by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s A.J. Simon shared this illuminating slide guide at ABLC 2020 to look at the role that bioeconomy pathways play in drawing
Tag "Switchgrass"
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What is the World Economic Forum doing to help aviation meet net zero goals? First, they recognize that the most immediate action to achieve carbon-neutral
by Elton Alisson (Agência FAPESP) … Some argue, for example, that biofuels are not sustainable because the conversion of non-agricultural land to grow energy crops could lead to a significant initial
by Ad Crable (Bay Journal) Will switchgrass, a tall, resilient and fast-growing native plant once familiar to pioneers, become the next cash crop for farmers in states in the Chesapeake Bay
by J. Richard Hess (Idaho National Laboratory) …Even though MSW (municipal solid waste) has great potential, not much was known about the cost and quality of feedstocks that could be
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … So as we look for better biofuel feedstocks, we look at switchgrass because of new U.S. Department of Energy AND U.S. Department of
(AZO CleanTech/Colorado State University) Biofuel and bioenergy systems are integral to scenarios for displacing fossil fuel use and producing negative emissions through carbon capture and storage. But the net greenhouse gas
(Colorado State University/Science Daily) A new study predicted significant climate benefits stemming from the use of advanced biofuel technologies. — Biofuel and bioenergy systems are integral to scenarios for displacing fossil
(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
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Gevo is developing a platform to fund expansion projects in the next phase of its unique, next generation renewable fuels business. Their commercial-scale facilities are
by Tina Casey (Triple Pundit) … (T)there are reasons to be optimistic about the future of biofuels, as the field continues to evolve remarkably from where it was a decade ago. …
(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
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Biomass Research and Development Board published a report that looks at how to address the constraints surrounding availability of biomass feedstocks for biofuels. Four questions
(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
(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
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
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
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 Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture to develop genetically
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
by Mark E. Griffin (Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits make up the biggest chunk of potential living space for microbes in the environment, but ecologists still
(Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) Each year, the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) hosts a group of undergraduate students to participate in the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program,
by Emily Scot (Berkeley Lab) As the need for energy security grows, scientists are investigating nonfood biomass sources that can be used to create valuable biofuels and bioproducts. Among these sources
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
by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and former Sen. Timothy Wirth (D-CO) (The Hill) … But public policy to date has put almost the entire burden of the sector’s transformation on the
(Terravesta) Norfolk farmer, Adam Brewer, is planning for the future by diversifying his income and looking after his soils with Miscanthus. Farmers wanting to learn more about the many environmental and
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) … A $118 million pie in new investment money for this Tennessee-based biomass company. The financing was anchored by an equity investment from WindSail Capital
by J.Richard Hess (Idaho National Laboratory/U.S. Department of Energy) A new techno-economic analysis by Idaho National Laboratory (INL) demonstrated that, by using integrated landscape management (ILM) techniques, bioenergy stakeholders could
(Univeristy of North Florida) Switchgrass—a Productive Native Species—Could Possibly Fuel Vehicles into the Future — Dr. Mike Aspinwall, an assistant professor of biology at the University of North Florida, was just awarded
(Genera) Genera is launching a new business line that will manufacture disposable food service and packaging products from sustainable ag fibers in Vonore, made from locally grown biomass crops. Genera will be
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Gregory Benz, from Benz Technology International and a member of Lee Enterprises Consulting offers this illuminating overview of wet conversion agitation systems like solids mixers and turbine
(Saint Mary’s University/Canadian Biomass Magazine) Research into how poor-quality, marginal land can be used to produce biomass as a potential revenue stream for farmers underway at Saint Mary’s University received $1.2
by Christie Delfanian (South Dakota State University/Phys.Org) A four-leaf clover might bring good luck, but a stand of Kura clover can produce healthier soil—in the long run, according to a South
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
(Phys.Org/Texas A&M University) Lignin, used as a renewable resource to produce high-value products, has presented both production and economical challenges for biorefinery operations. However, a Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientist
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
by Maria Church (Canadian Biomass Magazine) The federal government is investing of up to $7 million in a biomass research cluster led by the BioFuelNet Canada Network. Funding for the research
(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
Rebecca (Becky) Ong majored in chemical engineering and tacked on a degree in plant biology. “I had no plan to integrate them at all,” she says, “I was just interested
(Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center) … “My parents really instilled in me the importance of conservation,” says (Rebecca) Ong, an assistant professor of chemical engineering at Michigan Technological University and researcher
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign has been researching the economic incentives and policy implications of energy crops such as miscanthus and switchgrass. Madhu Khanna, from University of Illinois,
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Many prominent bioenergy critiques are feedstock-focused — for example, iLUC (Searchinger et al. 2008), carbon debt. Marginal land strategies identify areas where energy crops likely have
(U.S. Department of Energy/Phys.Org) … Researchers processed and experimentally measured ethanol production from five different herbaceous feedstocks. They examined two annuals (corn stover and energy sorghum) along with three perennials (switchgrass,
by Paige Short (Michigan Technological University) Switchgrass is a promising biofuel alternative to corn, but farmers, environmentalists and biofuel developers, find deciding on the right time to harvest particularly thorny. …
(Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment) … A U of I Crop Scientist will lead a team of researchers on a five-year study of new crops that could contribute to the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In Idaho, researchers at Idaho National Laboratory have have cut the modeled cost of harvesting, storing, transporting, and preprocessing biomass from $149.58/dry ton to $82.86/dry ton.
