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At least 667 records · Page 37
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Novel Preprocessing Techniques for Enhancing Flowability of Miscanthus

Purpose-grown energy crops possess significant potential as promising feedstocks for biofuel and biochemical production. However, similar to other biomass feedstocks, their utilization has been hindered by handling and feeding challenges such as clogging and segregation, which prevent biorefineries from operating at full capacity. These challenges arise primarily due to particle attributes including irregular shape, high flexibility, and high compressibility, leading to interlocking, high compaction, and significant friction under stress consolidation. To enhance operational reliability, it is crucial to focus on preprocessing techniques to address these issues, alongside accurately characterizing the mechanical and physical properties and flow performance of these feedstocks. This study investigates novel preprocessing techniques, including pelletization and torrefaction, to fundamentally alter these particle attributes and improve flowability. Miscanthus, an herbaceous energy crop, was the primary focus of this study. Samples were processed using a Forest Concepts Crumbler rotary shear system and an oscillating multi-stack screen bed to achieve two nominal (baseline) particle sizes: 6mm and 2mm. The study evaluated the efficiency and energy consumption of size reduction, revealing that while 2mm particles required more energy, they exhibited better flowability and higher yield strength compared to 6mm particles. Shear and compression tests assessed the material's shear strength, internal friction, and elastic modulus, while wedge-shaped hopper tests measured the critical arching distance and mass flow rate. The results provide valuable insights into the mechanical properties and processing efficiency of Miscanthus, contributing to the development of a preprocessing framework that enhances energy efficiency and material flowability in bioenergy production. However, further preprocessing and development are required to optimize this framework fully.

09 - BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Method and system embodiments for converting ethanol to para-xylene and ortho-xylene

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a method and system for converting ethanol to para-xylene. The method also provides a pathway to produce terephthalic acid from biomass-based feedstocks. In some embodiments, the disclosed method produces p-xylene with high selectivity over other aromatics typically produced in the conversion of ethanol to xylenes, such as m-xylene, ethyl benzene, benzene, toluene, and the like. And, in some embodiments, the method facilitates the ability to use ortho/para mixtures of methylbenzyaldehyde for preparing ortho/para xylene product mixtures that are amendable to fractionation to separate the para- and ortho-xylene products thereby providing a pure feedstock of para-xylene that can be used to form terephthalic anhydride and a pure feedstock of ortho-xylene that can be used for other purposes, such as phthalic anhydride.

Ramasamy, Karthikeyan Kallupalayam↗
DOE OSTI2021

Sustainable Lactic Acid Production from Lignocellulosic Biomass

Lignocellulosic biomass is a promising feedstock for sustainable biofuels and bioproducts. Among emerging bioproducts, lactic acid has attracted significant interest because of its growing application in many industries (e.g., packaging, medical, and pharmaceutical). In this study, BioSTEAM—an open-source platform—was leveraged for the design, simulation, and evaluation (via techno-economic analysis, TEA, and life cycle assessment, LCA) of lignocellulosic lactic acid biorefineries. With a minimum product selling price (MPSP) between 1.38 and 1.91 kg –1 (5th–95th percentiles, baseline at 1.57 kg –1 ), the biorefinery was capable of producing market-competitive lactic acid (market price between 1.7 and 2.1 kg –1 ), and its performance could be further enhanced (e.g., MPSP down to 1.09 kg –1 , global warming potential of 2.79 kg CO 2 -eq·kg –1 , and fossil energy consumption of 31.7 MJ·kg –1 ) with advancements in key technological parameters (fermentation yield and separation process conversions) and optimization in process operation. Sensitivity analyses focused on the fermentation unit (across titer, yield, and productivity; neutral vs low-pH fermentation) and feedstock characteristics (carbohydrate content and price) were also included to quantify their impact on the sustainability of the biorefinery. Overall, this research highlights the ability of agile TEA/LCA to screen promising biorefinery designs, prioritize research needs, and establish a road map for the continued development of bioproducts and biofuels.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Multisite Field Evaluation of Oil Accumulation and Agronomic Performance in Grain and Sweet Sorghums Engineered for Lipid Hyperaccumulation

