by Eyal Ronen (Casterra/ Ag Daily) Food insecurity continues to be a problem for the world — and it’s a problem that’s
Switchgrass
Back TO HOMEPerspectives from USDA research…. Hot Feedstocks for SAF
by William Orts (USDA Western Regional Research Center) USDA Projects: 1. Bioproducts and Biopolymers from Ag Feedstocks 2. Zero Waste Agricultural Processing 3. Domestic Production of
August 31, 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
August 23, 2023 Read Full Article
Dairy Digester Optimizes Food Waste Feedstocks
by Nora Goldstein (BioCycle Magazine) Narrowing in on liquid and semi-liquid packaged food and beverages yields economic, digester performance and
June 28, 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
June 07, 2023 Read Full Article
The Pathways to Biofuels: A Survey of Why We Should Stop Fretting
byMichael Barnard (CleanTechnica) We have enough waste biomass feedstock to fulfill all of our transportation needs, and the market and
May 24, 2023 Read Full Article
Workshop: Deploying Purpose-Grown Energy Crops for Sustainable Aviation Fuel --- June 6-7, 2023 --- Kansas City, MO 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),
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
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
April 12, 2023 Read Full Article
On-Farm Biogas System Opportunities: Electrifying your Farm with Biogas Production --- April 12, 2023 --- ONLINE
Farm electrification can allow farmers to rely less on other energy sources, which may benefit their bottom line and also
March 20, 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
March 20, 2023 Read Full Article
Off the Ground
by Katie Schroeder (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Several alcohol-to-jet projects, partnerships and technologies have been announced in the past 18 months.
March 10, 2023 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2023 Multi-Slide Guide to the State of Bioeconomy Feedstocks and Advanced Agriculture
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The DIgest completed the 7 week series of ABLC CONNECT events in which ABLC delegates
February 22, 2023 Read Full Article
The Promise of Advancing Biomanufacturing Innovation
by Greg Potter and Glenn Farris (Lipiferm Scientific andFarris Advisory Services/Lee Enterprises Consulting/Biofuels Digest) On September 12, 2022, President Joe Biden
February 20, 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
February 07, 2023 Read Full Article
Why This Promising Biofuel Crop Takes a Summer Break
by Matt Davenport (MSU Today) By explaining a photosynthetic peculiarity in switchgrass, MSU researchers may have unlocked even more of
January 26, 2023 Read Full Article
Sustainable Aviation Fuel Offers Flight Path to Net-Zero Air Travel
by Marc Hamy & Nancy Gillis (Green Biz/First Movers Coalition) It will take long-term, coordinated action from airlines, aircraft manufacturers,
January 03, 2023 Read Full Article
Naturally Derived Materials Fit for 3D Printing
by Stephanie Seay (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Researchers found that moderate levels of ash — sometimes found as spheres in
December 21, 2022 Read Full Article
To Make Valuable Bioproducts, Pick the Right Solvent Pretreatment
(U.S. Department of Energy) Lignin and cellulose are polymers—large molecules made up of repeating modules—that are situated in a tangled braid,
December 17, 2022 Read Full Article
How to Rescue Biofuels from a Sustainable Dead End
by Peter Fairley (Nature) An environmentally friendly path forwards for liquid fuel derived from plants will depend on smarter agriculture
November 23, 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
November 15, 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
October 05, 2022 Read Full Article
The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to Next-Gen Feedstocks for the Emerging Bioeconomy
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The goal of this project is to develop productive, cost-effective and sustainable warm-season perennial bioenergy
October 05, 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
September 30, 2022 Read Full Article
Three Mississippi State-Bred Switchgrasses Hit the Market
(Mississippi State University/Biomass Magazine) Mississippi State scientists have developed switchgrass varieties that are waking up the industry with exceptional germination rates
September 07, 2022 Read Full Article
Cure or Curse: Can 'Next-Generation' Biofuels Turbocharge the Net Zero Transition?
