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The Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) blog posts are a great source to learn about the progress BETO is making toward its goals.
Seaweed, in its many forms, serves distinct purposes. It’s a vitamin-rich snack, with many health benefits. In the water, it provides a safe habitat for sea creatures, absorbing gases and nutrients like carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and phosphorous. It’s even used as an extra ingredient in ice cream, thickening it and preventing ice crystals from building up.
Accelerating decarbonization targets and building a sustainable future across the aviation industry are key priorities for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO).
U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) Bioprose: Bioenergy R&D Blog, Dr. Zia Abdullah from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory addresses these questions—and others—about marine biofuels, which could be critical for decarbonizing the shipping industry. From what they might cost to how much the United States might make in the future, discover five takeaways from a study on marine biofuels, supported by BETO and the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration.
As a recent college graduate, Javier Santana was working in the petrochemical industry when he decided to make a career change. Seeking more opportunities for innovation, he turned to biomanufacturing — a growing industry that uses microbes to create sustainable chemicals, fuels, materials, and food products.
A new study from a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) funded startup, Algenesis Corporation, has demonstrated the ability to formulate high quality polyurethane products, including waterproof fabrics and cell phone cases, that generate no persistent microplastics. By utilizing some clever chemistry and sourcing oil from algae instead of petroleum, they can produce polyurethane plastics that biodegrade naturally in the environment.
As seen in two U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office-funded NREL studies, techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) can be powerful tools to help stakeholders realize the best fiscal and environmental returns.
Researchers sometimes genetically engineer microorganisms—such as fungi—to convert renewable feedstock materials into useful biofuel or biochemical products. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which allows researchers to quickly amplify DNA sequences for analysis, is one of the most essential tools in this process. When working to synthesize biofuels using fungi, PCR is particularly important for evaluating various strains of mutated fungi.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently released a robust analysis, the 2023 Billion-Ton Report (BT23), showcasing how America could sustainably triple its production of biomass to more than 1 billion tons per year while still meeting the projected demand for food, feed, fiber, conventional forest products, and exports. The impact of this comprehensive analysis is far-reaching and DOE Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) Technology Manager, Dr. Mark Elless, managed the development of BT23 which was led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
On March 15, 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released the 2023 Billion-Ton Report (BT23), which shows that the United States could sustainably triple its production of biomass to more than 1 billion tons per year.
In January 2024, the first commercial production facility for converting ethanol into sustainable aviation fuel opened in Soperton, Georgia. Supported by DOE’s Bioenergy Technology Office (BETO), LanzaJet’s Freedom Pines Fuel Facility will produce nine million gallons of SAF and one million gallons of renewable diesel in its first year of operations and will provide significant benefits for the local economy.