Jet fuel production in eucalyptus pulp mills: Economics and carbon footprint of ethanol vs. butanol pathway

This work assessed the economics and carbon footprint of alcohol (ethanol vs. n-butanol)-to-jet fuel production using eucalyptus for feedstock. Considering a risk-mitigating strategy of investing first in the alcohol plant (organosolv pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation) and waiting five years until the second investment (alcohol-to-jet plant), the minimum jet fuel selling price was similar in both ethanol and butanol cases (2.10 and 2.08 US$/l for 20% Internal Rate of Return, IRR). In contrast, according to a stochastic decision-making framework that had carbon footprint as one of the criteria, the ethanol pathway is more promising. Nevertheless, even optimistic assumptions (regarding e.g. lignin price, and the interval between project phases) were ineffective to prevent eucalyptus jet fuel from depending on price premium (>1.00 US$/l), which is needed for better returns than those from eucalyptus ethanol plants. Therefore, the feasibility of alcohol-to-jet fuel production in eucalyptus pulp mills depends on long-term, stable premium and subsidy.

Click here to learn more

Biofuel: how plants are fueling the future

A lot of fuel is required to keep our country running. Americans consume an average of 390 million gallons of motor gasoline and 197 million gallons of aviation gasoline, per day, to fuel planes, trains, and automobiles. Most of the fuel that we currently consume is fossil fuel formed from the fossilized, buried remains of plants and animals that lived millions of years ago. One such fossil fuel, petroleum, is refined into other fuels, such as diesel and gasoline.

Because of their origins, fossil fuels have a high carbon content, meaning they produce a lot of energy when they are burned. However, burning fossil fuels can have negative impacts on our environment through air and water pollution and the release of carbon dioxide, a known greenhouse gas thought to contribute to global warming. Another limitation of fossil fuel is that they are an exhaustible resource that will eventually run out. Our growing fuel needs compounded with the risks and limitations of fossil fuels have led to a renewable energy movement aimed at reducing the production and use of fossil fuels in favor of cleaner, more sustainable fuel sources.

Click here to learn more

Biobutanol

Butanol, a 4-carbon alcohol (butyl alcohol), is produced from the same feedstocks as ethanol, including corn grain and other biomass. The term biobutanol refers to butanol made from biomass feedstocks. The benefits of biobutanol, when compared with ethanol, are that biobutanol is immiscible in water, has a higher energy content, and has a lower Reid vapor pressure. Under the Renewable Fuel Standard, corn grain butanol meets the renewable fuel 20% greenhouse gas emission reduction threshold.

Click here to learn more

United completes world’s first passenger flight using 100% sustainable aviation fuel

On an otherwise normal flight from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to Washington, D.C.'s Reagan National Airport on Wednesday, a United 737 Max 8 passenger flight operated with 100% sustainable aviation fuel -- a first, and monumental, step for the aviation industry.

Boeing, CFM International, Virent, World Energy, and United partnered on the 612-mile demonstration flight, which emitted an estimated 75% less CO2 than a flight using traditional jet fuel, the companies said. The flight used 500 gallons of SAF in one engine and an equal amount of traditional jet fuel in the other.

Click here to learn more

Fuel from plants

All of the food we eat contains chemical energy initially derived
from sunlight. We know that it is photosynthesis that transfers
energy from light into chemical energy, and we are used to
talking about ‘calories’ in our food. You may have estimated
the amount of chemical energy in a foodstuff or a plant using
a calorimeter (see Figure 1). This instrument measures the heat
released when a sample is burnt. The greater the amount of
heat energy released, the higher the calorific (chemical energy)
content of the material. Combustion of fossil fuels to provide us
with heat relies on the chemical energy stored in plants when
they were alive (see Figure 2). With an ever-decreasing supply
of fossil fuels, however, we are constantly on the lookout for
alternative sources of energy.

Click here to learn more

Cell Wall (Plant, Fungal, Bacterial)- Structure and Functions

  • The cell wall is a rigid and protective layer around the plasma membrane which provides mechanical support to the cell.
  • It is a non-living structure which is formed by the living protoplast.
  • Animal cells do not have a cell wall. They are present in most plant cells, fungi, bacteria, algae, and some archaea.
  • In-plant cells, the cell wall is made up of cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, and protein. In many fungi, the cell wall is formed of chitin and in bacteria, the cell wall contains protein-lipid-polysaccharide complexes.
  • The cell wall has many important functions in a cell including protection, structure, and support.

Click here to learn more

Hybrid Poplars

Pennsylvania Dutch country would appear to many folks an unlikely place in which to find a solution to this nation’s energy problems. The fertile fields roll toward the horizon … prosperous farms dot the landscape … and local folks use horses and buggies for transportation! Yet deep in the rich Amish and Mennonite farm country–near Ephrata, Pennsylvania–grow rows of trees that may someday set us free from our gasoline bondage … and can already provide low-cost heat for the homestead house.

Click here to learn more

Sustainable aviation fuels: a pathway to economic opportunity and a low carbon future

Earlier this year, the United States officially re-entered the Paris Climate Agreement, an international accord that brings many nations together to address climate change. This reconciliation puts the U.S. on track to adopt cleaner energy policies in the pursuit of eventual carbon neutrality. This return also reinforces the importance of advancing environmental research to decrease our dependence on fossil fuels, which is critical to curbing carbon dioxide emissions.

Click here to learn more

Genome Insider S2 Episode 7: THE Bioenergy Tree

The US Department of Energy’s favorite tree is poplar. They’re the fastest growing trees in the Northern Hemisphere, making them tantalizing plants to harness for bioenergy. In this episode, hear from Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists who have uncovered remarkable genetic secrets that bring us closer to making poplar an economical and sustainable source of energy and materials.

Click here to learn more

Open Navigation