In Michigan, Michigan State University scientists will explore new algae-based technologies to capture power plant emissions and sustainably turn them into valuable products. The research project, funded by a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, unites faculty from the MSU Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering and the MSU Chemistry Department with […]
In New Jersey, two new studies of green algae have revealed new insights into how these organisms siphon carbon dioxide from the air for use in photosynthesis, a key factor in their ability to grow so quickly. Understanding this process may someday help researchers improve the growth rate of crops such as wheat and rice. […]
In Iowa, new economic reports show that producing biomass fuel pellets from crop residues like corn stalks can provide a billion-dollar development opportunity for agricultural states. Iowa-based Regional Strategic, Ltd. examined the economic impact of collecting, processing, and delivering corn stover byproducts of ethanol – the stalks, stems, and leaves of corn plants – to […]
In Saudi Arabia, an additive for conventional fuel comprised of oxygenated organic compounds could help reduce the release of pollutants into the atmosphere during the combustion of fossil fuels. Researchers from King Abdulla University of Science and Technology have now established how these potential additives decompose under combustion-relevant conditions. The researchers found that the additional […]
In California, prolific growth makes giant kelp an excellent candidate to replace corn as a biofuel. While this species naturally grows close to shore, it easily could be farmed in deeper waters. This is the focus of a new project called Macroalgae Research Inspiring Novel Energy Resources (MARINER), which seeks to develop offshore kelp farms […]
In Colorado, an enzyme discovered at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) proves adept at breaking down cellulose fibers regardless of whether their crystalline structure is simple or highly complex. No other enzyme has shown that ability. The enzyme, called CelA, comes from Caldicellulosiruptor bescii, and NREL scientists reported three years […]
In Germany, currently, making products such as fuels, synthetic materials or pharmaceuticals from renewable raw materials lacks efficiency because the microorganisms process the raw materials very slowly and generate many unwanted by-products. Biotechnologists at Goethe University Frankfurt have now succeeded in optimizing sugar utilization in baker’s yeast. Researchers from the Institute of Molecular Biosciences at […]
In Washington, DC, the American Institute of Physics reported that CellulosomePlus, an international research consortium that includes researchers from Spain, Poland and Ireland, developed a way to re-engineer the bacterial enzyme complexes, called cellulosomes, which serve as catalysts in the degradation process. Helping bacteria become more efficient in this process could result in more affordable […]
In India, researchers from New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University have discovered that by bringing together species of bacteria from Aravalli marble mines near Alwar and from brackish waters in the high-altitude Pangong Lake in Ladakh on the border with China can create biodiesel. The bacteria from the marble mines can sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide into organic […]
In Finland, the EU project COMSYN aims to develop a production concept for competitive bio-based fuels by means of a compact gasification and synthesis process. The target reduction for biofuel production is up to 35 percent compared to alternative methods, which translates to less than EUR0.80/liter production cost for diesel. The production concept is based […]
