Energy Center News-Bioenergy

Corn Stover Could be Key to State's Ethanol Future--Inside INdiana Business

A Purdue University study suggests corn stover could be the next significant source of liquefied energy in Corn Belt states such as Indiana. The research suggests corn stover could be harvested less expensively than switchgrass, which is considered another source for cellulosic ethanol. The Purdue study compared the costs and returns of harvesting corn stover to the growing and harvesting of switchgrass for Indiana ethanol production. Purdue Agricultural Economist Wally Tyner is the study's lead researcher. He says it might be tough to convince people to invest in the technology without policies to ensure against the possible drop in oil prices, which have hit 147 dollars a barrel on global markets.

High energy prices bringing revolution to American agriculture

Demand for biofuels, grain and farm land is driving a revolution in American agriculture, a Purdue agricultural economist says. Wallace Tyner says the demand for corn to use for ethanol production means farmers are transferring more land from other land uses into corn production. Even larger corn crops will be raised for ethanol production until the federal goal of 15 billion gallons of ethanol by 2015 is reached, he says.

Growing the Bioeconomy: from Foundational Science to Sustainable Practice: September 8-9, Iowa State University

The 2008 Growing the Bioeconomy Conference will focus on strategies to achieve the new federal cellulosic biofuels mandate and advance the Midwestern Governors Association energy and climate change platform. The conference will feature: Cutting edge research on cellulosic feedstocks production and processing technologies; biomass harvest, storage, and transportation systems; biofuels and climate change; and human, social, economic, and policy dimensions of the bioeconomy; biofuels. Tours to learn about new biomass crops and cropping systems research at the Iowa State University New Century Farm Demonstrations of biomass harvest equipment prototypes at the Iowa State University New Century Farm

"Green Gasoline" from Sapphire Energy

"Green Gasoline" from Sapphire Energy (New Prod. and Tech.) - Sapphire Energy indicates the company has produced renewable 91 octane gasoline that conforms to ASTM certification, made from a breakthrough process that produces crude oil directly from sunlight, CO2 and photosynthetic microorganisms beginning with algae. According to the company, the final products are completely compatible with the existing petroleum infrastructure, from refinement through distribution, the retail supply chain and vehicle usage. Sapphire's technology is the result of collaborations with Scripps Research Institute, UC San Diego, the University of Tulsa and the Energy Department's Joint Genome Project. Sapphire Energy did not provide additional details about their production processes, but did indicate that the company expects to introduce its first fuels within 3 years with commercial production within 5 years. (Source: LA Times, May 29, 2008) Contact: Brian Goodall, VP, Downstream Technology, Sapphire Technology, (650) 799-6782, www.sapphireenergy.com

Local Production of Hydrogen and Electricity from Biomass

Presentation by Robert Kramer, Purdue University Calumet, at the World Bio Energy Conference, Chicago, April 30, 2008

Fungus key to reducing Ethanol production costs

Fungus key to reducing Ethanol production costs (R and D) - A team of researchers from Iowa State University and the University of Hawaii have determined that growing a fungus in some of the leftovers from ethanol production can save energy, recycle more water and improve the quality of distillers grain. Researchers added the fungus, Rhizopus Microsporus, to the thin stillage created as an ethanol byproduct and found that it removed about 80% of the organic material and all of the solids allowing the water and enzymes to be recycled back into production. "The process could change ethanol production in dry-grind plants so much that energy costs can be reduced by as much as one-third," said Hans van Leeuwen, an Iowa State professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering and the leader ! of the research project. (Source: Science Daily, May 30, 2008) Contact: Hans Van Leeuwen, Professor, Iowa State University, (515) 294-5251, leeuwen@iastate.edu, www.iastate.edu

Algae-Based Wastewater Treatment Plant Planned for Lake County, Indiana

Algae-Based Wastewater Treatment Plant Planned for Lake County - Algaewheel, Inc. President Chris Limcaco his company is helping to create an algae industry. An Indiana company is planning to build a facility in Cedar Lake that uses algae to treat municipal wastewater. The process creates a sludge that byproduct that can be utilized to produce electricity, heat and biofuel. Indianapolis-based Algaewheel, Inc. President Chris Limcaco says the system uses about half the energy of a conventional wastewater treatment plant. He says a pilot system has been in plane in Whitestown since 2004. It has confirmed energy savings in electrical costs and the treatment of the water is as good or better than a traditional facility. Limcaco says a groundbreaking on the Cedar Lake project should take place this year. It would be the first municipal wastewater treatment plant to use the company's algae technology. (Source: InsideINdianaBusiness.com Report)

Purdue Economist Says Biofuels Not Biggest Cause of Food Price Increases--Hoosier Ag Today

The third Purdue Biofuels Symposium started yesterday, merging current research updates with policy and planning discussions for a bioeconomy.

USDA - STRATEGIC ENERGY SCIENCE PLAN FOR RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND EXTENSION (March 2008)

Securing America's energy future is among the most important challenges today, and agriculture can play an important role in bringing about energy solutions. The USDA Research, Education, and Economics (REE) mission area strives to create public benefi t through both internal activities and partnerships with other USDA agencies, Federal agencies, university partners, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector. To this end, REE has developed a Strategic Energy Science Plan for Research, Education, and Extension (the Plan), which is presented here. The Plan builds upon the many excellent energy-related activities and programs undertaken by the REE agencies and partners.

$140 Million DuPont-Genencor Commercial Partnership

WILMINGTON, Del., U.S., and COPENHAGEN, Denmark, May 14, 2008 - DuPont and Genencor, a division of Danisco A/S, today announced an agreement to form DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol LLC, a 50/50 global joint venture to develop and commercialize the leading, low-cost technology solution for the production of cellulosic ethanol -- a next generation biofuel produced from non-food sources – to address a $75 billion global market opportunity. The partners plan an initial three-year investment of US$140 million, which will initially target corn stover and sugar cane bagasse. Future targets include multiple ligno-cellulosic feedstocks including wheat straw, a variety of energy crops and other biomass sources.

Nancy Ho featured in Mike Wallace book

Purdue University researcher Nancy Ho is among 60 of the world's leading scientists, writers, artists, business and civic leaders whose essays were published in a new book edited by veteran TV journalist Mike Wallace. The book, entitled "The Way We Will be 50 Years from Today: 60 of the World's Greatest Minds Share Their Visions of the Next Half-Century," appeared in April.

UCLA Researchers develop method for production of a more efficient biofuels--UCLA Alumni News

Researchers at UCLA have developed a new method for producing next-generation biofuels by genetically modifying Escherichia coli bacteria to be an efficient biofuel synthesizer. The method could lead to mass production of these biofuels.

Nancy Ho Honored as Lugar Energy Patriot

Nancy Ho Honored as Lugar Energy Patriot

Each month, Senator Lugar profiles a student, professional, scholar, or member of the business community who has demonstrated leadership and initiative in taking concrete action to reduce America's dependence on foreign oil.For the September 2007 Issue, they recognized scientist Nancy Ho. The molecular biologist runs a genetics research group at Purdue University's Laboratory of Renewable Resources Engineering (LORRE) integrative center for biotechnology and engineering, where she has spent her career enthusiastically developing the yeasts required to process cellulosic ethanol. Click Here to read more about this talented Boilermaker scientist - Congratulations Nancy Ho!

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