In Sweden, using the energy from the sun and graphene applied to the surface of cubic silicon carbide, researchers at Linköping University, Sweden, are working to develop a method to convert water and carbon dioxide to the renewable energy of the future. They have now taken an important step toward this goal, reporting a method […]
In India, the Hindu newspaper reports that the Department of Biotechnology and The Energy and Research Institute will collaborate on a three-year, $1.5 million research program on advanced biofuels and bio-commodities with the aim of developing as well as commercializing technology. The research center created to implement the program is the fifth such bioenergy R&D […]
In Germany, scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Microengineering and Microsystems IMM, working together with twelve research groups from seven countries in the EU project BIOGO, have developed a technique to produce just such an eco-friendly biofuel. The novel fuel’s ingredients come from forests. A prototype novel biofuel plant stands in the courtyard behind the […]
In Wisconsin, a compound that has scientists seeing red may hold the key to engineering yeasts that produce better biofuels. A red pigment called pulcherrimin, naturally produced by several strains of wild yeasts, is synthesized in part through the same biochemical pathway that researchers hope to use to improve production of isobutanol, a promising biofuel […]
In Japan, results from a collaborative study by Tokyo Tech and Tohoku University raise prospects for large-scale production of algae-derived starch after scientists found a “switch” controlling the level of starch content in algae. The study focused on the unicellular red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae and researchers demonstrated that starch content could be dramatically increased in […]
In Lithuania, scientists of Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) are developing methods for producing concrete without cement, using industrial waste – fly ash. The final product is as strong as the traditional concrete, is more resilient to damaging effects of acid, and more stable in cases of expose to extreme heat and cold. In order […]
In Alabama, Auburn University researchers are leading a $2 million U.S. Department of Energy project that promises to improve fuel efficiency and economy. The project will create a bio-based fuel additive that can be blended with diesel fuel to reduce soot and greenhouse gas emissions and yield cleaner engine operation in cold-weather conditions. Joining as […]
In Israel, nominated by the Council of Finnish Academies, Senior Vice President of Technology at Neste, Dr. Lars Peter Lindfors and his team have been awarded with the Eric and Sheila Samson Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation in Alternative Fuels for Transportation. This is a globally highly recognized prize for innovation in the field. The […]
In Colorado, though algal biofuels are a more sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, there remains room to improve the production of the algae used to create them. Researchers at Colorado State University are leading a $2.1 million project that aims to increase algae yield by improving carbon dioxide utilization. The three-year project is part of […]
In Australia, University of Queensland researchers have stabilized biocatalyst enzymes that used to fall apart outside the body and at high temperatures so that they don’t do that anymore, which can be useful for carrying out chemical transformations under industrial conditions, such as producing biofuels. They made more heat tolerant and stronger versions of two […]
