biofuels
Increasing the cultivation of willow and miscanthus grass as biofuel stock wouldn’t come with the wildlife damage often seen with other energy crops, according to UK researchers. Both short-rotation coppice (SRC) willow and miscanthus grass could help the UK reduce carbon emissions and benefit wildlife, according to scientists from
biofuels
A unique dual-fuel, low-emissions bus is making its debut this week at the UK’s leading low-carbon vehicles technology exhibition. Adapted from a standard Optare Solo single-deck midibus, the vehicle’s Mercedes-Benz engine can be powered by either diesel or biomethane, a low-carbon fuel generated from biowastes. The innovative design
biofuels
The Government today approved plans for a new 60-megawatt biomass- and waste-to-energy plant to be built on an old industrial site at Tilbury Docks in Essex. The plant will be built by Tilbury Green Power Ltd, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Express Energy Holdings. “If we are to
biofuels
Coming on the heels of ExxonMobil’s announcement that it’s pursuing a genetically-modified algal biofuel, BP has now also launched a joint venture to develop microbial oils for biofuels. BP and Martek Biosciences Corporation will work together with the goal of developing a step-change technology for the conversion of
biofuels
As in “colonialism.” It’s a word being used more and more as developed nations, large corporations and large consortiums increasingly eye — and buy — lands in developing countries to grow food or biofuels, or to tap the sun’s energy for their own needs. Just last month, a group of
biofuels
Ahh, we’ve written about so many “next-generation” transport fuel sources — corn, soybeans, used cooking oil, switchgrass, algae, jatropha — we thought we’d heard them all. Then along comes the news that scientists in China are researching ways to boost biodiesel power with … wait for it … shrimp shells. Their study,
biofuels
Plans have just been approved for the UK’s largest anaerobic digestion plant, to be built on the site of a former citric acid factory in Selby. Planning permission for the Selby Renewable Energy Park was granted this week by North Yorkshire County Council. Once completed, the anaerobic plant is
biofuels
Will the marriage of an oil giant and a company dedicated to tweaking the genetic forms of life as we know them lead to a cheap, clean and renewable source of energy or a Frankenfuel of unpredictable consequences? Thanks to a new partnership, we might all have a chance to
biofuels
The energy unit at Spain’s TECNALIA is researching the potential of mass production of microalgae as a crop that can be converted into energy. Among the researchers’ areas of focus: the selection of stocks, the optimisation of crop production systems (open, closed and mixed), and the optimisation of various
biofuels
Scania has sold 85 ethanol-powered articulated buses to Busslink, operator of bus services for Storstockholms Lokaltrafik (SL), the regional public transport company in the Swedish capital. “A continued commitment to ethanol power is consistent with SL’s decision to buy only buses that operate on renewable fuels starting in 2010,
biofuels
Biofuels carry a heavy water footprint, although the size of that print varies widely from crop to crop, according to new research from the Netherlands’ University of Twente. Researchers at the university analysed 13 crops to determine the optimal production regions for each based on water consumption and climate date.
biofuels
Scientists at Queen’s University in Belfast say they’ve found a new eco-friendly way to dissolve wood that could be used to produce biofuels, textiles, clothes and paper. Héctor Rodríguez and Robin Rogers from the University’s School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering worked along with The University of
