#Biodiesel made easier, cleaner with waste-recycling catalyst Using simple catalysis, the researchers have been able to recycle a non-desired by-product produced
when biodiesel is formed from vegetable oil, and convert this into an ingredient to produce even more biodiesel.
It is believed this new process will have significant environmental benefits by improving the yield of biodiesel in a sustainable way that doesn't require the use of additional fossil fuels,
and could potentially reduce the costs of the biodiesel production process. Arrayby 2020, the EU aims to have 10 per cent of the transport fuel of every EU country come from renewable sources such as biofuels.
Fuel suppliers are required also to reduce the greenhouse gas intensity of the EU fuel mix by 6 per cent by 2020 in comparison to 2010.
At present, biodiesel is produced by combining fats and oils with methanol, which is derived usually from fossil fuels.
A waste product from this process is crude glycerol, which is formed on a large scale and contains many impurities that make it costly to purify
and reuse in other areas. In their study, the researchers, from the Cardiff Catalysis Institute, developed a way of turning the crude glycerol back into methanol,
which could then be used as a starting reactant to create more biodiesel. To achieve this
the researchers reacted glycerol with water, to provide the element hydrogen, and a magnesium oxide (Mgo) catalyst.
Using the recycled methanol, the researchers estimate up to a 10 per cent increase in biodiesel production,
"Biodiesel manufacture is a growing part of the EU fuel pool, with statutory amounts being required to be added to diesel that is derived from fossil fuels."
"We've provided unprecedented chemistry that highlights the potential to manufacture biodiesel in a much more environmentally friendly,
and potentially cheaper, way, by converting an undesired by-product into a valuable chemical that can be reused in the process."
and seriously improve the quality of life by reducing carbon emissions from fossil fuels and encourage efficient use of resources."
"This paper shows how fundamental catalysis research can develop new mild processes to enhance the sustainability of biodiesel.
including biodegradable plastics, pharmaceutical drugs and even liquid fuels. Scientists with the U s. Department of energy (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the University of California (UC) Berkeley have created a hybrid system of semiconducting nanowires and bacteria that mimics
and oil industry in that we can produce chemicals and fuels in a totally renewable way, rather than extracting them from deep below the ground.
Atmospheric carbon dioxide is now at its highest level in at least three million years, primarily as a result of the burning of fossil fuels.
Yet fossil fuels, especially coal, will remain a significant source of energy to meet human needs for the foreseeable future.
a fuel comparable to gasoline, 25-percent for amorphadiene, a precursor to the antimaleria drug artemisinin,
But the fossil fuel industry is far from abandoning its own interest in British waters as the energy giant BP has announced that it is to invest about £670m to extend the life of its North sea assets.
Last year, the Convention executive secretary, Christiana Figueres, said the world long-term goal was to reduce greenhouse gases to zero by 2100#a target she said would require leaving three-quarters of fossil fuels in the ground. e just can afford to burn them she said a
me a couple of weeks ago for being too critical of the fossil fuel industry. July 28, 2015-If you are a regular reader of this blog then you have read about the importance of our research into stem cells and their therapeutic value.
In the region of Pucanganom we installed a system that processes toilet sewage of 15 families and the dung of their animals in three biogas facilities.
There the organic wastes are converted into biogas and fertilizer within a period of one month. Via a pipeline system the gas is passed directly on to the gas stoves of the neighboring houses.
The liquid layer on the surface provides a barrier to everything from ice to crude oil and blood.
and create biochar a highly porous charcoal said project principal investigator Karl Linden professor of environmental engineering.
Additionally the biochar can be burned as charcoal and provides energy comparable to that of commercial charcoal.
Linden is working closely with project co-investigators Professor R. Scott Summers of environmental engineering and Professor Alan Weimer chemical and biological engineering and a team of postdoctoral fellows professionals graduate students undergraduates
and human activities, such as leakage from natural gas systems and the raising of livestock.""Human activities such as agriculture, fossil fuel combustion, wastewater management and industrial processes are increasing the amount of nitrous oxide in the atmosphere.
