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'Smart' process may boost economics of biofuel production
June 08, 2009PNNL's 1-step method converts cellulose into chemical feedstock for fuels and plastic
Researchers at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory believe they've identified a simpler way to generate biofuels - a one-step process to convert cellulose found in plant material and other biomass into a chemical that can serve as a precursor to make fuels and plastics. A simpler process means scientists can provide alternatives to economists and investors who are looking to make smart decisions about biofuel production as fossil fuel resources become more limited.
On Monday, June 8, at the North American Meeting of the Catalysis Society, PNNL scientist David King will discuss recent work with copper and chromium chlorides in an ionic liquid called [EMIM]Cl. These recyclable catalyst components work more effectively in tandem to break down cellulose into glucose -- and then convert the glucose into HMF, or 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, in a one-step process.
This single-step process avoids the hurdles of current multi-step approaches, and provides for the possibility of a cost effective HMF synthesis from cellulose.
DOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
This single-step process avoids the hurdles of current multi-step approaches, and provides for the possibility of a cost effective HMF synthesis from cellulose.
DOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Biofuel Production Current Events and Biofuel Production News RSSPopping the cork on biofuel agriculture
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have identified a novel enzyme responsible for the formation of suberin - the woody, waxy, cell-wall substance found in cork.
Strategy outlined for growing bioenergy while protecting wildlife
A study described in the October issue of BioScience identifies diverse native prairie as holding promise for yielding bioenergy feedstocks while minimizing harm to wildlife.
Biofuel production could undercut efforts to shrink Gulf 'Dead Zone'
Scientists in Pennsylvania report that boosting production of crops used to make biofuels could make a difficult task to shrink a vast, oxygen-depleted "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico more difficult.
High-res view of zinc transport protein
How much difference can a tenth of a nanometer make? When it comes to figuring out how proteins work, an improvement in resolution of that miniscule amount can mean the difference between seeing where atoms are and understanding how they interact.
Plants on steroids: Key missing link discovered
Researchers at the Carnegie Institution's Department of Plant Biology have discovered a key missing link in the so-called signaling pathway for plant steroid hormones (brassinosteroids).
Fungal map of mutations key to increasing enzyme production for bioenergy use
In half a century, one fungus has gone from being the bane of the Army quartermasters' existence in the Pacific to industry staple and someday, as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's mission to promote national energy security through clean, renewable energy development, a biofuel producers' best friend.
Reject watermelons -- the newest renewable energy source
Watermelon juice can be a valuable source of biofuel. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Biotechnology for Biofuels have shown that the juice of reject watermelons can be efficiently fermented into ethanol.
University of Minnesota researchers discover breakthrough method for chemical separations
A team of researchers, led by chemical engineering and materials science professor Michael Tsapatsis in the University of Minnesota's Institute of Technology, have developed a more energy-efficient method of chemical separations that could revolutionize processes in the petrochemical and biofuels industries.
New method uses electrolyzed water for more efficient fuel production
Using electrolyzed water rather than harsh chemicals could be a more effective and environmentally friendly method in the pretreatment of ethanol waste products to produce an acetone-butanol-ethanol fuel mix, according to research conducted at the University of Illinois.
11 leading national experts reach consensus on beneficial biofuels
"Done right," biofuels can be produced in large quantities and have multiple benefits, but only if they come from feedstocks produced with low life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions, as well as minimal competition with food production.
