In Virginia, researchers at Virginia Tech researchers have discovered an enzyme mixture that works in the presence of the toxic infused liquid biomass (hydrolysate), meaning that the detoxification step is unnecessary, reducing the cost of producing biofuels as well as increasing biofuel yields by avoiding the production of by-products and synthesis of cell mass. “Enzymes […]
In Tennessee, a research team at the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Georgia Tech and Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a strain of switchgrass that produces about 33 percent more ethanol than conventional switchgrass. The key – decreasing the presence of lignin by one-eighth – thereby reducing the strain’s resistance – or recalcitrance – to […]
In California, SG Biofuels and Brookhaven National Laboratory released results of a study revealing that crude Jatropha oil can be blended with residual oil without any problems in separation or modifications to existing burners. Testing also reveals that crude Jatropha oil has less than 3 percent of the sulfur content of typical heating oil resulting […]
In Tennessee, a researcher and his students at Austin Peay State University have produced molecular hydrogen from glycerol using the bacterium Enterobacter aerogenes. They say the conversion process is ready for practical application. What’s the big deal? Higher biodiesel production puts excess glycerol on the market – meanwhile, affordable, renewable sources of hydrogen are generally […]
In Colorado, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has conducted its first B20 quality survey conducted in which the samples were held against ASTM D7467, the B6 to B20 blend specifications and with good results. Samples were taken from retail outlets during the December 2009/January 2010 timeframe, and 75% of them were obtained from regions NREL […]
In New York, Rochester Institute of Technology researchers are working on using wastewater to grow algae for biodiesel. The process cleans wastewater by consuming nitrates and phosphates while reducing both bacteria and toxins in the water. The algae can then be used to produce biodiesel. The researchers are Jeff Lodge, associate professor of biological sciences […]
In Illinois, a new study from the University of Illinois shows that between 600 and 900 million metric tons of biomass—including that grown land currently enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program— could be produced in 2030 at a price of $140 per metric ton (in 2007 dollars) while still meeting demand for food with current […]
In Illinois, Chromatin announced that its sorghum hybrids outperformed biomass sorghum and sweet sorghum hybrids from public, private, and commercial sorghum collections. A number of Chromatin’s sorghum materials generated more fermentable sugar per acre than most of the competitors. “These tests show that our biomass has a combination of qualities that are high priority for […]
Waste Management has released its 2010 corporate sustainability report, “From Waste to Resources,” as part of its commitment to report progress on the company’s environmental performance. Among the 2020 goals set by WM are to double waste-based energy production, and to triple the volume of recyclables to more than 20 million tons. More on the […]
In Brazil, UNICA is reporting that overall crushing in the 2010/2011 sugarcane harvest in South-Central Brazil has reached 556.19 million tons, an year-on-year increase of 2.63%. Sugar production increased 16.86%, while ethanol production is up 7% to 6.7 billion gallons ( 25.34 billion liters). Antonio de Padua Rodrigues, Technical Director at UNICA, said that production […]
