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Research and DevelopmentNews release: http://www.scientificcomputing.com/news/2013/08/taking-cues-nature-develop-better-biofuel-catalysts#.UiP5qtLPWVq American bioenergy scientists are conducting computer simulations of the physical behavior of cellulase enzymes at the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility (ACLF) to uncover how these enzymes can be manipulated to develop superior catalysts for improved biofuel production. The Illinois-based laboratory is modelling these particular enzymes, produced naturally by some fungi and bacteria, because they are responsible for breaking down the tough plant biomass into simple sugars that can be fermented into bio-ethanol. A molecular-level theory of enzyme "processivity" (the ability to catalyze consecutive reactions), which relates directly to the structural features of enzymes, is currently under development using this approach. With access to high performance computers, scientists are doing large scale simulations to understand the complex cellulose-to-sugar conversion process and draw possible clues on how to effectively tweak the enzymatic process. The effectiveness of the enzyme modifications can be tested in computer simulations and the results can be used in experiments aimed at developing and validating improved catalysts. News article: http://today.agrilife.org/2013/08/29/sugarcane-retooled-for-biofuels/ AgriLife Today reported the sugarcane breeding work at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center aimed at developing a biofuel feedstock that will help reduce American dependence on petroleum by 30 percent by 2030. Crossing distantly related plants and using molecular markers to track down genes, the Weslaco-based group seeks to create new generation of bioenergy crops that will eventually replace food crops like corn for the production of ethanol fuel. The research group headed by Prof. Jorge da Silva has created new sugarcane varieties with biomass that is at least nine times more efficient in producing ethanol than corn. By stacking favourable genes from different sources, they have introduced traits into these varieties that will allow them to grow outside the tropics such as cold and drought tolerance and resistance to diseases and insects. Prof. da Silva expects to produce half a dozen varieties ready for release in about two years. As new plant materials are developed for efficient conversion to biofuels, facilities to process them are in the pilot stage of development.
Journal reference (summary): http://www.biotechnologyforbiofuels.com/content/6/1/120/abstract Journal reference (full paper): http://www.biotechnologyforbiofuels.com/content/pdf/1754-6834-6-120.pdf Researchers from VIB, a life sciences research institute in Belgium, have reported in the journal Biotechnology for Biofuels the development of yeast strains that can efficiently ferment pentose sugars in waste biomass. Ethanol production from lignocellulosic waste materials like stubble and wood chips is constrained by the lack of industrial strains of yeast capable of converting the pentose sugars in the biomass into ethanol. In addition, industrial yeast strains cannot resist potential inhibitors of fermentation in the biomass hydrolysate. The Belgian group attempted to take out these obstacles by screening a huge yeast collection for the inhibitor tolerance trait and then mating the most strongly tolerant strain with a compatible strain that easily ferments the pentose sugar xylose. The improved strains resulting from this mating have shown to efficiently ferment undetoxified biomass hydrolysate into bio-ethanol under real industrial conditions. They produced up to 23 percent more ethanol compared to the unimproved strain. Production and Trade
News article: http://www.thebioenergysite.com/news/13179/agreement-to-boost-jatropha-growth-in-ghana News release: http://www.quinvita.com/news/items/2013/01082013 In Ghana, Smart Oil, a subsidiary of an Italian company active in the production of renewable energy from Jatropha curcas, has signed a license and services agreement with the Belgian company Quinvita. Quinvita is considered as a world leader in the agronomy and processing of jatropha.The agreement will allow Smart Oil to use Qunivita's advanced know how in jatropha cultivation as it plans to further develop its 700 hectare jatropha plantation in Ghana. The Smart Oil plantation is said to be one of the most advanced in the northern hemisphere, being situated in the most suitable growing belt for jatropha, that is capable of delivering feedstock for biodiesel production. News release: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130828006134/en/SeQuential-Pacific-Biodiesel-Produces-20-Millionth-Gallon In the United States, the SeQuential Pacific Biodiesel has announced an agreement with the University of Oregon Athletics department to recycle used cooking oil from the concessions stands operated by the school. The University of Oregon joins more than 7,000 Northwest organizations in working with SeQuential Pacific Biodiesel to recycle used cooking oil. SeQuential Pacific will use the recycled oil to make biofuel. The project seeks to create a closed-loop production cycle that yields an environment-friendly product while also benefiting the local economy. SeQuential Pacific has also announced the production of its 20 millionth gallon of biofuel made from used cooking oil collected from local restaurants, businesses, hospitals and schools, a milestone in the company's 8 years of operation in Oregon and Washington. Canadian mining exploration and development company Terreno Resources has signed a memorandum of understanding with Dominican Renewables, Inc. (DRI) toward share acquisition that will focus on biofuel production in the Dominican Republic. The deal, worth around $2.5 million, would make DRI a wholly-owned subsidiary of Terreno, which will then concentrate on biofuel production in the Dominican Republic region while also expanding local mineral exploration projects. The Santo Domingo-based DRI anticipates initial biofuel production in early 2014 with full production planned for 2015. The planned project with currently secured land for feedstock production can generate yearly up to 10 million gallons of biodiesel.
