July Was Hottest Month Ever Recorded
"July 2015 was the warmest month on record for the earth dating back to January 1880, according to the state of the climate report released by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on Thursday."
Documentary - Sustainability in Bioenergy: A Nation Connected
“Sustainability in Bioenergy: A Nation Connected” is a short documentary highlighting personal stories and the efforts being made by communities across the United States to develop, produce, and provide bioenergy, while ensuring it is environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable. From farmers and families in the Midwest, to researchers and business-owners on the coasts, “Sustainability in Bioenergy: A Nation Connected” is a prelude to future products that will provide first-hand views on how sustainability in bioenergy unites us as a nation. This video was developed by the U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office and supports initiatives to expand the public’s understanding of sustainable transportation and the bioenergy industry.
A quick look at ‘fourth generation’ biofuels
"The confluence of developments in plant biology and biotechnology, in carbon capture and storage techniques and in innovative bioconversion methods makes it possible to begin to imagine a 'fourth generation' of biofuels and bioenergy systems. The first steps towards such fuels are already being taken."
B100 available at Root Fuel's Wallisville Road station in Houston
"Six months after opening its Wallisville Road fuel station in Houston selling B20, Root Fuel is now offering B50 and B100 at the same location. “It’s a big, big day,” said Root Fuel CEO Justin Heller. 'We finally opened our B100 and B50 pumps. It’s been eight years in the making, and I finally did it.'"
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) for Biofuel Production
"Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a native warm-season grass that is a leading biomass crop in the United States. More than 70 years of experience with switchgrass as a hay and forage crop suggest switchgrass will be productive and sustainable on rain-fed marginal land east of the 100th meridian."
2015 Still On Pace as Hottest Year On Record
"The first five months of 2015 topped the warmest such period on record for the globe, according to a pair of recently released independent analyses from government scientists.
Global temperatures January-May 2015 exceeded 2010's as the warmest first five months of any year, according to NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies."
Danforth Center receives $8M for big data research program for bioenergy crop
"The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center announced today it was awarded an $8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy ARPA-E TERRA program. Funds will be used for research to accelerate breeding and the commercial release of economically viable bioenergy sorghum hybrids. Todd Mockler, Ph.D., Geraldine and Robert Virgil Distinguished Investigator at the Danforth Center is the principal investigator of this multi-institutional project."
New Research: Suitable Days for Plant Growth Disappear under Projected Climate Change
Abstract
"Ongoing climate change can alter conditions for plant growth, in turn affecting ecological and social systems. While there have been considerable advances in understanding the physical aspects of climate change, comprehensive analyses integrating climate, biological, and social sciences are less common. Here we use climate projections under alternative mitigation scenarios to show how changes in environmental variables that limit plant growth could impact ecosystems and people. We show that although the global mean number of days above freezing will increase by up to 7% by 2100 under “business as usual” (representative concentration pathway [RCP] 8.5), suitable growing days will actually decrease globally by up to 11% when other climatic variables that limit plant growth are considered (i.e., temperature, water availability, and solar radiation). Areas in Russia, China, and Canada are projected to gain suitable plant growing days, but the rest of the world will experience losses. Notably, tropical areas could lose up to 200 suitable plant growing days per year. These changes will impact most of the world’s terrestrial ecosystems, potentially triggering climate feedbacks. Human populations will also be affected, with up to ~2,100 million of the poorest people in the world (~30% of the world’s population) highly vulnerable to changes in the supply of plant-related goods and services. These impacts will be spatially variable, indicating regions where adaptations will be necessary. Changes in suitable plant growing days are projected to be less severe under strong and moderate mitigation scenarios (i.e., RCP 2.6 and RCP 4.5), underscoring the importance of reducing emissions to avoid such disproportionate impacts on ecosystems and people."
Did you know?
Did you know that there are currently 2,646 Ethanol Stations (Offering E85) in the United States? Want to use an easy way to find them and to plan your alternative fuels trip?
Travel safely and have a great time! Please visit the link below for more information.
Biofuel Facts for the Road: The Energy Department and Your Gasoline Pump
"Going “over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house” this holiday season could require a significant amount of gasoline if you’re traveling by car. Before you hit the road to visit relatives or friends, you’ll probably stop at the gas station to fuel up. The Energy Department’s Bioenergy Technologies Office invests in research and development to help commercialize biofuels—liquid fuels produced from plant sources—to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil, build the economy, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions."
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