CSU study: Biofuel grasses should replace corn as a method of producing ethanol (July 2011)

Read the original article at http://www.today.colostate.edu/story.aspx?id=5932

From Today @ CSU, July 18th, 2011:

CSU study: Biofuel grasses should replace corn as a method of producing ethanol

A new study from CSU scientists and collaborators from the University of Illinois evaluates the potential impact of using biofuel grass species instead of corn as a method of producing ethanol within the U.S. Corn Belt.

Scientists now say that biofuel grasses have the potential to replace corn-based ethanol in a way that is both environmentally and economically beneficial.

CSU senior research scientist William Parton and his research team found that using biofuel grass species, such as switchgrass, in the same land area as used to grow corn could result in an increase in ethanol production, a reduction in nitrogen leaching into the Gulf of Mexico, and a reduction in greenhouse gas emission caused from the Corn Belt in the Midwest region of the United States.

Economic and environmental benefits

The research shows that, by replacing corn ethanol, perennial grasses could increase the productivity of food and fuel within the region without causing additional indirect land use change.

“Raising perennial biofuel crops on previously cultivated land in the United States will result in massive reductions in greenhouse gas fluxes from agricultural systems,” Parton said. “Growing perennial biofuel crops on low-production agricultural land can result in large environmental benefits such as improved air and water quality as well as increased ethanol production and sustained production of corn and soybeans.”

Parton’s research demonstrates that more efforts should be made in researching methods of producing ethanol from biofuel crops. Despite the current lack of economically viable techniques of producing ethanol from these crops, the research shows that biofuel crops will benefit the Corn Belt in multiple ways that corn cannot.

More research is needed

“We have found that perennial biofuel crop growth has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas fluxes and nitrogen leaching from agricultural systems while maintaining current food production for human consumption. Production of corn-based ethanol simply cannot compare to the 15 percent to 30 percent reduction in nitrogen leaching into the Gulf of Mexico when perennial crops are grown for ethanol production,” Parton said.

The policy implications of this study point toward more research that should be conducted on how to produce ethanol from biofuel crops. The potential benefits to both the environment and economy cannot be ignored, Parton says.

CSU and East China Normal University create Joint Research Institute for New Energy and the Environment (June 2011)

 

Read the original article at http://www.today.colostate.edu/story.aspx?id=5824

From Today at Colorado State, June 13th, 2011:

Colorado State University and East China Normal University in Shanghai on Friday announced a Joint Research Institute for New Energy and the Environment that will capitalize on strengths of the two institutions to develop new energy solutions and help deal with the impact of energy on climate, air quality, land use and water resources.

East China Normal University is one of Colorado State’s strategic partners in China with collaboration on student exchange programs and research initiatives in everything from music to clean energy.

Part of CSU's service mission

“The partnerships we are pursuing with East China Normal University and other Chinese universities are built around common faculty research interests and shared global concerns - and are very much in keeping with the service mission of a land-grant university like CSU,” said Colorado State President Tony Frank. “Together, we are building an international alliance of scholars and scientists that is able to work across borders on some of the most pressing challenges facing our world today. Ultimately, this type of collaboration will benefit all nations and all people.”

“Finding solutions to some of the world’s most chronic, challenging problems in global sustainability requires partnerships beyond the laboratories and classrooms at Colorado State,” said Bill Farland, vice president for Research.

“We must reach out to our strategic partners around the globe who share our expertise to carry out research for the benefit of our societies,” Farland said. “For example, ECNU mirrors our strength in several areas of energy and environmental research, including photovoltaics and scalable modeling of environmental issues. This collaboration could lead to important advances in science and technology in these areas.”

Agreement signed in Shanghai Friday

Frank signed the agreement with Lizhong Yu, president of East China Normal University, in Shanghai on Friday. Joining Frank and Farland on the trip from Colorado State:

• Jim Cooney, vice provost for International Affairs;
• Jim Sites, associate dean for Research in the College of Natural Sciences;
• Jan Leach, University Distinguished Professor in the College of Agricultural Sciences;
• Wei Gao, professor of Forest, Rangeland and Water Stewardship and director of China Initiatives;
• John Moore, director of the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory; and
• Bryan Willson, founder of CSU’s Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory.

Co-directors of the new Institute are Junhao Chu of ECNU and Willson of CSU; executive director of the Institute is Wei Gao of CSU. Farland is co-chair of the JRI Advisory Committee, made up of CSU, ECNU and China’s State Administration for Foreign Expert Affairs, or SAFEA, a group that met for the first time Thursday.

The joint institute will focus on science, technology, policy and education related to energy and the environment, said Willson, who also serves as director of Colorado State’s Clean Energy Supercluster. About 150 faculty members at the university research various aspects of clean and renewable energy, with an even larger number working in the environmental field.

“On Thursday, the Chinese State Administration for Foreign Expert Affairs indicated that this new partnership is so important that they will consider not only supporting the exchange of Chinese and U.S. faculty but they will also consider providing support for joint international projects between the universities,” Cooney said. “SAFEA is designating the ECNU-CSU Joint Research Institute as a 'special support sponsorship,' and SAFEA will work with the Institute to identify funding for international research projects.”
 

