In Illinois, four new studies from the University of Illinois explore chemical-free pretreatment methods, development of high-throughput phenotyping methods, and commercial-scale techno-economic feasibility of producing fuel from energycane in various scenarios. The studies are part of the ROGUE (Renewable Oil Generated with Ultra-productive Energycane) project at U of I. ROGUE focuses on bioengineering accumulation of […]
In Texas, bioplastics—biodegradable plastics made from biological substances rather than petroleum—can be created in a more economical and environmentally friendly way from the byproducts of corn stubble, grasses and mesquite agricultural production, according to a new study by a Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientist. This new approach involves a “plug-in” preconditioning process, a simple adjustment […]
In Illinois, for decades, researchers have been working toward mitigating excess atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. One promising approach captures atmospheric CO2 and then, through CO2 electrolysis, converts it into value-added chemicals and intermediates–like ethanol, ethylene, and other useful chemicals. While significant research has been devoted to improving the rate and selectivity of CO2 electrolysis, […]
In Germany, Technical University of Munich researchers found that water in zeolites saves energy in the conversion of biomass into biofuel by taking a closer look at the role of water molecules in reactions inside zeolite’s pores, which are less than one nanometer in size. “If we are to do without fossil energy sources in […]
In Washington, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded $45.5 million for research projects geared towards understanding and harnessing nature’s biological processes to produce clean biofuels and bioproducts. This research will push the boundaries of biology and biotechnology research, while helping to enhance America’s energy security and build its clean energy economy. Awardees will pursue […]
In China, for more than 60 years, algae have been studied as a potential feedstock for biofuel production, but the cellulose in their cell wall makes it hard to access the critical molecules inside and convert them to biogas. In the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, an international research team reports their success in […]
In Washington, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) announced $8 million in federal funding for four projects to develop and test technologies that capture and utilize carbon dioxide (CO2) from power systems or other industrial sources to create valuable products and services, biomass and bi-products. Using algae, the […]
In Massachusetts, to try to expand biofuels’ potential impact, a team of MIT engineers has now found a way to expand the use of a wider range of nonfood feedstocks to produce such fuels. At the moment, feedstocks such as straw and woody plants are difficult to use for biofuel production because they first need to […]
In Brazil, Good Food Institute Brazil’s Biomas Project will allocate up to $27,500 (R$135,000) to each research project that transforms native Amazon and Cerrado plant species, such as babaçu and macaúba, into raw materials for the alternative protein industry. The deadline to apply is July 13. In Brazil, a new species of fauna and flora […]
In Colorado, NREL and Sempra Energy are now leveraging a decade of successful collaborative work to target global carbon neutrality. NREL and Sempra Energy’s cooperative, multiyear projects exploring low-carbon fuels and microgrid technology have reaped success—including some groundbreaking achievements. In 2013, Sempra Energy subsidiary San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) and NREL established the […]
