(U.S. Department of Energy) Using a unique measurement tool, researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have expanded our knowledge of the elements in soil and plants. -- A vast field of tall, skinny trees sways in a light breeze. In the future,
poplar
Back TO HOMELandmark Photosynthesis Gene Discovery Boosts Plant Height, Advances Crop Science
(U.S. Department of Agriculture/Oak Ridge National Laboratory/EurekAlert!) A team of scientists with two Department of Energy Bioenergy Research Centers — the Center for Bioenergy Innovation, or CBI, at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation,
December 11, 2024 Read Full Article
Finding Could Help Turn Trees Into Affordable, Greener Industrial Chemicals
(North Carolina State University News) ... Lignin, a polymer that makes trees rigid and resistant to degradation, has proven problematic. Now those NC State researchers know why: They’ve identified the specific molecular property of lignin — its methoxy content — that
November 19, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to BioVeritas
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This presentation deck highlights BioVeritas’s innovative approach to producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) using a bio-based process called the BioVeritas Process™. The presentation deck emphasizes BioVeritas’s commitment to unlocking a wide range of feedstocks for SAF
November 07, 2024 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2024 Multi-Slide Guide to Comstock Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Comstock Fuels highlights that its “ breakthrough cellulosic technology enables fuel producers to lead in fuel production efficiency and output while contributing to net zero mobility. Our proprietary cellulosic fuel technology converts woody biomass into C6
August 01, 2024 Read Full Article
2023 Billion-Ton Report
(U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy KDF) The U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technology Office's (BETO's) 2023 Billion-Ton Report (BT23) is an assessment of renewable carbon resources potentially available in the United States. BT23 explores these resources in terms of quantity, price,
April 04, 2024 Read Full Article
Research Says Biomass Pretreatment Makes Biofuel Practical
(New Energy and Fuel) A new University of California – Riverside (UCR) study found that introducing a simple, renewable chemical to the pretreatment step can finally make next-generation biofuel production both cost-effective and carbon neutral. The first step, breaking down the plant
March 07, 2024 Read Full Article
Producing Transportation Fuels, Electrical Power, and Chemicals in a Circular Bioeconomy
Timothy J. Donohue (National Academy of Engineering) Renewable raw materials can be exploited as alternatives to fossil fuel–based liquid transportation fuels, electrical power, and chemicals. -- Among today’s greatest challenges is the development of sustainable and cost-effective ways to produce sufficient transportation
February 19, 2024 Read Full Article
Wisconsin Researchers Investigate Role of Biofuels in Renewable Energy Future
by Annalise Sommer (Badger Herald) Biofuels offer sustainable, economical energy option for Wisconsin communities, farmers -- The Wisconsin Energy Institute is researching methods to convert biological matter into fuel and plastics, with intentions to replace fossil fuels. Biofuels are created using biological material to
February 17, 2024 Read Full Article
Funding Notice: Department of Energy Announces $29 Million to Drive Feedstock Innovation for Clean Energy Production DEADLINE March 14, 2024
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announced $29 million in funding to drive research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) of low-carbon-intensity, purpose-grown energy crops critical to accelerating a clean energy economy. The Regional Resource Hubs for Purpose-Grown Energy Crops funding
February 08, 2024 Read Full Article
Ontario Names Funding Recipients of Forest Biomass Program
(Government of Ontario, Canada) The Ontario government is investing more than $1.5 million in 15 research, innovation and modernization initiatives that will develop the untapped economic potential and environmental benefit of new and emerging uses of underutilized wood and mill by-products,
December 20, 2023 Read Full Article
DOE Issues Notice of Intent to Advance Low Carbon Feedstocks for Clean Energy Technologies
(U.S. Department of Energy) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office announced its notice of intent (NOI) to issue a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) that will drive the research and development (R&D) of low-carbon, purpose-grown energy crops leading to the deployment
December 18, 2023 Read Full Article
Newly-Engineered Enzymes Can Help Plants Produce More Biofuels
by Loukia Papadopoulos (Interesting Engineering) ... In order to improve the efficiency of converting grass plant biomass into biofuels and other bioproducts, plant biologists at the DOE's Brookhaven National Laboratory have created a new type of enzymes that optimizes plants’ ability to develop biomass. These
October 30, 2023 Read Full Article
Making Aviation Fuel from Biomass
by Nancy W. Stauffer (MIT Energy Initiative) MIT researchers are converting the plant material lignin into hydrocarbon molecules that could help make jet fuel 100 percent sustainable. ... Aviation fuel is a combination of two large classes of chemical compounds. Some 75 to
August 23, 2023 Read Full Article
Transforming Plants into Allies in the Fight against Climate Change
(U.S. Department of Energy/Oak Ridge National Laboratory/EurekAlert!) ... At the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, scientists are leading research to transform plants into key drivers of decarbonization, from creating biomass crops for new fuels to enhancing the ability
June 07, 2023 Read Full Article
Workshop: Deploying Purpose-Grown Energy Crops for Sustainable Aviation Fuel --- June 6-7, 2023 --- Kansas City, MO Summary Report and Presentations Available
The Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Grand Challenge is the result of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and other federal government agencies working together to develop a comprehensive strategy for scaling up
May 04, 2023 Read Full Article
GLBRC Receives Five Year Funding Renewal
by Chris Hubbuch (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded a University of Wisconsin–Madison based research center another five years of funding to develop sustainable alternatives to gasoline, diesel and other hydrocarbon fuels as well as
April 12, 2023 Read Full Article
Scientists Find New Way to Turn Plant Waste into Biofuels
by Brian Westenhaus (OilPrice.com) • Scientists have found a way to break down the tough lignin in plant material using anaerobic fungi. This breakthrough provides a new path for accessing valuable plant fibers that can be used to produce biofuels
April 12, 2023 Read Full Article
Plant, Microbe Matchmaking for Better Bioenergy Crops
