Category: Research

Aalto University and VTT team on bioeconomy flagship program

Aalto University and VTT team on bioeconomy flagship program

August 30, 2018 |

In Finland, Aalto University and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland signed a collaboration agreement on the CERES flagship program and took a concrete step towards a joint innovation ecosystem in the field of bioeconomy. The aim is to develop materials from renewable resources in order to safeguard a sustainable future. The Academy of Finland […]

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EU-funded ZYBIOM project discovers enzymes that can double amount of glucose from wood

EU-funded ZYBIOM project discovers enzymes that can double amount of glucose from wood

August 29, 2018 |

In France, by studying a particular fungus, scientists in the EU-funded ZYBIOM project have discovered a family of enzymes that can double the amount of glucose extracted from wood. Although biofuels are the most immediate application, as their production from glucose is already well understood, the new enzymes could also have a part to play […]

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South Dakota Mines researcher gets $2.16 million DOE biorefinery grant

South Dakota Mines researcher gets $2.16 million DOE biorefinery grant

August 28, 2018 |

In South Dakota, an associate professor in the chemical and biological engineering department at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology has received a $2.16 million grant from the Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office to research and demonstrate cost-effective ways to turn waste from biorefineries, such as ethanol plants, into valuable products. The […]

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Researcher warns runaway seaweed taking over the Caribbean but could be good biofuel feedstock

Researcher warns runaway seaweed taking over the Caribbean but could be good biofuel feedstock

August 27, 2018 |

In Mexico, Xinhua news agency reports that a researcher from the National Autonomous University of Mexico has warned climate change over the last decade has led Sargassum seaweed to invade beaches around the Caribbean, creating a threat to local ecosystems, but at the same time some believe the plant could be a good feedstock for […]

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Study shows where MLG production magic happens within grass cell walls

Study shows where MLG production magic happens within grass cell walls

August 26, 2018 |

In Washington, D.C., the U.S. Department of Energy announced new findings that help maximize mixed-linkage glucan production which is helpful for biofuel refineries that depend on glucose from grasses as feedstock. MLG is found within the cell wall of grasses and is a source of glucose that can be converted to biofuels and bioproducts. Researchers […]

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Saudi researchers looking at methanol-DME to ensure compatibility with future engines

Saudi researchers looking at methanol-DME to ensure compatibility with future engines

August 23, 2018 |

In Saudi Arabia, highly fuel-efficient new engine designs could significantly reduce the environmental impact of vehicles, especially if the engines run on renewable nonpetroleum-based fuels. Ensuring these unconventional fuels are compatible with next-generation engines was the aim of a new computational study on fuel ignition behavior at King Abdullah University of Science & Technology. The […]

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UK researchers say seawater can be used for ethanol production

UK researchers say seawater can be used for ethanol production

August 22, 2018 |

In the UK, researchers from the University of Nottingham have found that seawater can replace freshwater to produce the sustainable fuel Bioethanol, reducing the need to drain precious resources. The study – ‘The establishment of a marine focused biorefinery for bioethanol production using seawater and a novel marine yeast strain’ – has been published in […]

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Delaware researchers develop two-step process to increase CO2 electrolysis

Delaware researchers develop two-step process to increase CO2 electrolysis

August 21, 2018 |

In Delaware, team of researchers at the University of Delaware’s Center for Catalytic Science and Technology (CCST) has discovered a novel two-step process to increase the efficiency of carbon dioxide (CO2) electrolysis, a chemical reaction driven by electrical currents that can aid in the production of valuable chemicals and fuels. Whereas direct CO2 electrolysis is […]

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Joint Genome Institute researching terpenes as biofuel precursors

Joint Genome Institute researching terpenes as biofuel precursors

August 20, 2018 |

In California, from the distinct smell of eucalyptus to the flavor of wine, terpenes are ubiquitous. A diverse group of plant-produced organic compounds, terpenes play key roles in plant growth, defense, and environmental interactions. Terpenes are also economically important because of their use in industrial materials, pharmaceutical products, and as biofuel precursors. Collectively, hundreds of […]

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ODU algae research aims to fuel bioeconomy

ODU algae research aims to fuel bioeconomy

August 18, 2018 |

In Virginia, researchers from the Batten College of Engineering and Technology at Old Dominion University discovered a proprietary process that can make algae applications scalable for commercialization through partnerships with the private sector. The technology involves extracting the proteins from algae in a scalable and inexpensive way to make it viable for industrial use, as […]

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