels, biopower, biochemicals and biobased products throughout all stage
May 12, 2020 Read Full Article
Competitive Edge: HelioBioSys, Inc.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) We formed HelioBioSys to reduce the carbon footprint of fuels and other biomaterials. We initially targeted ethanol production via a genetically modified cyanobacterium but realized this process was not commercially viable. We then developed and patented
May 08, 2020 Read Full Article
Featured Project: Purdue University Elevated Solar Panels
(Indiana Agriculture Coalition for Renewable Energy) Our first featured renewable energy project is a joint project between PU Chemical Enginering and PU Agronomy Department at the Sustainable Food, Energy and Water Systems (SFEWS) research project in West Lafeyette. ... “This research will
April 30, 2020 Read Full Article
Getting Money to Survive and Thrive – Federal Programs and Resources Available to Support the Bioeconomy
by Bill Hagy (Lee Enterprises Consulting, Inc./Biofuels Digest) A series of PowerPoint Presentations outlining key Federal Financial Programs and Assistance that are available to support the domestic bioeconomy have been provided. This was not intended to be an” all inclusive” listing of
April 21, 2020 Read Full Article
Coral-Inspired Biomaterials Could Lead to Highly Efficient Biofuel Production
(University of San Diego Scripps Institute of Oceanography) Biologists and engineers design 3D printed corals that could help energy production and coral reefs -- Researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego,
April 10, 2020 Read Full Article
Pre-Commercial Programs Supporting Biofuels, Biopower, Biochem: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Federal Programs Supporting Demonstration of Concept
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Last week we shared the latest federal programs in the R&D space and this week we focus on the federal pre-commercial programs supporting biofuels, biopower, biochemcials and biobased products. Check out this slide guide from
March 31, 2020 Read Full Article
Researchers Building Stronger, Greener Concrete with Biofuel Byproducts
(Kansas State University) Kansas State University civil engineers are developing the right mix to reduce concrete's carbon footprint and make it stronger. Their innovative ingredient: biofuel byproducts. -- "The idea is to use bioethanol production byproducts to produce a material to use
March 17, 2020 Read Full Article
Trump Budget Slashes Environmental, Clean Energy Funding
(Our Daily Planet) Yesterday, President Trump released his FY2021 budget, and the proposed cuts to federal agencies and research programs were severe.As Science Mag summarized, Trump’s budget proposes the following cuts: National Institutes of Health: a cut of 7%, or $2.942 billion,
February 11, 2020 Read Full Article
Green Energy Researcher at U of L Wins Grant
by Matthew Keck (Louisville Cardinal) Joshua Spurgeon, a University of Louisville renewable energy researcher, won the National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award. Along with the award, he will receive a $500,000 grant from the NSF that will go towards research and
February 05, 2020 Read Full Article
Genetic Modification of Poplar Trees Saves Air Quality
(National Science Foundation) Some trees, such as poplars, emit gases that worsen air pollution and alter climate. Poplar trees are sources of biofuels and other products, including paper and plywood. -- Poplar trees are widely used in commercial products, but, like
January 17, 2020 Read Full Article
National Science Foundation Continues Its Support of Morgan State University STEM Research With Nearly $500K Grant Award
(Morgan State University) Funding Will Enhance Biofuel Production in Cyanobacteria Using Nanoparticles, While Preparing the Next Generation of Minority Biotechnologists -- Morgan State University’s School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences (SCMNS) has announced its receipt of a $499,999 grant award
October 10, 2019 Read Full Article
Promising New Solar-Powered Path to Hydrogen Fuel Production
(Lehigh News) A team at Lehigh is the first to use a single enzyme biomineralization process to create a solar-driven water splitting catalyst that produces hydrogen with the potential to be manufactured sustainably, cheaply and abundantly. -- Engineers at Lehigh University
August 14, 2019 Read Full Article
Tulane Researcher Working to Turn Waste to Fuel Wins NSF Career Award
by Barri Bronston (Tulane University) Nicholas Sandoval's lab at Tulane works on the development and application of advanced synthetic biology tools for microbes and other model cell lines for the purpose of therapeutics and sustainable fuel and chemical production. -- Nicholas
