Gevo, a privately held renewable chemicals and advanced biofuels company, signed definitive agreements Monday to acquire Agri-Energy's ethanol plant in Luverne, Minnesota where the company will start isobutanol production in 2012. Mechanical retrofitting of the plant will begin once the deal is closed. Gevo has developed a technology designed to retrofit into existing corn-ethanol plants. During most of the retrofit process, plant will continue to produce ethanol.

Isobutanol can be used directly as a solvent and converted to isobutylene, the raw material for plastics and fibers. Gevo believes isobutanol will lead to the renewable production of rubber, polypropylene, polystyrene, and PET. Isobutanol also can be used as a gasoline blendstock and as a building block in the production of hydrocarbons found in petroleum-derived gasoline, jet and diesel fuels.

Researchers at North Carolina State Univ. have developed a more efficient technique for producing biofuels from woody plants that significantly reduces the waste that results from conventional biofuel production techniques. The technique is a significant step toward creating a commercially viable new source of biofuels.

Researchers from NC State have developed a new way to free the carbohydrates from the lignin. By exposing the plant matter to gaseous ozone, with very little moisture, they are able to produce a carbohydrate-rich solid with no solid or liquid waste.

To learn more go to: http://www.rdmag.com/News/2010/06/Energy-Biofuels-Technique-Improves-Efficiency-Of-Biofuel-Production/

Source: R&D Daily July 1, 2010

June 7, 2010

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University scientists have improved a strain of yeast that can produce more biofuel from cellulosic plant material by fermenting all five types of the plant's sugars.

"Natural yeast can ferment three sugars: galactose, manose and glucose," Ho said. "The original Ho yeast added xylose to that, and now the fifth, arabinose, has been added."

To learn more go to: http://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/research/2010/100607MosierYeast.html

Lignocellulosic biomass, or plant biomass, is an attractive source for biofuels. The public and researchers alike are intrigued by the idea of using readily available “plant waste,” such as corn stover, sawdust, or other agricultural residue, to create carbon-neutral transportation fuels.

Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories are focusing on four main areas:

• Feedstocks
• Deconstruction.
• Fuels Synthesis
• Technologies.

To read more about this research go to: http://bio.sandia.gov/solutions/biofuels/cellulosic_biomass.html