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers have identified specific proteins and amino acids that could control bioenergy plants’ ability to identify beneficial microbes that can enhance plant growth and storage of carbon in soils. These proteins, called LysM receptor-like
April 05, 2023 Read Full Article
DOE Announces $590 Million to Increase Bioenergy Research
(U.S. Department of Energy) Funding to Four Bioenergy Research Centers Will Help Strengthen Diversity of Domestic Clean Energy Sources, Enhance Our Energy Security, and Revitalize Rural Economies -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $590 million to renew its
March 20, 2023 Read Full Article
Aviation Biofuel Would Need Half of UK Agricultural Land, Report Says
by Danny Halpin (The Independent) The Royal Society said a portfolio of alternative fuels will be required to meet current passenger demand and achieve net zero. -- Replacing jet fuel with biomass would require the UK to give up 50% of
February 28, 2023 Read Full Article
UW–Madison Research Key to Decarbonization Plan
by Chris Hubbuch (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison are working to develop plant-based fuels that are a key piece of the nation’s blueprint for decarbonizing transportation. ... That will require sustainable alternatives to gasoline,
February 07, 2023 Read Full Article
Comstock Technology Produces Circular Renewable Fuels
(Comstock Mining/Globe Newswire) Technology Unlocks Massive New Feedstock Model to Neutralize America’s Transportation Emissions -- Comstock Inc. (NYSE: LODE) (“Comstock” and the “Company”) today announced the demonstration of breakthrough cellulosic fuels pathways to produce renewable diesel, marine, sustainable aviation fuel (“SAF”)
January 11, 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
Researchers Pilot New Process to Achieve 100% Bio-Based Jet Fuel
by Emma VandenEinde (KUNC) As the airline industry works to cut its carbon dioxide emissions, a team of researchers believe they've found a "runway" to 100% sustainable aviation fuel. Their findings – published this week in the journal Joule – demonstrate harnessing the power of
October 26, 2022 Read Full Article
Research Team Receives $15.8M to Modify Poplar for Bioproducts
by Maria Lameiras (UGA Today) Cutting-edge technologies will enable researchers to reengineer poplar trees to produce alternatives to petroleum-based products -- A multidisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Georgia and two partner institutions have been awarded a $15.8
October 21, 2022 Read Full Article
$2.6M DOE Grant Supports UMD-led Study on Genetics of Plant Growth for Biofuels
by Kimbra Cutlip (University of Maryland/Maryland Today) A University of Maryland researcher was awarded $2.6 million by the U.S. Department of Energy to investigate the genetics underlying how poplar trees sense nutrients and regulate their metabolism—information that could help farmers
October 05, 2022 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Improved Advanced Biomass Logistics Utilizing Woody Feedstocks
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Harvesting and transportation makes up 40 –60% of the delivered cost of SRWC and are an important source of GHG emissions. Harvesting systems are not well developed — throughput decreases up to 65% from harvester
October 04, 2022 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Next Generation Logistics Systems for Delivering Optimal Biomass Feedstocks
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This continuing Project with DOE BETO regarding improved logistics builds on advances in two previous High Tonnage projects (Pine at AU; Switchgrass at Genera). The project goal is to evaluate a state-of-the-art biomass merchandizing and
September 30, 2022 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Bioeconomy Feedstocks
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) These slides were presented by Digest editor Jim Lane as part of the ABLC CONNECT episode on Feedstocks and the Bioeconomy Supply-Chain. Here, we explore the available volumes, prices, and distribution of key existing feedstock
September 12, 2022 Read Full Article
Quest for Feedstock: The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to the State of SAF
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This week on ABLC CONNECT, we networked and exchanged information about the world of Sustainable Aviation Fuel, and as part of the proceedings, we had the State of Sustainable Aviation Fuel presentation. The slides are
August 15, 2022 Read Full Article
Ethanol vs. Petroleum-Based Fuel Carbon Emissions
by Valerie Sarisky-Reed (U.S. Department of Energy) Biofuels have been proven to emit significantly lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than petroleum-based fuels, and recent scientific studies indicate that net-zero emission biofuels are not only possible, but achievable. Corn ethanol and other biofuels are
June 24, 2022 Read Full Article
The “Green Crude” SAF Alternative: The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Alder Fuels
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Alder Fuels’ Chief Technology Officer, Derek Vardon, shared this illuminating slide guide at ABLC highlighting how they are seeing a future of gathering energy instead of drilling for it and how the solution for
May 02, 2022 Read Full Article
Optimizing for Carbon Storage: A New Model for Biorefineries
(Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Biorefinery profitability scale with a carbon credit in cases of (A) no capture, (B) capture from fermentation, (C) capture from fermentation and biogas, and (E) full capture from fermentation and biogas, with exactly enough capture from
February 23, 2022 Read Full Article
Lignocellulosic Bagasse, Carinata, Pennycress, Guayule: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to SAF Feedstocks
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) There are challenges to sustainable aviation fuel commercialization, but the USDA SAF program is focused on helping with feedstock supply chain systems, conversion and sustainability analysis and commercialization support. Find out about their coordinated agricultural
September 07, 2021 Read Full Article
£4 Million Funding to Boost UK Biomass Production
(U.K. Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and Lord Callanan) 24 projects receive government funding of up to £200,000 to increase UK production of biomass that can be used as sources of green energy. -- 24 projects will receive
August 27, 2021 Read Full Article
Higher-Value Bioproducts from Lignins: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Lignin Fractionation and Valorization
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Lignin 20-30% of plant/wood biomass is the key to a successful biorefinery that would make both biofuels and bioproducts said Mark Thies from Clemson University in this BETO Peer Review slide guide that dives into
June 25, 2021 Read Full Article
Next-Gen Logistics and Blending: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Biomass Feedstock Logistics Systems