August 14, 2019 Read Full Article
All About Algae: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to ABO
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Algae Biomass Organization advocates for algae-advancing policy and funding, serves as a hub for innovation and networking, and drives demand for “made with algae” products and services. Mark Allen, Chairperson of ABO, offers this enlightening overview of
July 09, 2019 Read Full Article
Senator Amy Klobuchar Releases Plan of More Than 100 Actions for Her First 100 Days as President
by @AmyForAmerica (Medium.com) U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar released a plan outlining the more than 100 concrete steps she will take in her first 100 days as President of the United States to take on the biggest challenges we face at home
June 19, 2019 Read Full Article
Diesel Engines CAN Be Friends with Ethanol!: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to ClearFlame Engines
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ClearFlame Engines spoke at a recent Biofuels Digest webinar about diesel fueled engines and how they can be running on ethanol via ClearFlame engines that can be easily integrated into existing designs. They’ve already demonstrated a 10%
June 10, 2019 Read Full Article
Six MSU Researchers Receive Prestigious NSF Early Career Awards
(Michigan State University) ... Daniel Ducat, assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, received $1,033,970 from NSF’s Division of Systems and Synthetic Biology to investigate the fundamental interactions that underpin resilient microbial partnerships and may be key to solving
May 28, 2019 Read Full Article
Federal Agencies Release Framework for Advancing the Bioeconomy
(US Department of Agriculture) The federal Biomass Research and Development (BR&D) Board today unveiled a multi-agency strategy to accelerate innovative technologies that harness the nation’s biomass resources for affordable biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower. The Bioeconomy Initiative: Implementation Framework was developed by the B&RD
March 05, 2019 Read Full Article
New 'Architecture' Discovered in Corn: Scientists' Findings May Improve Biofuel Production
(Louisiana State University/Science Daily) New research on the United States' most economically important agricultural plant -- corn -- has revealed a different internal structure of the plant than previously thought, which can help optimize how corn is converted into ethanol. -- It
January 22, 2019 Read Full Article
Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) DEADLINES: May 24, 2019 (4th Friday in May) and August 28, 2019 (4th Wednesday in August)
(National Science Foundation) The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program supports active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by the National Science Foundation. REU projects involve students in meaningful ways in ongoing research programs
December 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Grants Fund Research on Biofuel Production, Reduced Fertilizer Use
(University of Arkansas News) A University of Arkansas biologist working on research that could decrease the need for agricultural fertilizers and boost the production of biofuels recently received grants totaling more than $1 million from the National Science Foundation and the
December 20, 2018 Read Full Article
Broad Genome Analysis Shows Yeasts Evolving by Subtraction
by Chris Barncard (University of Wisconsin--Madison) An unprecedented comparison of hundreds of species of yeasts has helped geneticists brew up an expansive picture of their evolution over the last hundreds of millions of years, including an analysis of the way they
November 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Federal Investments in Algae Cultivation Technologies Paying Big Dividends
by Matt Carr (Algae Biomass Organization/Biofuels Digest) Algae-derived products and technologies are on the cusp of changing nearly everything. Algae will transform how we eat; will make the materials in your shoes more sustainable; provide fuel for vehicles and planes; recycle greenhouse gases and deliver many more products
November 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Shell-backed Startup Creates Fuel from Carbon Dioxide and Fake Sunlight
by Cole Latimer (Sydney Morning Herald) startup company backed by energy giant Shell has developed a method to turn carbon dioxide into fuel by adding fake sunlight. US company Dimensional Energy has developed an “artificial photosynthesis” process with a photoreactor that converts carbon
September 18, 2018 Read Full Article
U of A Biologist Receives Grant to Improve Biofuel Production
