In Washington, the U.S. Department of Energy announced up to $3 million in funding for advanced biofuels, bioenergy, and biobased products available through the Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI). DOE has selected two projects from the University of Tennessee and Northwestern University that will receive between $1 million to $2 million each. Integrating science […]
In the Philippines, researchers from University of the Philippines and Hiroshima University in Japan conducted a study that focused on ethanol production from macroalgae using only enzymatic treatment for saccharification of algal biomass. This involved the isolation and identification of cellulase and laminarinase-producing microorganisms from mangrove area in the Philippines and production of partially purified […]
In Colorado, Robert McCormick, who earned his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Wyoming and joined NREL nearly 17 years ago, has been elevated to senior research fellow. Along with other current research fellows, these individuals will advise NREL executive management on the strategic direction of science and technology research and ensure NREL’s […]
In Germany, as part of the international STORE&GO research project, opening ceremonies were held Wednesday for the methanization plant expansion to the existing power-to-gas facility in Falkenhagen. While the current facility feeds pure hydrogen (so-called “WindGas”) directly into the gas grid, the new methanation plant provides for the generation of “green” methane. In this second […]
In New York state, a simple genetic modification can triple the grain number of sorghum, a drought-tolerant plant that is an important source of food, animal feed, and biofuel in many parts of the world. In new research reported in Nature Communications, scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have figured out how that genetic […]
In India, the Times of India reports that researchers at the Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Institute have developed a method to extract potash from vinasse in an effort to help reduce the toxic waste streams of sugarcane processing and ethanol production. Roughly 8-15 liters of vinasse are produced from every liter of ethanol produced, […]
In Japan, researchers at Japan’s Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute found a way to produce an alcoholic drink made from wood and hope to have their “wood alcohol” on shelves within three years. Using similar wood fermentation as what is used to produce biofuel, they were able to remove toxins and make it flavorful. […]
In Finland, a research group from the University of Turku, Finland, has discovered an efficient way for transforming solar energy into the chemical energy of biohydrogen through the photosynthesis of green algae that function as cell factories. The researchers at the University of Turku decided to apply the knowledge retrieved from the basic research on […]
In Pennsylvania, researchers at Penn State have identified the major steps in the process as well as the tools used by plant cells to create cellulose, including proteins that transport critical components to the location where cellulose is made. A paper describing the study appears online the week of March 26, in the journal Proceedings of […]
In Brazil, important knowledge of the different biological mechanisms behind the control and production of hydrolytic enzymes specifically by fungi has been garnered by a group of researchers at the University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in São Paulo State, Brazil, partnering with colleagues from the National Bioethanol Science & Technology Laboratory (CTBE), which belongs to the […]