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) This U.S. Department of Energy BETO project’s biomass blend concept will allow biorefineries to utilize a much larger proportion of the land within their procurement radius, thereby enabling larger scale, more economically feasible facilities to
May 17, 2021 Read Full Article
From Co-Product Lignin to Biodegradable Polyurethanes: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Lignin Valorization
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) There is such a thing as green polyols for polyurethanes! And as you probably know, cellulosic ethanol produces tons of co-product lignin, so check out this slide guide that dives into the basic polyurethane chemistry,
December 15, 2020 Read Full Article
$2.5 Million DOE Grant to Help MSU Researchers Measure Benefits of Growing Trees for Biofuel
(Mississippi State University) A $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy will benefit Mississippi State researchers in the university’s Forest and Wildlife Research Center studying the economic and ecological benefits of growing trees for biofuel production. The DOE funding will
November 25, 2020 Read Full Article
All Along the Watchtower: Projects, R&D, Partnerships of the Month for October 2020
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) Partnership Watch: Lummus Technology, New Hope Technologies In Texas, Lummus Technology and New Hope Technologies today announced that the companies have entered into a cooperation agreement for the marketing and further development of a
October 27, 2020 Read Full Article
National Laboratories Point to Sugars as a Key Factor in Ideal Feedstock for Biofuels
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory) NREL, Oak Ridge Scientists Reveal Economics Must Include More Than Size of Poplar Trees -- Popular wisdom holds that tall, fast-growing trees are best for biomass, but new research by two U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratories
October 19, 2020 Read Full Article
Department of Energy to Provide $68 Million for Bioenergy Crop Research
(Department of Energy) Studies Will Focus on Improving Crop Productivity and Resiliencen -- Today (July 28, 2020) the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $68 million in funding over five years for basic research aimed at making bioenergy feedstock crops
July 29, 2020 Read Full Article
Advanced Biofuels USA Starts "Just A Minute" Educational Series
(Advanced Biofuels USA) The first episode of "Just A Minute or So about Renewable Fuels" focuses on what might be used to make renewable fuels. Students, teachers, or anyone interested in renewable fuels can see in a 3-minute slide presentation
April 30, 2020 Read Full Article
Biomass Fuels Can Significantly Mitigate Global Warming
(American Associates/Ben-Gurion University of the Negev/EurekAlert!) Biomass fuels derived from various grasses could significantly mitigate global warming by reducing carbon, according to a long-term field study by researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) and Michigan State University (MSU). In a
March 10, 2020 Read Full Article
Decarbonizing Your Ride for a More Stable Climate: Scientists Measure the Climate Benefits of Alternatives to Petroleum Fuels
(National Science Foundation) Transportation produces a sizable amount of greenhouse gas emissions, largely by using petroleum to power internal combustion engines. Alternatives –- for example, organic materials such as grasses to produce fuels or electricity –- could avoid petroleum use altogether. Now,
February 28, 2020 Read Full Article
Seeing Starch: Novel Technique Enables Gentle Observation of Biofuel Materials
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a new method to peer deep into the nanostructure of biomaterials without damaging the sample. This novel technique can confirm structural features in starch,
February 27, 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
How to Make It Easier to Turn Plant Waste into Biofuels
by Todd Bates (Rutgers University/Phys.Org) Researchers have developed a new process that could make it much cheaper to produce biofuels such as ethanol from plant waste and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Their approach, featuring an ammonia-salt based solvent that rapidly turns
January 14, 2020 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
The Effect of Feedstock Composition on Fast Pyrolysis and Upgrading to Transportation Fuels: Techno-Economic Analysis and Greenhouse Gas Life Cycle Analysis
by Pimphan A.Meyer, Lesley J.Snowden-Swan, Susanne B.Jones, Kenneth G.Rappé and Damon S.Hartley (Fuel) Process economics and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are evaluated for the conversion of eleven (11) biomass feedstocks to produce transportation fuels via fast pyrolysis and then pyrolysis
September 27, 2019 Read Full Article
Whole-Tree Harvesting Could Boost Biomass Production
by Kelley Christensen (Michigan Technological University) ... Forest biomass is expected to be one of the key energy sources, but many people have wondered how to feed biofuel plants the materials they need without destroying forest resources. Whole-tree aspen logging promotes renewable biomass
July 16, 2019 Read Full Article
Relieving Two Headaches with One Process: Acetaminophen from Lignin
by Jill Sakai (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) With a new method to synthesize a popular pain-relieving medication from plants rather than fossil fuels, researchers at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center have found a way to relieve two headaches at once. A
July 12, 2019 Read Full Article
Study Identifies Most Promising Feedstocks for Pyrolysis-Based Biorefinery
(CORDIS/Phy.Org) A study into the composition and processability of different biomass feedstocks has found sunflower seed husks and poplar wood slabs to be the most suitable for producing bio-based products via fast pyrolysis conversion. The study was conducted by Capax Biobased
June 13, 2019 Read Full Article
Cellulosic Commercialization: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Cellulosic Ethanol
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Douglas B. Rivers, PhD,from Sunflwr Consulting and a member of Lee Enterprises Consulting offers this illuminating overview and more READ MORE
February 28, 2019 Read Full Article
10-Slide Guide to the US Ethanol Industry
by Douglas B. Rivers (Biofuels Digest/Lee Enterprises, Inc.) Past, Present and Future Douglas B. Rivers, PhD, from Sunflwr Consulting and a member of Lee Enterprises Consulting, offers this illuminating overview of the U.S. ethanol industry’s history, current technologies, new developments
February 26, 2019 Read Full Article
Fermentable Sugar as a Raw Material for the Chemical Industry: First Generation as Sustainable as the Second – Significant Reduction in Greenhouse Gases for Both
(Bio-based News) New study conducts quantitative and qualitative sustainability assessment of bio-based raw materials for the chemical industry An extensive sustainability study carried out by nova-Institute shows that first-generation fermentable sugar is just as advantageous for a sustainable raw materials strategy of