(University of Arkansas) A University of Arkansas biologist is developing methods that could make the production of biofuel — ethanol and diesel made from sources such as plant material — more efficient and environmentally sound. Ruben Michael Ceballos will use a
September 03, 2018 Read Full Article
ODU Algae Research Aims to Fuel Bioeconomy
by Sarah Huddle (Old Dominion University) ... Cutting-edge research in the Batten College of Engineering and Technology at Old Dominion University is fueling the bioeconomy through the discovery of useful applications for algae as well as a proprietary process that can make
September 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Creative Debt and Equity: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Structures for Bioeconomy Project Finance
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Bottom line, if you’re in the business of financing a renewable fuels project with a loan guarantee in the mix, you’re probably talking with some combination of New Energy Risk, Stern Brothers, Faegre Baker Daniels partner John
July 09, 2018 Read Full Article
Integrating Biology and Chemistry: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the Center for Biorenewable Chemicals
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) CBiRC was founded in 2008 with funding from NSF, creating an Engineering Research Center focused on advanced manufacturing for sustainable biobased chemicals. The R&D program creates a multi-year, interdisciplinary, multi-institutional center that joins academia, industry and
May 02, 2018 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
University of Wyoming Scientists Part of $6 Million Biofuel, Carbon Capture Project
(University of Wyoming) Agricultural economists at the University of Wyoming will generate models of what economies in the Upper Missouri River Basin might look like if raising biofuels and carbon capture technologies were implemented. UW is part of the four-year, $6 million
October 09, 2017 Read Full Article
Corn Better Used as Food than Biofuel, Study Finds
(Phys.Org/University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Corn is grown not only for food, it is also an important renewable energy source. Renewable biofuels can come with hidden economic and environmental issues, and the question of whether corn is better utilized as
June 21, 2017 Read Full Article
Helping Trump Help Bioenergy
by Douglas L. Faulkner (Cleantech Conservative/Biofuels Digest) ... The Trump Administration’s two recent Executive Orders on “Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth” and especially, “Promoting Agriculture and Rural Prosperity in America” (March 28 & April 25, respectively), not only highlight renewable
May 17, 2017 Read Full Article
Grant Funds Test of Market Potential for Jet Fuel Research
(Washington State University/Biomass Magazine) Researchers at Washington State University Tri-Cities have been awarded a National Science Foundation I-Corps grant to explore the market potential of their biojet fuel research. The team has successfully demonstrated a new, water-based process for deconstructing and
December 02, 2016 Read Full Article
MSU Awarded Grant to Research Biofuel, Carbon Capture Technologies for Upper Missouri River Basin
by Evelyn Boswell (Montana State University) A regional interdisciplinary team led by Montana State University has received $6 million to develop new innovations at the intersection of food, energy and water systems while training the next generation of scientists. The four-year
November 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Stanford Faculty Share in $24 Million National Science Foundation Grant
by Taylor Kubota (Stanford News) Two Stanford faculty are part of an interdisciplinary team of researchers who will share a $24 million Science and Technology Center grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The grant will found a bioengineering research and
October 12, 2016 Read Full Article
White House Releases “Federal Alternative Jet Fuel Research and Development Strategy”
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington, a new White House report, titled “Federal Alternative Jet Fuel Research and Development Strategy,” sets out prioritized federal research and development goals and objectives to address key scientific and technical challenges that inhibit
August 01, 2016 Read Full Article
Missing a Turn on the Road to a Billion Tons
by Corinne Young and Michele Jalbert (re:chem/Biofuels Digest) A Billion Ton Bioeconomy. For those of us who have worked in this space for the last decade, the US government’s aspiration to grow the sector to such size and scope is music
