BIOFUELS SUPPLEMENT
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A bi-weekly summary of world developments on biofuels, produced by the Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology, International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications SEAsiaCenter (ISAAA)
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February 11, 2011

In This Issue:

News and Trends
- Agave as Potential Global Bioenergy Feedstock with Low "Water Footprint" 
- Transcriptome Analysis of Prairie Cordgrass Provides "Snapshots" for Future Bioenergy Crop Development 

Energy Crops and Feedstocks for Biofuels Production
- "Delayed-Harvested" Reed Canary Grass Evaluated as a Potential Bioenergy Crop 

Biofuels Processing
- Ultrasound- or Microwave-Assisted Biodiesel Production from Marine Algae 
- Recent Developments in Biodiesel Production Process Reviewed 

Biofuels Policy and Economics
- EU Communication on Progress of 2020 Renewable Energy Targets 





* NEWS AND TRENDS *

Agave as Potential Global Bioenergy Feedstock with Low "Water Footprint"
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1757-1707.2010.01077.x/pdf
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1757-1707.2010.01085.x/pdf
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110126121102.htm

One of the most overlooked issues in the selection of sustainable biofuel feedstocks is the issue of "water use" or "water footprint". While the net energy yields and "carbon footprints" (i.e., lower carbon dioxide emissions) of feedstocks may be good, the water consumption during cultivation of the bioenergy crop might be high. Furthermore, some feedstocks may need to be planted in areas with high frequency of rainfall. Bioenergy crops with low water footprints, and which can be cultivated in semiarid areas with little rainfall has received recent attention. A journal article by Sarah Davis and co-authors from the University of Illinois (United States) reports the global bioenergy crop potential of a plant belonging to the genus, Agave. According to the article, Agave plants have low water requirements because they utilize what is known as the "Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) pathway". Under this type of metabolism, carbon is assimilated at night and thus decreases the diffusive gradient of water out of the leaves. By assimilating carbon at night, potential evapotranspiration of water is reduced, and water loss per amount of CO₂ assimilated is reduced. The article also mentions that "almost
one-fifth of the global land surface is semiarid, suggesting there may be large opportunities for expansion of Agave crops for feedstock, but more field trials are needed to determine tolerance boundaries for different Agave species." The full report is published in the journal, Global Change Biology: Bioenergy (URL above)

Transcriptome Analysis of Prairie Cordgrass Provides "Snapshots" for Future Bioenergy Crop Development
https://www.crops.org/publications/tpg/articles/3/2/69?highlight=JmFydGljbG
VfeWVhcj0yMDEwJmxlbj0xMCZzdGFydD0xMSZzdGVtPWZhbHNlJnNvcnQ9cm
VsZXZhbmNlJmZhY2V0LXllYXI9JTIyMjAxMCUyMiZmYWNldC1qb3VybmFsPS
UyMnRwZyUyMg%3D%3D
http://www.thebioenergysite.com/news/8058/genetic-road-map-of-biofuels-crop

Researchers from the South Dakota State University (United States) and their collaborators report the first studies on the transcriptome of prairie cordgrass (PCG) (Spartina pectinata Bosc ex Link). The study is seen to provide a "base and framework for expression and genome analysis" in PCG, for its development as second generation (i.e. lignocellulosic) biofuel feedstocks. There is interest in PCG as a potential bioenergy crop because of: (1) its ability to thrive in marginal soils that are unsuitable for conventional crop cultivation, and (2) its ability to survive in open arid prairies. An analysis of the transcriptome (i.e. the small portion of the DNA that is transcribed into molecules of ribonucleic acid, RNA) can enable scientists to determine what the particular DNA sequence can do. Plant breeders would then be able to use marker-assisted selection in order to deliberately include gene sequences that confer desirable traits. These bioenergy-crop-desirable traits include the ability of the plant to produce more fermentable carbohydrates for higher ethanol production, or the ability to grow as "low-lignin" PCG plants which could lower the cost of pretreatment. According to the researchers, "a number of molecular markers suitable for the development of molecular maps, gene identification, and comparative genomics studies have been identified", and the research results will be "utilized in collaboration with other work being performed to turn PCG into a viable cellulosic biomass crop." The full research article is published in the open-access journal, The Plant Genome (URL above)


* ENERGY CROPS AND FEEDSTOCKS FOR BIOFUELS PRODUCTION *

"Delayed-Harvested" Reed Canary Grass Evaluated as a Potential Bioenergy Crop
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V22-51N6TCR-
2&_user=9570260&_coverDate=03/31/2011&_rdoc=15&_fmt=high&_orig=browse&_origin=
browse&_zone=rslt_list_item&_srch=doc-info(%23toc%235690%232011%23999649996%
232888749%23FLA%23display%23Volume)&_cdi=5690&_sort=d&_docanchor=&_ct=48
&_acct=C000061230&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=9570260&md5=770fb2646a
5d3a0ef7d66b64c808bdf7&searchtype=a

Reed Canary Grass (RCG) (Phalaris arundinacea L) is a naturally-growing, perennial rhizome grass species which can be found in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. It has agricultural uses as a fodder crop. Recently, RCG has been considered as an industrial crop for bioenergy production, and as a source of short fiber for paper production. Scientists from Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (Sweden) examined the characteristics of "delayed-harvested reed canary grass", in order to evaluate its potential as a feedstock for ethanol production. The "delayed harvesting system for non-food production", according to the researchers, was reported to have been developed in Sweden in the 1980s. It involves delaying the harvest to a time when dry biomass could be harvested in the field. In addition to the benefit of lessening fertilization requirements of the soil (due to nutrient translocation from leaves/stems to root system), it has been reported to have beneficial effects to enhance its potential as a raw material for bioenery and short-fiber source in paper production. The delayed harvested RCG was found to have (1) decreased levels of chlorine, sulfur and alkali metals, and (2) higher pulp yields during paper making, The researchers found that "glucose, xylose and arabinose were the main carbohydrate components found in delayed harvested RCG", and the high yield of neutral carbohydrates in the delayed-harvested crop indicates its potential as a feedstock for bioethanol production. The full paper is published in the journal, Biomass and Bioenergy (URL above).