February 11, 2019 Read Full Article
Want a Bipartisan Push on Climate Change? Start With Unleashing American Biofuels
by Jeff Cosman (Morning Consult/Attis Industries Inc.) ... And in November, a letter from the Department of Energy, the EPA and the United States Department of Agriculture to Congress laid out a plan to encourage the use of efficient and carbon-neutral
February 06, 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
Redesigning Poplar Trees to Take the Drought ... and the Salt and the Heat
(North American Climate Smart Agriculture Alliance) Poplar saplings being grown at the University of California Davis are not expected to survive the rigorous conditions simulating prolonged droughts and heat waves that are being imposed on them. But they are helping a
November 02, 2018 Read Full Article
Redesigning Poplar Trees to Take the Drought ... and the Salt and the Heat
by Laura Shields (Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Improving poplar biomass production under stress conditions -- ... Stresses, such as high temperatures and a lack of freshwater, can cause reduced crop growth or even complete loss. The rising frequency of these
October 08, 2018 Read Full Article
Cannabis, Canola, Solids, Hog Fuel, Wheat: What’s New with Food and Feedstocks?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) We eat it, we wear it, we burn it, we glue it, we live in it and more. Feedstock that is — crops and residues of the municipal, industrial, agricultural and forest type. We’ve been reporting
August 08, 2018 Read Full Article
Biomass, Biomass and More Biomass: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the DOE’s Billion Ton Report, Vol. 1
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The US Department of Energy’s Billion-Ton Report: Advancing Domestic Resources for a Thriving Bioeconomy says that 1.2 billion tons of biomass would be available at $40 or less per ton by 2040, and 1 billion tons would be available
August 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Critical Plant Gene Takes Unexpected Detour That Could Boost Biofuel Yields
by Sara Shoemaker (Oak Ridge National Laboratory/Phys.org) For decades, biologists have believed a key enzyme in plants had one function—produce amino acids, which are vital to plant survival and also essential to human diets. But for Wellington Muchero, Meng Xie and their
June 15, 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
Can Perennial Bioenergy Crops Help Sequester Carbon?
by Krista Eastman (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) In an article published last summer in Science, researchers at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) reported on ten years of work assessing the potential climate benefit of producing dedicated bioenergy crops such as
April 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Gene Improves Plant Growth and Conversion to Biofuels
(University of Georgia/Biomass Magazine) A research team led by the University of Georgia has discovered that manipulation of the same gene in poplar trees and switchgrass produced plants that grow better and are more efficiently converted to biofuels. Due to the composition
February 14, 2018 Read Full Article
Lignin Unchained, 3D Printable: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to Engineered Lignin Bioplastics
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The project goal? To produce and commercialize lignin-derived, industrial-grade composites with properties including 3D printability, rivaling current petroleum-derived alternatives. That’s the project undertaken by a team led by Amit K. Naskar, of the Carbon & Composites
February 13, 2018 Read Full Article
Biofuels Feedstock Study Supports Billion-Ton Estimate
(South Dakota State University/Biomass Magazine) Can farmers produce at least 1 billion tons of biomass per year that can be used as biofuels feedstock? That’s the question that researchers are trying to answer, according to North Central Regional Sun Grant Center Director
February 11, 2018 Read Full Article
IBBR to Investigate How to Protect Poplar from Disease
(University of Maryland IBBR/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research has been awarded a $1.1 million U.S. Department of Energy grant to elucidate the mechanism of rust pathogenesis in poplar in an effort to engineer durable resistance for this important,
February 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Are Petite Poplars the Future of Biofuels? Studies Say Yes
by Michelle Ma (Phys.Org/University of Washington) In the quest to produce affordable biofuels, poplar trees are one of the Pacific Northwest's best bets—the trees are abundant, fast-growing, adaptable to many terrains and their wood can be transformed into substances used in
November 22, 2017 Read Full Article
No Crop Left Behind: Inside the USDA’s Bioeconomy Feedstock Strategy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... You’d be forgiven if you mistook Ahb Subi Banr-Sbar for a well-placed official in the Iranian government — but, in fact, it’s a 9-project network to facilitate the development of regionally-based industries producing advanced biofuels, industrial
November 13, 2017 Read Full Article
Bioenergy and Biofuel Projects Win DOE Support
(Bioenergy Insight) A number of research projects focused on bioenergy and biofuels have been selected for the US Community Science Programme (CSP) of the US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute. ... Boulos Chalhoub of the French National Institute for Agricultural Research is
October 03, 2017 Read Full Article
New Grant Will Shift Focus of UW-Madison Alternative Fuel Research Center away from Ethanol
by Nico Savidge (University of Wisconsin-Madison) A UW-Madison research center that has used the university’s largest-ever federal grant to develop ethanol technology over the past decade will shift its focus to other alternative fuels after winning another major award from
July 24, 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
Triple Play Boosting Value of Renewable Fuel Could Tip Market in Favor of Biomass
by Silke Schmidt (University of Wisconsin-Madison News) Technologies for converting non-edible biomass into chemicals and fuels traditionally made from petroleum exist aplenty. But when it comes to attracting commercial interest, these technologies compete financially with a petroleum-based production pipeline that
May 30, 2017 Read Full Article
NEWBio Commercial Collaborators: Building a Sustainable Energy Future in the Northeast United States
(Extension.org) The Northeast region of the United States (from the Ohio River to the New England coast) has the natural, social, and technological resources needed to help create a sustainable, rural renaissance by using biomass to create biofuels, biopower, and
May 02, 2017 Read Full Article
Makin’ Hydrocarbons: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to Catalytic Upgrading of Thermochemical Intermediates
