Latest News

Phillips 66 has announced its Jet Renewable Diesel will go on sale at two Jet forecourts this summer, following positive customer feedback after it was launched as a wholesale offering in February 2022.

The renewable diesel is a paraffinic fuel that is chemically similar to conventional fossil-fuel-based diesel but derived from biomass sources such as used cooking oil, fats, greases and vegetable oils. This produces a fuel that is significantly lower in carbon intensity than fossil fuel and it qualifies as a renewable transport fuel under UK law.

Click here to learn more

The rapid pace of global climate change has added urgency to developing technologies that reduce the carbon footprint of transportation technologies, especially in sectors that are difficult to electrify. In response, researchers collaborating through the Center for Bioenergy Innovation make the case that scientific advances support a hybrid approach using biological and catalytic methods for producing cellulosic biofuel for use in airplanes, ships and long-haul trucks.

Click here to learn more

Soil carbon measurements and accurate documentation is one of the challenging tasks in establishing high-quality tradable carbon credits and meeting market requirements. Soil carbon measurement may sound easy to accomplish, but it is complex and costly. Many approaches have evolved over time that include laboratory analysis, direct field measurements and a modeling approach, or a combination of both.

Click here to learn more

Ten times stronger than steel, nearly half the weight of aluminum, far stiffer than fiberglass—carbon fiber carries a package of advantages, making it a preferred material for use in luxury sedans and Formula One racecars alike.

But it still needs perfecting to become economical for mass market vehicles, according to National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) scientist Nicholas Rorrer. "Carbon fiber is expensive," he explained. "It is also energy intensive to make, so it is not exactly greenhouse gas (GHG) friendly. Making carbon fiber readily recyclable could help in both these regards."

Click here to learn more

Energy is very important. It is something that kids need and use every day at home and at school. In fact, some form of energy is used just about anywhere that you can imagine! It is also something that adults talk, worry, and have concerns about. One of the things that they worry about is called energy conservation. When you hear the words “conserving” and “conservation,” it means to use less of something. If you are using less of something, then you are saving it: If you are conserving energy, that means you are saving it by using less of it. Energy conservation is just as important as energy itself. It is also something that kids can help with.

Click here to learn more

A young Irishman has come up with his own “cool science-y method” to solve the microplastic pollution conundrum, winning Google’s international science fair in the process.

By mixing magnetized iron oxide and vegetable oil, he created a kind of liquid magnet that collects microplastics which can then be removed via magnetism, leaving only glistening water behind.

Click here to learn more

Biomass—renewable energy from plants and animals

Biomass is renewable organic material that comes from plants and animals. Biomass was the largest source of total annual U.S. energy consumption until the mid-1800s. Biomass continues to be an important fuel in many countries, especially for cooking and heating in developing countries. The use of biomass fuels for transportation and for electricity generation is increasing in many developed countries as a means of avoiding carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel use. In 2020, biomass provided nearly 5 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) and about 5% of total primary energy use in the United States.

Click here to learn more

If you’re steering your household toward a more self-sufficient lifestyle, maybe you’d like to add do-it-yourself fuel to your list of goals. Biodiesel can be brewed from waste vegetable oil or animal fats, which you can collect free from restaurants, or you can grow soybeans or canola to press your own oil. Process the oil with a couple of chemicals to produce homemade fuel that can run any device powered by petroleum diesel — including pickups, cars, and home heating systems. Do it right, and DIY biodiesel can cost as little as $1 per gallon to manufacture. The scale is up to you: Brew enough to make your homestead fuel-independent, or join forces with neighbors to produce fuel for your collective households.

Click here to learn more

The Miscanthus genus of grasses, commonly used to add movement and texture to gardens, could quickly become the first choice for biofuel production. A new study shows these grasses can be grown in lower agricultural grade conditions—such as marginal land—due to their remarkable resilience and photosynthetic capacity at low temperatures.

Click here to learn more

Ford Motor Company and the University of Tennessee announced a new partnership for “a stream mitigation and restoration agreement” that will focus on water streams located on the University’s Lone Oaks Farm.

Lone Oaks Farm is located in West Tennessee and serves as a 4-H and science, technology, education, and math (STEM) education center for K-12 students.

The property is undergoing development projects to expand its reach to students throughout the state.

Click here to learn more