Biomass of northern hemisphere forests mapped

ZEENEWS.com

Last Updated: Thursday, June 27, 2013, 10:27


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US has land, water to support 25 billion gallons of algae biofuels: new study

Biofuels Digest

Jim Lane | May 27, 2013

 

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Scientists Find Potential Enzymes for Biofuel Production in Cow Rumen

Korea IT Times
Tuesday, February 1st, 2011

Cows may hold the key to advancing production of second generation biofuels as scientists from the University of Illinois and Washington State University discover new enzymes in the bovine rumen that effectively breakdown switchgrass, a prime feedstock for bioenergy.

The bovine rumen is the cow's primary grass digestion chamber. This chamber holds a range of organisms such as fungi, bacteria, archaea, protista and viruses which process all food matter that pass through the rumen.

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Ethanol subsidies in doubt as politicians quiet on renewal

Minnesota Public Radio
by Mark Steil, Minnesota Public Radio
September 17, 2010

Worthington, Minn. — The next few months are likely to be critical for the ethanol industry as two key subsidies for the alternative fuel expire in December -- and it's unclear if Congress will renew them.

One subsidy, called the blenders credit, pays refiners to mix ethanol into their gasoline. The other limits competition from ethanol imports. Together the two cost taxpayers about $6 billion a year.

So far Congress hasn't shown much interest in renewing the subsidies, which date back decades. That's a big change from just a few years ago, when ethanol was Washington's alternative fuel of choice. In 2006, the fuel rated a mention in President George W. Bush's State of the Union speech.

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Washington State enacts public biomass supply program

BrighterEnergy.org
Tuesday March 23, 2010 By James Cartledge

Washington Governor Chris Gregoire has signed a state bill to establish a program to source biomass fuels from public forestry land.

The Forest Biomass Supply Agreements Bill received almost unanimous support from the state Legislature.

It will allow the state’s Department of Natural Resources to draw up long-term contracts with the emerging biomass industry to supply fuel from state forestry lands.

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Scientists see biochar as promising fuel source

The News Tribune (Tacoma, WA)
By Kevin McCullen, Herald staff writer
Published: 02/28/10 1:39 am Updated: 03/01/1010:15 am

Scientists in Eastern Washington are at the forefront of research into an ancient practice that shows promise as a clean fuel source, a way to improve soil condition and to capture carbon that otherwise would be released into the atmosphere.

Researchers from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the federal Department of Agriculture's research station in Prosser and Washington State University have been integral figures in studies of biochar and its potential uses.

Biochar, a charcoal-like material, is produced when biomass -- including wood, plant and animal waste -- is burned in the absence of or under low oxygen conditions so the material doesn't combust.

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PNNL to receive $14M in ARRA funds for biofuels research

R&D
By Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Monday, January 25, 2010

RICHLAND, Wash. – The Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will receive about $14.2 million for its role in two biofuels research consortia announced today by Energy Secretary Steven Chu. The consortia will advance the science and technology needed to remove hurdles and accelerate the ability to convert plants and other biological material into biofuels that can be used in existing infrastructure.

Chu funded the consortia with nearly $80 million of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds with the goal of bringing new biofuels to the market and developing a cleaner and more sustainable transportation sector, as well as reducing dependence on foreign oil sources, according to the announcement.

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$2 Million “Shot in the Arm” for Washington State Algae Alliance

Earth Times
Posted : Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:46:34 GMT
Author : Targeted Growth, Inc.

SEATTLE - (Business Wire) The Washington State Algae Alliance, comprised of bioscience firm Targeted Growth, Inc. (TGI), Inventure Chemical (Inventure) and Washington State University (WSU), will benefit from $2 million in funding through WSU as part of the 2010 Senate Energy and Water Development appropriations bill. U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) was instrumental in securing funding for the Alliance, which will jointly develop a new system for the production of sustainable and renewable fuels, chemicals, and chemical intermediates, creating jobs and furthering the state’s growing clean technology base.

“This funding will support cutting-edge research that will create jobs and continue to position Washington state as a leader in the clean energy economy,” said Senator Murray. “It provides a shot in the arm for Washington state biofuels research, and will help our country move toward cleaner and more efficient energy use.”

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Boeing joins with Mexico and Honeywell in biofuels research

SeattlePI blogs
Posted by Aubrey Cohen at October 14, 2009 4:24 p.m.

Boeing, Mexico's Airports and Auxiliary Services agency and Honeywell's UOP Wednesday announced a collaboration to find, research and develop a commercially viable market for sustainable aviation biofuels sourced in Mexico.

"Working together, we are assessing the potential for large-scale production of aviation fuels made from sustainable biomass systems such as halophytes, algae, jatropha, castor and other so-called next-generation biomass-for-energy systems," Darrin Morgan, director of biofuel strategy for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said in a news release.

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WSU bioproducts lab adds 3 faculty

TriCityHerald.com
Friday, Oct. 02, 2009
By the Herald staff

RICHLAND -- Three new faculty members and researchers have joined the Center for Bioproducts and Bioenergy at Washington State University Tri-Cities.

Hanwu Lei, Bin Yang and Xiao Zhang were selected from among about 140 applicants worldwide, said Birgitte Ahring, director of the center.