Oil sorghum (OS) has been developed by engineering grain (TX430) and sweet (Ramada) genetic backgrounds to accumulate triacylglycerols (TAG) in vegetative tissues as an energy-dense feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and other biofuels. This study evaluated two TX430 OS lines (TxHO-2, TxHO-3) and two Ramada OS lines (RmHO-1, RmHO-2) alongside wild-type (WT) lines in NE and IL over 2 years (2023–2024) to quantify genotype × environment effects on agronomic performance and TAG accumulation. Across four environments, TX430 OS lines showed average TAG concentrations of 15.0 g kg −1 in leaves and 12.8 g kg −1 in stems, approximately 19-fold higher than WT. Ramada OS lines accumulated 26.1 g kg −1 in leaves and 12.3 g kg −1 in stems, approximately 25-fold and 13-fold increases over WT, respectively. OS lines in TX430 exhibited an 18% reduction in biomass (8.4 vs. 9.9 Mg ha −1 for WT), while Ramada OS lines had similar WT biomass (18.3 vs. 19.9 Mg ha −1 for WT). Among TX430 OS lines, TxHO-2 achieved the highest TAG yield (190 kg ha −1 ), while RmHO-1 led the Ramada lines (335 kg ha −1 ) due to higher biomass and similar TAG concentration. Enhanced TAG accumulation increased N, P, and K removal in TX430 lines but not in Ramada lines. Structural carbohydrate and ash concentration were unaffected. Overall, results confirm vegetative lipid accumulation as a viable strategy for high-biomass sorghum, supporting its potential as a dual-purpose feedstock for SAF. Future work should focus on minimizing biomass yield penalties and improving nutrient use efficiency in oil sorghum systems.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Data for Creating Yellow Seed Camelina sativa with Enhanced Oil Accumulation by CRISPR-Mediated Disruption of Transparent Testa 8

Camelina ( Camelina sativa L.), a hexaploid member of the Brassicaceae family, is an emerging oilseed crop being developed to meet the increasing demand for plant oils as biofuel feedstocks. In other Brassicas, high oil content can be associated with a yellow seed phenotype, which is unknown for camelina. We sought to create yellow seed camelina using CRISPR/Cas9 technology to disrupt its Transparent Testa 8 (TT8) transcription factor genes and to evaluate the resulting seed phenotype. We identified three TT8 genes, one in each of the three camelina subgenomes, and obtained independent CsTT8 lines containing frameshift edits. Disruption of TT8 caused seed coat colour to change from brown to yellow reflecting their reduced flavonoid accumulation of up to 44%, and the loss of a well-organized seed coat mucilage layer. Transcriptomic analysis of CsTT8-edited seeds revealed significantly increased expression of the lipid-related transcription factors LEC1, LEC2, FUS3, and WRI1 and their downstream fatty acid synthesis-related targets. These changes caused metabolic remodelling with increased fatty acid synthesis rates and corresponding increases in total fatty acid (TFA) accumulation from 32.4% to as high as 38.0% of seed weight, and TAG yield by more than 21% without significant changes in starch or protein levels compared to parental line. These data highlight the effectiveness of CRISPR in creating novel enhanced-oil germplasm in camelina. The resulting lines may directly contribute to future net-zero carbon energy production or be combined with other traits to produce desired lipid-derived bioproducts at high yields.