Focus on energy and the environment

Chinese and CSU delegations at Friday's ceremony in Shanghai

“Whether it is as competitors or collaborators, it is vitally important that our students and faculty understand what China means to this industry and what major changes are going to occur over the next decade,” said Willson, who is a frequent visitor to China as part of his ongoing research and outreach for university spinoffs generated from his laboratory. “We will work with ECNU to develop new energy solutions, but we can’t really talk about energy without also considering the impact on the environment – particularly on climate, air quality, land use and water resources.”

As part of its strategic plan, Colorado State is committed to growing areas of study that address global challenges and creating international partnerships to face those challenges. The university has sought like-minded institutions that share its vision and values for higher education in areas such as China, India, Mexico and Russia.

Colorado State has key strategic partners across China, Cooney said. In addition to East China Normal, those partners include Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Hunan University, China Agricultural University and Beijing Normal University.

In September, Colorado State’s Office of International Programs hosted an International Colloquium on China to showcase some of the university’s partnerships and research programs that directly address the challenges and opportunities facing China.

Last week, the university announced a new long-term agreement with Coca-Cola, which is expected to offer some new opportunities for additional research partnerships in China. The company has agreed to help facilitate faculty and student exchanges with Chinese universities in the areas of water resources, energy and environmental sustainability.

Bioenergy Fellows and Faculty Receive Clean Energy Supercluster Seed Grants (June 2011)

Read the original article at http://www.news.colostate.edu/Release/5760  

From Colorado State University, June 8th, 2011:

Colorado State University Clean Energy Supercluster Announces 2011 Seed Grants

Colorado State University’s Clean Energy Supercluster has distributed its fourth round of seed grants totaling $181,800 to foster cross-disciplinary collaboration and jumpstart ambitious research initiatives.

More than 150 researchers across campus participate in the academic side of the Clean Energy Supercluster on everything from economics and policymaking to new energy sources.
 

Jan Leach, University Distinguished Professor in Agricultural Sciences, is among the 2011 seed grant recipients
 

“Each grant award was carefully chosen by a great team of researchers already working in the area of clean energy,” said Bryan Willson, director of the Clean Energy Supercluster, which is a group of faculty members studying various aspects of clean energy.

“These researchers are at the top of their fields, and we are looking forward to seeing their results from these early-stage projects that otherwise struggle to find funding from other sources,” said Tim Reeser, executive director for Cenergy, the business arm of the Supercluster that assists faculty members with possible commercialization of technological innovations.

Reeser works closely with Willson, who is also chief scientific officer of Cenergy. For more information about the Clean Energy Supercluster, visit http://energy.colostate.edu/.

The following 12 projects span six colleges and 12 departments that include 26 faculty, community members and students:

Biofuels and Emerging Technology

Is Green Diesel Healthy Diesel? ($15,000)
Researchers: John Volckens, Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, and Anthony Marchese, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Optimizing Biofuel Feedstocks ($14,940) 
Researchers: Jan Leach, Courtney Jahn and Paul Tanger, Department of Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management

Solid Biomass Fuels R&D Infrastructure ($10,000) 
Researchers: Morgan DeFoort, Dan Olsen and Dan Zimmerle, Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory; and Department of Mechanical Engineering

Pre-activation of Stress Response Genes in Industrial Bioethanol Yeast Strains Through Modulation of Gene Expression ($15,000) 
Researcher: Lucas Argueso, Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences

Multi-locational Trial for Potential Release of Advanced and Drought Tolerant Camelina Lines ($25,000)
Researchers: Jerry Johnson and Patrick Byrne, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences; John McKay, Department of Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management; and Dan Olsen, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Development of a Reporter System for Cell Wall Proteins in Lignocellulosic Biomass ($10,000)
Researcher: Patricia Bedinger, Department of Biology

Solar, Wind, and Efficiency

Plasma Fuel Reformer for Oil Furnaces ($15,000) 
Researchers: Sachin Joshi and Azer Yalin, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Verification of Complexity in Design of Distributed Microgrid Islands ($25,000)
Researchers: Siddharth Suryanarayanan, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering; and Sanjay Rajopadhye, Department of Computer Science

Cross-Cutting Topics

CSU Extension Agricultural Energy - Regional Workshops for Producers and Professionals ($9,800) 
Researchers: Cary Weiner, Perry Cabot and Jeanna Paluzzi, CSU Extension

State-Local Relations and the Transition to a Low Carbon Society ($24,930) 
Researchers: Michele Betsill and Dimitris Stevis, Department of Political Science

Orientation of Fort Collins Homeowners toward Adoption of Photovoltaics ($10,000)
Researchers: Craig Trumbo, Department of Journalism and Technical Communication, and Sammy Zahran, Department of Economics

The diffusion of distributed PV solar: Socio-cultural Drivers and Barriers ($7,200) 
Researchers: Tuba Ustuner, Department of Marketing, and Douglas Holt, Center for Fair and Alternative Trade

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