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News and Trends
http://km.fao.org/gipb/images/pdf_files/harnessing%20the%20potential%20of%20underutilized%20biotenergy%20crops.pdf The Global Partnership Initiative for Plant Breeding Capacity Building (GIPB), a cross-sectoral collaboration of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN-FAO) has announced a call for “Studies and Analysis on Harnessing the Potential of Selected Underutilized Bioenergy Crops”. The GIPB realizes that many of the underutilized bioenergy crops may have the potential for sustainable biofuel production and contribute to livelihood and rural development. However, there is very little documentation on many of these underutilized crops, including information about genetic resources, genetic variability, and access to breeding material. The information gathering hopes to: (1) expand information on genetic resources of selected bioenergy crops, (2) support the development of a guide on genetic resource assessment and use of selected underutilized bioenergy crops for the purpose of harnessing their potentials for bioenergy development for smallholder producers, and (3) bridge the knowledge gap and assist stakeholders to improve their ability to resolve constraints relating to genetic diversity characterization and utilization. The bioenergy crops of interest include: jatropha (Jatropha curcas L.), castor bean (Ricinus communis L.), sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.), sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) and Pongamia (Pongamia pinnata L.).. http://news.uns.purdue.edu/x/2008b/080821ShaverIndygo.html Scientists from Purdue University (United States) recently made a study on a local mass transit (bus) company to assess the impact of fuel switching from regular fuel (100% standard diesel, 0% biodiesel) to a 10% biodiesel blended fuel (B10) on bus operations. At the same time, the study also aimed to see if it was possible to obtain sustained benefits if the blend was increased from B10 to B20. The results of the study showed that the buses running on B10 blends have the potential to reduce pollution from the mass transit industry without sacrificing on fuel economy. An increase to B20 could also increase the benefits in savings in imported petroleum fuel and reduced carbon emissions. According to Purdue University researcher, Gregory Shaver, an increase to B20 would translate to (1) a savings of about 360,000 gallons per year in “foreign and non-renewable” energy sources, (2) a reduction in carbon dioxide and particulate emissions by 12% and (3) a reduction in unburned hydrocarbons by 20%. One anticipated drawback in the increase to B20 is the possible increase in nitrogen dioxide emissions. However, Shaver and his team are working to develop engines that can efficiently burn fuels with higher biodiesel blends, with the aim to reduce nitrogen dioxides and fuel consumption..
http://www.biofuelreview.com/content/view/1692/1/ The United Stated Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of China recently signed an agreement for biofuels research collaboration. Under the agreement both parties will collaborate toward the establishment of “processes and infrastructure for conversion of sweet sorghum and other feedstocks to ethanol”, and “encourage collaboration among scientists worldwide to contribute to alternative energy research through the development of alternative feedstocks”. The USDA and MOST (China) had previous joint research activities, but the signing of the agreement formalizes cooperation in the field of biofuels research.. http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/story.php?relyear=2008&itemno=492 Glycerol is a 3-carbon compound produced as a by-product in the production of biodiesel. Although this by-product can be utilized by the food, pharmaceutical and personal hygiene industries, excess amounts of glycerol would remain unutilized as the demand for biodiesel production increases. In order to address the anticipated ”glycerol glut”, scientists have been finding ways to obtain value added products from glycerol. Recently, scientists from Virginia Tech (United States) reported the biological conversion of glycerol into omega-3-fatty-acid-enriched algae for fish feed. Omega-3 fatty acids have been reported to have many health benefits. The omega-3 enriched algal feed can then be used to cultivate fish with high omega-3 fatty acid content for human consumption. The micro algae, Schizochytrium limacinum, was shown to utilize crude glycerol effluents from biodiesel production to produce the omega-3 fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The nutritional profile of the algal biomass grown in crude glycerol was also found to be similar to glucose-derived commercial algal biomass. The results of the study were presented by Virginia Tech Assistant Professor Zhiyou Wen at 236th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS).. Energy Crops and Feedstocks for Biofuels Production
