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Research and Development
Press release: http://wyss.harvard.edu/viewpressrelease/116/ Journal reference: http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2013/06/21/1307129110.full.pdf+html A team of Harvard researchers used a rational metabolic engineering approach to modify fatty acid synthesis in the bacterium Escherichia coli in order to increase the production of a specific fatty acid which is a precursor of octane, a high-quality fuel that could one day replace gasoline. The team's strategy focused on engineering medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) – those with chains of 4 to 12 carbons long – which are associated with improved fuel quality and also known as important industrial precursors. The team specifically targeted the production of an eight-carbon fatty acid called octanoate (or octanoic acid) from which the octane fuel can be derived. The researchers technically demonstrated the production of MCFAs with chain lengths from 4 to 13 carbons and identified the factors that limit MCFA yield. After finding that elongation rates were too rapid for optimal MCFA production, they genetically engineered fatty acid elongation in E. coli by inhibiting an essential enzyme to slow down the elongation process in response to a chemical inducer, and thereby favor the production of octanoic acid. Testing a set of mutants for their ability to increase carbon flux into fatty acid synthesis allowed the researchers to maximize octanoic acid yield in the engineered strain. This work led by scientists at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University and the Department of Systems Biology at Harvard Medical School was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Next, they plan to engineer E. coli to convert octanoate and other fatty acids into alcohols, just one chemical step away from octane.
Journal reference (full paper): http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cssc.201300205/pdf Press release: http://www.pr.uni-freiburg.de/pm/2013/pm.2013-07-05.186-en Press release: http://www.imtek.de/data/lehrstuehle/app/dokumente/conferences-pdf/conferences-2011/sane-using-microorganisms.pdf In Germany, University of Freiburg scientists have used crude culture solution of enzyme-secreting fungus to trigger electrochemical reaction for allowing enzymatic biofuel cells (BFCs) to generate electricity. Enzymatic BFC is a type of fuel cell that uses enzymes, rather than the resource-limited noble metals, as catalyst for the conversion of biochemically stored energy into electricity. The bottlenecks for enzymatic BFC are the limited electrode lifetime caused by enzyme degradation and the cost and time needed for enzyme purification. The German group reported in the journal ChemSusChem that the supernatant from Tremetes versicolor crude culture containing laccase enzyme could extend the electrode lifetime of enzymatic BFCs significantly to as much as 120 days, and even longer lifetimes seem possible. T. versicolor, also known as turkey tail fungus, is a tree fungus commonly found in temperate climates. When used in a BFC, the fungus releases laccase enzyme into a solution surrounding the cathode (the positive pole of the cell) where it enables the oxygen reduction reaction to liberate the electrons into the electrode. The experiment, conducted at the Micro Energy Harvesting at the Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK) of the University of Freiburg, demonstrated that an enzymatic BFC cathode can be sustained without the need for expensive and time-consuming purification of the enzymes.
Press release: http://www.udel.edu/udaily/2013/jun/algae-pollution-biofuel-062713.html News article: http://ens-newswire.com/2013/07/02/it-takes-a-special-algae-to-make-biofuel/ A new research at the University of Delaware focuses on microscopic algae Heterosigma akashiwo which is showing promise in both reducing air pollution and producing biofuels. H. akashiwo is characterized by rapid growth on a gas mixture that has the same carbon dioxide and nitric oxide content as emissions released from a power plant. It also produces large amount of carbohydrates, which has drawn research interest into its possible use in biofuel production. A team of researchers in UD's College of Earth, Ocean and Environment led by an algal bloom expert has embarked in a yearlong experiment to further characterize the microalgae of interest. They evaluated whether the algae could thrive on carbon dioxide without getting killed off by the high nitric oxide content in power plants' flue gas. Results showed that H. akashiwo not only tolerated flue gas, but also accumulated carbohydrates in its presence. The fact that it does not need any additional nitrogen sources beyond nitric oxide to grow would mean a lot of energy savings for raising the algae for biofuel production. The research team plans to further study how changes in conditions can enhance the growth of H. akashiwo.