June 20, 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
Lincoln Park Professor Nets $450K Grant for Biofuel Research
by William Westhoven (Parsippany, NJ Daily Record) A Lincoln Park educator has been awarded a $450,000 grant to help fund continued research into the development of biofuel alternatives in certain regions of the United States. Montclair State University announced Tuesday that Pankaj
March 23, 2016 Read Full Article
Fuel of the Future
by Karen B. Roberts (University of Delaware) UD scientist's research shows promise in creating sustainable algae-based biofuels -- At the University of Delaware, associate scientist Jennifer Stewart is working to create sustainable algae-based biofuels that could reduce carbon dioxide and other harmful
February 24, 2016 Read Full Article
NASA Should Be the Key to the Crucial Development of Large Scale Bio-Jetfuel and Rocket Fuel End-to-End Production
by Robert E. Kozak* (Advanced Biofuels USA) In looking at a way to jump-start this country’s bogged down production of biomass-based jetfuel (Jet-A, JP-5, JP-8) and rocket fuel (RP-1/2), the early history of the US space program should serve as
February 08, 2016 Read Full Article
CRISPR-Cas9 Tool Expedites Production of Biofuel Precursors and Specialty Polymers in Living Systems
by Sarah Nightingale (Phys.Org) A team led by a researcher at the University of California, Riverside has adapted the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system for use in a yeast strain that can produce useful lipids and polymers. The development will lead to
January 27, 2016 Read Full Article
University of Delaware Researchers Develop Algae Biofuels
by Karen B. Roberts (University of Delaware/Biomass Magazine) ... At the University of Delaware, associate scientist Jennifer Stewart is working to create sustainable algae-based biofuels that could reduce carbon dioxide and other harmful emissions in the atmosphere. ... Many scientists have proposed growing algae
December 28, 2015 Read Full Article
UMass Amherst Chemist Receives NSF Grant to Enhance ‘Grass to Gas’ Biofuel Technology
(University of Massachusetts Amherst) University of Massachusetts Amherst computational chemist Scott Auerbach has been awarded a three-year, $330,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to improve basic understanding and optimize the process of producing fuels such as gasoline from plant
December 09, 2015 Read Full Article
Discovery Advances Biowaste-to-Jet Fuel Research
by Maegan Murray (WSU Tri-Cities/Washington State University) Researchers at Washington State University Tri-Cities have figured out a way to successfully convert a common wood byproduct into hydrocarbon molecules that could be used as jet fuel. Bin Yang, an associate professor of
December 04, 2015 Read Full Article
Researchers Receive NSF Grant to Study Drought Stress in Plants
(HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology) Jeremy Schmutz, faculty investigator at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, has received a grant from the National Science Foundation to study how switchgrass plants adapt to drought stress. Schmutz, who co-directs the Genome Sequencing Center at
October 26, 2015 Read Full Article
Researchers Receive $15 Million for Biofuel Crop Study
(UT News) A researcher at The University of Texas at Austin will receive two grants totaling $15 million to study a native prairie grass, including how it can become a sustainable source of bioenergy amid global climate change. Tom Juenger, a
October 21, 2015 Read Full Article
NSF Awards Maximum Support to Iowa State-Based Center for Biorenewable Chemicals
(Iowa State University) The National Science Foundation (NSF) has added three years and $8.48 million to the grant supporting the NSF Engineering Research Center for Biorenewable Chemicals based at Iowa State University. That brings NSF’s total funding of the center (known
September 08, 2015 Read Full Article
Heitkamp Announces Significant Federal Funding to Support Renewable Energy Research in North Dakota
(Office of Senator Heidi Heitkamp) U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today announced $250,000 in federal funding for research at the University of North Dakota (UND) to study biomass as a biofuel and solar energy absorption by nanoparticles. “North Dakota has a rich
September 02, 2015 Read Full Article
The DOE’s 12 Top Biobased Molecules – What Became of Them?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... If they handed out Platinum and Gold certification to scientific papers as we do with recorded music, “Top Value Added Chemicals from Biomass” would be a multi-platinum chart-busting monster. This 2004 survey, completed by staff
May 04, 2015 Read Full Article
