Category: Research

USDA announces funding for sustainable bioenergy projects in 25 states

[ 0 ] April 13, 2011 | admin

In Georgia, the USDA announced funding for projects during the 16th 1890 Biennial Research Symposium in Atlanta. The project will focus on crop protection for sustainable feedstock production systems, enhanced value co-product development, and carbon sequestration and sustainable bioenergy production. Projects were funded in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, […]

Canada's GRDI, Ontario province fighting poplar, wheat rust

[ 0 ] April 12, 2011 | admin

In Canada, researchers funded by Genome BC, Natural Resource Canada’s Genomics Research and Development Initiative and the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation are working to identify genes that control how rust fungi infect plants and hosts, and which genes in the host can help fight rusts. These efforts will help end-users in the agriculture […]

ADM gives $1.5M to Purdue towards agricultural innovation

[ 0 ] April 11, 2011 | admin

In Illinois, Archer Daniels Midland announced today a $1.5 million gift to Purdue University for the construction of the ADM Agricultural Innovation Center. Totaling 27,000 square feet, the ADM Center will provide enhanced classroom and laboratory space, allowing for more advanced research work. Construction of the ADM Agricultural Innovation Center is scheduled to begin in […]

Boeing, Yale partner on landmark jatropha study

[ 0 ] April 8, 2011 | admin

In Seattle, Boeing released research conducted by Yale University’s School of Environmental Studies showing significant potential for sustainable aviation fuel based on jatropha-curcas, an oil-producing, non-edible plant. The study shows that, if cultivated properly, jatropha can deliver strong environmental and socioeconomic benefits in Latin America and greenhouse gas reductions of up to 60 percent when […]

Algal biodiesel, 20-year payback? New KSU study says so

[ 0 ] April 7, 2011 | admin

In Kansas, a new study from Kansas State University shows that commercial-scale algae biodiesel production pose a lot of scientific and economic challenges that may keep the technology from taking off. Using carbon mass balance, the study showed that from a purely technical standpoint, producing algae-based biodiesel in a sustainable way works — but not […]

Lignin breakthrough in new poplar research

[ 0 ] April 6, 2011 | admin

In California, a research team led by Mascoma co-founder Charles Wyman, concluded that sugar release from poplar trees increases dramatically when the tree has a high ratio of syringyl and guaiacyl, two lignin subunits. Further, the researchers found that certain poplar samples that produced unusually high sugar yields with no pretreatment. Reducing pretreatment would represent […]

Indirect Fuel Use Change affects biofuels emissions: new research

[ 0 ] April 5, 2011 | admin

In California, a new twist on the ILUC debate is the IFUC debate, or Indirect Fuel Use Change. The concept was launched late last year with some research from UC Berkeley and UCLA show that the net change in global fuel consumption due to biofuel policy mandates can have a significant impact on the net […]

UNICA projects increase in Brazilian sugarcane harvest

[ 0 ] April 4, 2011 | admin

In Brazil, the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA), projected a 2011/2012 sugarcane harvest of 568.50 million tons, up 2.11% from last year. UNICA is projecting that only five new mills will launch activities during the 2011/2012 harvest. That number is significantly lower than in recent years, the result of slower growth in the sugar-energy industry […]

Feedbackstat.com market survey on biofuels – earn $20 gift card for responding

[ 0 ] April 1, 2011 | admin

Feedbackstat.com is conducting market research to better understand the current market conditions of the biofuel industry. They write: “Your participation in this survey will help the biofuel industry move forward to reach its goals in the future. We would really appreciate your insight into these topics.The online survey will take about 10 minutes to complete. […]

NASA testing DC-8 with chicken-fat based renewable jet fuel

[ 0 ] March 31, 2011 | admin

In California, NASA’s Langley Research Center is working with researchers at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center near Edwards Air Force Base testing 8,000 gallons of Hydrotreated Renewable Jet Fuel—using chicken fat as a feedstock—on a NASA DC-8. The Air Force bought ‘many thousands of gallons’ of the fuel and gave some to NASA for their […]

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