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Research and DevelopmentPress release: http://news.aces.illinois.edu/news/black-locust-showing-promise-biomass-potential Researchers from the Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI) at the University of Illinois are taking a closer look at Robinia pseudoacacia, a short-rotation crop commonly known as black locust, because of its higher biomass yield and faster growth compared to other candidate woody plant species. Initial study on black locust, which grows well in the Midwestern region, showed its ability to regrow rapidly with multiple stems after coppicing or cutting the plants back to single stem just a few inches from the ground. Last season, the researchers observed that the plants were almost equivalent to the first two years' growth since they were coppiced in February 2012. This spring, they recorded a yield of 12 to 13 mega grams per hectare, which exceeded what was produced over the first two years' growth. This exceptional rapid growth of black locust would allow harvesting every 2 years rather than every 3 to 5 years, which means a faster payback for producers. The biomass potential of black locust must be evaluated to qualify it as a bioenergy crop. The researchers are now evaluating commercial black locust germplasm from different sources across 8 states in the U.S. to see if they can isolate faster growing ones. They have also obtained seeds from international sources such as Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Iran, and from a remediated quarry area in the U.S. where they found native black locust growing. The researchers will evaluate whether to coppice the plants at the end of 1 or 2 years.
Press release: http://www.news.wisc.edu/21882 Journal reference (abstract): http://aem.asm.org/content/79/12/3770.abstract A team of researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Bacteriology have analyzed the enzymes involved in plant biomass degradation by a fungus that forms symbiotic relationship with leaf cutter ants. Leaf-cutter ants form massive colonies that harvest hundreds of kilograms of leaves each year to cultivate microbial gardens composed primarily of the fungus Leucoagaricus gongylophorus. The fungus, in return, serves as the colony's primary food source via a plant biomass conversion. The understanding of this biomass degradation process and the microbial community mediating this process is limited. The researchers analyzed the first draft genome of L. gongylophorus to investigate how plant biomass is degraded in the fungal gardens of both Atta cephalotes and Acromyrmex echinatior leaf-cutter ants. Metagenomic analysis showed that the fungus contains genes predicted to encode a diversity of enzymes that break down cellulose and hemicellulose, the complex sugars in plant cell wall. The study showed that the fungus produces distinct sets of enzymes throughout the different stages of biomass degradation, including numerous cellulases and laccases that may be involved in lignocellulose breakdown. According to the research team, these enzymes likely form the foundation of the symbiotic relationship. The fungus-leaf cutter ant system is an important model for understanding how microbial communities degrade plant biomass in natural systems which is highly relevant for bioenergy research, given recent interest in cellulosic biofuels. The study was published in the June 15 issue of the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
Journal reference (full paper): http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2013/06/19/1213426110.full.pdf News release: http://www.lanl.gov/newsroom/news-releases/2013/June/06.19-cellulose-structure-requires-fewer-enzymes.php Increased binding of enzymes to cellulose does not necessarily lead to more efficient conversion into simple sugars, according to a recently published study by researchers at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC). The researchers found that when cellulose is converted to a unique crystalline structure called cellulose III using a novel biomass pretreatment, the binding ability of native cellulase enzyme that targets cellulose decreased but the sugar yields from cellulose breakdown increased by as much as five times. The researchers only recently discovered the increased sugar yield from cellulose III. The efficiency of biofuel production is tied to the amount of fermentable sugars released from cellulose breakdown. Unlike the untreated cellulose, cellulose III was found to have a less sticky surface that makes it harder for native cellulase enzymes to bind. By developing a kinetic model explaining the relationship between enzyme affinity for cellulose and catalytic efficiency, the researchers were able to predict that the enhanced enzyme activity, despite reduced binding, is