ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Postdoctoral researchers who are designated Truman and Hruby fellows experience Sandia National Laboratories differently from their peers. Appointees to the prestigious fellowships are given the latitude to pursue their own ideas, rather than being trained by fitting into the research plans of more experienced researchers. To give wings to this process, the […]
Tag Archives: biofuels
Riding bacterium to the bank
May 17, 2018 – 9:00 am
LIVERMORE, Calif. — What does jet fuel have in common with pantyhose and plastic soda bottles? They’re all products currently derived from petroleum. Sandia National Laboratories scientists have demonstrated a new technology based on bioengineered bacteria that could make it economically feasible to produce all three from renewable plant sources. Economically and efficiently converting tough […]
New routes to renewables: Sandia speeds transformation of biofuel waste into wealth
November 9, 2017 – 5:00 am
LIVERMORE, Calif. — A Sandia National Laboratories-led team has demonstrated faster, more efficient ways to turn discarded plant matter into chemicals worth billions. The team’s findings could help transform the economics of making fuels and other products from domestically grown renewable sources. Lignin, the tough material left over from biofuel production, contains compounds that can […]
The good, the bad and the algae
August 7, 2017 – 10:50 am
Sandia tests Salton Sea-grown algae as new fuel source and pollution solution BRAWLEY, California — Sandia National Laboratories is testing whether one of California’s largest and most polluted lakes can transform into one of its most productive and profitable. Southern California’s 350-square-mile Salton Sea has well-documented problems related to elevated levels of nitrogen and phosphorus […]
Trash into treasure: Sandia could help biofuel pay for itself with goods made from waste
May 4, 2017 – 8:55 am
EMERYVILLE, Calif. — A recent discovery by Sandia National Laboratories researchers may unlock the potential of biofuel waste — and ultimately make biofuels competitive with petroleum. Fuel made from plants is much more expensive than petroleum, but one way to decrease the cost would be to sell products made from lignin, the plant waste left […]
Algae raceway paves path from lab to real-world applications
February 2, 2016 – 5:00 am
LIVERMORE, Calif.— In a twist of geometry, an oval can make a line. The new algae raceway testing facility at Sandia National Laboratories may be oval in shape, but it paves a direct path between laboratory research and solving the demand for clean energy. As the nation and California adopt policies to promote clean transportation […]
Algae nutrient recycling is a triple win
August 19, 2015 – 5:00 am
Sandia method cheaper, greener and cuts competition for fertilizer LIVERMORE, Calif. — Nitrogen and phosphate nutrients are among the biggest costs in cultivating algae for biofuels. Sandia molecular biologists Todd Lane and Ryan Davis have shown they can recycle about two-thirds of those critical nutrients, and aim to raise the recycling rate to close to […]
Converting natural gas to liquid transportation fuels via biological organisms
November 18, 2013 – 5:00 am
LIVERMORE, Calif.— Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories will use their expertise in protein expression, enzyme engineering and high-throughput assays as part of a multiproject, $34 million effort by the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) aimed at developing advanced biocatalyst technologies that can convert natural gas to liquid fuel for transportation. The ARPA-E program is Reducing […]