Each was selected because of a particular specialty, Ahring said.

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Washington State University on track for $2 million algae research appropriation

Biofuels Digest
July 10, 2009


In Washington state, Senator Patty Murray of Washington announced a $2 million appropriation for the WSU Algae Biofuels project, a partnership between WSU and Targeted Growth.

The appropriation was included in the Energy and Water Development fiscal year 2010 spending bill by the Energy and Water Subcommittee today, and is heading to the full Appropriations Committee for approval. WSU’s Bioprocessing and Bioproducts Laboratory research focuses on second generation biofuel system using algae as the main feedstock, with a target product of jet fuel. WSU is one of the few programs in the US specializing in heterotrophic processes as well as phototrophic and autotrophic processes.

WSU partners include Boeing, Bioalgene, Bionavitas, Inventure, Blue Marble Energy, General Biodiesel R3 Biofuels, Element Strategic, Ruby Renewables and Targeted Growth.

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Manure provides green power in Monroe

The Seattle Times
Originally published Sunday, March 15, 2009 at 12:00 AM

Sunday Buzz: Qualco's "green power" plant takes manure and turns it into electricity for Puget Sound Energy.
By Rami Grunbaum, Seattle Times deputy business editor

"Green power" comes out of the Qualco Energy biomass digester south of Monroe's suburban sprawl, but what goes in is runny, steamy and brown in the morning sunlight. You don't want it on your shoes.

This past week Puget Sound Energy bought its first batch of electricity from the digester. That culminates more than five years of political, financial and mechanical engineering by Qualco, an innovative nonprofit formed by local farmers, the Tulalip Tribes and a salmon-advocacy group.

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Plant power on the rise at Sequim Bay lab

Penisula Daily News (Washington)
By Diane Urbani de la Paz

SEQUIM - Look out to the open ocean and envision an energy powerhouse, a field of riches beyond measure.

No, this isn't about offshore oil drilling.

Amid those marine currents are the waves of the future: lowly, soggy plants as the next coveted commodity. Algae and seaweed, scientists and engineers in Sequim believe, can be cultivated and harvested to make jet fuel.

At the Marine Sciences Laboratory on Sequim Bay, Michael Huesemann, a biochemical engineer who grew up near Hamburg, Germany, is at the front of the quest for this next big thing called algal biofuel.

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Students bring biodiesel to WSU

The Daily Evergreen (Washington)
Mick Barretto
The Daily Evergreen

The WSU Biodiesel Club is attempting to work with food services to make biodiesel.

As gas prices remain above $3.50 a gallon, the recently established WSU Biodiesel Club intends to help ease the pain of high pump prices.

The club, which had its first official meeting Monday, is in the process of contacting individuals involved in food services, the motor pool and various other organizations that can aid in the production and distribution process of biodiesel, said Nate Storrs, a sophomore mechanical engineeering major and a member of the Biodiesel Club.

“Before starting production, the club must first determine who is responsible for things like transportation and storage, and who exactly we are going to be getting the grease and other necessary resources from,” said David Smith, a senior mechanical engineerng major and president of the Biodiesel Club. “It really all depends on how much of the necessary materials we are able to get our hands on.” The club expects to be able to produce about 200 gallons of biodiesel per day, Storrs said. Once the club begins producing a profit, the club’s first goal is to pay back their main supporter, Bob Richards, who has invested $4,000 of his own money into making this idea a reality.

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Canola flexes muscle outside biofuel arena

Capital Press

Oilseed tops researcher's list for nitrogen fixing, protein content
Jamie Henneman For the Capital Press

PULLMAN, Wash. - Canola may be one of the most beneficial crops in the oilseed family, due to its ability to fix nitrogen into the ground and the protein content of crushed canola meal, WSU researcher Dennis Roe said at the recent Bioenergy Cropping Systems Research Field Day.

This yellow-flowered plant from the brassica family can be a beneficial crop to rotate into a wheat cycle, both for the nitrogen-rich biomass it can leave behind for the next wheat crop (at least 5 percent) and for its varied marketability. Roe credited the nitrogen benefit to the fact that canola stubble breaks down faster than stubble from a cereal crop, making the nitrogen more available to the next cycle of wheat.

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Biofuels research advanced by WSU

The Seattle Times
Sunday, June 29, 2008 - Page updated at 12:00 AM

Washington State University has taken another step to help place its Tri-Cities-based Center for Bioproducts and Bioenergy on the world stage.
By Pratik Joshi
Tri-City Herald

Washington State University has taken another step to help place its Tri-Cities-based Center for Bioproducts and Bioenergy on the world stage.

Months after hiring Denmark native Birgitte Ahring to head the Tri-Cities center, WSU agreed to work with Aalborg University in Denmark to develop biofuels and bioproducts to reduce the world's dependence on oil.

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Bush backs ethanol despite concern about food costs

International Herald & Tribune
By Russell Blinch
Reuters
Published: April 29, 2008

WASHINGTON: President George W. Bush said on Tuesday he is deeply concerned about high food prices but believes ethanol production is responsible for only a small part of food inflation.

"In terms of the international situation, we are deeply concerned about food prices here at home, and we're deeply concerned about people who don't have food abroad," Bush told a news conference.

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