Biofuels↗
DOE OSTI2021

Nth-plant supply: corn stover supplies and costs in a fleet of biorefineries

Feedstock cost and cost variability is expected to increase with the number of biorefineries. To quantify this effect, this spatial-economic analysis simulates feedstock cost and cost variability of an industry based on corn stover as a function of the number of biorefineries. Results are reported for nine scenarios (a base case and sensitivity analysis of four variables – harvest efficiency, sustainability constraints, opportunity cost, and corn grain yield) under deterministic and stochastic simulations, assuming biorefineries using 658 000 Mg (725 000 tons) year- 1 of corn stover in 2019. The resulting supply curves are highly elastic (i.e. little change in cost) for the first 50 of the 121 biorefineries, with price increases in subsequent biorefineries depending on scenario. In the base-case deterministic scenario, weighted-average stover costs are $66 Mg -1 ($60 ton- 1 ), $69 Mg -1 ($62 ton -1 ), and $156 Mg -1 ($142 ton -1 ), at the first, 60th, and 121st biorefineries, respectively. The stochastic simulations, subject to observed 30-year corn yield variability, follow a similar pattern, with price distributions that vary by scenario. The base-case stochastic simulations illustrate minimal cost variability for the first 60 biorefineries, but rapid increases in cost variability in the second half of potential biorefineries, with similar patterns observed in the other scenarios. Of the four variables explored, price was most sensitive to harvest efficiency, followed by sustainability constraints, corn yield, and opportunity cost. Results suggest that, under conventional logistics, about half of the US corn stover resource is reliably available with minimum cost increase and variability. Interactive visualization is available at https://doi.org/10.11578/1828779.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Finding Promising Candidates for Wet Growing Conditions: The Effect of Two Row Spacings on Biomass Production of Four Bioenergy Prairie Cordgrass Populations in a Wet Marginal Land

Demand for energy and the environmental consequences associated with fossil fuel emissions has created a need for alternative energy sources. To avoid conflict over the conversion of existing agricultural land from food production to fuel production, bioenergy crops could instead be cultivated on marginal land. Here, this study compared the performances, biomass yield, tiller density, and lignocellulosic bioenergy feedstock composition of four prairie cordgrass populations with two-row spacings cultivated on a waterlog-prone marginal land, as well as three other bioenergy candidate crops used as controls: big bluestem, M. × giganteus , and switchgrass. Across all populations and spacings, annual biomass yield of prairie cordgrass was 13 Mg ha −1 . Row spacing had significant impacts on prairie cordgrass productivity, with higher biomass yields observed in the 45 cm spacing than in the 90 cm spacing. Feedstock composition (cellulose, hemicellulose, ADL, and ash concentration) was not influenced by row spacing and did not deviate from expected values for growth on agricultural lands. However, biomass yields of the control species M . × giganteus and switchgrass planted in 45 cm spacing were higher than the prairie cordgrass. Our results provide evidence that prairie cordgrass could be a good energy crop with comparable biomass yield production to the energy crops M . × giganteus and switchgrass on waterlogged marginal land.

Bioenergy crops↗
DOE OSTI2026

Opportunities for bioenergy crops to support transitions from irrigated agriculture and conserve the U.S. High Plains Aquifer

This study investigates potential economic and groundwater driven transitions from irrigated maize production—the dominant irrigated cropping system in the High Plains Aquifer (HPA) region—to alternative crops such as sorghum and switchgrass, two common bioenergy feedstocks. Unsustainable groundwater extraction in the U.S. High Plains presents critical challenges including reduced irrigation capacities, diminished crop yields, lower land values, and escalating energy costs. Using a spatially explicit optimization framework combined with comprehensive economic and hydrogeological data, we evaluate optimal land-use strategies and irrigation system investments over a 30-year planning period. Results indicate significant regional variability in the future economic viability of irrigated agriculture, driven by differences in aquifer recharge rates, groundwater availability, and market conditions. Nebraska and parts of northern Texas can sustain irrigated maize profitability due to relatively favorable groundwater conditions and lower land rents, respectively. In contrast, many portions of Kansas and southern Texas are more likely to transition to dryland agriculture within two decades. Colorado and New Mexico show potential for significant adoption of switchgrass production as an alternative biomass-based energy crop. Overall, over the 30-year horizon, our model implies that approximately 23% of currently irrigated maize area across the HPA region may transition to dryland farming under business-as-usual conditions. This transition is complemented by a threefold increase in non-irrigated sorghum production, from 0.20 to 0.77 Mt yr−1, indicating that groundwater-driven shifts in agricultural production may support a larger regional base for bioenergy feedstocks. The study also reveals opportunities for producers to optimize economic returns and biomass production potential.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Optimizing bioenergy biofuel harvest: a comparative analysis of stepwise and integrated methods for economic and environmental sustainability

