Solar Powered Energy

SOLAR POWERED ENERGY: EVOLVING TECHNOLOGY IN PHOTOVOLTAICS First Generation, or Crystalline Silicon- Crystalline silicon has historically been the favorite material for solar cells, even though it’s not a great light absorber, and it needs to be several hundred microns thick to work properly (which creates high materials costs). Crystalline silicon is not only expensive but also […]

Will Cellulosic Ethanol Replace Gasoline?

WILL CELLULOSIC ETHANOL REPLACE GASOLINE? Recent reports from Sandia National Laboratories and General Motors have estimated that by 2030, alternative energy and biofuels in the U.S will replace one-third of annual gasoline consumption. One of the clean technology forerunners contributing to this reduction is cellulosic ethanol. Cellulosic ethanol is already being produced on a commercial […]

Technology & Process Behind Cellulosic Ethanol Production

THE TECHNOLOGY & PROCESS BEHIND CELLULOSIC ETHANOL PRODUCTION Qteros, a start-up from UMass Amherst is on the forefront of the cellulosic ethanol industry. Their mission is to develop efficient and cost effective ways to make ethanol from waste products, and they have already broken ground on their demonstration scale facility. Qteros success comes, not only […]

Scaling Up Ethanol Production

SCALING UP ETHANOL PRODUCTION FOR EMERGING BIOFUEL FEEDSTOCKS With the investment in research and development of second and third-generation biofuel feedstocks, process engineering firms are seeing a rise in scale-up projects for ethanol production. However, some companies are now finding it difficult to move beyond R&D to pilot or commercial scale production for a variety of […]

Recent Successes in Biofuels Funding

RECENT SUCCESSES IN BIOFUELS FUNDING DESPITE SETBACKS The boom in biofuels may seem to have fallen after the recent expiration and reduction in government subsidies. However, there have also been recent developments both in the private and public sectors which could signal a second chance for biofuels. Here are a few companies still receiving significant […]

Waste Fuel Technologies

WASTE TO FUEL TECHNOLOGIES: WHY INVESTORS ARE INTERESTED The high cost of energy resources is an obstacle for companies around the globe.  The common concern is the scarcity of traditional fuel sources, which has led investors and entrepreneurs to investigate non-traditional sources as viable alternatives.  Technologies that transform industrial waste into energy are becoming popular […]