University of Toledo Gets Nearly $200,000 Grant for Biofuel Project
(The Toledo Blade) The University of Toledo is getting $199,997 for an algae biomass research project. U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) said in a news release today that the National Science Foundation is awarding the grant to advance research and
April 03, 2015 Read Full Article
Model Evaluates Where Bioenergy Crops Grow Best
(University of Illinois/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Farmers interested in bioenergy crops now have a resource to help them determine which kind of bioenergy crop would grow best in their regions and what kind of harvest to expect. Researchers at the University of
December 08, 2014 Read Full Article
Lifting America’s Game in Climate Education, Literacy, and Training
(The White House Office of Science and Technology) ... Continued progress into the future will depend on ensuring a climate-smart citizenry and a next-generation American workforce of city planners, community leaders, engineers, and entrepreneurs who understand the urgent climate-change challenge and are equipped
December 08, 2014 Read Full Article
Sustainability Taking Shape, One French Fry at a Time
(K-State Research and Extension) Converting cooking oil into fuel – the Biodiesel Initiative at Kansas State University allows for collaboration among many campus departments and industry organizations. MANHATTAN, Kan. – The sound of a diesel engine is distinct. Sure, some are
November 26, 2014 Read Full Article
Vitruvian Energy Crowdfunding to Make EEB, a Trashy Biofuel
By John Beltz Snyder (AutoBlogGreen) When sewage is treated at a wastewater treatment facility, biosolids are the byproduct. After being separated from the water, biosolids are usually sent to a landfill or incinerated. That doesn't mean that they're without value,
November 24, 2014 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
Ethanol Production, Plagued by Yogurt Bacteria, Getting Viral Cure
by Elizabeth Summer (livescience.com/Phage Biocontrol, Inc.) The beneficial microbes that convert milk into yogurt and act in people's guts to promote digestive health cause big problems in ethanol fermentation tanks. When fermenting corn to create ethanol, lactic acid bacteria can contaminate the
August 06, 2014 Read Full Article
Bioenergy Education Program Comes to SFSC This Fall
(South Florida State College) Beginning this fall, South Florida State College (SFSC) will offer a Bioenergy Education Program to provide students with a foundation of environmental sciences and renewable energy. With a rising interest in green chemistry, sustainability, and escalating oil
July 18, 2014 Read Full Article
Converting Biomass to Fuels
by Aaron Dubrow (National Science Foundation) Researchers use NSF-supported Stampede supercomputer to improve catalysts for conversion Scientists from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are using the National Science Foundation-supported Stampede supercomputer to improve biofuel production by determining how certain enzymes break down
July 02, 2014 Read Full Article
NSF Accepting Grant Applications under BBBE Program
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) The National Science Foundation recently opened a new funding opportunity under its Biotechnology, Biochemical, and Biomass Engineering program. According to the grant notice, the program supports fundamental engineering research that advances the understanding of
August 26, 2013 Read Full Article
Quantum Dots: a New Nanohighway to Renewable Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Using just CO2, sunlight and water – and some math right off Einsteins’ blackboard — researchers come up with a potential game-changing technology for making renewable fuels. The National Science Foundation’s division of Emerging Frontiers in
August 15, 2013 Read Full Article
Colorado State University Researchers Explore Creating Biofuels through Photosynthesis
(Colorado State University) An interdisciplinary team of Colorado State University researchers has received a $2 million National Science Foundation grant to research new routes to the sustainable production of biofuels using photosynthetic bacteria. “The purpose of this basic research is to
July 23, 2013 Read Full Article
NSF Grant Boosts Promising Biofuels Research
(JustMeans.com/Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable Technology) Promising biofuels research at a Wisconsin biotech company and a partner university is getting a boost from a $224,967 National Science Foundation grant. C5.6 Technologies of Middleton, Wis., and the Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable Technology (WIST)
July 05, 2013 Read Full Article
Is Any Science Safe?