due to the relative ease with which enzymes are able to pull out individual cellulose III chains from the pretreated cellulose nanofiber surface and then break them apart into simple sugars. The new research findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, open up avenues to engineer novel cellulase enzymes that are tailored for conversion of cellulose III-rich pretreated biomass to cheaper biofuels. Production and TradeNews article: http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=85545 In Sabah, Malaysia, five major plantation companies have signed the Biomass Joint Venture (JV) cluster agreement aimed at aggregating sufficient volumes of biomass for production of solid or liquid biofuels in the form of pellets or ethanol. The JV project envisaged from this agreement hopes to accumulate some 1.5 million tons of biomass per JV cluster to realize the objective of making Sabah the Malaysian center for second generation biofuel. The five companies involved are Teck Guan Group, Bell Group, Genting Berhad, Kelas Wira Sdn Bhd, and Golden Elate Sdn Bhd. Agensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM), the brain behind the JV cluster project, has identified about 70 to 120-plus palm oil mills in Sabah that generate abundant empty fruit bunches, biomass waste that can be converted into biomass pellet or bioethanol. In Asia, the demand for biomass pellets is expected to reach 10 million tons a year by 2020 as countries fulfil their renewable energy mandates. News article: http://en.vietnamplus.vn/Home/VN-to-annually-produce-31-mln-tonnes-of-bio-oil-from-straws/20136/35654.vnplus Vietnam is capable of producing annually 31 million tons of biofuel from straws, according to scientists from the Vietnam Petroleum Institute and the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology at a recent oil and gas sector conference. In Vietnam, straws are abundant agricultural by-products that are typically burned after harvesting the crops. It is estimated that around 62 million tons of straws, bagasse and corncobs are generated annually in the country. The scientists said that waste straws can be converted into bio oil through the process of pyrolysis, which has also shown satisfactory results with other waste feedstock like bagasse, corncobs and rice husks. This process will not only generate alternative fuels for petroleum but will also help reduce pollution caused by massive burning of straws and bagasse. News release: http://www.technip.com/en/press/technip-awarded-feed-contract-new-biomass-liquid-plant-finland Technip, a France-based project management and engineering company, was awarded by Forest BtL Oy a contract worth approximately €5 million ($6.6 million) to build a second generation biomass-to-liquid plant in Ajos Island, Finland. The plant will use wood and by-products from wood processing industry as feedstock to produce approximately 140,000 tons of biodiesel and naphtha. Wood as feedstock has many advantages - it idoes not compete with food production, it does not jeopardize the existing local biomass usage and it has a low carbon footprint. Technip will develop the process design package of the hydrogen production unit of the plant, based on its steam reformer proprietary technology. They will also prepare the front-end engineering and design (FEED) for the hydrogen production, Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and refining units.
Press release: http://firmtec.com/eng/nieuws/firmtec-builds-first-plant-for-100-green-biodiesel News article: http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/articles/9154/firmtec-builds-enzymatic-unit-using-ethanol-for-indonesian-firm A new biodiesel plant developed by the Dutch company FirmTec will be delivered to Waterland company in Bali, Indonesia this month and will operate in September to produce biodiesel using oil from Camelina sativa plant. The plant uses a proprietary method of biodiesel production invented by the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany and bought by Waterland. This novel method uses enzymes and ethanol to make the production process much more sustainable. The conventional production process uses methanol which is a petroleum product and therefore less sustainable than the new method. Waterland grows oil crops along with food crops across Asia using intercropping practices and less synthetic farm chemicals. The company also intends to produce its own ethanol which is needed in the new biodiesel process. Once operational, the plant will produce biodiesel to power generators that provide electricity for the Bali island. As the demand for sustainable energy continues to rise in Indonesia, more of these plants are expected to be built. The Indonesian government is providing assistance for the rapid implementation of this type of biodiesel.