News article: http://gigaom.com/2013/06/27/meet-the-slimy-gelatinous-sea-creature-that-could-someday-produce-biofuel/ Norwegian scientists are studying the tiny marine organisms known as tunicates as a potential source of cellulose, the raw material for making bioethanol. Tunicates are marine filter feeders with soft and slimy tubular body structures. They feed by sucking in ocean water and eating the bacteria and other organisms in it before expelling it back out. Tunicates are special because apart from being rich in omega-3, they are the only animals that produce cellulose, which when broken down into simple sugars can be fermented into ethanol. The cellulose produced by tunicates would be an attractive raw material for biofuels because it does not contain the tough lignin molecule that is a known hindrance in lignocellulosic ethanol production. Looking at tunicates as potential source of raw material to produce biofuels, researchers at the University of Bergen and Uni Research have set up a small scale production that resembles the cultivation method for mussels. They used plastic sheets attached to the seabed where tunicates could attach themselves and feed on the microorganisms that flow by. The expected yield is about 220 to 440 pounds per square metre, which is an extremely high yield. Since tunicates are 95 percent water, the researchers were prompted to develop more efficient techniques to remove water from the animals' bodies after harvesting. With support from the Research Council of Norway, the researchers now plan to scale up quickly, with the project running through 2014. Production and Trade
Press release: http://www.vtt.fi/news/2013/25062013_kaasutusmenetelmilla_biopolttonestetta_alle_euron_litrahinnalla.jsp The VTT Technical Research Center of Finland has demonstrated that woody biomass can be converted into high-quality liquid biofuels using a locally developed technology for the price of less than one euro per liter. VTT assessed the techno-economics of the production of renewable liquid transportation fuels, namely biomethanol, dimethyl ether (DME), Fischer-Tropsch liquid and synthetic gasoline, using a method based on pressurised fluidized-bed gassificaion. Results of the study show that the production of renewable biofuels, mainly from bark and forestry residues, could achieve an energy efficiency of 50 to 67 percent, depending on the end-product and process conditions. This translates to an estimated production cost of 58 to 78 euro per MWh, or 0.5 to 0.7 euro per liter when converted to gasoline-equivalent price per liter. The estimated cost would be at par with the current pre-tax price for fossil fuels and cheaper than existing imported biofuels. The estimated efficiency did not take into account the potential sale of thermal energy as by-product of the process. The study found that the best efficiency and lowest production costs were achieved in the production of biomethanol, which also showed to have lower risks related to the commercialization of the synthesis technology. Methanol can be used with modern cars when blended with petrol at maximum of 3 percent-volume, or in higher concentrations when used with FlexFuel cars. Methanol can also be further converted to synthetic gasoline or used as renewable raw material in the manufacture of various chemicals and biomaterials. News article: http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/07/08/shells-brazilian-venture-eyes-ph-ethanol-facility/ In the Philippines, Brazil's Raizen Energia SA is planning to set up a bioethanol production facility in partnership with local developers to fill the shortage in domestic production and is now looking for potential feedstock providers. Current ethanol production in the Philippines remains short by about 75 to 80 percent to meet the annual demand of about 500 million liters. The shortage is filled in by imported ethanol. Four bioethanol plants are currently operating in the country, and nine are expected to be constructed with a capacity of 30 million liters each annually to address the increasing demand. Philippines has existing E10 mandate that requires gasoline fuel sold in the market to have 10 percent ethanol. News article: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/07/08/south-korea-build-biofuel-plant-aceh.html A South Korean company plans to build a processing plant that will produce biodiesel from palm and jatropha and a 10-megawatt biofuel-fired power plant in Aceh, Indonesia. PT Goca Enc, a subsidiary of a South Korean company, said that the two proposed plants will be built within the same area so that the processed biofuel from the processing plant will be used to fire the proposed 10-megawatt power plant. The power plant is expected to provide jobs to at least 1,000 local people. The company also plans to export biodiesel eventually.