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) To demonstrate an advanced biofuels technology that integrates a catalytic biomass pyrolysis step and a hydroprocessing step to produce infrastructure compatible biofuels, here’s the basic recipe, according to a research team led by David Dayton at RTI
February 17, 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
Regional Feedstock Partnership Report Highlights Work to Enable the Billion-Ton Vision
(U.S. Department of Energy) The Regional Feedstock Partnership (the Partnership)—a multi-institutional collaboration of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, representatives from land-grant universities, and industry—was first established to address issues associated with the development of
December 27, 2016 Read Full Article
Comment Period Opens on EPA Rule to Update RFS, Fuel Regulations
by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) On Nov. 16, U.S. EPA’s proposed Renewable Enhancement and Growth Support rule was published in the Federal Register, officially opening a 60-day public comment period on the proposal. Comments are due Jan. 17. ... The proposal includes
November 23, 2016 Read Full Article
Biointermediates and U: A Potential Step Change in Advanced Biofuel Economics
by Antoine C. Schellinger (Biofuels Digest/ International Alliance Group) ... The EPA has performed lifecycle analysis on certain pathways and published them in the CFR as approved pathways. They are labeled with sequential alphabetical characters and currently range from A to
November 22, 2016 Read Full Article
Webinar: Economic Evaluation of Potential Biorefineries with High-Resolution Decison Support Tools
(Advanced Hardwood Biofuels Northwest) This talk introduces a web-based decision support tool for biorefinery siting and explores the economic viability of potential biorefinery locations in Chehalis, WA, Dallas, OR, and Hayden,ID. WATCH VIDEO
November 17, 2016 Read Full Article
What’s Next for Advanced Biofuels?
by Michael McAdams (Advanced Biofuels Association/Biomass Magazine) As for what is left to do after Congress returns on Nov. 15, extending existing biofuel tax credits are number one on the list. ... In early October, the U.S. EPA released a new set
November 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Bacteria Turn Trees into Pollution-Eating Machines
by Anthony King (Horizon Magazine) Hacking trees by adding bacteria to their roots could help scrub contaminated soil clean of chemicals and metals from industrial spillages and fallouts, a process known as gentle remediation. Once the approach is refined, it could
November 14, 2016 Read Full Article
Biofuels Researchers Engineer Plant Lignin and Explain Evolutionary Path
(AZO CleanTech) In 2014, researchers announced the successful engineering of a poplar plant "designed for deconstruction.” The finding caught the attention of the global scientific community. The highly degradable poplar was the first of its kind, and could considerably lessen
October 21, 2016 Read Full Article
EPA Proposes Poplar, Willow Trees for Ethanol in U.S. Biofuel Rule Tweak
by Michael Hirtzer (Reuters) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday proposed tweaks to its Renewable Fuel Standard that would allow biofuels to be processed at more than one location and would allow cellulosic ethanol to be made from poplar and
October 10, 2016 Read Full Article
EPA Proposes Major Updates to RFS Regulations
by Erin Voegele (Biomass Magazine) ... Within the proposed rule, the EPA explains that the RFS registration, reporting, recordkeeping and product transfer document (PTD) requirements were designed with the general expectation that renewable biomass would be converted into renewable fuel at
October 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Proposed Renewables Enhancement and Growth Support (REGS) Rule
(Environmental Protection Agency) EPA is proposing enhancements to its Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS) program and other related fuel regulations to support market growth of ethanol and other renewable fuels in the U.S. These proposed changes will provide the opportunity for
October 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Greenwood Resources Licenses ORNL Invention to Boost Biofuel Yield
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory/NewsWise) GreenWood Resources has licensed an Oak Ridge National Laboratory technology based on the discovery of a gene in poplar (Populus trichocarpa) that makes it easier to convert poplar trees into biofuels. GreenWood, a global timberland investment and
September 29, 2016 Read Full Article
Why Poplar Is So Popular: The Digest’s 2016 Multi-Slide Guide to Poplar Bioconversion
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Amidst the discussion this week of the future of first-gen and advanced biofuels, and the launch of Hot 40 and Hot 50 voting — we were intrigued by this slide deck on advances in poplar production and
September 13, 2016 Read Full Article
Seeking Low Costs, Painless Logistics: The Digest’s 2016 8-Slide Guide to Advances to Know in Biomass Feedstocks
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Amidst the discussion this week of the future of first-gen and advanced biofuels in the EU — we were intrigued by this slide deck on advances in biomass production for the bioeconomy. In the end, it’s
September 12, 2016 Read Full Article
Cellulosic Sugars Heading for Scale: The Digest’s 2016 Multi-Slide Guide to Leaf Resources
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Leaf Resources Limited (ASX:LER) is focused on making sustainable products from plant biomass, offering an advanced technology package for breaking down plant derived biomass to useful, sustainable, renewable and biodegradable products. Leaf Resources’ Glycell technology is
July 26, 2016 Read Full Article
Mitigating Risk in Cellulosic: The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to Genera Energy’s Portfolio Approach
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Genera Energy “leads the nation in the commercialization of integrated biomass supply chain solutions for the biofuels, biopower and biochemicals markets.” Initially formed in 2008, Genera works with leading technology providers and strategic investors to develop
July 22, 2016 Read Full Article
Modeling Predicts which Counties Could Store More Carbon in Soil by Growing Bioenergy Crops
by Katie Elyce Jones (Phys.Org) To help stakeholders in government and business make smart decisions about the best types of land and local climates for planting bioenergy crops, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Argonne National Laboratory are
July 19, 2016 Read Full Article
Study Shows Trees with Altered Lignin Are Better for Biofuels
(Brookhaven National Laboratory) Fundamental enzyme study leads to increased access to bioenergy feedstocks and improves ethanol yield by modifying plant cell wall structures. Lignin is a natural component of plant cell walls, the scaffolding that surrounds each cell and plays a
June 29, 2016 Read Full Article
UC Riverside Awarded $1.3M from USDA for Green Energy Research
