In New Jersey, ExxonMobil broke ground on the expansion of its research facility which will focus on research and development for algae biofuel and carbon capture technologies. It is expected to be completed in 2019 and will include a new engine testing center, a lubricant research and development blend plant, and enhancements to existing facilities […]
In Saudi Arabia, Red Sea surgeonfish use metabolically diverse giant bacteria to digest different types of algae, according to new research. Not only do these findings explain the basis of surgeonfish diversity, but they may also provide a valuable genetic resource for biofuel research. An international team led by King Abdullah University of Science & […]
In the UK, researchers from the University of Liverpool have made a significant breakthrough in the direct conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) into liquid fuels and chemicals which could help industry to reduce greenhouse gas emissions whilst producing valuable chemical feedstocks. In a paper published in chemistry journal Angewandte Chemie they report […]
In Massachusetts, researchers from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution will develop a breeding program for sugar kelp–Saccharina latissima, one of the most commercially important species–using the latest gene sequencing and genomic resources for faster, more accurate and efficient selective breeding thanks to a $3.7 million ARPA-E grant. The breeding program will build a library of genetic […]
In Iowa, researchers at Ames Laboratory are working to reach the goal of deconstructing lignin commercially, experimenting with chemical reactions that decompose lignin models at low temperatures and pressures. There are already known ways of salvaging useful byproducts out of lignin through the addition of a stabilization process. But they took both the decomposition and […]
In Washington, researchers at Washington State University and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory discovered a method of converting algae biofuel waste product into a usable and valuable commodity. Waste is produced during the first step of converting algae to biofuels via hydrothermal liquefaction. The wastewater is usually hard to process because it has so many different […]
In California, working with the plant growth-promoting bacterium Pseudomonas simiae, researchers have identified 115 genes that negatively affect its ability to colonize a plant root system when mutated. A plant’s health and development is influenced by the complex community of microbes that surround it. By identifying the bacterial genes that can alter how well microbes […]
In Missouri, researchers at the Missouri University of Science and Technology have developed a small, modular skid-mounted biodiesel production facility ideal for smaller communities and towns to recycle used cooking oil. The system uses a supercritical process that eliminates salt, allowing it to concentrate the glycerin/water mixture and significantly reduce the amount of glycerin produced […]
In Canada, Agrisoma Biosciences Inc., is expanding its partnership with the University of Florida (UF) to advance the supply of bio jet fuel in the United States. The Quebec-based company and its subsidiary, Agrisoma USA, is working with a network of 40 academic researchers from seven Universities associated with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural […]
In South Dakota, camelina and carinata may be one stop closer to becoming economically viable biofuel feedstocks due to extracting a substance called glucosinolate. Researchers from South Dakota State University developed a means of extracting glucosinolate from the oilseed meal, which may lead to high-value uses for the chemical. The presence of glucosinolate limits the […]
