The US Renewable Fuel Standard works, says new academic study

Biofuels Digest
Jim Lane
February 4, 2013   Read more

UT-ORNL research reveals aquatic bacteria more recent move to land

EurekaAlert
University of Tennessee at Knoxville
12-22-2011

Research by University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists has discovered that bacteria's move from sea to land may have occurred much later than thought
Research by University of Tennessee, Knoxville, faculty has discovered that bacteria's move from sea to land may have occurred much later than thought. It also has revealed that the bacteria may be especially useful in bioenergy research.

Igor Jouline, UT-Oak Ridge National Laboratory joint faculty professor of microbiology and researcher at ORNL's Joint Institute for Computational Sciences, performed a genome sequence analysis of the soil bacteria Azospirillum, a species' whose forbearers made the sea-to-land move. The analysis indicates the shift may have occurred only 400 million years ago, rather than approximately two billion years earlier as originally thought.

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Unlocking the structure of lignin, and feasible pathways to cellulosic conversion

Biofuels Digest
Jim Lane June 16, 2011

Research from ORNL reveals new details of bioenergy’s most daunting technical barrier

“You can make anything out of lignin, except money.” – old industry saying

Lignin, for those newer to the biofuels world, is a complex chemical compound that makes veggies, plants and wood firm, confers resistance to pests, and provides the skeletal strength to enable plants to reach up to the sun for energy.

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Climate change on agenda at ORNL

knoxvillebiz.com
By Larisa Brass
Posted November 11, 2009 at midnight

China, U.S. scientists to discuss innovations to fight growing threat

When talk turns to climate change, two world economic heavyweights are inevitably in the discussion — the U.S. and China.

Today, scientists from leading research institutions in both countries gather at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to talk climate change and budding innovations being funded on both sides of the world to combat what the international community recognizes as a growing environmental threat as well as an economic one.

This is the third such meeting, stemming from a collaboration set up in 2006 of the University of Tennessee, ORNL and two institutes of the Chinese Academy of Science to explore opportunities for research, academic exchange and technology transfer related to environmental research. In addition to presentation topics including climate modeling, ecosystem management and the impact of bioenergy production on hydrology, the conference also includes sessions about China’s energy efficiency industry, the impact of biofuel production on rural economies and the carbon market.

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America's 10 Energy Challenges

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Review
Volume 42, Number 2, 2009 of the ORNL REVIEW is available here in Adobe PDF format. (5.54 Mb)

This issue of the ORNL Review examines ten of the world's most important energy-related challenges. Nine of these challenges are related directly to the twin goals of providing an adequate volume of sustainable energy while dramatically reducing current levels of carbon emissions.


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Martin Keller promoted to associate director at ORNL

knoxnews.com

Martin Keller has been appointed associate lab director for biological and environmental sciences at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL Director Thom Mason announced today. The appointment is effective July 1.

Keller, who came to ORNL in 2006, has been serving most recently as director of the BioEnergy Science Center.

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