News article: http://www.whyallanewsonline.com.au/story/1578410/gray-visits-whyalla-to-unveil-green-crude/?cs=1550 News article: http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/articles/9170/muradel-produces-algae-based-crude-oil-plans-demonstration-plant In Whyalla, South Australia, the first biofuel produced from microalgae by the Australian firm Muradel Pty. Ltd. at a pilot scale was unveiled by the Resources and Energy Minister Gary Gray. Minister Gray said that the biofuel successfully produced by the pilot project would be a sustainable substitute for fossil based crude oil and potentially could displace up to 30 billion litres of petroleum fuel each year based on a study commissioned by the Australian Government. Muradel produced the algae oil as part of a AU$10.7 million project supported by a AU$4.4 million investment from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency. In the next phase of the project, Muradel will construct the scaled-up demonstration plant in Whyalla to further reduce the cost of producing the biofuel. The demonstration plant is expected to be completed by the end of 2013 and will be operational in 2014. News release: http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/articles/9171/australian-renewable-fuels-restarts-biodiesel-exports-to-us Australian Renewable Fuels Ltd. has announced the resumption of its biodiesel export to the United States. The company's first shipment of 5.7 million liters (approximately 1.5 million gallons) of biodiesel is now en route to the U.S., to be followed by another shipment of 5 million liters (1.32 million gallons) in August. The orders are from two of the world's leading energy companies in the U.S. The relaunching of biodiesel exports means that the company will need to elevate its local biodiesel production. With the drop in value of the Australian dollar, the company is exploring additional export opportunities. Policy and Regulation
Press release: http://news.illinois.edu/news/13/0613forestpolicy_JodyEndres.html Link to journal reference: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2197386## A study by a University of Illinois researcher suggests that the United States must adopt a policy towards sustainable forest management in order to meet ambitious bioenergy targets. The study, authored by Jody Endres, a professor of bioenergy, environmental and natural resources law at University of Illinois, cited the lack of policy in the U.S. about what forest sustainability means in the bioenergy context. While existing renewable energy policies recognize the role of forests in meeting the demands for environment-friendly energy feedstock, concerns are mounting on the destructive impact of exploiting the forests with no net gain in greenhouse gas reduction targets. According to Endres, the U.S. must create a kind of certification standard for forested plantations and semi-natural environments that are sources of bioenergy feedtock, and be able to assess whether there are actually some ecological and climate benefits for getting those lands into the bioenergy system. Endres said that such standard will help to access the bioenergy market in Europe, which is becoming more stringent about sustainability certification.
News article: http://www.ethanolrfa.org/news/entry/new-analysis-no-direct-correlation-between-the-rfs-and-rising-food-prices/ News article: http://www.nfu.org/news/240-energy-and-natural-resources/1779-report-rfs-does-not-increase-food-prices Link to ABF Economics Report: http://ethanolrfa.3cdn.net/281d77a62939896ba8_8nm6bevpj.pdf In Washington, U.S.A., a new twist in the food-versus-fuel debate is emerging with the results of a study conducted by the ABF Economics that found no direct correlation between federal biofuel mandate or the so-called Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and increasing food prices. The study specifically examined the relationship between the RFS and recent changes in consumer food prices. This includes an examination of the relationship between corn prices and consumer food prices, the factors that affect corn prices, the role of the major industry participants in determining consumer food costs, and the relative importance of components such as agricultural commodities and energy on consumer food prices. According to the study, food price inflation has increased at a slower rate since 2007 when the RFS was last revised. The study also noted that raw commodities produced by farmers represent a small share of the final price of food, with energy, food processing and other external costs driving food price increases. The National Farmers Union has hailed the study saying that the expanding global demand, speculation in commodity markets and particularly high oil prices should be blamed for rising food prices and not the RFS. The Renewable Fuels Association has also supported the ABF findings, citing the recent World Bank analysis that more than 50 percent of the food price increases are accounted for by crude oil prices. News release: http://www.biodiesel.org/news/biodiesel-news/news-display/2013/06/24/industry-groups-cheer-new-york-bioheat-legislation A legislation requiring all heating oil sold in the state of New York, U.S.A. to contain at least 2 percent biodiesel (also known as B2 or Bioheat) by 2015 was passed by the State Assembly and Senate. The passing of the new Bioheat standard, expected to reduce air emissions and create jobs, was widely praised by the industry and environmental groups. The domestic annual production of biodiesel in the U.S. has reached a billion gallons. Biodiesel is produced mainly from agricultural coproducts and byproducts such as soybean oil, animal fats, and recycled cooking oil. The Bioheat is widely welcomed by the supporters not only as greener policy but also as a boost for the economy because it will encourage investment in the biodiesel industry and increase the number of green collar jobs in the state. The new policy will also provide a new market for the soybean oil produced by New York farmers. The legislation calls for all heating oil sold in the City of New York, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, and Rockland counties to contain at least two percent biodiesel by Oct. 1, 2014, and all heating oil sold statewide to meet this standard by July 1, 2015. The legislation will become effective upon the governor's signature. |
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