News article: http://rbth.ru/news/2013/08/29/rostec_airbus_sign_on_aircraft_bio_fuel_production_29357.html News article: http://www.biofuels-news.com/industry_news.php?item_id=6707 In Russia, a partnership agreement signed between aircraft manufacturer Airbus and RT-Biotechprom, a division of the state owned corporation Rostec, seeks to produce jet biofuel from renewable sources. The partnership is deemed as a significant step in implementing a strategy toward developing biotechnology in Russia, including processing of biomass for renewable fuels. The project is expected to yield some results by the second half of 2014 and the decision to take it to industrial-scale will be based on test flights with Russian-made biofuel. Airbus is implementing similar projects across locations in China, Europe, South America, the Middle East and Australia. News article: http://www.biofuels-news.com/industry_news.php?item_id=6700 In Serbia, the oil and gas company NIS, a subsidiary of Gazprom Neft, has invested 874,165 euros into a biodiesel production project. The said investment is part of the initiatives of NIS oil refinery in the town of Pancevo. The company anticipates biodiesel production to start within the next two months as it looks forward to exporting biofuel to the European Union. NIS is one of the largest oil companies in Southeastern Europe that deals with oil and gas exploration, production and processing of petroleum products as well as refined products marketing. The President of Guyana has commissioned the country's first ever bio-ethanol plant that will serve as a cornerstone of the government's energy and transport policy, which includes moving towards a 10 percent ethanol blend. The demonstration plant, expected to deliver 1,000 liters of ethanol per day, will use black strap molasses as a feedstock, which is essentially a waste stream, from Guyana Sugar's Albion Sugar factory. The plant was designed to produce an ethanol purity of 99.6 percent for fuel grade ethanol, although start-up purities reached more than 99.9 percent. The plant will produce two streams of pure ethanol and pure water which can be re-used with no further treatment needed. The technology for the plant is supplied by Whitefox Technologies and Green Social Bioethanol. The project is partly funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), as part of its Climate Change Strategy that puts priority to biofuels. An IDB study found that locally produced biofuels could have a positive impact in Guyana. News article: http://businessmirror.com.ph/index.php/en/news/regions/18774-flying-v-to-put-up-p40-m-biodiesel-plant-in-visayas In the Philippines, the oil company TWA, Inc. will build its second coconut biodiesel facility in the Visayas region, which will have a capacity of 30 million litres as it anticipates a higher demand for biodiesel blends in the future. The country is moving towards mandatory five percent biodiesel blend or B5 as the Philippine Coconut Authority has announced that there are enough local raw materials for both local and foreign commitments. TWA, which owns the Flying V brand of petrol stations that have been dispensing B1 fuel for many years in the country, said that a move to B5 will help both the economy and local coconut farmers. Policy and RegulationNews article: http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/10-ethanol-blending-can-save-rs-9000crfx-shree-renuka_944081.html According to the managing director of India's largest sugar refiner and ethanol producer, a mandatory 10 percent ethanol blending policy or E10 will have dual benefits in terms of new market for ethanol and reducing sugar surplus. The Indian government has proposed that oil marketing companies increase the blend of ethanol with petrol from the current 5 percent to 10 percent. According to the Shree Renuka Sugar executive, the move can reduce the sugar surplus by almost one million to one-and-half million tons and that will be beneficial for the sugar industry. The proposed blend will also reduce foreign exchange expenditures by $1.3 billion which is currently being used to import crude. Currently the price of imported petrol is around 81 cents per liter, which is the market price that sugar mills are attempting to get from oil marketing companies.
Report: http://www.ebb-eu.org/studiesreports/GTAP%20Report%20ILUC%20Aug%2030%202013%20Final.pdf News article: http://www.biofuels-news.com/industry_news.php?item_id=6721 A new study in the United States evaluating land use changes for several biofuel feedstocks and policies in the European Union has projected much lower estimates. Land-use change occurs when land is converted to biofuel feedstock production from other uses. Some researchers have raised concerns as to whether land use conversions from other uses (for example, pasture or forest) actually reduced the biofuel greenhouse gas benefit. Thus, some land use change analyses resulted in lower biofuel targets in 2020. The results of the new study Land Use Change Greenhouse Gas emissions of European Biofuel Policies Utilizing the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP), which employed an updated version of the GTAP model, showed that less land would be converted for EU biofuels production. The reductions in cropland for the different biodiesel feedstocks ranged from 18 to 70 percent less compared with a previous study. The study found that biodiesel could account for only 2.33 g CO2eq/MJ, compared to 55 g CO2eq/MJ used in the EU proposal amending its biofuels policy. The difference was attributed to improved understanding as regards land use, crop yields and forest use in the EU, Canada and the US. |
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