In Illinois, using seawater, electricity and carbon dioxide (CO2), Northwestern University scientists have developed a new carbon-negative building material. As Earth’s climate continues to warm, researchers around the globe are exploring ways to capture CO2 from the air and store it deep underground. While this approach has multiple climate benefits, it does not maximize the […]
In Illinois, scientists have spent decades genetically modifying the bacterium Escherichia coli and other microbes to convert carbon dioxide into useful biological products. Most methods require additional carbon sources, however, adding to the cost. A new study overcomes this limitation by combining the photosynthetic finesse of a single-celled algae with the production capabilities of the […]
In Tennessee, scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Cincinnati achieved a breakthrough in understanding the vulnerability of microbes to the butanol they produce during fermentation of plant biomass. The discovery could pave the way for more efficient production of domestic fuels, chemicals and materials. The team used […]
In Ohio, the University of Cincinnati (UC) reported that the Environmental News Network and several science and industry trade outlets highlighted a research partnership between the University of Cincinnati and U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory to improve the production of biofuel. In a study published in the journal Langmuir, researchers reported on […]
In Canada, Simon Fraser University’s SFU’s School of Sustainable Energy Engineering (SEE) program and Corix – the company that designed, built, owns and operates the Renewable Energy Center biomass plant on Burnaby Mountain – have embarked on a four-year research collaboration aimed at measuring the quality of locally-sourced wood waste and the plant’s performance to […]
In Germany, Carbon2Chem, a collaborative project coordinated by thyssenkrupp in close cooperation with the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion (MPI CEC) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT, is now entering its third phase. The research initiated in 2016 is working to answer one overarching question: How can blast […]
In New Jersey, a groundbreaking study on the synthesis of cellulose — a major constituent of all plant cell walls — a team has captured images of the microscopic process of cell-wall building continuously over 24 hours with living plant cells, providing critical insights that may lead to the development of more robust plants for […]
In Michigan, a team of researchers from the University of Michigan is working on a new way to treat that wastewater while capturing CO₂ and creating useful products, like green fuels and chemicals. When biodiesel is made, fats from things like vegetable oil, animal fat, or used cooking grease are turned into fuel through a […]
In Colorado, NREL researchers seek new understandings of microbial pathways and biophysical processes in microbes and plants, and microbial consortia, to enable scale up of biomass conversion processes from bench to pilot scale. Enabling the production of cost competitive biofuels, biochemicals, and biomaterials depends on the successful characterization and complementary engineering of plants and microbes. […]
In China, CGTN reported that a group of Chinese researchers has synthesized a novel bio-based polyester nanocomposite with impressive, comprehensive performance and reprocessability, according to a recent research article published in the journal Nano-Micro Letters. Renewable bio-based materials show promise in replacing traditional plastics, offering an eco-friendly solution to the global energy crisis and environmental […]