Switchgrass is a promising bioenergy feedstock due to its high biomass yield potential, adaptability to marginal lands, and low carbon intensity for feedstock production. However, accurate cost estimation and assessment of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for the energy-intensive harvesting process are essential for evaluating the sustainability of bioenergy. This study provides a comparative analysis of two harvesting methods: the Stepwise Method, which separates operations into multiple stages, and the Integrated Method, which combines mowing and raking into a single pass. The analysis was conducted under four scenarios based on field sizes and biomass yields. Using three years of field-scale switchgrass harvest data from 125 sites, GHG emissions, energy consumption, and harvesting costs were quantified using the GREET model and techno-economic analysis. Additionally, regression analysis identified key climate and operational factors affecting fuel consumption. The Stepwise method was the most cost-effective for large fields with high biomass yield, achieving the lowest harvesting costs ($37.70 per ton). In contrast, the Integrated Method performed better in small fields and low-yield conditions, reducing GHG emissions by 9 % and energy use by 5 %. Regression analysis confirmed that a larger field size reduced fuel consumption, while higher biomass yield and longer operational time increased fuel use. Maximum temperature also contributed to a slight increase in fuel consumption. Furthermore, these results provide actionable insights for optimizing harvesting strategies based on field-specific conditions and operational goals, contributing to the economic and environmental sustainability of bioenergy production.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Building an expanded bio-based economy through synthetic biology

The field of synthetic biology is essential to the continued development of a bio-based economy, creating mechanisms to supply carbon needed in the economy by both converting existing end-of-life wastes as well as by creating novel, purpose-grown and sustainable feedstocks. Here, we first discuss the near- and long-term resources available for use as feedstocks for bioconversion as well as the output molecules needed for building the foundation of an expanded bio-based economy. We then outline the organisms and phenotypic traits that are needed for the performance-advantaged chassis organisms of the future. Furthermore, we detail the advances, challenges, and opportunities in both microbial and plant synthetic biology relevant to expanding the bio-based economy. Finally, we explore technologies that have and will further enable advances in synthetic biology and the greater bio-based economy.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Microbial production of fuels, commodity chemicals, and materials from sustainable sources of carbon and energy

Anthropogenic carbon emissions are driving rapid changes to the earth's climate, disrupting whole ecosystems and endangering the stability of human society. Innovations in engineered microbial fermentation enable the fossil resource-free production of fuels, commodity chemicals, and materials, thereby reducing the carbon emissions associated with these products. Microorganisms have been engineered to catabolize sustainable sources of carbon and energy (i.e., plant biomass, plastic waste, and one-carbon feedstocks) and biosynthesize carbon-neutral or carbon-negative products. These engineering efforts exploit and optimize natural biological pathways or generate unnatural pathways which can biosynthesize chemicals that have not yet been accessed using synthetic chemistry. Further, recent advances in microbial fermentation seek not only to maximize the titer, rate, and yield of desired products, but also to tailor microbial catabolism to utilize inexpensive feedstocks. Ultimately, these advances aim to lower the cost of bioproduction so that microorganism-derived chemicals can be economically competitive with fossil-derived chemicals.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Techno-economic and life-cycle analysis of strategies for improving operability and biomass quality in catalytic fast pyrolysis of forest residues

Many of the challenges faced by the first commercial biorefineries were associated with feedstock handling, quality, and cost. Strategies are needed to enable further expansion of biorefineries and meet the growing demand for bio-based fuels and products. Here, we examine 2 key feedstock challenges and mitigation strategies in the context of a catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) biorefinery: (1) the operability of the feed system, which may be improved by modifying the minimum particle size fed to the reactor, and (2) the quality of the biomass, which may be improved by employing air classification to remove undesirable material and increase fuel yields. We conduct techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life-cycle analysis for these strategies, employing a discrete event simulation model for biomass preprocessing combined with a series of correlations developed from literature data and a rigorous CFP conversion model. Our results highlight the importance of balancing increased cost and material losses from preprocessing against improved operability and fuel yields. Economics and sustainability were optimized when operating at the lowest minimum particle size, emphasizing the importance of minimizing material losses while maintaining the operability of the process. Economically, additional costs and material losses from air classification could be acceptable due to improved biomass conversion, and an optimum air classification speed was identified; however, the fuel GHG emissions were minimized when air classification was not used. Valorizing material removed during preprocessing as a coproduct could improve economics and sustainability, decreasing the burden of material losses.

