Researchers study how reflectivity of biofuel crops impacts climate
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Argonne National Laboratory have conducted a detailed study of the reflectivity effects of converting land to grow biofuel crops.
View ArticleFinland plans to phase out coal by 2030 (Update)
In a move to cut greenhouse gas emissions, Finland on Thursday announced plans to phase out coal within 14 years, cut oil imports by half and substantially increase the number of electric cars on the...
View ArticleCarbon dioxide conversion process may be adapted for biofuel synthesis
Using a novel approach involving a key enzyme that helps regulate global nitrogen, University of California, Irvine molecular biologists have discovered an effective way to convert carbon dioxide (CO2)...
View ArticleSpecies diversity reduces chances of crop failure in algal biofuel systems
When growing algae in outdoor ponds as a next-generation biofuel, a naturally diverse mix of species will help reduce the chance of crop failure, according to a federally funded study by University of...
View ArticleDecoded microbial metabolism explains biofuel yield
To unravel how intricate waste biomass converts to biofuels, a Cornell professor studied the bacterium Clostridium acetobutylicum to decipher its metabolism. Understanding the bacterium's...
View ArticleSwitchgrass may unlock the future of biofuel
If you live east of the Rocky Mountains, you've probably encountered switchgrass, perhaps without even realizing it. A hardy perennial, the roadside and prairie grass is as ubiquitous as it is unassuming.
View ArticleResearchers convert grass into biofuel
Researchers at Ghent University (Belgium, Europe) have developed a process that turns grass into biofuel.
View ArticleBacteria take a deadly risk to survive
Bacteria need mutations—changes in their DNA code—to survive under difficult circumstances. When necessary, they can even mutate at different speeds. This is shown in a recent study by the Centre of...
View ArticleLab-scale technology recycles wastewater into hydrogen for use in fuel...
"Electrical" bacteria are the key ingredient in a new process developed by the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory that recycles wastewater from biofuel production to generate...
View ArticleTeam demos potential environmental sustainability benefits in full life cycle...
Numerous studies have raised critical concerns about the promise of corn ethanol's ability to mitigate climate change and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Some of the studies have suggested that...
View ArticleCorn better used as food than biofuel, study finds
Corn is grown not only for food, it is also an important renewable energy source. Renewable biofuels can come with hidden economic and environmental issues, and the question of whether corn is better...
View ArticleFiring up your car with lipids
Sometimes, when a science experiment doesn't work out, unexpected opportunities open up.
View ArticleRegulating the indirect land use carbon emissions from biofuels imposes high...
Farmers earn more profits when there is demand for corn for biofuel instead of for food only. This can lead some to convert grasslands and forests to cropland. This conversion, also called indirect...
View ArticleCellulosic biofuels can benefit the environment if managed correctly
Could cellulosic biofuels - or liquid energy derived from grasses and wood - become a green fuel of the future, providing an environmentally sustainable way of meeting energy needs? In Science,...
View ArticleImperial academic discusses his work on algae fuel factories
Dr Antonio Del Rio Chanona from the Department of Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London is working on a new, rapid and cost effective way of creating biofuels. If successful his work may help...
View ArticleCutting the cost of ethanol, other biofuels and gasoline
Biofuels like the ethanol in U.S. gasoline could get cheaper thanks to experts at Rutgers University-New Brunswick and Michigan State University.
View ArticleScientists determine algae biofuel composition
Scientists have used high-resolution mass spectrometry to determine the composition of a biofuel obtained from the microalgae Spirulina platensis. The researchers studied two biofuel fractions obtained...
View ArticleAlgal biofuel production is neither environmentally nor commercially sustainable
Modern biofuels have been touted as a greener alternative to petrol and diesel since the early 1900s. It seems like a good idea on paper, and they do work – but their use and production doesn't come...
View ArticleBiotechnology researchers turn to landfill sites
Far from being a load of rubbish, landfill sites should be considered one of the great untapped resources in the search for new enzymes for biotechnology, and could fuel more efficient biofuel production.
View ArticleBiofuel breakthroughs bring 'negative emissions' a step closer
The use of biofuels helps reduce human greenhouse gas emissions. That's one reason why some petroleum companies offer petrol containing up to 10% ethanol (a biofuel). But if we are to have any real...
View ArticleConsequences of drought stress on biofuels
Plant-derived sustainable fuel sources could contribute to near-term U.S. energy security and independence. However, weather conditions could greatly affect crop yields. In this study, researchers...
View ArticleBioreactors on a chip renew promises for algal biofuels
For over a decade, companies have promised a future of renewable fuel from algae. Investors interested in moving the world away from fossil fuel have contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to the...
View ArticleNGOs slam UN aviation agency plan for biofuels
Nearly 100 environmental and poverty fighting groups jointly released a letter Tuesday slamming a UN proposal that backs large-scale use of biofuels in commercial planes.
View ArticleRenewable coal on the horizon
Coal fueled the Industrial Revolution, but it took eons to form. Now, a team of researchers at the University of Minnesota Duluth has introduced what might be called "instant coal": an energy-dense...
View ArticleStudy speeds transformation of biofuel waste into useful chemicals
A Sandia National Laboratories-led team has demonstrated faster, more efficient ways to turn discarded plant matter into chemicals worth billions. The team's findings could help transform the economics...
View ArticleAre petite poplars the future of biofuels? Studies say yes
In the quest to produce affordable biofuels, poplar trees are one of the Pacific Northwest's best bets—the trees are abundant, fast-growing, adaptable to many terrains and their wood can be transformed...
View ArticleScientists discover method to convert food waste into biofuels
Scientists from Skoltech and the Russian Academy of Sciences Joint Institute for High Temperatures have proposed converting food waste into biofuel via hydrothermal liquefaction – a thermal...
View ArticleNew pathways, better biofuels
The mass manufacture of biofuels could hold the key to greener, more environmentally sound energy, transportation and product options. Scientists have previously engineered metabolic pathways of...
View ArticleNew solvent contributes to next-generation biofuel production from biomass
Compared to first-generation biofuels produced from food crops, production of second-generation biofuels for daily use is an urgent issue. In this study, researchers developed a novel carboxylate-type...
View ArticleBacteria development marks new era in cellular design
Scientists at the universities of Kent and Bristol have built a miniature scaffold inside bacteria that can be used to bolster cellular productivity, with implications for the next generation of...
View Article
