by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace.
In today’s Digest, a new algae/fungi biofuels system, breakthru on sugar yields, biodegradable clothes, Beyond Burger’s monster GHG benefit revealed, Indigo Ag raises $250M, robotic precision harvest, biotech labs made from shipping boxes — here are the top innovations for the week of October 3rd.
#1 MSU researchers harness algae and fungi to create new biofuel system
In Michigan, Michigan State University scientists found a solution using two species of marine algae and soil fungi to enhance oil production and harvest using what many consider sea sludge. The new proof of concept is a biofuel production platform that lowers cultivation and harvesting costs and increases productivity.
The species of alga, Nannochloropsis oceanica, and fungus, Mortierella elongata, both produce oils that can be harvested for human use; for example, they are components in products like biofuels that power cars, and in omega-3 fatty acids that benefit heart health.
When scientists place the two organisms in the same environment, the tiny algae attach to the fungi to form big masses that are visible to the naked eye. This aggregation method is called bio-flocculation. When harvested together, the organisms yield more oil than if they were cultivated and harvested each on their own.\
The new approach feeds the algae with ammonium, one source of nitrogen that algae can quickly use for growth. However, the ammonium supply is controlled so the algae produce the maximum cell density and automatically enter nitrogen starvation. The closely monitored nitrogen diet can increase oil production and lower costs.
#2 Sweet success: Swiss breakthrough drastically increases sugar yields from biomass
In Switzerland, researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne have significantly increased the amount of sugar that can be extracted from plants. The breakthrough could enable more economical production of fuels and chemicals from biomass, a key element to the success of the bioeconomy.
Previous methods of extracting sugars like xylose and glucose from plants often degraded much of the sugars available. EPFL’s method adds an aldehyde to the sugars, effectively stabilizing them. Once the sugars are retrieved, the aldehyde can easily be removed.
An experiment with beechwood showed recovery of over 90% of xylose—compared with only 16% without the aldehyde-adding step.
“Before, people had always been looking for often expensive systems that limited sugar degradation,” says Jeremy Luterbacher, head of the laboratory. “With stabilization, you worry less about this degradation and this frees you up to develop cheaper and faster transformations for plants, potentially accelerating the emergence of renewable consumer products.”
#3 Biodegradable clothes could be as simple as making yarn tasty to microbes …
#4 Beyond Burger LCA shows huge GHG, energy, water benefits over beef burger …
#5 FIndigo Marketplace launches with $250 million in new funding …
#6 Robots learn to pick only ripe peppers …
#7 Ghana set to convert pineapple and coconut waste to plastics …
#8 Cool shades bro: Scottish company offering biodegradable sunglasses …
#9 Shipping containers converted into London biotech labs …
#10 80 Acres Farms is building the first fully-automated indoor farm in the U.S. READ MORE