by Cecilia Keating (Business Green) ... But Gordon McManus, research director for refining and oil products team for the Europe, Middle East,
August 08, 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,
June 24, 2022 Read Full Article
Ara Partners Acquires Genera Energy, Pumps $200M in Expansion
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) News has arrived from Houston that Ara Partners, regularly seen around the halls of ABLC and
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
May 02, 2022 Read Full Article
Calculating the Costs of Multiple Switchgrass Gene Copies
(Department of Energy/Joint Genome Institute) A collaborative team led by researchers at the University of Texas (UT) at Austin, the HudsonAlpha
April 14, 2022 Read Full Article
New MSU Research Shows How Biofuel Crops Can Help Mitigate Climate Change When Grown on Land of Otherwise Little Agricultural Value
by Cameron Rudolph (Michigan State University) Newly published research from MSU Foundation Professor Bruno Basso shows how some Midwest farmers can
March 24, 2022 Read Full Article
In Search of a Later Biomass Expiration Date
by Nichole Fitzgerald (U.S. Department of Energy) How Idaho National Laboratory's Dr. Lynn Wendt has come to understand and mitigate
March 21, 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
February 23, 2022 Read Full Article
Carbon Negative Biofuels Can Build Soil and Rural Prosperity
by Chuck Hassebrook, David Laird and Jill Euken (The Gazette) ... That pathway is the Pyrolysis-Biochar-Bioenergy Platform, which produces biofuel and
January 10, 2022 Read Full Article
Bioenergy: Friendly Fungi Boost Growth for Biofuel Source
(SciTechDaily/Oak Ridge National Laboratory) An Oak Ridge National Laboratory team has successfully introduced a poplar gene into switchgrass, an important biofuel
December 18, 2021 Read Full Article
Plant-Based Waste and Residues into Biofuel – Geeking out over Lignocellulose
by Richard Pallardy (Neste) Plant biomass, or lignocellulose, is the most abundant renewable carbon source on the planet. It has
November 05, 2021 Read Full Article
Bioprocess for Converting Plant Materials into Valuable Chemicals
(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign/Science Daily) Scientists have developed a bioprocess using engineered yeast that completely and efficiently converted plant
August 19, 2021 Read Full Article
New Solvents to Break Down Plant Cellulose for Bioethanol
(Science Daily/Kanazawa University) Researchers experimented with different combinations of zwitterionic molecules to produce a solvent that is liquid below 100°C
August 12, 2021 Read Full Article
Biofuels: An Overview
(Climate Now)Biomass – such as corn or switchgrass – can be converted into liquid transportation fuels, or biofuels. Biofuels are
August 02, 2021 Read Full Article
Switchgrass and Miscanthus on Mined Lands for Biofuel and Biomass Production
(Association of Warm Season Grass Producers) I grow switchgrass and miscanthus on mined lands for biofuel and biomass production. The
July 27, 2021 Read Full Article
A Tweaked Yeast Can Make Ethanol from Cornstalks and a Harvest’s Other Leftovers
by Nikk Ogasa (Science News) The process could tap underused sources of renewable fuels -- ... But by tweaking a gene
July 08, 2021 Read Full Article
Weather-Resistant Crops: the Bioenergy Fuel of the Future
(Bio Market Insights) ... Finding a way to increase crop yields without encroaching on either food crops or natural habitats is
July 07, 2021 Read Full Article
GM Grass Cleanses Soil of Toxic Pollutants Left by Military Explosives, New Study Shows
(University of York/Phys.Org) A grass commonly used to fight soil erosion has been genetically modified to successfully remove toxic chemicals left
May 21, 2021 Read Full Article
Enhancing Land Surface Models to Grow Perennial Bioenergy Crops
