In Spain, a Chilean researcher at the Institute of Ocean Sciences at CSIC in Barcelona has narrowed down three species of marine algae that are common in most parts of the world as ideal for biofuel feedstock. Using existing production methods for algae however is unviable because compared to fossil diesel, the biomass production requires […]
In New York, researchers at the Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed a mathematical model to analyze the metabolic processes of canola, especially in relation to how it produces oil in its seeds. The model was developed to help researchers optimize the production of plant oils and can model the potential effects of genetic modification.
In Washington, the USDA Agricultural Research Service has developed an inexpensive way to grade the ethanol potential of perennial grasses at the biorefinery’s loading dock. Researchers developed the first use of near-infrared sensing (NIRS) to measure 20 components in switchgrass biomass that determine its potential value to biorefiners. These components include cell wall sugars, soluble […]
In Washington, RFA Vice President Geoff Cooper took issue with the contention that US corn yields are rising because of, simply, increased fertilizer use. “Data from USDA show that 2010 application rates of the three common macronutrient fertilizers (nitrogen, potassium, and phosphate) were the same–or below—the application rates seen in the early 1980s. Thus, nitrogen application […]
In Virginia, a new study from the University of Virginia casts doubt over the environmental credentials of algae as feedstock for biofuel. Though less transportation energy is used when algae is a feedstock versus when switchgrass or other farmed biomass is a feedstock, algae requires much more energy and water for processing than other biomass. […]
In South Dakota, the North Central Regional Sun Grant Center is recommending four projects to the DOE to approve funding. The projects will involve using perennial grasses and woody perennials for the production of biofuel. One project in particular will examine the use of winter rye, which would be planted after the corn harvest and […]
US Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson will travel to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with the mayor of Philadelphia and representatives from US industry, government, academia and non-governmental organizations including, CH2MHILL, Morgan Stanley, Microsoft Corporation, Alcoa, the Rockefeller Foundation, Harvard University, C40 Cities and others to establish the United States-Brazil Joint Initiative on Urban […]
In Washington, the USDA released the latest World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates Report. The report outlined signnificant drops in projected corn production, owning to heat and rain conditions in the Corn Belt. “U.S. feed grain supplies for 2011/12 are projected lower this month,” the report comments, “with sharp drops in forecast corn and sorghum […]
In Germany, researchers at the Ruhr-Universität and a group from the Tokyo Institute of Technology have found a genetic switch in cyanobacteria, which when removed allows use of excess energy for biotechnological purposes, such as hydrogen production. Professor Roegner of Ruhr-Universität estimated, “This should make it possible to use at least 50% of the energy […]
In Texas, researchers from Rice University have developed a genetically modified e.coli bacteria that can produce butanol, from glucose and mineral salts, about 10 times faster than any previously reported organism. “Rather than going with the process nature uses to build fatty acids, we reversed the process that it uses to break them apart,” said […]