The warming impact of methane and nitrous oxide is more than 20 and 300 times, respectively, greater compared to the most prevalent greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide over a 100-year period.
and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, carcinogenic compounds formed from incomplete combustion of fuels, from contaminated soil. The process is irreversible
but both companies are interested also in creating a cost-competitive product that is a better economic alternative than the petroleum-based isoprene,
and distribution infrastructure already used for natural gas and eventually turned back into electricity via combustion or fuel cells.
Germany isn t the only country investing in hydrogen energy storage. Canada is getting in on the action too with a major demonstration facility planned for Ontario.
and the hydrogen can be used to replace fossil fuels not only in electricity production but also in industry and transportation
When it opens next year it will have the capacity to produce 650000 kilograms of hydrogen a year the energy equivalent of 650000 gallons of gasoline.
Hydrogenics which has supplied electrolyzers for many of the biggest projects in Germany is designing a 40-megawatt system that will produce the equivalent of 4. 3 million gallons of gasoline a year.
Electrolysis remains more expensive than producing hydrogen from natural gas at least in the United states where natural gas is cheap.
and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, carcinogenic compounds formed from incomplete combustion of fuels, from contaminated soil. The process is irreversible
who studies phyto-engineering for biofuel synthesis. e hope to help democratize the field of synthetic biology for students and researchers all over the world with this model,
#Biodiesel production from Sugarcane A multi-institutional team led by plant biology professor Stephen P. Long from the University of Illinois reports that it can increase sugarcane's geographic range boost its photosynthetic rate by 30 percent
and turn it into an oil-producing crop for biodiesel production. These are the first steps in a bigger initiative that will turn sugarcane
But soybean isnt productive enough to meet the nations need for renewable diesel fuels Long said.
#Flight Flies on 100 Percent Biofuels This week saw the first-ever completely biofuel-powered flight take place.
drop in biofuel on its Falcon 20 jet, according to oilprice. com, marking a huge milestone for the aviation and renewable energy industries.
and transformed by Applied Research Associates into a complete replacement fuel for conventional jet fuel. Previously, flights on biofuels had been limited to a 50 percent blend with petroleum making this a major breakthrough.
Industrial biotechnology continues to enable solutions to energy challenges and building a biobased economy is key to reducing dependence on foreign oil enhancing our nation economic and energy security.
Production and use of advanced biofuel could displace at least 15 billion gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel the equivalent of 475 million barrels of oil each year by 2022, reducing oil imports by $70 billion
The U s. Navy has recognized long the importance of reducing dependence on foreign oil as it strives toward its goal of cutting petroleum use 50 percent by 2020.
Last week, the U s. Navy signed an agreement with biotech company Biodico to collaborate on developing advanced biofuels and bioenergy refineries throughout the globe for the U s. military.
California that will produce biofuels and bioenergy at prices competitive with unsubsidized conventional fuel and power.
For every $0. 25 rise in the price of jet fuel the Department of defense (Dod) must come up with an extra $1 billion annually,
The Pentagon spent $17. 3 billion on petroleum in 2011, a 26 percent increase from the previous year with practically no change in the volume purchased.
Progress in biofuel-powered flights and the Navy continued pursuit of alternative energy are great steps to help the United states build a biobased economy
A domestic biofuel industry means we grow fuels at home instead of importing them from abroad o
#Scientists made a major breakthrough in 3d-printed electronics that will keep you from ever drinking spoiled milk again Researchers have used 3d printing to develop a sensor that can be placed inside a carton of milk to detect
#Cow Manure to Ethanol Plant Switches On in California's San joaquin valley The San joaquin valley has become America breadbasket over the past few decades.
On the upside, all that agricultural waste creates a solid biofuels pipeline. Forget the food-versus-fuel debate:
many of the crops grown in the valley are high-value products that are lucrative,
Biofuels, clean energy, renewable energy, biofuels, biogas, cow manure, waste diversion, Pixley, Calgren, Regensis, Tulare County, DVO, California Energy Commission, dairy industry, San joaquin valley
The recent launch of the Calgren Ethanol Plant in the Tulare County town of Pixley is a step in helping California meet its clean energy goals while addressing the San joaquin valley terrible air pollution.
will churn cow manure into bioethanol which can then be blended with conventional gasoline. The core of Calgren plant is an anaerobic digester built by DVO,
which is based in Wisconsin. Regensis, a Washington state building contractor, was in charge of the plant construction.