(U.S. Department of Energy/EurekAlert!) High-yield miscanthus and switchgrass are promising alternatives to traditional annual crops for biofuels. -- ... To
May 20, 2021 Read Full Article
Switching to Switchgrass: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to Next-Gen Feedstocks in Midwest
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Bioenergy switchgrass feedstock – can it be the next-generation feedstock we’ve been looking for in the
May 19, 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
May 17, 2021 Read Full Article
Feedstock Development, Production, Management: The Digest’s 2021 Multi-Slide Guide to USDA’s Feedstock Innovations
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From switchgrass, sorghum or sugarcane, feedstock development, genomics, and crops improvement abound with USDA’s help
March 26, 2021 Read Full Article
Ahead of the Curve: Refiners Retrofit for Renewable Diesel Fuel
by Dan Crummett (Farm Equipment) ... Late in 2020, CVR Energy’s board of directors approved a $110 million renovation to
March 16, 2021 Read Full Article
Characteristics of the Soil in Biofuel Crop Fields Affect Its Potential to Store Carbon
(NewsWise) Microbiome and soil chemistry at long-term bioenergy research sites challenge the idea that switchgrass increases carbon accrual in surface
March 16, 2021 Read Full Article
Looking ahead to Second-Generation Biofuels
by Janet Kubat Willette (Farm Progress) Madhu Khanna, distinguished professor of environmental economics at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, says that
March 11, 2021 Read Full Article
Researchers Challenge the CRP Status Quo to Mitigate Fossil Fuels
(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment/Phys.Org) ... (A)llocating CRP land for high-yielding energy biomass might
February 26, 2021 Read Full Article
Fields of Breeders' Dreams: A Team Effort toward Targeted Crop Improvements -- Community Effort Yields Reference Switchgrass Genome, Environmental Adaptations Data
(Department of Energy/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory/EurekAlert) ... Identifying and breeding varieties that have high productivity across a range of environments
January 29, 2021 Read Full Article
Getting to Neutral Carbon: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Carbon Drawdown
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s A.J. Simon shared this illuminating slide guide at ABLC 2020 to
January 19, 2021 Read Full Article
WEF’s ‘Clean Skies for Tomorrow’ Outlines Pathway to Net-Zero Aviation: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Sustainable Aviation Fuel
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What is the World Economic Forum doing to help aviation meet net zero goals? First,
December 14, 2020 Read Full Article
Study Confirms Contribution of Bioenergy to Climate Change Mitigation
by Elton Alisson (Agência FAPESP) ... Some argue, for example, that biofuels are not sustainable because the conversion of non-agricultural land
November 19, 2020 Read Full Article
Use of Switchgrass Growing in Popularity for Ag Conservation
by Ad Crable (Bay Journal) Will switchgrass, a tall, resilient and fast-growing native plant once familiar to pioneers, become the next
October 23, 2020 Read Full Article
Waste Not, Want Not: INL Studies Potential of Municipal Solid Waste for Biofuels
by J. Richard Hess (Idaho National Laboratory) ...Even though MSW (municipal solid waste) has great potential, not much was known
October 19, 2020 Read Full Article
Biofuels Are a Controversial Climate Solution. Could They Still Help Save the Planet?
by Emily Pontecorvo (Grist) Two recent studies add fresh evidence to both sides of an age-old debate. ... (Lee) Lynd’s study aimed
September 30, 2020 Read Full Article
Switching to Switchgrass – Will DOE and USDA Funding Turn Switchgrass into a Rockstar Biofuel Feedstock?
