In China, the Bureau of Energy, MOEA has been funding long-term R&D on biofuel, and new biofuel technology has successfully been developed. The project, entitled “Carbon loss-free cellulose butanol production technology” won the 2013 R&D 100 Awards. This technology has the potential to have significant influence on biofuel research and industries around the world.
In Tennessee, a biodiesel contamination detector has been developed by researchers at the University of Tennessee to protect jet fuel engines from operational issues and flameout if biodiesel contamination levels are too high. At high levels, biodiesel can impact thermal stability and the freezing point of jet fuel. The detector is field-ready and portable, and […]
In Florida, researchers at the University of Florida are studying how nitrogen starvation stress induces lipid accumulation in green algae, also called chlorella.Their findings, described online this month in the journal Planta, show that lipid accumulation in algal cells begins just hours after they are starved of nitrogen – not days, as scientists previously believed. They […]
In South Carolina, researchers at Clemson University are studying how to free up the carbohydrates in switchgrass and waste paper. The work involves identifying the right bacteria and fungi and the right enzymes that will break down the carbohydrates and xylans to release plant sugars. The research aims to reduce the expense of making ethanol […]
In Washington, Ethanol Across America released a new white paper authored by the Chair of the Technical Committee for the Urban Air Initiative that says that mid-level ethanol blends can provide far better environmental and health benefits than those currently modeled by the EPA. The paper attacks claims made by the EPA that E30 is […]
In Florida, lipid accumulation in algal cells begins only hours after they are starved of nitrogen, according to a new study from the University of Florida’s horticultural sciences department. The findings, which also found that 30% of lipids produced under nitrogen stress occurred as the membrane began to degrade inside each cell, has altered the […]
In Illinois, scientists working at the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility are looking to nature’s catalysts, enzymes, for inspiration in their quest to find a more effective means of converting biomass into renewable fuel. The research is aimed at inedible plant materials that contain cellulose (such as wood chips and switchgrass), which can be broken down into […]
In Mexico, researchers at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México have built a pilot plant to produce biodiesel from used cooking oil collected from restaurants. The biodiesel will be used in Mexico City’s public transport system. Included in the project is also the country’s first laboratory capable of testing the quality of not only the […]
In Canada, Genome Prairie has mapped the genome of camelina sativa that will help researchers further enhance and develop the crop to improve biofuel and co-product production. Key research areas include improved drought and pest resistance as well as increased yields.
In Spain, the University of Sevilla and University of Cordoba have patented bacterium capable of producing biodiesel more efficiently and cleaner than currently done with higher yields. The researchers investigated microorganisms found in ham curing and fish canning factories to determine which enzymes had the best capacity to process fats into biodiesel.