Calgren Renewable fuels operates the plant, the output of which will be enough to fuel 145,000 cars annually.
In addition to generating ethanol biogas will also be produced in order to power the facility, nixing any need to be connected to the local grid.
The process starts with a nearby dairy, Four J Farms. Cow manure from the 1,
while clean fuel is culled from the manure, moisture is extracted also and then recycled so local farmers can use it to water their crops.
and hydrogen are getting a lot of media attention these days as the fuels of the future.
But it is the workhouse plants like this Calgren facility that reduce the carbon content of our fuel supply,
said Jim Mckinney, a project manager for CEC Alternative and Renewable fuel and Vehicle technology Program. Mckinney added that the ethanol produced at this plant results in the lowest carbon-emitting ethanol currently refined at an industrial scale throughout California.
More biorefineries such as the Calgren plant could help California solve multiple challenges a boost in production of clean transport fuels, the reduction in agricultural waste and for local residents,
better air quality in the San joaquin valley. here is enough organic waste (in California) to power 2 to 3 million homes
ultra-low carbon transportation fuels, said Regenis Vice president Bryan Vanloo. Furthermore, Steve Dvorak, President of DVO, reminded the audience that one cow alone creates about 100 to 130 cubic feet of biogas a day,
or the equivalent of 65, 000 BTUS or 6 kilowatt-hours daily. California dairy industry is not going away anytime soon,
According to the U s. Environmental protection agency coal-and natural gas-fired plants were responsible for one-third of U s. greenhouse gas emissions in 2012.
That's why the agency has proposed rules mandating dramatically reduced carbon emissions at all new fossil fuel-fired power plants.
MECS provide a new way to capture carbon with fewer environmental issues says Roger D. Aines leader of the fuel cycle innovations program at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and a co
Perhaps this is why the powerful and wealthy Rockefeller family recently sold out of fossil fuels and switched their investments towards clean energy?
while cutting fuel consumption by 20 percent. The Air2nitrous team describes its electronic emissions control system as a"first phase"device because it works before and during combustion.
which is enriched an fuel/air mixture. According to the company, less nitrogen means less nitric oxide and nitrogen oxide (NOX),
The system works with combustion engines powered with various fuels, including diesel, LPG, bunker oil, gasoline, natural gas and others.
They add it takes 30 minutes to install the A2n device, a job that can be done by any mechanic to any internal combustion engine,
Beyond air quality and climate change mitigation benefits, California abundant renewable energy resources provide energy with zero marginal cost and zero fuel price volatility to our citizens,
"The advantage of CNF over other polymers is that it's a bio-based material and most other polymers are based petroleum polymers.
and petroleum to detect and measure heavy metals. Among the most important advantages of this nanosorbent, mention can be made of reducing the cost of food sample evaluation,
Water splitting combines sunlight and water in a chemical reaction in order to harvest clean hydrogen energy. By smoothing the surface of hematite,
"The friction between the tire and the ground consumes about 10 percent of a vehicle's fuel,
it could give us very good improvement in fuel efficiency.""The nanogenerator relies on an electrode integrated into a segment of the tire.
and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, carcinogenic compounds formed from incomplete combustion of fuels, from contaminated soil. The process is irreversible
unlike a lot of the petroleum-based alternatives that manufacturers use to build the bases of modern computer chips.
In the future it might be possible to efficiently operate even smaller decentralized units e g. at rural biogas facilities.
So far admixture of hydrogen in the natural gas grid has been limited to a few percent as storage distribution
and storage of natural gas and the standard appliances can be used further without any modifications or readjustments being required.
Via an effective methanation wind and solar power can be fed into the natural gas grid without any limitations.
For example it might be converted decentrally with the carbon dioxide produced by the about 800000 biogas facilities
and construction materials to keep fuel-generated warmth inside. Cui's team wanted to take a different approach
The"fuel"used is wastewater, and the products of the process are purified water droplets and electricity.
And yet, PLA is considered not yet a full alternative to traditional petroleum-based plastics, as it is costly to produce.
However, PLA is not yet a full alternative for petroleum-based plastics due to its cost. The production process for PLA is expensive because of the intermediary steps."