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... So as we look for better biofuel feedstocks, we look at switchgrass because
September 28, 2020 Read Full Article
Study Predicts Climate Benefits Stemming from the Use of Advanced Biofuels
(AZO CleanTech/Colorado State University) Biofuel and bioenergy systems are integral to scenarios for displacing fossil fuel use and producing negative emissions
August 31, 2020 Read Full Article
Advanced Biofuels Show Real Promise for Replacing Some Fossil Fuels
(Colorado State University/Science Daily) A new study predicted significant climate benefits stemming from the use of advanced biofuel technologies. -- Biofuel
August 26, 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
July 29, 2020 Read Full Article
Renewable Fuels Expansion: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Gevo’s Next-Gen Renewable Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Gevo is developing a platform to fund expansion projects in the next phase of its
June 23, 2020 Read Full Article
Amid Oil Price Crash, a New Hope for Biofuels
by Tina Casey (Triple Pundit) ... (T)there are reasons to be optimistic about the future of biofuels, as the field
May 19, 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
April 30, 2020 Read Full Article
Potential Feedstocks, Biofuel Markets, Corn and Cellulosic Ethanol: The Digest’s 2020 Multi-Slide Guide to Increasing Feedstock Production for Biofuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Biomass Research and Development Board published a report that looks at how to address the
April 22, 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
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.
February 28, 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
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
October 25, 2019 Read Full Article
Clemson Researcher Developing Perennial Grasses that Could Reduce Water Use and Be Fuel Source
by Laura Schmitt (The NewsStand) Clemson University College of Science professor Hong Luo has received a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of
October 18, 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
October 18, 2019 Read Full Article
Core Leaf-Bound Microbes Identified for Two Key Bioenergy Crops
by Mark E. Griffin (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits make up the biggest chunk of potential
October 11, 2019 Read Full Article
Undergraduates Participate in Bioenergy Research at GLBRC
(Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Each year, the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) hosts a group of undergraduate students
October 11, 2019 Read Full Article
Trash to Treasure: Scientists Convert Municipal Waste to Biofuel Precursors
by Emily Scot (Berkeley Lab) As the need for energy security grows, scientists are investigating nonfood biomass sources that can be
October 10, 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
September 27, 2019 Read Full Article
US-India Consortium for Development of Sustainable Advanced Lignocellulosic Biofuel Systems
by Vermerris, Wilfred; Ingram, Lonnie O.; O'Connor, George; Pullammanappallil, P.; Shanmugam, K. T.; Tong, Zhaohui; Wilkie, Anne; Jose, Shibu; Bardhan,
August 30, 2019 Read Full Article
Environmental Advocates Should Take Another Look at Biofuels
by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and former Sen. Timothy Wirth (D-CO) (The Hill) ... But public policy to date has put
August 15, 2019 Read Full Article
Norfolk Farmer Diversifies Income and Boosts Soil Health with Miscanthus
(Terravesta) Norfolk farmer, Adam Brewer, is planning for the future by diversifying his income and looking after his soils with
July 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Genera Repositions Itself, Gets $118M Investment – Movin’ on up to Get a Piece of the Pie
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) ... A $118 million pie in new investment money for this Tennessee-based biomass company. The
July 26, 2019 Read Full Article
Integrated Landscape Management Reduces Biomass Production Costs By 20%
by J.Richard Hess (Idaho National Laboratory/U.S. Department of Energy) A new techno-economic analysis by Idaho National Laboratory (INL) demonstrated that,
June 26, 2019 Read Full Article
University of North Florida Researcher Awarded USDA Grant to Study Plant-Based Alternative Fuel Sources
(Univeristy of North Florida) Switchgrass—a Productive Native Species—Could Possibly Fuel Vehicles into the Future -- Dr. Mike Aspinwall, an assistant professor of
June 07, 2019 Read Full Article
Genera Begins Farmer Recruitment
(Genera) Genera is launching a new business line that will manufacture disposable food service and packaging products from sustainable ag fibers