News article: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/07/03/carbon_capture_to_biofuel_process_gets_goahead/ News article: http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2013/07/04/making-algae-biofuels-pay/ News article: http://ens-newswire.com/2013/07/05/australia-to-build-first-co2-capture-for-algae-biofuel/ In Australia, Algae.Tec company has signed an agreement with a power generation company to build a carbon dioxide capture facility alongside a coal-fired power plant and feed the waste carbon dioxide into an enclosed algae growth system. The carbon capture deal will allow Algae.Tec to build the facility next to Macquarie Generation's 2,640 MW Bayswater power station in the Hunter Valley, north of Sydney. The algae produced by Algae.Tec using the carbon emission from Macquarie's power plant will be converted to biodiesel and hydrogenated to high grade jet fuel. Algal waste from the biofuel process will be converted into pellets for animal feed. Phase 1 of the project aims to capture 270,000 tons of the power plant's 19 million tons of carbon emission, and to ramp this up to 1.3 million tons in a few years.
News article: http://www.biofuels-news.com/industry_news.php?item_id=6440 Press release: http://www.abengoabioenergy.com/web/es/prensa/noticias/historico/2013/abg_20130626.html In Spain, the renewable energy company Abengoa has opened its waste-to-biofuels (W2B) demonstration plant that can process 25,000 tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) and produce up to 1.5 million liters of bioethanol. The demonstration plant converts MSW to bioethanol via a fermentation and enzymatic hydrolysis treatment. In this process, the waste material is subjected to various treatments to obtain organic fiber rich in cellulose and hemicellulose, which eventually can be converted into bioethanol. The bioethanol produced at the plant can be used as an additive to gasoline to increase its octane rating and even as an intermediate for aviation fuel production. It can also be used in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry, like in solvents or cosmetics industry, for example. Abengoa claims that W2B is a major breakthrough in waste management which helps to lessen waste going to landfill and at the same time reduce dependence on fossil fuels while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by about 70 percent per kilometre traveled. News article: http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2013/07/08/thailands-ptt-teams-with-australian-researchers-on-algae-biodiesel/ Thailand's PTT has teamed with Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) as part of its plan to develop an algae oil extraction project and to introduce algae-based biodiesel into the market by 2017. PTT has anticipated that it could transfer knowledge and expertise about algae-based bio-production from the Australia's lead science agency to the firm's research centre and use these to harness some potential strains of freshwater algae for local use. The company might also set up a production base for algal biofuel in Australia to attract investors, given its geographical advantages for algae cultivation. PTT said that commercialization of algae-based fuel would help maintain national energy security by reducing reliance on fossil fuels. It could also replace the widely used palm biodiesel and sugarcane ethanol to reduce competition with food crops. However, economic viability of algae biofuel production remains a challenge. Currently the research and development of fuel extracted from marine algae costs about three to four times as much as palm-oil-based biodiesel. Policy and Regulation
News article: http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2013/07/05/epa-oks-arundo-napier-grass-for-renewable-fuels/ EPA’s ruling: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/fuels/renewablefuels/documents/420f13040.pdf The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the United States has ruled that biofuels derived from giant reed (Arundo donax) and napier grass (Pannisetum purpureum) qualify as cellulosic renewable fuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program. The EPA has issued a Supplemental Final Rule containing an analysis of lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with renewable fuels produced from the two grasses. The EPA found that they met the lifecycle GHG emissions reduction requirement for cellulosic biofuels (60 percent) set by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Comments from scientists and environmentalists, however, have raised the risk of these crops behaving as invasive species and requiring remediation activities that may cause additional GHG emissions. To minimize this risk, the EPA is adopting additional registration, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements. For example, EPA is requiring that renewable fuel producers demonstrate that the growth of giant reed or napier grass will not pose a significant likelihood of spreading beyond the planting area or that such a risk will be minimized through an EPA-approved Risk Mitigation Plan. |
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