09 - BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Multiscale Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis of Grindelia Reveals Opportunities for Generating Low Oxygen Content Bio-Oils from Drought Tolerant Biomass

Grindelia squarrosa (curlycup gumweed) biomass possesses unique biochemistry, cell wall composition, and leaf architecture tailored for prolific growth in arid and semiarid climates. Most notably, this plant has developed high levels of extractable resins that have high effective H/C eff ratios ((mol H - 2 x mol O)/mol C), which is hypothesized to lead to low coke formation during catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) over the ZSM-5 catalyst. In microscale experiments with high ZSM-5 loadings (biomass-to-catalyst mass ratio (B/C) ~ 0.1), in situ CFP generated high yields of aromatic hydrocarbons (30% carbon yield) while ex situ CFP favored aliphatic hydrocarbons (25% carbon yield). The difference between the two configurations was attributed to the constant catalyst temperature during ex situ CFP. Deactivation leading to partially deoxygenated vapor products occurred rapidly until B/C ≤ 0.5 by the adsorption of organic species blocking access to acid sites inside the micropores of the catalyst. This was followed by more gradual deactivation leading to primary vapor breakthrough, which we attribute to coke formation on acid sites on the external surface of ZSM-5 crystallites. Noncatalytic fast pyrolysis of Grindelia in a bench scale reactor produced oils with oxygen content (18 wt % on dry basis) and carbon yield (33%) comparable to those of CFP of woody biomass. The CFP of Grindelia further reduced the oxygen content to 7 wt % for in situ CFP and 4 wt % for ex situ CFP at B/C of 2-3. The good deoxygenation was attributed to a combination of a high H/C eff ratio and overall better quality of the pyrolysis vapors that were passed over the ZSM-5 catalyst. The high inorganic content of the Grindelia likely catalyzed pyrolysis to remove oxygenated coke precursors. This integrated CFP study demonstrated that Grindelia could be an important feedstock for generating stabilized noncatalytic and CFP oils for downstream processing into fuels and/or extraction of high-value chemicals. The preprocessing of this feedstock will be required to remove inorganics, which cause an irreversible deactivation of ZSM-5.

BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Distribution of Bound and Free Water in Anatomical Fractions of Pine Residues and Corn Stover as a Function of Biological Degradation

Biomass quality is influenced by water’s abundance, distribution, and status in relation to other chemical species within the polymer matrix. Water interacts with polymers that make up the cell walls, and these interactions govern the physical and chemical changes that occur during the storage and preprocessing of biomass feedstocks. Time-domain nuclear magnetic resonance (TD-NMR) was employed to explore variations in the physical constraints of water within the lignocellulosic microstructure in distinct anatomical fractions of biomass and as a function of biological degradation. The Carr–Purcell–Meiboom–Gill sequence, when combined with knowledge of the chemical composition and physical structure of pine residues and corn stover anatomical fractions, gives an accurate measurement of the bound and free water. In this work, the impacts of storage and biological degradation were investigated to elucidate changes in the status and distribution of water within distinct plant tissues. We also investigate how degradation during storage affects water interactions in different pine residues (e.g., bark, branch, and needle) and corn stover (e.g., cob, leaf, and stalk) anatomical fractions using transverse relaxation times (T2). As demonstrated herein, TD-NMR provides quantitative data on lignocellulosic biomass–water interactions within anatomical fractions, which can further aid in the investigation of preprocessing effects on feedstock quality. Our findings suggest that biological heating enhances biomass–water interactions at the cellular and macromolecular scale. In addition, analysis of three-dimensional scanning electron microscopy reconstructions indicates that surface roughness wavelengths align with microscale roughness, suggesting that pine forestry residue and corn stover particles have primarily hydrophobic exterior surfaces. Furthermore, this study offers multiscale insights into understanding the microstructure, wettability, and chemical environment that dictate diffusion, enzyme access, and recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Advanced pathways for hydrogen production: a collective view from a technical experts meeting

