Fungus research at MSU could help biofuels production

Bozeman Daily Chronicle
Posted: Saturday, January 21, 2012 12:15 am
JASON BACAJ, Chronicle Staff Writer The Bozeman Daily Chronicle

Yellowstone’s hot springs are a haven for researchers interested in the prevalence of life in some of the world’s harshest environments.

Outside of their near-boiling hearts, those springs are surrounded by rings of different temperatures and colors, explained Mark Kozubal, a researcher at Montana State University who earned his doctorate studying organisms that live off the iron and sulfur in the springs’ high temperatures and acidic conditions.

The first ring is typically 70 degrees and yellow from sulfur. The next, red from iron, measures between 50 degrees and 70 degrees. Finally, there are rings of algae and fungi, he said.

It’s an acid-tolerant fungus from one of those outer rings that has Kozubal and his fellow researchers at MSU excited.

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Return of the Pyromaniax

Biofuels Digest
Jim Lane January 26, 2012

Those researchers developing pyrolysis as a solution to the world’s fossil fuels woes – they are just irrepressible.

Now, one team from UMass-Amherst has come up with a “platform discovery” that can make catalytic fast pyrolysis “economically competitive with crude oil production”.

You just can’t turn your back for very long, around the Pyromaniax – the researchers around the world working on pyrolysis. Now, pyro comes in several flavors – fast pyrolysis, flash pyrolysis, catalytic fast pyrolysis – there’s low-pressure, low-temp, and high-temp. Whatever the flavor, the R&D progress is fast – demonstrated by companies such as KiOR which went public with a billion-dollar valuation.

The stumbling blocks – generally, too much oxygen in the pyro oils – so it needs upgrading to make a true do-oxygenated hydrocarbon fuel. Not always enough stability in the oils. Never enough aromatics.

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Update on a Mobile Indirect Biomass Liquefaction System

Biomass Power & Thermal
By John P. Hurley January 25, 2012

Minnesota’s forestry operations produce 300,000 tons per year of wood waste that is not used in any existing or proposed facility. Through the process of indirect liquefaction, this waste can be converted into liquid fuels that could be transported to remote off-grid sites and reformed to hydrogen to power fuel cells producing electricity.


Using distributed power generation at off-grid sites eliminates the need to build transmission lines at remote sites, which ultimately saves utility ratepayers money. In addition, the wood-to-fuel technology provides a non-fossil fuel, nearly carbon dioxide neutral method to fuel backup generators. Even in areas that are served by the grid, this saves utility ratepayers the cost of maintaining large backup power production systems. Ratepayers may also be able to take advantage of future carbon credits or avoid carbon taxes applied to fossil energy-based power production.

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Biomass Confusion at the EPA

Biomass Power & Thermal
By Bob Cleaves January 25, 2012

The saga of the U.S. EPA’s Boiler Maximum Achievable Control Technology and related rules continues. With the District Court’s decision on Jan. 9, invalidating the EPA’s previous stay of the original rules, the need for Congressional action has now become critically important.


Some background: In March 2011, the U.S. EPA issued final rules for, among other things, Boiler MACT and Commercial and Industrial Solid Waste Incinerators. These rules were flawed in many respects and, by EPA’s own admission, were in need of further work based on lack of data and feasibility, among other reasons. As a result of the flaws in the March rules, on May 18, the EPA announced that it was delaying the date the rules would go into effect until the agency completed its reconsideration (76 Federal Register 28662).

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Unlocking Seaweed’s Next-Gen Crude: Sugar

The New York Times
January 23, 2012, 3:04 pm
By JOSIE GARTHWAITE

Seaweed often brings to mind thoughts of surf and sushi, not fuel. But that could change if a biotechnology start-up called Bio Architecture Lab succeeds in building a new kind of energy company from designer bacteria and a low-cost process for harvesting seaweed.

The key is a genetically modified strain of Escherichia coli bacterium, which can break down the sugars in brown seaweed, or macro-algae, to produce ethanol, according to new research published in the peer-reviewed journal Science.

As one of the 14 study authors, BAL’s co-founder and chief science officer, Yasuo Yoshikuni, explained in an interview by phone, “Sugar is the next-generation crude oil — it can go to fuels and chemicals.” BAL’s breakthrough, he says, is about finding a way to “unlock the sugars in seaweed.”

