In Michigan, Michigan State University reported that the U.S. Department of Energy has awarded the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC), another five years of funding to develop sustainable alternatives to gasoline, diesel and other hydrocarbon fuels as well as products currently made from petroleum. The center will receive $27.5 million for 2023 research. The […]
In China, artificial photosynthesis (AP), using sunlight to produce valuable chemicals and fuels from carbon dioxide (CO2), is a promising strategy to achieve solar energy storage as well as negative carbon cycle. However, artificial photosynthesis is quite complex and involves multiple sequential and parallel steps. What’s more, thermodynamically favorable C1 products can be produced from […]
In Wisconsin, the aboveground part of plants where microbes reside, or the phyllosphere, represents the largest environmental surface area on the plant. Much of this area is grown as cultivated agriculture, and understanding the interactions between plants and the microorganisms that live on their surfaces may help us develop agricultural management practices that can increase […]
In Japan, anybody who has ever enjoyed fresh crab legs or lobster tails can attest to how difficult it is to get through their tough shells. But instead of just throwing them away, researchers are “upcycling” these shells into porous, carbon-filled materials with a wide variety of uses. Now, a team reporting in ACS Omega […]
In Washington, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $590 million to renew its four existing Bioenergy Research Centers (BRCs). This funding will help support the Department’s research into the next generation of sustainable, cost-effective bioproducts and bioenergy from domestic biomass resources, which is critical to reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions, ensuring future energy security, […]
In California, it’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it. In this case, the “job” is the breakdown of lignin, the structural biopolymer that gives stems, bark and branches their signature woodiness. One of the most abundant terrestrial polymers on Earth, lignin surrounds valuable plant fibers and other molecules that could be converted […]
In Finland, the University of Helsinki reported that the Faculty of Educational Sciences has received a significant EU consortium grant under the Horizon Europe framework program for Colour4CRAFTS, a multidisciplinary project that combines the cultural tradition of dyes and textile dyeing with the development of novel dyeing techniques and biobased dyes. “Today’s consumers rarely give […]
In Australia, an international team of researchers at the University of Sydney and the University of Toronto has developed a new acid-based electrochemical process for the conversion of CO2 captured from emission sources or directly from air. The new method, published in Nature Synthesis, differs from previous CO2 conversion methods in that it uses an […]
In South Korea, in the fight against pollution, several regions in the U.S. have banned the use of plastic straws. Alternative materials exist, but most options are either too expensive to scale up, go limp in drinks or taste bad. But now, a team reporting in ACS Omega has developed a new type of bioplastic […]
In South Korea, a research team at the Clean Energy Research Center of Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) developed a green solvent that can completely replace conventional petrochemical-based solvents while maximizing the efficiency of biofuel production. The researchers announced that it is now possible to produce sustainable and economically secured biofuels. After screening […]
