In Delaware, a doctoral student in chemical and biomolecular engineering at the University of Delaware, has been running experiments with zeolites in UD’s Colburn Lab. He wants to see if a special kind of this porous material can unlock new pathways to cleaner, greener chemical reactions. A typical zeolite is made up primarily of aluminum, […]
In California, National Renewable Energy Laboratory researchers can accurately predict reaction rates and optimal conditions for making biofuels. Their secret? Complex math to sketch the intricate chemistry and physics that drive catalytic fast pyrolysis. Small changes to the design of catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) reactors can lead to big fluctuations in the quality and quantity […]
In South Korea, Korea Petroleum Management Service has secured biodiesel production technology using insect resources (Dongae, etc.). With the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs since 2018, the Korea Petroleum Management Service succeeded in developing a technology to convert promising industrial insect resources into biodiesel through joint research with Green Tech, […]
In Japan, scientists from the Institute of Science and Engineering at Kanazawa University have developed new solvent mixtures to break down the tough structure of plant cellulose for the production of bioethanol. These new solvents work under mild conditions, have reduced toxicity and are more environmentally friendly compared with currently available solvents. This work may […]
In Brazil, Agência FAPESP reports researchers at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil have found an enzyme from the Amazon fungus Trichoderma harzianum to be capable of breaking down biomass. Fungi of the genus Trichoderma are present in most soil types and are the most prevalent culturable fungi. The researchers characterized the enzyme, […]
In Alabama, researchers at Auburn University were recently granted nearly $500,000 from the Department of Energy-Fossil Energy to produce hydrogen energy that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and waste plastics problems. To produce this hydrogen energy, researchers will blend a coal, plastic and biomass mixture to be gasified and turned into hydrogen energy. The coal […]
In California, Scientists at Stanford University and the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory made a new catalyst, based on nickel atoms, that works with either heat or electricity and accelerates a reaction for turning carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide – the first step in making fuels and useful chemicals from CO2. Their work […]
In New York state, scientists from Brookhaven National Laboratory studying the biochemistry of plant cell walls have identified an enzyme that could turn woody poplar trees into a source for producing a major industrial chemical. The research, just published in Nature Plants, could lead to a new sustainable pathway for making “p-hydroxybenzoic acid,” a chemical […]
In Ohio, growing pennycress—often called stinkweed—as a crop requires less fertilizer and fewer pesticides than other plants that can be used to make renewable jet fuel, according to a new study from researchers at Ohio State University. Pennycress also requires fewer farm operations, such as soil tilling, than other potential biofuel crops, reducing the associated […]
In Alaska, kelp is plentiful in remote, coastal Alaska. Fuel is not. And it’s expensive. Many isolated communities rely on diesel generators for energy because they are not connected to pipelines or the electrical grid. But diesel is expensive since it must be barged or flown in. In search of a cheaper, sustainable fuel, researchers […]
