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.
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.
Newly published Michigan State University research details how switchgrass, a biofuel crop, can mitigate effects of climate change when grown on marginal land—agricultural land of little value. For farmers, it may also provide economic returns in these otherwise unproductive spaces.
The research was published in Environmental Research Letters.
The team was led by Bruno Basso, an MSU Foundation Professor in the departments of Earth and Environmental Sciences, and Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, as well as the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station. Seungdo Kim, an associate research professor in the MSU College of Engineering, and Rafael Martinez-Feria, a postdoctoral researcher in Basso's laboratory, were also involved.
Renewable energy is a topic of significant discussion worldwide. Climate scientists warn of catastrophic outcomes if fossil fuels remain the primary energy source into the future. Additionally, countries such as the U.S. are reckoning with the ethical and financial dilemmas of relying on foreign oil.
What if we could capture the carbon dioxide that power plants put into the air and make it something useful?
East Tennessee startup SkyNano is trying to make that possible.
The company has produced its first nanotube made from carbon emitted by the Tennessee Valley Authority’s John Sevier Combined Cycle Plant in Rogersville.
Knoxville startup SkyNano has been named a finalist for Tesla founder Elon Musk’s $100 million XPRIZE Carbon Removal prize.
SkyNano, which has developed a manufacturing technique to capture and convert carbon into useful materials, is the lone Tennessee startup to be named a finalist.
"We're really a Tennessee homegrown company," said Anna Douglas, SkyNano CEO and co-founder. "The technology was born at Vanderbilt, incubated at Oak Ridge National Lab and it's flourishing in the Knoxville region. It's a moment of pride to be able to represent Tennessee."
The Department of Interior announced Friday it planned to resume onshore oil and gas lease sales on federal land, with a higher royalty rate for companies to pay to the federal government.
The Bureau of Land Management will issue sale notices on Monday for upcoming oil and gas projects.Amid predictions of climate change driving up temperatures and causing more extreme heat in the Midwest, a new study led in part by University of Maryland researchers has found that growing one particular perennial grass could cut Midwest warming by 1 degree Celsius.
Miscanthus x giganteus, also known as giant miscanthus, grows up to 10 feet tall with wide bamboo-like stems and green leaves, creating a canopy that's likely to lower regional summer temperatures while increasing humidity, rainfall and overall crop productivity, according to research published in GCB Bioenergy.
Today, during a visit to Menlo, Iowa’s POET Ethanol Plant, President Joe Biden announced the Environmental Protection Agency is planning a federal emergency waiver allowing sales of E15 ethanol throughout the summer.
Usually, E15 ethanol is only sold in most of the country from Sept. 16 to May 31. EPA plans to take final action to issue the emergency waiver closer to June 1. E15 is currently offered at 2,300 gas stations in the country, where it can serve as a more affordable source of fuel.
Scientists have found tiny pieces of plastic in the lungs of living humans, adding to concerns about the impact of microplastics on health.
Bits of plastic dust have been floating around our environment for as long as humans have been using plastic, but scientists have only recently started investigating how these particles may affect our health. Microplastics are by definition smaller than a pencil eraser, so humans and animals may inhale or ingest them without knowing.
We all know that plastic toys may be unnecessary or end up in the landfill, but it’s good to know that huge companies like Mattel are now using bioplastic and making their products more sustainable.
They debuted new certified CarbonNeutral toys this week from their popular MEGA BLOKS line for tots, and recently released a Matchbox Tesla Roadster, its first die-cast vehicle made from 99% recycled materials, which is currently sold out.
