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Advances in the conversion efficiency of thermoelectric materials

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A collaboration including researchers from Boston College, MIT, the University of Virginia and Clemson University have achieved a peak ZT (thermoelectric figure of merit) of 0.8 for the materials and possibly good enough for consideration for waste heat recovery in automotive exhaust systems. The study by Biswas et al.

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UVA researchers devise method for converting retired Li-ion anodes to graphene and GO

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Researchers at the University of Virginia (UVA) have devised a process for converting retired Li-ion battery anodes to graphene and graphene oxide (GO). A rational strategy to simultaneously solve the environmental issues from waste batteries and graphite mining is to fabricate graphene directly from end-of-life battery anodes.

Li-ion 334
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Lifecycle Study Finds Algae as Bioenergy Feedstock Has Higher Environmental Impacts than Conventional Crops in Energy Use, GHG Emissions, and Water Use; The Importance of Using Waste Streams

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Model scope includes all upstream processing of biomass material; conversion to liquid or solid fuel is intentionally excluded. Biofuel conversion processes were excluded from the scope of the analysis. Five Life Cycle Burdens for Production of One Functional Unit of Energy (317 GJ) Algae, Corn, Canola, and Switchgrass in Virginia.

Water 218
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New sulfonated carbon catalysts for esterification of free fatty acids for biodiesel production at lower costs

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Researchers at Wake Forest University and Virginia Tech report on their development of sulfonated carbon catalysts for the conversion of low-quality fats and oils containing high concentrations of free fatty acids into biodiesel in a paper in the journal Bioresource Technology. Deshmane, Marcus W.

Carbon 218
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Virginia Tech professor proposes simple biomass-to-wheel efficiency analysis to inform decisions on biomass/biofuel/powertrain combinations; the advantage of sugar fuel cell vehicles

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However, notes Virginia Tech Prof. fertilizers, pesticides, farm machinery), energy conversion coefficients among different energy forms and sources, system boundaries, and so on. safety, toxicity, waste treatment, greenhouse gas emissions, military expenditures, etc.). —Huang and Zhang. The Sugar Fuel Cell Vehicle (SFCV).

Virginia 246
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USDA approves conditional commitment for $25M guaranteed loan for new Fiberight biorefinery

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USDA funding will be used to construct a 55,000 square foot facility that will produce cellulosic ethanol by converting municipal solid waste and other industrial pulps into advanced biofuels, as well as using conventional renewable biofuel derived from seed corn waste. million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year.

Iowa 199
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Novozymes introduces its latest enzyme technology for cellulosic biofuels; performs 1.5x better than predecessor

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The enzyme enables more cost-efficient conversion of biomass to ethanol and performs 1.5 Fiberight will open a small-scale plant in Lawrenceville, Virginia, this year, and a plant producing 6 million gallons per year in Blairstown, Iowa, in 2013. Both plants will convert municipal solid waste into biofuel. Earlier post.).

Waste 210