May 16, 2019 Read Full Article
Let’s Get Agitated: The Digest’s 2019 Multi-Slide Guide to Biomass Conversion Agitation Strategies
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Gregory Benz, from Benz Technology International and a member of Lee Enterprises Consulting offers this illuminating overview
March 13, 2019 Read Full Article
SMU Researcher Studying Purpose-Grown Biomass Crops
(Saint Mary's University/Canadian Biomass Magazine) Research into how poor-quality, marginal land can be used to produce biomass as a potential revenue
March 08, 2019 Read Full Article
Clover Improves Soil Quality, Feeds Biofuels Crop
by Christie Delfanian (South Dakota State University/Phys.Org) A four-leaf clover might bring good luck, but a stand of Kura clover can
March 01, 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
February 28, 2019 Read Full Article
Research Uncovers Potential Sustainable Refining Method for Lignin
(Phys.Org/Texas A&M University) Lignin, used as a renewable resource to produce high-value products, has presented both production and economical challenges
February 27, 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
February 26, 2019 Read Full Article
Canada Invests in Biomass Research Cluster to Grow Bioeconomy
by Maria Church (Canadian Biomass Magazine) The federal government is investing of up to $7 million in a biomass research cluster
February 13, 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
January 22, 2019 Read Full Article
QUOTE OF THE WEEK -- Rebecca (Becky) Ong
Rebecca (Becky) Ong majored in chemical engineering and tacked on a degree in plant biology. “I had no plan to
December 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Love of Plants and Problem-Solving Drives Bioenergy Researcher Rebecca Ong
(Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) ... “My parents really instilled in me the importance of conservation,” says (Rebecca) Ong, an assistant
December 27, 2018 Read Full Article
Environmental Benefits of Energy Crops: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to University of Illinois Research
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign has been researching the economic incentives and policy implications of energy crops
December 21, 2018 Read Full Article
More Sustainable: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide ABLC Guide to Intensification Response & Landscape Design in Bioenergy Production
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Many prominent bioenergy critiques are feedstock-focused — for example, iLUC (Searchinger et al. 2008), carbon debt.
December 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Diverse Biofeedstocks Have High Ethanol Yields and Offer Biorefineries Flexibility
(U.S. Department of Energy/Phys.Org) ... Researchers processed and experimentally measured ethanol production from five different herbaceous feedstocks. They examined two annuals
November 12, 2018 Read Full Article
A Switchgrass Sugar Situation
by Paige Short (Michigan Technological University) Switchgrass is a promising biofuel alternative to corn, but farmers, environmentalists and biofuel developers, find
September 24, 2018 Read Full Article
iSEE Helps Secure $6M+ in New Research Grants for U of I Agriculture Studies: $5M DOE Grant for Energy Crops Study
(Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment) ... A U of I Crop Scientist will lead a team of researchers on a
September 20, 2018 Read Full Article
The Idaho Team that Lopped $1 a Gallon off the Cost of Fuel, and How They Did It
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Idaho, researchers at Idaho National Laboratory have have cut the modeled cost of harvesting, storing,
September 18, 2018 Read Full Article
Special Issue: Using an Ecosystem Services Perspective to Assess Biofuel Sustainability
(SEI.org) This special issue of the journal Biomass and Bioenergy attempts to fill research gaps on the sustainability implications of liquid
September 05, 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
August 06, 2018 Read Full Article
Association of Warm Season Grass Producers Meeting Goals
by Will Brandau (Association of Warm Season Grass Producers) The Association is experiencing success meeting our primary objectives. 1. Promotes the planting
August 01, 2018 Read Full Article
The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the Week of July 27th
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of invention and change is just too strong, we’ve realized, to highlight annual or
July 28, 2018 Read Full Article
Feeding Plants to This Algae Could Fuel Your Car
(Los Alamos National Laboratory/Phys.Org) Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory and partner institutions provided today the first published report of algae