* BIOFUELS PROCESSING *

Ultrasound- or Microwave-Assisted Biodiesel Production from Marine Algae
(access to full journal article may require paid subscription) http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V24-51R4SN6-
1&_user=9570260&_coverDate=03/31/2011&_rdoc=41&_fmt=high&_orig=browse&_origin=
browse&_zone=rslt_list_item&_srch=doc-info(%23toc%235692%232011%23998979994%
232880745%23FLA%23display%23Volume)&_cdi=5692&_sort=d&_docanchor=&_ct=47&
_acct=C000061230&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=9570260&md5=dc719010b104
f2161af2c2f14b47df76&searchtype=a

Scientists from the Bar-Ilan University (Israel), together with their industrial research collaborators report the direct production of biodiesel, from an "ecologically-cultivated" marine algae, Nannochloropsis. This type of algae is reported to have a high oil content (30% of dry algal biomass), which can be processed into biodiesel by "transesterification reaction" of the extracted algal oil plus methanol. There are two attractive features of the production process: (1) the algae is cultivated using carbon dioxide liberated from industrial "flue gas" emissions, and (2) the direct, single-step conversion of the algal oil into biodiesel. The rechanneling of the carbon dioxide from industrial emissions back to algal cultivation is a good example of "greenhouse carbon-capture" and recycling. The direct (one-step) conversion of algal oil (without the 2-step process of oil extraction and transesterification) involves the heating of the algal culture with methanol, using microwave or ultrasound application. Oil extraction from the algae is made unnecessary, since microwave or ultrasound irradiation can be applied directly to the algal cultures. These two features have the potential to reduce the cost of marine-algal-biodiesel production. The researchers found that biodiesel yield using the proposed process were higher compared to the conventional two-step process. Furthermore, the higher product yield could be achieved using much shorter reaction times. The full results of the study are published in the journal, Bioresource Technology.

Recent Developments in Biodiesel Production Process Reviewed
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V22-51XWW1N-
4&_user=10&_coverDate=03/31/2011&_rdoc=5&_fmt=high&_orig=browse&_origin=browse
&_zone=rslt_list_item&_srch=doc-info(%23toc%235690%232011%23999649996%
232888749%23FLA%23display%23Volume)&_cdi=5690&_sort=d&_docancho
r=&_ct=48&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5
=0ccff31fe28fc07ddfe0fa39b17d4f2b&searchtype=a

A journal article by J.E. Andrade of the Centro de Investigacion en Materiales Avanzados (Mexico), reviews the biodiesel production process and latest trends in biodiesel research and development. Biodiesel is technically a mixture of methyl esters from the "transesterification" reaction of fatty acid components in plant/vegetable or algal oils with methanol. Glycerol is usually a by-product in the process. The transesterification reaction can be catalyzed by homogeneous catalysts (acids, bases), or heterogeneous catalysts (tungstated zirconia-alumina, sulfated zirconia-alumina, or sulphated tin oxide). The use of heterogeneous catalysts are said to provide advantages in terms of (1) ease in product separation, (2) minimizing side (soap-formation) reactions, and (3) cost effectiveness due to catalyst reuse. Enzymes (lipases) could also be used to mediate transesterification reactions. Enzymatic transesterification also provides ease of product separation, and minimal wastewater treatment needs. The latest innovations in the biodiesel production process include: (1) supercritical and subcritical alcohol transesterification, (2) microwave-assisted transesterification and (3) ultrasound-assisted transesterification. When transesterification is conducted at supercritical or subcritical conditions (at high temperature and pressure), the oil phase and the aqueous phase (containing the methanol and catalyst) become a single phase, and the reaction becomes faster. One drawback, however is the high cost of equipment and energy. Microwave-assisted and ultrasound-assisted transesterification are latest technologies which are reported to provide cost-effective and short reaction times. The full review article appears in the journal, Biomass and Bioenergy (URL above).


* BIOFUELS POLICY AND ECONOMICS *

EU Communication on Progress of 2020 Renewable Energy Targets
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/renewables/reports/reports_en.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/renewables/reports/doc/com_2011_0031_en.pdf
http://www.thebioenergysite.com/news/8068/ec-calls-for-boost-to-renewable-fuels-cooperation

The European Commission recently released a Communication on the progress of renewable energy in the EU. According to the report, Renewable Energy Directive in 2009, which laid down legally binding rather than indicative national renewable targets, is reporting to be paying off. "A comprehensive and binding regulatory framework is proving catalytic in driving forward renewable energy development to achieve the ambitious targets that the EU has set itself. The recent high growth rates have resulted in renewable energy constituting 62% of 2009 energy generation investments." However, it also stressed the need for "further cooperation between Member States and a better integration of renewable energy into the single European market." A yearly savings of 10 billion Euros is estimated with such measures. Three mechanisms to favor cooperation among Member States are considered: (1) " 'statistical transfers', whereby one Member State with a surplus of renewable energy can "sell" it statistically to another Member State, whose renewable energy sources may be more expensive", (2) ‘joint projects', whereby a new renewable energy project in one Member State can be co-financed by another Member State and the production shared statistically between the two, and (3) ‘joint support schemes', whereby two or more Member States agree to harmonize all or part of their support schemes. The full communication can be accessed at the EC website (URL above).


(c) 2024. ISAAA.