Political Ecology

In an effort to process wet algal biomass directly, eliminate organic solvent use during lipid extraction, and recover nutrients (e.g., N, P, and glycerol) for reuse, we developed a catalyst-free, two-step technique for algal biodiesel production. In the first step, wet algal biomass (ca. 80% moisture) reacts in subcritical water to hydrolyze intracellular lipids, conglomerate [...]

Sarah Lyutse of the NRDC reports as follows: Last week, NRDC released a new fact sheet on the VEETC, highlighting how our government’s biggest incentive program for biofuels has almost exclusively supported the production of corn ethanol which, when all direct and indirect costs are added, creates more global warming pollution than the oil it [...]

To expand the raw materials base for the production of biodiesel fuel, it is advantageous to make use of biobutanol (B) produced from renewable resources, which can be used in two ways as fuel for diesel engines: by direct inclusion into multicomponent fuel for diesel engines or by producing fatty acid butyl esters from rapeseed [...]

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has selected 8 research projects for funding that will focus on gasification of coal/biomass to produce synthetic gas (syngas) as a pathway to producing power, hydrogen, fuel or chemicals. The total value of the projects is approximately $8.2 million, with $6.4 million of DOE funding and $1.8 million of [...]

The Growth Energy publicity juggernaut ceaselessly reminds us that, at 10 percent blends of ethanol, the US can absorb only about 13 billion gallons of ethanol before it has nowhere to market its ethanol fuel, given the tepid distribution options for E85.But even were the US EPA to approve E15 ethanol blending, there are some [...]

Present work deals with the development of butanol−diesel−biodiesel blends to substitute for petrodiesel. These blends were tested for physical stability and various fuel properties conforming to ASTM standards. Subsequently engine performance and emission tests were conducted with each blend. Observations revealed the blends to be thermally and physically stable, and they showed good resemblance to [...]

This paper, which is the first part of a series of papers, introduces a hybrid coal, biomass, and natural gas to liquids (CBGTL) process that can produce transportation fuels in ratios consistent with current U.S. transportation fuel demands. Using the principles of the H2Car process, an almost-100% feedstock carbon conversion is attained using hydrogen produced [...]