The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy have jointly selected 11 biobased fuels research projects to receive $8.3 million in funding grants. According to a USDA release, the projects will include “looking into new ways to develop cordgrass, rice and switchgrass in renewable energy sources.” Grant recipients include: * University of Minnesota, $715,000 * South Dakota State University, $420,000 * …
Plant Materials Key to Bioenergy
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is on the forefront of developing plants that could be used as future energy sources through the NRCS Plant Materials Program. National Program leader for Plant Materials Bob Escheman says that is part of their mission to solve resource concerns. “The Plant Material program began back in the middle ‘30s when the Soil Conservation Service …
Another Cellulosic Breakthrough
Cornell University researchers have reportedly discovered a class of plant enzymes that potentially could allow plant materials used to make ethanol to be broken down more efficiently than is possible using current technologies. According to Jocelyn Rose, Cornell assistant professor of plant biology, the breakthrough could make the production of cellulosic ethanol less expensive. “The bottleneck for conversion of lignocellulose …
Corn Pores Hold Ethanol Promise
Purdue University researchers are opening the pores of corn to try and increase ethanol yield. According to a Purdue news release, researchers have discovered that particles from cornstalks undergo previously unknown structural changes when processed to produce ethanol, an insight they said will help establish a viable method for large-scale production of ethanol from plant matter. Their research demonstrates that …
Ethanol from Carbon Monoxide
A New Zealand technology company has secured $3.5 million in private venture capital to develop ethanol from carbon monoxide. LanzaTech is getting the funding from Khosla Ventures and two existing New Zealand-based investors. According to a news release, this funding will support further technology development, establishing a pilot plant, engineering work to prepare for commercial-scale ethanol production and positions the …
Robotic Ethanol Research
A robotic arm is providing a helping hand for USDA researchers doing cellulosic ethanol research. The one-armed robot is helping scientists with the Agricultural Research Service in Peoria, Illinois speed studies aimed at harnessing the power of proteins for industrial uses, such as making fuel ethanol from fibrous corn stover. According to an ARS article, the robotic system can carry …
DOE Funds ADM-Purdue Project
A joint bioenergy project of Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) and Purdue University has been selected to receive funding by the U.S. Department of Energy to further the commercialization of cellulosic ethanol. According to a news release, the project is focused on commercializing the use of highly-efficient yeast which converts cellulosic materials into ethanol through fermentation. The development of improved …
More Uses for Biodiesel By-products
While animal feed products from the production of ethanol have caught most of the attention, researchers are looking at finding more uses for the by-products of biodiesel. According to this article posted on posted on ThePoultrySite.com, Iowa State University and the USDA’s Agricultural Research Services are looking at using glycerin in poultry and swine feed: “With an increase in biodiesel …
USDA Ethanol Enzyme Research
USDA Agricultural Research Service scientists at the Eastern Regional Research Center in Wyndmoor, Pa., are investigating ways to avoid overburdening the corn market as ethanol production expands. Researchers David Johnston and Kevin Hicks are investigating new processes using protease enzymes from microbial and fungal sources to make ethanol more efficiently. Working with Vijay Singh, an agricultural engineer at the University …
Military Bio-Trash Becomes Biofuel
Interesting little article for a vet like me popped up in the International Herald-Tribune. According to the story, Richard Gross, a chemistry professor at Polytechnic University in New York is working on making plastics out of plant oils… and that plastic packaging would be used by the military and then converted to biodiesel out in the field: The process does …