Tag Archives: potential
New Lignin Pathway Discovered For Potential Biofuels Production
6 September 2013 A multi-university study into biomass-to-energy has claimed to have found a new lignin gene which could aid conversion. A research project involving universities in Scotland, the US and Belgium used the model plant Arabidopsis thanliana and identified an enzyme called caffeoyl shikimate esterase (CSE), which fulfils a central role in lignin biosynthesis. The research says by removing the CSE gene resulted in 36% less lignin per gram of stem material. Conversely, the direct conversion of cellulose to glucose from non-pretreated plant biomass increased four-fold. ‘This finding was quite unexpected because the lignin pathway has been widely examined and it had been thought, for the past decade or so, to be completely mapped,’ the University of Dundee’s Claire Halpin was quoted as saying. ‘It looks like it could be very useful in trying to manipulate plant biomass to generate biofuels and other chemicals from non-food crops. Our studies showed that Arabidopsis with mutated CSE were able to release around 75% more sugars from cellulose without needing harsh chemical treatments.’ Haplin adds these new insights could now be used to screen natural populations of energy crops, such as poplar, eucalyptus and switchgrass, or other grass species for a non-functional CSE gene. – See more at: http://www.biofuels-…h.5NjnEbjc.dpuf Continue reading
Biochar Symposium Scheduled For Oct. 13-16
U.S. Biochar Initiative September 9, 2013 Biochar has the potential to increase crop yields and nutrient value, conserve water, combat climate change, and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, according to the U.S. Biochar Initiative (USBI). The problem is that relatively few people have heard of biochar, a form of charcoal that can help restore soil carbon, filter stormwater runoff, and reduce greenhouse gasses. Farmers, foresters, researchers, biochar producers, entrepreneurs, and environmentalists will convene in Amherst, Mass. on October 13-16, 2013 to learn more about biochar and share the latest research and application techniques with their peers. The 2013 USBI North American Biochar Symposium, titled “Harvesting Hope: The Science and Synergies of Biochar,” will take place on the UMass Amherst campus and include farm tours and a “carbon negative” banquet of delicious foods grown with the help of biochar. The conference is sponsored by USBI. “The biochar industry is turning waste into ‘black gold’ for agriculture,” stated conference director, Karen Ribeiro. “Biothermal energy companies are extracting the biochar as a byproduct and selling it. Farmers are enriching their soil by adding biochar. The biochar-enriched soil is sequestering carbon, which can reverse the carbon build-up in the atmosphere,” she added. “The biochar movement is heating up,” Ribeiro said. “Biochar producers are reaching a point of profitability. Everyone wants biochar to scale up faster, from the gardener who’s creating their own biochar in a cookstove to companies like Cool Planet Energy Systems, which has attracted investors like BP, Google Ventures, and ConocoPhillips.” She added, “The symposium is a space where activists and investors can find common ground.” The conference will feature keynotes by Congressman James McGovern and renowned author Frances Moore Lappe, as well as a plenary with international biochar authority Johannes Lehmann of Cornell University. Activities will range from an introductory half-day workshop for farmers and gardeners on Sunday, Oct. 13, that is open to the public to presentations from scientists and researchers from around the globe. “Expanding the use of biochar can simultaneously help address food security, conserve water and reduce our dependence on fossil fuel,” said Ted Wysocki, chair of the Pioneer Valley Biochar Initiative, which is hosting the conference. “We need to get more people and companies involved. So in addition to the tracks on the science and benefits of biochar, policy and community engagement, and feedstocks and production, we’ve got an entire track focused on scale, sales and marketing,” Wysocki said. Attendees won’t just be talking about biochar, they’ll be chewing on information at a “carbon negative” banquet on Monday, Oct. 14, from 5-9 p.m. at UMass, which is also open to the public. “Our ‘Biochar Banquet’ will feature delicious local produce grown in biochar-conditioned soil, as well as a variety of local meat and ‘adult beverages’ enhanced by biochar,” Wysocki explained. The public is also invited to a free Video Lounge featuring Ted Talks, feature films, and select YouTube videos on Oct. 14 and 15, from 10 a.m.-10 p.m., and on Oct.r 16, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. To view the conference schedule, visit http://scholarworks….u/biochar/2013/ . To register, go to http://symposium2013…ar.org/register . Continue reading
Korean Companies Eye Indonesia’s Biomass Potential
Date: August 26, 2013 Indonesia’s forests look set to come under more pressure as South Korean companies look to develop a new biomass industry. Korean firm, Depian, plans to invest USD20 million to build the infrastructure for a wood pellet business in Pelaihari, South Kalimantan. In a deal with local investor PT Inhutani III, Depian will hold 49 percent of the joint venture called PT SL Agri, which will produce 30,000 tons of wood pellets a year up until 2016 when the plant will upgrade and produce 100,000 tons. The original deal was signed in January, but more details were revealed last week by SL Agri president Muhammad Akbariah. Speaking to the Jakarta Post, he said building will start in October and the plant should be operating by March 2014. “The project is worth USD20 billion in total, with USD15 billion for the development of the plant and the remaining USD5 billion for planting trees on approximately 5,000 hectares to 8,000 hectares of an industrial forest that PT Inhutani III is currently preparing,” he said after a meeting with Depian representatives and South Korean Embassy officials. The South Koreans plan to export the wood pellets home to help boost the national renewable energy targets of 20 percent by 2020, up from under one percent in 2011. There are indications that the Depian deal might be the first of several. Officials from the Korean embassy said it could serve as a “pilot project” for co-operation on other alternative energy products in Indonesia. Lee Mira, an embassy counselor focused on forestry, agriculture, fishery and climate change said 13 other South Korean firms were looking at other projects and that biomass energy was a priority. However she hinted that South Korean companies found it difficult to find partners in Indonesia. Continue reading