Hydrogen is an essential fuel and feedstock that can be produced in multiple ways to meet requirements for technological sectors that include energy storage, transportation, petroleum refining, and ammonia synthesis. To consider the future state of hydrogen manufacturing, a team of experts has assembled and examined three emerging hydrogen production technologies – photoelectrochemical, biological, and thermochemical. Each of these emerging technologies holds significant long-term potential for cost reduction while lowering industrial emissions associated with conventional methods of hydrogen manufacture (e.g., steam methane reforming) by using sunlight and renewable resources as primary sources of energy and feedstock, respectively. All three are currently at low technology readiness levels, however their applications, cost reduction opportunities and performance improvement pathways are under active development. In this work, opportunities and outlook for research that can directly advance the technologies are discussed.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2022

Estimating production cost for large-scale seaweed farms

Seaweed farming has the potential to produce feedstocks for many applications, including food, feeds, fertilizers, biostimulants, and biofuels. Seaweeds have advantages over land-based biomass in that they require no freshwater inputs and no allocation of arable land. To date, seaweed farming has not been practiced at scales relevant to meaningful biofuel production. Here we describe a techno-economic model of large-scale seaweed farms and its application to the cultivation of the cool temperate species Saccharina latissima (sugar kelp) and the tropical seaweed Eucheumatopsis isiformis. At farm scales of 1000 ha or more, our model suggests that farm gate production costs in waters up to 200 km from the onshore support base are likely to range between $\$$200 and $\$$300 per dry tonne. The model also suggests that production costs below $\$$100 per dry tonne may be achievable in some settings, which would make these seaweeds economically competitive with land-based biofuel feedstocks. While encouraging, these model results and some assumptions on which they are based require further field validation.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Rhamnogalacturonan I is a recalcitrant pectin domain during Clostridium thermocellum -mediated deconstruction of switchgrass biomass

Background Liquid fuels from lignocellulosic feedstocks are required for transition to a sustainable bioeconomy. However, the recalcitrance of carbon-containing feedstock cell walls to deconstruction poses a barrier to cost effective biological conversion of plant biomass to biofuels. One-step consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) in which anaerobic thermophilic bacteria convert lignocellulosic biomass into liquid fuels is a platform for overcoming the recalcitrance of plant biomass. Results The amounts of hemicellulosic and pectic polysaccharides, two complex cell wall glycans that contribute to plant biomass recalcitrance and that are partially solubilized during CBP of switchgrass aerial biomass by Clostridium thermocellum were evaluated in the liquor, solid residues and residue washate recovered during a 120-h CBP process. After 120 h, 24% of milled switchgrass was solubilized in the C. thermocellum CBP platform. Higher concentrations of arabinose, xylose, galactose, and glucose accumulated in the CBP-fermentation liquor and washate compared to fermentation controls without C. thermocellum, indicating that C. thermocellum solubilized hemicelluloses, but did not fully metabolize them. After five days of fermentation, the relative amount of rhamnose in the solid residues increased by 16% compared to controls, and CBP solid residues had more than 23% increased reactivity against RG-I reactive monoclonal antibodies, indicating that the pectic polymer rhamnogalacturonan I (RG-I) was not effectively solubilized from switchgrass biomass by C. thermocellum CBP. Similarly, the amount of mannose (Man) in the CBP solid residues increased by 7% and reactivity against galactomannan reactive antibodies increased by greater than 14%, indicating that the hemicellulosic polymer galactomannan was also resistant to degradation by C. thermocellum during CBP fermentation. Conclusions These findings show that C. thermocellum is unable to effectively degrade RG-I pectic and galactomannan hemicellulosic components in switchgrass biomass. Targeting these polymers for improved solubilization could enhance the efficiency of conversion of grass biomass to biofuels.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