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The Cleantech Conservative: Policies for bioenergy in an era of austerity

Biofuels Digest
January 24, 2012
By Douglas L. Faulkner

What should be the priorities for federal government support for bioenergy, in an era of fiscal austerity and a broken consensus on energy policy?

My goal is develop interactively with you, bioenergy thought leaders, a set of low-cost, industry-led policy proposals to be shared at the end of this year with the election winners as “An Open Letter to the President and Congress.” To get there, I am interested in hearing what you may want to share or suggest.

My focus is post-election, because this year is frankly a transitional period of time, when progress on solving our national issues will be difficult and slow, as major elections loom to break (or maybe reinforce) political stalemates. And, if the past such discussions are any example, we will need the bulk of the year to cut down the weeds and center a consensus around some solid policy prescriptions.

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2011 US ethanol exports expected to total 1.11 billion gallons

Ethanol Producer Magazine
By Holly Jessen January 17, 2012
SOURCE: RFA

By the end of 2011, the U.S. ethanol industry will have exported more than twice the amount of ethanol than was exported the year before. Government data released Jan. 13 shows 1.02 billion gallons of U.S. ethanol was exported through November, and when the final numbers are available, total 2011 exports should reach 1.11 billion gallons, according to Geoff Cooper, vice president of research and analysis, who tracks the data for the Renewable Fuels Association.

Nearly half the total ethanol exported in November went to Brazil. Although data on ethanol imports is not yet available, Cooper said anecdotal evidence suggests Brazil is continuing to export its sugarcane ethanol to the U.S., while the U.S. exports corn ethanol to Brazil, referring to this as the ethanol shuffle.

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USDA launches renewable energy data website

Ethanal Producer Magazine
By Kris Bevill January 19, 2012

The USDA has launched a new energy website at www.usda.gov/energy dedicated to providing information and statistics related to the agency’s energy efficiency and renewable energy data. Included in the site’s offerings are three new instruments—the USDA Renewable Energy Investment Map, the Renewable Energy Tool and an Energy Matrix—designed to allow users to view USDA energy investments, analyze biofuels and bioenergy data and to provide interested parties with information related to the USDA’s various energy programs.

“Improving and modernizing access to USDA energy data and resources is essential in today’s highly competitive rural business environment,” Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said in a statement. “Farmers, ranchers and small businesses across the country will benefit from easier navigation and retrieval of energy and renewable energy investments data and funding opportunities.”

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POET, DSM form landmark cellulosic ethanol joint venture

Biofuels Digest
Jim Lane January 24, 2012

Two titans form a monster JV, starting out with a $250M investment. How big, how fast could it grow?

In Iowa, Poet has teamed with Dutch-based Royal DSM to create a 50/50 joint venture called Poet-DSM Advanced Biofuels that will produce cellulosic ethanol and license the technology to other plants in the U.S. and globally.

DSM and POET will each hold a 50% share in the joint venture, which will be headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The initial capital expenditure by the joint venture in Project Liberty will amount to about $250 million.

“We are going to make advanced biofuels a reality by 2013, said DSM CEO Feike Sijbesma. “Everyone is talking about advanced biofuels. Now, we are no longer talking, we are getting this done. It’s two leaders, with one shared vision, who will be first movers in a highly attractive, high-growth market.”

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New Technology in Biomass Conversion to Crude Oil

ThePigSite.com
Monday, January 23, 2012

US - Researchers at the University of Illinois are preparing to develop an educational and research facility that will be used to demonstrate the process of converting swine manure and algae into crude oil.

Lance Schideman, a professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE) at Illinois, has done significant research in the area of integrated algae systems for water purification and biomass production. Yuanhui Zhang, also a professor in ABE, has spent almost a decade researching the conversion of swine manure into crude oil. Now they have combined their efforts to develop a system that will use biowastes such as swine manure to grow algal biomass, purify wastewater, recycle nutrients, capture carbon dioxide and produce biofuels.

"With this system, we will first convert swine manure into crude oil in a hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) reactor," Professor Schideman said. "The resultant wastewater contains nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which can be used to grow algae. These fast-growing algae will remove the excess nutrients and capture carbon dioxide. Finally, the algae will be fed back into the HTL reactor to be converted into additional biocrude oil." Schideman said that the first stage of the project should allow them to produce up to two gallons of crude oil per day, using manure and algae grown on site. A second phase is also being planned that will produce up to two barrels of oil per day.

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