(SEI.org) This special issue of the journal Biomass and Bioenergy attempts to fill research gaps on the sustainability implications of liquid biofuel production, applying an ecosystem services perspective — … The 14 papers
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
by Will Brandau (Association of Warm Season Grass Producers) The Association is experiencing success meeting our primary objectives. 1. Promotes the planting and use of warm-season grasses I know of 4
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of invention and change is just too strong, we’ve realized, to highlight annual or even quarterly or monthly rankings and summaries of significant product
(Los Alamos National Laboratory/Phys.Org) Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory and partner institutions provided today the first published report of algae using raw plants as a carbon energy source. The research
by James Temple (MIT Technology Review) In the closing weeks of 2008, the US Department of Energy invited politicians and press to a dedication ceremony for the Joint BioEnergy Institute in
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 research to develop and transfer solutions to agricultural problems of
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
by Helena Tavares Kennedy (Biofuels Digest) In Missouri, soybean farmers and biodiesel processors, distributors, and retailers have come together to launch a new partnership, the Biodiesel Coalition of Missouri, which aims to
by Gregory T. Benz (Lee Enterprise Consulting/Biofuels Digest) There are many sources of organic fibers that can be used as feedstock for biofuels and renewable chemicals. The author has tested many
by Mary Guiden (Colorado State University) … A study from Colorado State University finds new promise for biofuels produced from switchgrass, a non-edible native grass that grows in many parts of
by Jennifer M. DeBruyn, et al (Global Change Biology Bioenergy) Cell wall recalcitrance poses a major challenge on cellulosic biofuel production from feedstocks such as switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.). As lignin is
by Julie Harker (Brownfield Ag News) Mixed prairie grasses that are used in Conservation Reserve Program lands did not live up to their potential as biomass crops for cellulosic biofuel production,
(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
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
(South Dakota State University/Biomass Magazine) Can farmers produce at least 1 billion tons of biomass per year that can be used
(University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences/Science Daily) A new report provides practical agronomic data for five cellulosic
by Joanne Ivancic* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Advanced Biofuels USA has three overlapping reasons to attend and exhibit at the Keystone
(North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services/Ethanol Producer Magazine) The N.C. Bioenergy Research Initiative recently awarded $1 million in grants
by Aminur Rahman Rasel (Dhaka Tribune) …The government has decided to allow the use of bio-ethanol as vehicle fuel by mixing
by M. Cristina Negri (U.S. Department of Energy) Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) in Argonne, Illinois, are examining innovative new agricultural landscapes
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … You’d be forgiven if you mistook Ahb Subi Banr-Sbar for a well-placed official in the Iranian
by Ken Silverstein (Environmental Leader) … Some automakers like Toyota and Lexus have warned drivers that if they fill up with E85 that their
(Bioenergy Insight) A number of research projects focused on bioenergy and biofuels have been selected for the US Community Science Programme
(University of Illinois ACES/Biomass Magazine) Researchers from the United States and China have proposed an idea that could improve China’s
(Phys.Org/U.S. Department of Energy) …However, weather conditions could greatly affect crop yields. In this study, researchers examined the effect of
(Advantage News) The Illinois Department of Transportation has approved implementation of a renewable energy demonstration project using grasses collected from
by Scott Miller (Clemson University) Clemson University scientists have received a federal grant to evaluate the effectiveness of producing biofuels to