by Sarah Nightingale (University of California Riverside) Charles Wyman, Distinguished Professor in Chemical and Environmental Engineering and holder of the Ford Motor Company Chair in Environmental Engineering at the Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT), and Charles Cai, research engineer
May 13, 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
Scientists Turn to GMOs in Search of Better Biofuels
by Christina Maza (Christian Science Monitor) ... Now, researchers across the US are pouring resources into discovering whether it’s possible to produce sustainable biofuel through selective plant breeding and genetic modification. That technique, which has generated controversy in the food industry,
March 14, 2016 Read Full Article
Whatever Happened to Jatropha, and All Those Other Wonder Feedstocks?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... If jatropha faltered, never mind, went the argument, we’ll always have switchgrass. Or giant miscanthus, or pongamia, or poplar, or camelina. The list could get really long. For example, try this list of the 44
March 07, 2016 Read Full Article
UT and Genera Energy Harvest Hybrid Poplar Stand in Next Step Toward a Biobased Economy UT and Genera Energy Harvest Hybrid Poplar Stand in Next Step Toward a Biobased Economy
by Patricia McDaniels (University of Tennessee) A small stand of poplar trees harvested from a University of Tennessee AgResearch Center is set to help scientists progress further down the path toward low-cost, high-quality biomass and a bioeconomy. Located on UT’s East
March 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Poplar (Populus spp.) Trees for Biofuel Production
(Extension.org) If you are looking for a comprehensive article on poplar for biofuel production, this is for you. Table of Contents Introduction Current and Potential Use as a Biofuel Biology and Adaptation Production and Agronomic Information Harvest Potential Yields Production Challenges Estimated Production Cost Environmental/Sustainability Issues Feasibility Summary Bibliography For More Information Contributors to This
January 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Cheap Oil Slows down UW’s Plan for Tree-Based Biofuels
by Katherine Long (Seattle Times) Four years after the University of Washington received a $40 million federal grant to kick-start a biofuels industry in the Northwest, scientists have made great progress, but plans are lagging, in part because fossil fuels
January 04, 2016 Read Full Article
Willow Harvesting Updates
by Justin Heavey and Armen R. Kemanian (Northeast Bioenergy Extension Blog) The harvest season for willow biomass crops in the northeast is progressing across multiple sites, utilizng new harvesting technology developed by NEWBio researchers at SUNY-ESF in cooperation with industrial partner New Holland
December 30, 2015 Read Full Article
Six-Year Study Suggests Perennial Crop Yields Can Compete with Corn Stover
by Mark E. Griffin (Wisconsin Energy Institute/University of Wisconsin) A six-year Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) study on the viability of different bioenergy feedstocks recently demonstrated that perennial cropping systems such as switchgrass, giant miscanthus, poplar, native grasses, and
December 30, 2015 Read Full Article
GREET Model Expanded to Better Address Biofuel Life-Cycle Analysis Research Questions
(U.S. Department of Energy) The Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation (GREET) model allows researchers and analysts to fully evaluate the energy and emission impacts of advanced vehicle technologies and new transportation fuels. Argonne National Laboratory recently
December 03, 2015 Read Full Article
Hardwood Biofuels Researched Using Poplar Trees
by Dennis Farrell (The Daily Evergreen) ... A regional consortium for sustainable biofuels is teaming up with multiple companies and universities like Washington State to convert poplar trees into ethanol. Advanced Hardwood Biofuels Northwest (AHB) invests time, money and research
November 17, 2015 Read Full Article
Supply Chain Sustainability Analyses Completed
(U.S. Department of Energy) This fiscal year, three Supply Chain Sustainability Analysis (SCSA) reports were published through Argonne National Laboratory. The SCSAs use a life-cycle analysis approach to identify energy consumption or environmental issues that may be associated with biofuel
October 28, 2015 Read Full Article
8 Ways around the Big, Bad Oxygen Problem in the Advanced Bioeconomy Parts 1 and 2
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In the terrestrial world, oxygen is colorless, odorless, and try to get through an hour without some. In the Bioeconomy Cinematic Universe, oxygen is harder than steel, heavier than a black hole, and higher than
October 14, 2015 Read Full Article
Test Plots of Poplar Trees May Hold Key to Bio-Fuels Development
by Eric Mortenson (Capital Press) The recent drop in oil prices put the brakes on biofuel production, but industry insiders believe in the long-term promise of the technology. -- It’s like leasing ground to the future. On about 90 acres that in
September 21, 2015 Read Full Article
Poplar Trees Are Best Bet for Biofuel in UW-Led Research Project
by Michelle Ma (University of Washington Today) Groves of poplar trees could one day fuel our vehicles and be the source of chemicals that we use in our daily lives. A five-year, $40 million study is laying the foundation for
September 08, 2015 Read Full Article
Poplars Considered as New Source of Biofuel
(Biofuels International) ... The Advanced Hardwood Biofuels (AHB) Northwest Project is hoping to build the world's first biorefinery for trees. Other trees often grown for harvest, such as Douglas fir and red cedar take 50 years to grow, while poplar will
August 18, 2015 Read Full Article
Poplar-Based Bioethanol Production Awaits Spike In Price Of Crude
by Bruce Dorminey (Renewable Energy World) A rapid-growing tree, many researchers think poplar is missing its calling as a high-quality cellulosic bioenergy feedstock. -- As the world’s fastest growing temperate tree species, poplar can add a dozen feet annually and reach maturity
August 05, 2015 Read Full Article
The Pyromaniax, Class of 2015: The Top 10 Pyrolysis Projects in Renewable Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) It’s been around for a generation or so — fast pyrolysis, that is. Though in the original low-tech incarnation — known as “cooking fire” — pyrolysis has been around since the dawn of man. But
August 04, 2015 Read Full Article
New Holland Agriculture Expands Offerings for Biomass Harvest and Handling
(Extension.org) Renewable energy production options are growing thanks to expanded farm equipment capabilities for harvesting biofuel feedstocks like shrub willow. -- Harvesting is the single most expensive operation in the production of shrub willow biomass, accounting for about 30% of costs
August 03, 2015 Read Full Article
The Race to Meet Carbon-Neutral Biofuel Targets Could Put Human Health and Food Crop Production at rRisk unless It Is Carefully Planned, According to New Research.