July 19, 2018 Read Full Article
The Scientist Still Fighting for the Clean Fuel the World Forgot
by James Temple (MIT Technology Review) In the closing weeks of 2008, the US Department of Energy invited politicians and press
May 16, 2018 Read Full Article
Accelerating Ag Innovation: The Digest’s 2018 Multi-Slide Guide to the USDA Agricultural Research Service
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. ARS conducts
May 08, 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
April 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Missouri Biodiesel Coalition Launched to Expand Biodiesel Usage
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Missouri, soybean farmers and biodiesel processors, distributors, and retailers have come together to launch
April 30, 2018 Read Full Article
Equipment Needs to Study Mixing of Fibrous Materials
by Gregory T. Benz (Lee Enterprise Consulting/Biofuels Digest) There are many sources of organic fibers that can be used as feedstock
April 17, 2018 Read Full Article
How Biofuels from Plant Fibers Could Combat Global Warming
by Mary Guiden (Colorado State University) ... A study from Colorado State University finds new promise for biofuels produced from switchgrass,
March 12, 2018 Read Full Article
Field-Grown Transgenic Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) with Altered Lignin Does Not Affect Soil Chemistry, Microbiology, and Carbon Storage Potential
by Jennifer M. DeBruyn, et al (Global Change Biology Bioenergy) Cell wall recalcitrance poses a major challenge on cellulosic biofuel production
March 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Study Says CRP Mixes Don't Live up to Biofuel Potential
by Julie Harker (Brownfield Ag News) Mixed prairie grasses that are used in Conservation Reserve Program lands did not live up
February 21, 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
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
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
February 11, 2018 Read Full Article
New Study Shows Producers Where and How to Grow Cellulosic Biofuel Crops
(University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences/Science Daily) A new report provides practical agronomic data for five cellulosic
January 17, 2018 Read Full Article
Old and New at the Keystone Farm Show
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Advanced Biofuels USA has three overlapping reasons to attend and exhibit at the Keystone
January 12, 2018 Read Full Article
N.C. Bioenergy Research Initiative Announces Grant Recipients
(North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The N.C. Bioenergy Research Initiative recently awarded $1 million in grants
January 05, 2018 Read Full Article
Government Approves Use of Bio-Ethanol as Vehicle Fuel
by Aminur Rahman Rasel (Dhaka Tribune) ...The government has decided to allow the use of bio-ethanol as vehicle fuel by mixing
January 04, 2018 Read Full Article
Researchers Find Bioenergy Crops Provide Critical Ecosystem Services
by M. Cristina Negri (U.S. Department of Energy) Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) in Argonne, Illinois, are examining innovative new agricultural landscapes
December 14, 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
November 13, 2017 Read Full Article
EPA Won’t Back Down From Ethanol Requirements. What Do Automakers Say?
by Ken Silverstein (Environmental Leader) ... Some automakers like Toyota and Lexus have warned drivers that if they fill up with E85 that their
October 28, 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
October 03, 2017 Read Full Article
Switchgrass Could Help China’s Air Quality
(University of Illinois ACES/Biomass Magazine) Researchers from the United States and China have proposed an idea that could improve China’s
September 21, 2017 Read Full Article
Consequences of Drought Stress on Biofuels
(Phys.Org/U.S. Department of Energy) ...However, weather conditions could greatly affect crop yields. In this study, researchers examined the effect of
September 11, 2017 Read Full Article
Project Aims to Turn Roads into Energy Source
(Advantage News) The Illinois Department of Transportation has approved implementation of a renewable energy demonstration project using grasses collected from
August 14, 2017 Read Full Article
Study to Measure Biofuels’ Impact on Climate from the Field to the Power Plant
by Scott Miller (Clemson University) Clemson University scientists have received a federal grant to evaluate the effectiveness of producing biofuels to
August 09, 2017 Read Full Article
University of Delaware Researchers Look to Make Tires Made from Plants and Wood
by Scott Goss (The News Journal/Delaware Online) ... Researchers at the Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation say they have discovered a highly efficient
