How to rescue biofuels from a sustainable dead end

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is squeezing global oil supplies and inflation is jacking up prices at the pumps. Although petrol prices have started to fall in recent months, the situation has delivered a powerful reminder of the world’s dependence on fossil fuels.

It also means biofuels are having a moment. The corn-ethanol industry boasts that blending its product into petrol is saving consumers money and creating jobs in the farming communities that supply its distilleries.

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CBI early career program develops next generation of bioenergy leaders

The Center for Bioenergy Innovation at Oak Ridge National Laboratory offers a unique opportunity for early career scientists to conduct groundbreaking research while learning what it takes to manage a large collaborative science center. Eight talented scientists from CBI’s partnering institutions have participated in the Early Career Development program, benefitting their career, their science and the center.

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CBI recognizes achievements of four veteran contributors

The Center for Bioenergy Innovation at Oak Ridge National Laboratory depends on the efforts of its nationwide community of scientists for the continuation of its success as a research center. CBI’s pioneering researchers have leveraged their deep expertise in biochemistry, molecular biology, genomics, and chemical and biological engineering to make fundamental advancements for the efficient breakdown and conversion of biomass into sustainable fuels and bioproducts.

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New Energy CLASS Prize Supports School Upgrades

Schools across the United States can benefit from infrastructure upgrades—improved ventilation and increased energy efficiency is good for students, teachers, and the school's bottom line. But in understaffed and underfunded schools around the country, the ability to implement these sustainability measures often remains out of reach.

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Announcing the 2023 JUMP Into STEM Final Competition Winners

Students and professors from across the country, an esteemed panel of judges, and program supporters from the U.S. Department of Energy converged in Golden, Colorado, for the 2023 JUMP into STEM Final Competition. The two-day event included networking sessions, professor collaboration opportunities, early-career support, tours of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) world-class facilities, and the main event: eight student-team presentations with unique solutions to the most pressing issues facing today's building industry.

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How Biden is wrong about the future of oil

Ten years. That’s how long President Biden gives the oil economy.

He’s only wrong by a few decades.

During his State of the Union speech earlier this month, Biden bashed oil companies for raking in huge profits while he also dramatically understated future demand for oil. “We’re going to need oil for at least another decade,” Biden said. “We’re going to need it. Production.”

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Bioplastics Could Solve a Major Pollution Problem

Our civilization is built on plastics. In 2014 alone, industry generated 311 million metric tons, an amount expected to triple by 2050, according to the World Economic Forum.* Yet less than 15 percent of it gets recycled. Much of the rest is incinerated, sits in landfills or is abandoned in the environment—where, being resistant to microbial digestion, it can persist for hundreds of years. Plastic debris accumulating in the ocean causes all kinds of problems, from killing wildlife when mistakenly ingested to releasing toxic compounds. It can even enter our bodies via contaminated fish.

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