Of course, PLA will never fully replace petroleum-based plastics. For one thing, some objects, such as toilet drain pipes, are meant not to be biodegradable.
CNF offers many benefits over current chip substrates, she says. he advantage of CNF over other polymers is that it a bio-based material and most other polymers are based petroleum polymers.
While biofuels have proven to be an effective, renewable, low-carbon alternative to gasoline and diesel, jet fuels pose unique challenges.
and the BP energy company. ee combined chemical catalysis with life-cycle greenhouse gas modeling to create a new process for producing bio-based aviation fuel as well as automotive lubricant base oils,
a chemical engineer with joint appointments at Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley. he recyclable catalysts we developed are capable of converting sugarcane biomass into a new class of aviation fuel and lubricants with superior cold
The paper is titled ovel pathways for fuels and lubricants from biomass optimized using life-cycle greenhouse gas assessment.
The concentrations of carbon and other greenhouse gases in Earth atmosphere are now at their highest levels in the past three million years, primarily as a result of the burning of petroleum and other fossil fuels.
Biofuels synthesized from the sugars in plant biomass help mitigate climate change. However jet fuels have stringent requirements that must be met. et fuels must be oxygen-free,
have the right boiling point distribution and lubricity, and a very low pour point, meaning the fuel can become gelatinous in the cold temperatures of the stratosphere,
Bell says. iofuel solutions, such as farnesane, mixed directly with petroleum jet fuel have been tested, but offer only modest greenhouse gas reduction benefits.
Ours is the first process to generate true drop in aviation biofuels. Scown cites the Intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) on the importance of drop in aviation biofuels. n a 2014 report
the IPCC pointed out that drop in biofuels are the only viable alternative to conventional jet fuels,
she says. f we want to reduce our dependence on petroleum, air travel is going to require renewable liquid fuels
because batteries and fuel cells simply aren practical. The process developed at EBI can be used to selectively upgrade alkyl methyl ketones derived from sugarcane biomass into trimer condensates with better than 95-percent yields.
These condensates are deoxygenated then hydro into a new class of cycloalkane compounds that contain a cyclohexane ring and a quaternary carbon atom.
These cycloalkane compounds can be tailored for the production of either jet fuel or automotive lubricant base oils.
Lubricant base oils can produce even more greenhouse gas emissions on a per-mass basis than petroleum-derived fuels
if even a fraction of the lubricant is repurposed as fuel. The ability of the EBI process to yield jet fuel
or lubricants should be a significant advantage for biorefineries. ugarcane biorefineries today produce ethanol, sugar and electricity, says PNAS paper co-author Gokhale, a chemical engineer,
who is managing the research project from BP side. xpanding the product slate to include aviation fuels
and lubricant base oils could allow for operators to manage their market risks better, which is exactly how petrochemical refinery complexes operate today.
Rather than optimize for one product, they try to optimize the overall product slate. Adds Scown,
the fibrous residue that remains after juice is extracted from sugarcane stalk, into fuels and other products.
This new EBI process for making jet fuel and lubricants could also be used to make diesel
and additives for gasoline as Gokhale explains. ith some minimal modifications to both the catalysts
Although the goal of this study was to develop a strategy for the flexible production of jet fuels and lubricant base oils in a Brazilian sugarcane refinery,
but hold that there still important incentives to encourage investments. ee shown in this study that biorefineries can use inexpensive catalysts to produce a suite of hydrocarbon fuels and lubricants,
it could give us very good improvement in fuel efficiency Improving fuel efficiency would benefit everyone it would help automotive industry meet new strict regulations for emissions,
However, scientists estimated that fuel efficiency could be improved by as much as 10%,given 50%friction energy conversion efficiency.
and 10%savings in terms of fuel consumption are pretty big leap forward. But, as usual, we will have to wait
how to keep milk cold without burning diesel fuel. Theye been selling refrigerators in India for two years;
The dairy collection center in Chetawala, in the state of Rajasthan, estimates that it saves around 40,000 rupees ($628) a month on diesel fuel and reduced milk spoilage since installing a Rapid Milk Chiller
The idea is that instead of making chips from petroleum-based plastic, we'd be able to use cellulose nanofibril-a flexible,
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