July 31, 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
July 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Rice Aids in the Study of Biofuel Feedstocks
(U.S. Department of Energy, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Rice is a staple food for over half of the
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
July 24, 2017 Read Full Article
Loosening of Lignocellulose: Switchgrass and Success in Sugar Release
(U.S. Department of Energy) Introduced traits remain stable, improving biofuel production in a field setting. -- ... Near-term fossil
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
May 30, 2017 Read Full Article
Research Focuses on Reclaiming Strip-Mine Sites for Biofuel Crop Production
by Amy Duke (Pennsylvania State University) Strip mines are so common in rural Pennsylvania that many people are unfazed by the sight
May 26, 2017 Read Full Article
Advancing the Bioeconomy: The Digest’s 2017 Multi-Slide Guide to the USDA and Feedstock R&D
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Former Agricultural Secretary Tom Vilsack put it best: “The bioeconomy is a catalyst for economic development
May 25, 2017 Read Full Article
ORNL: Bacterial Boost for Biobased Fuels
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory/Biomass Magazine) "Electrical” bacteria are the key ingredient in a new process developed by the Department of
May 10, 2017 Read Full Article
New Strategy to Enhance the Efficiency of Cereal Straw for Biofuel Production
(Phys.Org/University of Hong Kong) Straw is commonly used for feeding animals, burning, baling, etc. As one of the "Three Canton
May 09, 2017 Read Full Article
Turning Chicken Poop and Weeds into Biofuel
(American Chemical Society/EurekAlert!) Chicken is a favorite, inexpensive meat across the globe. But the bird's popularity results in a lot
May 03, 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,
May 02, 2017 Read Full Article
Seven Cool Biofuel Crops That We Use for Fuel Production
by Christopher McFadden (Interesting Engineering) Biofuels and biofuel crops have been vaunted by politicians, journalists and scientists for years. A
April 10, 2017 Read Full Article
Switchgrass May Unlock the Future of Biofuel
by Silke Schmidt (Phys.Org) ... Genetically modifying switchgrass could boost crop yields and its commercial viability. But to close in on realizing that
March 06, 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
February 17, 2017 Read Full Article
Bio-Oil and Beyond: The Digest’s Multi-Slide Guide to RTI’s Catalytic Upgrading tech for Thermochemical Intermediates to Hydrocarbons
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) To “Demonstrate an advanced biofuels technology that integrates a catalytic biomass pyrolysis step and a
February 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Lignin: Technology, Applications, and Markets
(RISI) Lignin could become a new profit center for the forest products industry – and perhaps for your business. --
February 07, 2017 Read Full Article
Switchgrass May Be a Good Option for Farmers Who Have Lost Fertile Topsoil
(University of Missouri) Switchgrass Can Improve Soil Quality on Eroded Farms, Study Finds -- The loss of fertile topsoil from
December 14, 2016 Read Full Article
There Is a Cornucopia of Feedstock Options for Making Biofuels
by Mark Elless (U.S. Department of Energy) Switchgrass, algae, forest trimmings, corn husks and corn stalks you can't eat these
November 28, 2016 Read Full Article
Argonne Researchers Study How Reflectivity of Biofuel Crops Impacts Climate
by Joan Koka (Argonne National Laboratory) ... The new analysis, published in The Royal Chemistry Society's Energy & Environmental Science, incorporates
November 21, 2016 Read Full Article
Who’s Got Hot Lignin? The Digest’s 2016 Guide to Lignin Production and Prospects
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Lignocellulosic sugars and lignin have become necessary intermediates for advancing research towards economically producing biofuels
November 15, 2016 Read Full Article
Who’s Got the Hot Sugars? The Digest’s 2016 Guide to Lignocellulosic Sugars and Their Producers
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Lignocellulosic sugars and lignin have become necessary intermediates for advancing research towards economically producing biofuels
November 14, 2016 Read Full Article
Get the Results of the Cellulosic Sugar and Lignin Production Capabilities Request for Information!
(U.S. Department of Energy) The results of the U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office's (BETO's) Cellulosic Sugar and Lignin
November 06, 2016 Read Full Article
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