by Scott Goss (The News Journal/Delaware Online) … Researchers at the Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation say they have discovered a highly efficient
by Nico Savidge (University of Wisconsin-Madison) A UW-Madison research center that has used the university’s largest-ever federal grant to develop
(U.S. Department of Energy, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory/Ethanol Producer Magazine) Rice is a staple food for over half of the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The BioEnergy Science Center (BESC) is a multi-institutional (18 partners), Department of Energy-funded research organization performing
(U.S. Department of Energy) Introduced traits remain stable, improving biofuel production in a field setting. — … Near-term fossil
by Silke Schmidt (University of Wisconsin-Madison News) Technologies for converting non-edible biomass into chemicals and fuels traditionally made from petroleum
by Amy Duke (Pennsylvania State University) Strip mines are so common in rural Pennsylvania that many people are unfazed by the sight
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Former Agricultural Secretary Tom Vilsack put it best: “The bioeconomy is a catalyst for economic development
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory/Biomass Magazine) “Electrical” bacteria are the key ingredient in a new process developed by the Department of
(Phys.Org/University of Hong Kong) Straw is commonly used for feeding animals, burning, baling, etc. As one of the “Three Canton
(American Chemical Society/EurekAlert!) Chicken is a favorite, inexpensive meat across the globe. But the bird’s popularity results in a lot
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,
by Christopher McFadden (Interesting Engineering) Biofuels and biofuel crops have been vaunted by politicians, journalists and scientists for years. A
by Silke Schmidt (Phys.Org) … Genetically modifying switchgrass could boost crop yields and its commercial viability. But to close in on realizing
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) To demonstrate an advanced biofuels technology that integrates a catalytic biomass pyrolysis step and a

Peter B. Woodbury, Senior Research Associate, Cornell University — Producing perennial bioenergy feedstocks like switchgrass can provide ecosystem service benefits

Speaker: Dr. Lindsey Hoffman, Rutgers University Department of Plant Biology — Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a warm-season, perennial grass that
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) To “Demonstrate an advanced biofuels technology that integrates a catalytic biomass pyrolysis step and a
(RISI) Lignin could become a new profit center for the forest products industry – and perhaps for your business. —

Producing perennial bioenergy feedstocks like switchgrass can provide ecosystem service benefits in addition to bioenergy production. If paid for, such
(University of Missouri) Switchgrass Can Improve Soil Quality on Eroded Farms, Study Finds — The loss of fertile topsoil from
by Mark Elless (U.S. Department of Energy) Switchgrass, algae, forest trimmings, corn husks and corn stalks you can’t eat these
by Joan Koka (Argonne National Laboratory) … The new analysis, published in The Royal Chemistry Society’s Energy & Environmental Science, incorporates
(DTN/Progressive Farmer/KOOL) Shell Oil Company has agreed to buy Abengoa Bioenergy’s cellulosic ethanol plant in Hugoton, Kansas, for what could
by Gary C. Young (Ethanol Producer Magazine/Bio-Thermal Energy Inc.) A new process for the economical conversion of carbon dioxide into
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Amidst all the discussion this week of deal-making in cellulosic and sugar-based fuels — the likes
(U.S. Department of Agriculture) NIFA ‘s Bioeconomy-Bioenergy-Bioproduct portfolio facilitates the development of sustainable regional production systems for biofuels and bio-based
by Kari Lydersen (Midwest Energy News) … The Argonne modeling shows that when grassland, cropland and pasture in the Midwest are
by Todd Neeley (DTN The Progressive Farmer) Abengoa Cellulosic Ethanol Plant Draws Wide Interest — … Mark Fisler, managing director of
by David Suzuki (EcoWatch) The shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy is occurring mainly at the power plant level.