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The Biofuel Delusion: The Fallacy of Large Scale Agro-Biofuel Production by Mario Giampietro (Author), Kozo Mayumi (Author) Faced with the twin threats of peak oil and climate change, many governments have turned for an answer to the apparent panacea of biofuels. Yet, increasingly, the progressive implementation of this solution demonstrates that the promise of biofuels as a replacement to fossil fuels is in fact a mirage that, if followed, risks leaving us short of power, short of food, destroying biodiversity and doing as much damage to the climate as ever. Worse still, these risks are being ignored. In this definitive exposé, Mario Giampietro and Kozo Mayumi present exhaustive evidence for the case against large scale biofuel production from agricultural crops. The book begins by showing that the characteristics of agro-biofuels make them neither a viable nor a desirable alternative to fossil... |
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Biofuels Business by Sosland Publishing Company |
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Seaweed Biofuels: Production of Biogas and Bioethanol from Brown Macroalgae by Svein Jarle Horn (Author) Our modern society?s high dependence on fossil fuels is problematic because of climate change, energy security and depletion of finite energy resources. There is currently a strong demand to develop biofuels as a sustainable alternative. However, food and biofuel production may compete for the same crop land. Thus, the focus should be on ?second generation? biofuels which are produced from non- food biomass. In this regard cultivation of seaweeds as an energy crop has a great potential. This book shows how bioethanol and biogas can be produced from brown seaweeds using fermentation and anaerobic degradation processes. The potential of large scale cultivation of macroalgae for biofuel production is discussed, and ideas for future research are presented. The... |
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Biofuels: Production, Application and Development (Cabi) by Alan Scragg (Author) Providing the world's growing population with its increasing demands for energy is a major challenge for science, business and society alike. Energy can be generated from many sources, but not all sources are suitable for every application. Much of today's technology has been built on solid, liquid and gaseous fuels derived from fossil sources. However, the supply of these is finite and their combustion produces carbon dioxide, one of the gases responsible for global warming. Therefore, alternative sources of energy are required which are renewable, sustainable and carbon neutral. This textbook explores the production of biofuels as alternatives to fossil fuels, focusing on the technological issues that need to be addressed for any new fuel source. Each type of biofuel currently in... |
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Water Implications of Biofuels Production in the United States by Committee on Water Implications of Biofuels Production in the United States (Author), National Research Council (Author) |
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Ethanol and Biofuels: Production, Standards and Potential (Renewable Energy: Research, Development and Policies) by Wesley P. Leland (Editor) Biofuels have significant roles in a variety of international issues, including: mitigation of carbon emissions levels and oil prices, the 'food vs fuel' debate, deforestation and soil erosion, impact on water resources, and energy balance and efficiency. The use of biofuels reduces dependence on petroleum and enhances energy security. Also, unlike fossil fuels, which return carbon that was stored beneath the surface for millions of years into the atmosphere, biofuels can produce energy without causing a net increase of atmospheric carbon. This is because as new plants are grown to produce fuel, they remove the same amount of CO2 from the atmosphere as they will release as fuel. Some studies have found that certain crops may produce more harmful greenhouse gases than CO2, indicating that... |
![World crop residues production and implications of its use as a biofuel [An article from: Environment International]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51QY2BJNG1L._SL160_.jpg) |
World crop residues production and implications of its use as a biofuel [An article from: Environment International] by R. Lal (Author) This digital document is a journal article from Environment International, published by Elsevier in 2005. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser. Description: Reducing and off-setting anthropogenic emissions of CO"2 and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) are important strategies of mitigating the greenhouse effect. Thus, the need for developing carbon (C) neutral and renewable sources of energy is more than ever before. Use of crop residue as a possible source of feedstock for bioenergy production must be critically and objectively assessed because of its positive impact on soil C sequestration, soil quality maintenance and ecosystem functions. The amount of crop... |
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Biofuels Production by Inc. First Research (Author) The US biofuels industry includes about 200 companies with combined annual revenue of about $3 billion. Major companies include BP, Cargill, and Chevron. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE Demand is driven by federal legislation and regulations that establish a government-mandated market for biofuels. The profitability of biofuel production facilities depends on prices of gas and diesel, which fluctuate based on world petroleum demand and domestic refinery utilization. Economies of scale in ethanol production are limited due to the transportation costs associated with gathering feedstocks (corn and other biomasses) and transporting the ethanol to blending sites. As a result, large companies operate multiple production facilities. Small companies can compete effectively by developing... | |
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Agriculture as Energy? The wisdom of biofuels.(AGRICULTURE)(ethanol fuel production): An article from: Harvard International Review by John Ferris (Author) This digital document is an article from Harvard International Review, published by Harvard International Relations Council, Inc. on June 22, 2009. The length of the article is 4433 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser. Citation Details Title: Agriculture as Energy? The wisdom of biofuels.(AGRICULTURE)(ethanol fuel production) Author: John Ferris Publication: Harvard International Review (Magazine/Journal) Date: June 22, 2009 Publisher: Harvard International Relations Council, Inc. Volume: 31 Issue: 2 Page: 44(6) Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage... | |
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Integrated Biomass Supply and Logistics: a modeling environment for designing feedstock supply systems for biofuel production.: An article from: Resource: ... & Technology for a Sustainable World by Shahab Sokhansanj (Author), Anthony Turhollow (Author), Erin Wilkerson (Author) This digital document is an article from Resource: Engineering & Technology for a Sustainable World, published by American Society of Agricultural Engineers on September 1, 2008. The length of the article is 1799 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser. Citation Details Title: Integrated Biomass Supply and Logistics: a modeling environment for designing feedstock supply systems for biofuel production. Author: Shahab Sokhansanj Publication: Resource: Engineering & Technology for a Sustainable World (Magazine/Journal) Date: September 1, 2008 Publisher: American Society of Agricultural Engineers Volume: 15 Issue: 6... |
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