by Kenneth Prewitt (Science Magazine) Editorial: This month, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) will apply two criteria in its review of research proposals: intellectual merit and impact. One discipline, however, will have to meet a further test. In March, at the
May 03, 2013 Read Full Article
BSCS Seeks Teacher-Collaborators for Research Project Funded by the National Science Foundation DEADLINE March 31, 2013
(Biological Sciences Curriculum Study) Teacher-collaborators will field test a 3-credit, online, graduate-level course designed to enhance teachers’ knowledge and practice related to energy concepts. The course is titled Energy: A Multidisciplinary Approach for Teachers (EMAT). Teacher-collaborators and their students will take part
March 25, 2013 Read Full Article
Auburn Researcher Receives National Science Foundation CAREER Award to Study Biofuels
by Jessica Nelson (Auburn University) Maobing Tu, an assistant professor in the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, has received a $401,155 National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Award for his research in biofuels and bioenergy. The CAREER program offers
March 25, 2013 Read Full Article
Biofuels Research Project Aims To Study Sustainable Development
by Nino Marchetti (EarthTechling) One of the major issues facing those growing biofuel crops are finding suitable locations where they can be grown sustainably, avoiding competition with food crops for land resources. A new renewable energy research project being undertaken by Arizona State University researchers aims
October 26, 2012 Read Full Article
National Science Foundation Grants of $947,000 Help University of New Hampshire Professor Boost Ethanol Efficiency
(University of New Hampshire News) Xiaowei Teng, assistant professor of chemical engineering at the University of New Hampshire, has received two National Science Foundation grants totaling nearly $1 million to improve the efficiency of ethanol oxidation fuel cell reactions. “With these
September 30, 2012 Read Full Article
WUSTL Students Study Biofuels in Brazil
(Washington University/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Through the International Experience Program at Washington University in St. Louis, undergraduate students gain real-life and classroom experiences focusing on the difficult energy decisions countries must make. This unique program takes students to another country during the
September 24, 2012 Read Full Article
Ohio Project Receives $4 Million for Algae Research
(Algae Industry Magazine) Jon Strunk reports that over the last two months, University of Toledo (UT) researchers have won $4 million in nationally competitive awards from the federal government to explore ways society can benefit from algae’s hunger for phosphorus-rich
September 14, 2012 Read Full Article
Researchers Win Grant to Assess Impact of Bioenergy Projects
by Luke Geiver (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A team of researchers will spend the next five years assessing the social, economic and ecological impacts of bioenergy projects happening in Michigan, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. Led by Michigan Tech University Professor Kathy
September 13, 2012 Read Full Article
Engineers Pursue Flexible Electronics, Self-folding Structures and Controlled Photosynthesis on a Grand Scale
(National Science Foundation) The National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced 15 Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) grants for fiscal year 2012, awarding nearly $30 million to 68 investigators at 26 institutions. During the next four years, teams of researchers
August 30, 2012 Read Full Article
Michigan Tech Leads International Study of Social, Environmental Impacts of Biofuel Production
by Jennifer Donovan (Michigan Tech News) Is it possible to develop and produce biofuels in a sustainable way, without harming people or the environment? What policies need to be put in place to help that happen? Nearly three dozen researchers from four
August 30, 2012 Read Full Article
New NSF Research Grants for Bioenergy, Renewable Fuels and Energy, Bio-Based Chemicals and Renewable Chemical Process Technology
(Biofuels Digest) In Virginia, the NSF is calling for proposals for biological and chemical technologies, with a deadline of June 19, 2012. The proposals must deal with the potential for commercialization of the innovation and how it would lead ultimately to
April 10, 2012 Read Full Article
National Science Foundation, Japan Science and Technology Agency Issue New Joint Awards To Reduce Pesticide Pollution And Promote Biofuel
(Red Orbit) The carbon footprint of humans will be reduced by four awards for plant and microbial research issued under a new joint U.S./Japanese program Four joint United States and Japanese research teams have been awarded funding totaling about $12 million
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Iowa State University Scientists Part of US-Japan Team Set to Research Gene Chemistry to Enhance Biofuel, Biochemical Technology
(PressZoom/Iowa State University) An Iowa State University research team is collaborating with scientists at the Samuel Roberts Nobel Foundation and also with scientists in Japan to develop an international partnership to help make strides in the technologies needed towards
December 08, 2011 Read Full Article
Sustainable Energy Pathways (SEP) Grant Opportunity Solicitation Information Published Application Deadline February 1, 2012
(National Science Foundation) A sustainable world is one in which human needs are met equitably without harm to the environment, and without sacrificing the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Growing evidence for the role of energy use
November 09, 2011 Read Full Article
Iowa Receives $20 Million for Renewable Energy Research
by Kris Bevill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Iowa’s research community has been awarded $20 million through the National Science Foundation’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research with the goal of establishing the state as a leader in renewable energy technology and