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) “What color is your parachute?” went the title of a best-selling book from the 80s
by Irshad Ahmed (Lee Enterprises) … I believe cellulosic ethanol is here to stay for the long haul and it is finally
by Joanna Schroeder (Energy.AgWired.com) Researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Argonne National Laboratory are using computational modeling to predict
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Genera Energy “leads the nation in the commercialization of integrated biomass supply chain solutions for
by Kathleen Phillips (AgriLife Today) The U.S. Department of Energy has granted $2.5 million for a Texas A&M AgriLife Research study
by Katie Elyce Jones (Phys.Org) To help stakeholders in government and business make smart decisions about the best types of
(U.S. Department of Energy) Recycling waste from biofuel production could lower cost for future biorefineries. — Ionic liquids (ILs) have been
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The Bioenergy Feedstock Library is a physical sample repository and database for physical, chemical and conversion performance
by Katie Fletcher (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Ontario Biomass Producers Cooperative Inc., a group of Ontario farmers producing and marketing biomass,
(Michigan State University/AgProfessional.com) … The study, conducted by the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center and Michigan State University, found that using
by Rosalie Marion Bliss (US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service) … Now, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists have advanced
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) What’s up at the DOE’s ARPA-E unit — the Advanced Research Projects Agency? Technology to
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … In all, respondents foresaw an $11.352 billion feedstock bioeconomy, at $57 per ton for
(NewBIO/Cooperative Extension System) Technology patented by Renmatix enables the manufacture of industrial sugars from biomass on a scale that is
by Stephanie Searle, Chelsea Petrenko, Ella Baz, and Chris Malins (International Council on Clean Transportation) Describes case studies of energy
(Business Wire / Unitel Technologies) –Unitel Technologies announced that Altex Technologies has selected Unitel to provide engineering services to design
by Brent Erickson (Biotechnology Innovation Organization/Biofuels Digest) … Congress changed mandatory funding for two key bioenergy programs – despite their tangible
by Lauren Quinn (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Salt-affected land is not useful for producing food crops, but biomass producers could

Join fellow switchgrass growers as we discuss the potential for a statewide group to provide support, information, and networking for
(RPA News) Our top story this month is a blunt reminder of how deeply U.S. policy uncertainty cut down and yanked
by Holly Jessen and Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Although there are challenges facing the second generation ethanol industry, progress
by Marc Heller (E&E Publishing/ClimateWire) … In California, once home to 66 biomass plants, about 30 remain in business, dashing the
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … If jatropha faltered, never mind, went the argument, we’ll always have switchgrass. Or giant miscanthus,
by Patricia McDaniels (University of Tennessee) A small stand of poplar trees harvested from a University of Tennessee AgResearch Center
(Phys.Org) … Today, scientists are exploring how grasses, and switchgrass in particular, can enrich the nation’s biofuel supply, which is currently
by Dave Evensen (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Research finds where bioenergy crops would grow best while minimizing detrimental effects on
by Meghan Sapp (Biofuels Digest) In Italy, IEA Bioenergy and the Global Bioenergy Partnership have published the “Examples of Positive
by David Roberts (VOX) The Union of Concerned Scientists has issued a new report that takes a high-level look at
(US Department of Energy) Argonne National Laboratory released a study funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office
by Rosalie Bliss (US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service) … U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists have advanced a
(Oak Ridge National Laboratory) Researchers at the Department of Energy’s BioEnergy Science Center are looking beyond the usual suspects in
(Agri-View/Renewable Energy World) The relationship between a prairie grass such as switchgrass and naturally occurring microbes may help shed light
by Nathan Collins (Pacific Standard) Researchers combine ecological and economic models to examine the benefits of growing grass as fuel.
(EurekAlert!/University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Second-generation biofuel crops like the perennial grasses Miscanthus and switchgrass can efficiently meet emission reduction
by Mark E. Griffin (Wisconsin Energy Institute/University of Wisconsin) A six-year Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) study on the
by Rob Nikolewski (Kansas Watchdog.org) … “I think we have to see how this thing plays out. In the short run,
(U.S. Department of Energy) The Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation (GREET) model allows researchers and analysts
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) INL’s program aims to overcome key technical barriers facing the U.S. bioenergy industry by systematically
by WIlliam Tucker (Fuel Freedom Foundation) … Cellulosic ethanol, capable of recycling crop wastes into fuel, may be here. On the
by Susanne Retka Schill (Ethanol Producer Magazine) Five bioenergy projects in two states were among the 258 businesses nationwide receiving a
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) JBEI’s mission is to convert biomass to biofuels. The goal is to provide the nation
by Emily Cassidy (Environmental Working Group) Biofuels produced from switchgrass and post-harvest corn waste could significantly reduce the emissions that contribute
(U.S. Department of Energy) This fiscal year, three Supply Chain Sustainability Analysis (SCSA) reports were published through Argonne National Laboratory.