In California, researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego, and the University of Cambridge, U.K., have 3D printed coral-inspired structures that are capable of growing dense populations of microscopic algae. The work, published April 9 in Nature Communications, could lead to the development of compact, more […]
In the UK, researchers have made a major breakthrough in developing gene-editing tools to improve our understanding of one of the most important ocean microbes on the planet. The international project, co-led by scientists at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in the UK, unlocks the potential of the largest untapped genetic resource for the […]
In Colorado, collaboration between the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and three other national laboratories has yielded new insight into the ability of bacteria to break down the hardy part of a plant known as lignin. The additional understanding of the process could open a path to industrial applications. The newly published research builds upon […]
In California, one strategy to make biofuels more competitive is to make plants do some of the work themselves. Scientists can engineer plants to produce valuable chemical compounds, or bioproducts, as they grow. Then the bioproducts can be extracted from the plant and the remaining plant material can be converted into fuel. When produced in […]
In Germany, German-Chinese Research Training Groups at the University of Hohenheim and the China Agricultural University in Beijing are looking for solutions for sustainable phosphorus use using the example of maize cultivation systems. If it is not possible to use the resource phosphorus more sustainably, mankind is heading for a serious crisis: phosphorus is irreplaceable […]
In Spain, research into the field of the bioeconomy and the search for waste valorization strategies, such as agricultural by-products, is the field of research for the BIOSAHE (a Spanish acronym of biofuels and energy-saving systems) research group at the University of Cordoba. They are now taking a step further: they aim to establish the […]
In Australia, the agave plant used to make tequila could be established in semi-arid Australia as an environmentally friendly solution to Australia’s transport fuel shortage, a team of researchers at the University of Sydney, University of Exeter and University of Adelaide has found. In an article published this week in the Journal of Cleaner Production, […]
In Colorado, for the past four years, researchers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have collaborated with other top U.S. scientists, engineers, and analysts on the Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines (Co-Optima) initiative. A new report summarizes findings from this first phase of the initiative, which has focused primarily on turbocharged (or “boosted”) spark-ignition […]
In the UK, Mazda is currently involved in joint research projects and studies as part of an ongoing industry-academia-government collaboration to promote the wide-spread adoption of biofuels from microalgae growth. As part of its ‘Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030’ long-term technology development program, the company is committed to reducing its average ‘Well-to-Wheel’ CO2 emissions to 50% of […]
In Washington, D.C., the Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines (Co-Optima) initiative released a report summarizing findings from the first phase of the Co-Optima research. The first three years of Co-Optima research focused on improved fuel/engine solutions by identifying fuel property impacts on engine efficiency, fuel blendstocks that are capable of providing those properties, and solutions […]