(Science Daily) A new study, led by Professor Nick Hewitt of Lancaster University, examined changes in ground level ozone in response to projected land use change associated with future biofuel cultivation. Publishing in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, the researchers
July 29, 2015 Read Full Article
Poplar-Based Bioethanol Production Awaits Spike In Price Of Crude
by Bruce Dorminey (Renewable Energy World) As the world’s fastest growing temperate tree species, poplar can add a dozen feet annually and reach maturity in as few as four years. One of its hybrids, populus x generosa, has the widest
July 21, 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
Perennial Biofuel Crops' Water Consumption Similar to Corn
(Michigan State University) Converting large tracts of the Midwest’s marginal farming land to perennial biofuel crops carries with it some key unknowns, including how it could affect the balance of water between rainfall, evaporation and movement of soil water to
July 07, 2015 Read Full Article
Poplars’ Potential: Rathdrum Prairie Grove Part of Study on Cellulose-Based Biofuel
by Becky Kramer (The Spokesman-Review) ... A $40 million research project, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is studying poplars’ potential to produce cellulose-based biofuels. The grove north of Hayden is one of four test plots in the five-year project, which
July 02, 2015 Read Full Article
Joule Wins Key Patent for Direct Conversion of CO2 to Hydrocarbon Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Massachusetts, Joule, the pioneer of liquid fuels from recycled CO2, announced the issuance of an additional patent on the direct, continuous production of hydrocarbon fuels – extending its ability to target the highest-value molecules
June 17, 2015 Read Full Article
University of Georgia Researchers Edit Plant DNA Using Mechanism Evolved in Bacteria
by James Hataway (University of Georgia) Researchers at the University of Georgia have used a gene editing tool known as CRISPR/Cas to modify the genome of a tree species for the first time. Their research, published recently in the early
June 08, 2015 Read Full Article
Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center: Basic Research for Cellulosic Biofuels in the US
by Danilo Gusmão de Quadros* (Advanced Biofuels USA) This reports on part of a trip to Wisconsin to visit the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), University of Wisconsin (UW), a dairy farm that uses biogas production and the World
May 19, 2015 Read Full Article
Pennsylvania State University (PSU): An Example to Follow
by Danilo Gusmão de Quadros* (Advanced Biofuels USA) I had heard about Pennsylvania State University's bioenergy and biofuels educational initiatives from Advanced Biofuels USA's Joanne Ivancic, just after starting to work on a project to identify college level biofuels education
May 13, 2015 Read Full Article
New Study Highlights Fast Pyrolysis Bio-Oil Yields of 17-27% from Cellulosic Feedstocks
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Washington state, a new study released in the journal Energy & Fuels is providing the first, fully integrated assessment of common feedstocks from the field to refinery-ready crude fuel, based on hydrotreatment or fast
April 27, 2015 Read Full Article
Driving Sustainable Agriculture through Improved Qualities in Eucalyptus and Poplar Trees
(Intreson/PR NewsWire) Intrexon and FuturaGene Collaborate to Develop Unique Attributes and Agronomic Properties in Significant Plant Species Intrexon Corporation (NYSE: XON), a leader in synthetic biology, and FuturaGene Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Suzano Papel e Celulose S.A., the
April 21, 2015 Read Full Article
PureVision to Scale up Biorefining Technology at ZeaChem Site
(PureVision Technology Inc./Ethanol Producer Magazine) PureVision Technology Inc., a Colorado-based biorefinery developer, recently announced that it will scale up its biorefining technology at an industrial site in Boardman, Oregon, owned by ZeaChem Inc. The public announcement was made March 28
April 06, 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
2015 Sun Grant Conference: Academia Jumps One Step Forward and Shows What Will Be the Future of Lignocellulosic Biomass Production and Utilization in the Southeastern USA
Author, Dan Quadros, in Auburn, Alabama.by Danilo Gusmão de Quadros* (Advanced Biofuels USA) After two days (February 2-3, 2015) in “Sweet Home Alabama” at Auburn University, we got overwhelmed with the most recent discoveries of cutting-edge research that were presented
February 25, 2015 Read Full Article
Will Low Oil Prices Be the Downfall of Cellulosic Biofuels?