http://www.thebioenergysite.com/news/1409/gm-biofuels-discovery-of-chloroplast-protein Chloroplasts are components in plant cells which capture light energy, and orchestrate the photosynthetic conversion of water and carbon dioxide into sugars, the raw material for plant biomass. Scientists from Michigan State University (MSU, in the United States) have discovered a protein in the plant chloroplast which may help offer insights on how the photosynthetic process is orchestrated. The discovery of the protein, called trigalactosyldiacylglycerol 4 (or TGD4), can reportedly lead to plant varieties that are specifically tailored for biofuel production. According to MSU biochemistry professor, Christopher Benning, “this protein directly affects photosynthesis and how plants create biomass (stems, leaves, stalks) and oils”. They found that if the protein is malfunctioning, the plant accumulates oil in its leaves. Professor Benning says that, “if the plant is storing oil in its leaves, there could be more oil per plant, which could make production of biofuels such as biodiesel more efficient. More research is needed so we can completely understand the mechanism of operation". Details of their research results are published in the journal, The Plant Cell (URL above).. Biofuels Processing
http://www.external.ameslab.gov/final/News/2008rel/syngas.html Aside from the fermentation route, ethanol can be produced from biomass via the thermochemical route. This usually involves the thermal treatment of the biomass at high temperatures (in an oxygen-controlled environment) to produce ‘synthesis gas”, which is mainly a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The synthesis gas is then processed into ethanol via catalytic reaction. The problem in the conventional catalytic reaction to ethanol was the tendency to form undesirable side products other than ethanol, such as methane and aldehydes. Scientists from the Ames Laboratory of the United States Department of Energy tried to improve the process by utilizing a metal catalyst “dispersed widely within the structure of mesoporous nanospheres, tiny sponge-like balls with thousands of channels running through them“. The scientific team led by Ames Lab chemist and Chemical and Biological Science Program Director Victor Lin, found that “the carbon monoxide molecules that yielded ethanol could be “activated” in the presence of the catalyst with the unique structural feature“..
http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/esthag/asap/abs/es800671a.html Many studies show that the net energy balance for ethanol production using corn as the biofuel feedstock is not as good when compared to sugarcane or lignocellulosic biomass. Net energy balance is the difference between the energy output obtained from utilizing the biofuel and the energy input used to produce the biofuel. The higher the value, the better the net energy balance of the feedstock. Recently, scientists from the Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis (United States), reported the use of thermophilic anaerobic digestion as a way to improve the net energy balance of ethanol. The present study evaluated the “utilization of thin stillage (a major byproduct of the dry-mill corn grain-to-ethanol process) in laboratory-scale thermophilic anaerobic sequencing batch reactors for conversion to methane“. Anaerobic treatment of the stillage generates methane which can be used as fuel for electrical power generation in the production plant. The net energy balance is improved by the additional ‘fuel energy” obtained from methane fermentation. With the augmentation of cobalt as growth factor to the process, the methane production potential of the stillage was found to be 0.254 L of methane for every gram of organic matter removed (measured as COD, or Chemical Oxygen Demand). Results also showed that “methane generation translates to a 51% reduction of natural gas consumption at a conventional dry mill, which improves the net energy balance ratio from 1.26 to 1.70“. Details of the study are published in the journal, Environmental Science and Technology (URL above).. Biofuels Policy and Economics
http://www.cbd.int/doc/notifications/2008/ntf-2008-100-biofuel-en.pdf The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has announced a call for “submissions for information on experiences on the development and application of tools relevant to the sustainable production and use of biofuels”. This includes relevant information (based on research and monitoring experiences) on the positive/negative impacts of biofuels production and use on biodiversity and related socioeconomic aspects. The Secretariat has plans to gather and compile the information, which will be made available through a “clearinghouse mechanism” of the CBD.. |
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