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Researchers develop cheaper, greener biofuels processing catalyst using waste metals and bacteria

Green Car Congress

A team from the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois, with colleagues from the University of Birmingham and Aarhus University, have developed a nanosized bio-Pd/C catalyst for upgrading algal bio-oil. For the palladium to do its job, the bio-oil needs to flow past it during processing. —B.K.

Waste 150
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Zhejiang team develops photo-chemo-biocatalytic pathway to convert triolein to biogasoline

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Researchers from Zhejiang University in China have developed a photo-chemo-enzymatic multi-step combination pathway for the highly efficient and environmentally friendly preparation of biogasoline from cheap and sustainable triolein using solar energy and atmospheric O 2 under mild conditions. —Xu et al.

Convert 243
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Chalmers team identifies two main challenges for bio-hydrocarbon fuel production from cheap sources

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Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have identified two main challenges for renewable biofuel production from cheap sources: lowering the cost of developing microbial cell factories; and establishing more efficient methods for hydrolysis of biomass to sugars for fermentation.

Cheap 199
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Univ of Washington team working to make poplar coppice viable cheap, high-volume biofuel feedstock

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A University of Washington team is trying to make poplar an economically viable biofuel feedstock by testing the production of younger poplar trees that could be harvested more frequently—after only two or three years—instead of the usual 10- to 20-year cycle. Chang Dou/University of Washington. Click to enlarge.

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Russian researchers develop wasteless joint processing of electric furnace and ladle slag to produce pig iron and clinker

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Scientists of Ural Federal University and the Institute of Metallurgy of the Ural Branch of RAS (Russian Academy of Sciences) have developed and successfully tested the technology of joint non-waste processing of electric furnace and ladle slag to obtain pig iron and Portland cement clinker. —Oleg Sheshukov, lead author.

Portland 186
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Wireless Heater Made From a Leaf Skeleton Is Fully Biodegradable

Cars That Think

We’ve gotten very, very good at making things that are cheap and durable. Among them: Our society generates massive amounts of waste that is going to remain in landfills for a long time. Unfortunately, there are some deleterious side effects.

Waste 81
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We’re the New Renewables

Cars That Think

Bettmann/Getty Images You, the Power Source The incandescent lightbulb, in addition to being a world-changing invention, is the prototypical example of something that wastes a lot of energy, giving it off as heat instead of light. Our bodies slough off a ton of heat too.