by Wally Tyner (The Conversation/Purdue University) ... One challenge to commercializing biofuel made from non-food sources — called cellulosic biofuels — has been cost. Unlike ethanol made from corn, cellulosic biofuels are made from the inedible parts of plants or organic materials,
February 08, 2015 Read Full Article
New Conversion Process Turns Biomass 'Waste' into Lucrative Chemical Products
(Purdue News) A new catalytic process is able to convert what was once considered biomass waste into lucrative chemical products that can be used in fragrances, flavorings or to create high-octane fuel for racecars and jets. A team of researchers from
December 30, 2014 Read Full Article
New Conversion Process Turns Biomass 'Waste' into Lucrative Chemical Products
by Elizabeth K. Gardner (Purdue University) A new catalytic process is able to convert what was once considered biomass waste into lucrative chemical products that can be used in fragrances, flavorings or to create high-octane fuel for racecars and jets. A team
December 22, 2014 Read Full Article
Biofuels Initiative Shifts Gears
by Don Jenkins (Capital Press) Advanced Hardwood Biofuels Northwest is three years into a five-year, $40 million project to produce a green alternative to petroleum fuel. ... Three years into a five-year, $40 million program, a University of Washington-led project to
November 21, 2014 Read Full Article
Harvesting Poplar to Fuel Green Energy
by Patricia Townsend (Advanced Hardwood Biofuels Northwest) Fall is harvest season and kicks off AHB’s first harvest of hybrid poplar for bioenergy. The Jefferson, Oregon and Hayden, Idaho demonstration sites were both harvested at the end of September and early October
November 19, 2014 Read Full Article
New Versatile Process Efficiently Converts Biomass to Liquid Fuel
by Emil Venere (Purdue News) Researchers have demonstrated a new process to convert all biomass into liquid fuel, and the method could make possible mobile processing plants. The researchers at Purdue University filed a patent application on the concept in 2008
November 13, 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
ZeaChem, Leaf Resources Sign Collaboration Agreement for Leaf Glycell
by Isabel Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Colorado, ZeaChem has signed a Collaboration Agreement with Leaf Resources. The agreement covers ZeaChem’s evaluation of the Leaf Glycell process for the production of fermentable sugars at ZeaChem’s demonstration plant at Boardman, Oregon. The trials will
October 20, 2014 Read Full Article
Boosting Biomass for Bioenergy
by Katie Fletcher (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Many dedicated energy crops hold promise as feedstocks for next-generation ethanol. Extensive R&D is still needed, however, to overcome the challenges in making these plants viable for commercial applications. ... This year, $12.6 million was awarded to
October 01, 2014 Read Full Article
$15 Million Available for Advanced Biofuels Payment Program
by Anna Austin (Biomass Magazine) The USDA recently issued a notice of contract proposals for its Advanced Biofuel Payment Program, which provides payments to producers to support and expand production of advanced biofuels. According to the NOCP, $15 million is available for
August 28, 2014 Read Full Article
JBEI GT Collection: A New Resource for Advanced Biofuels Research
(Joint BioEnergy Institute/Biomass Magazine) Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Joint BioEnergy Institute have unveiled the first glycosyltransferase clone collection specifically targeted for the study of the biosynthesis of plant cell walls. The idea behind what is being called “the
August 28, 2014 Read Full Article
White Lists: A Proactive Approach to Risk Reduction for the Bioenergy Industry
by Dr. Doria Gordon (The Nature Conservancy/Biofuels Digest) Cultivation of bioenergy crops is predicted to increase to between 27 and 120 million acres by 2022 in order to meet the renewable energy needs of the U.S. and the Environmental Protection
August 26, 2014 Read Full Article
Students Present Research at Ethanol Conference
by Joanna Schroeder (DomesticFuel.com) Several University of Minnesota students are giving the ethanol industry a preview of their cutting-edge research in biofuels, biochemicals and bioproducts during the 27th Annual Ethanol Conference in Minneapolis. One such student is Sahana Ramanna who is a
August 07, 2014 Read Full Article
Research Projects to Improve Plant Feedstocks for Bioenergy Production: Departments of Agriculture and Energy Announce Projects in 10 States
(US Department of Agriculture) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today (July 17, 2014) announced the selection of 10 projects that are being awarded funding aimed at accelerating genetic breeding programs to improve
July 18, 2014 Read Full Article
N.C. Funds 6 Cellulosic Biofuel, Bioenergy Research Projects
by Holly Jessen (Ethanol Producer Magazine) North Carolina recently awarded six projects a total of $500,000 through the state’s Bioenergy Research Initiative, which is a program of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Special consideration is given to projects
July 10, 2014 Read Full Article
Roadmap Shows How to Improve Lignocellulosic Biofuel Production
(Georgia Tech/Biomass Magazine) When making cellulosic ethanol from plants, one problem is what to do with a woody agricultural waste product called lignin. The old adage in the pulp industry has been that one can make anything from lignin except
July 01, 2014 Read Full Article
18 Free Studies on 21 Next-Wave Biofuels Feedstocks
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Thought you knew everything there was to know about some of biofuels’ favorite feedstocks? Here are 18 free reports that may dampen or re-ignite your enthusiasm. ...To bring you up to speed on the latest about
June 09, 2014 Read Full Article
Poplars Designed for Deconstruction: A Major Boon to Biofuels
(University of Wisconsin-Madison/Biomass Magazine) What began 20 years ago as an innovation to improve paper industry processes and dairy forage digestibility may now open the door to a much more energy- and cost-efficient way to convert biomass into fuel. ... Poplar trees,
June 02, 2014 Read Full Article
Making Money from Lignin: Roadmap Shows How to Improve Lignocellulosic Biofuel Biorefining
by Brett Israel (Georgia Institute of Technology) When making cellulosic ethanol from plants, one problem is what to do with a woody agricultural waste product called lignin. The old adage in the pulp industry has been that one can make
May 27, 2014 Read Full Article
Unzipping Poplars' Biofuel Potential
by Layne Cameron, Curtis Wilkerson, Krista Eastman and John Ralph (Michigan State University/Renewable Energy World) What began 20 years ago as an innovation to improve paper industry processes and dairy forage digestibility may now open the door to a much
May 13, 2014 Read Full Article
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