Demand For Biofuels Research Articles

Strategies to Ensure Fuel Security in Brazil Considering a Forecast of Ethanol Production

Ethanol production in Brazil started in the early 1930s due to laws created by the Brazilian government. However, ethanol production only increased significantly with the National Program of Ethanol implementation in 1975. This program was another action taken by the Brazilian government aiming to provide conditions for the development of the ethanol industry in the country. With the program, it was possible to achieve significant progress; however, it finished in the mid-1980s. Currently, ethanol is produced on a large scale by more than 300 sugarcane mills all over the country. In 2016, the Brazilian government provided another incentive for ethanol production by creating the RenovaBio Program, which aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Besides the environmental aspect, Brazil’s ethanol industry needs to develop to supply future biofuel demand. According to the forecast provided in this paper, and considering technical, economic, and environmental aspects regarding the Brazilian ethanol industry, the current and only feedstock used is likely to be insufficient. Thus, the ethanol produced from corn would be an attractive secondary feedstock to complement sugarcane ethanol as the primary feedstock.

Callus Induction and Regeneration Response of Mustard (Brassica spp.)

Mustard (Brassica spp.) is the third most important edible oil crop belonging to the family Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) and the genus Brassica. Due to the growing world population and increasing industrialization, the demand for edible oil and biofuels is increasing worldwide. Stress-tolerant mustard variety creation by transformation or genome editing procedures, as well as varietal in vitro regeneration responses, are critical challenges. The objective of the study was to design a tissue culture protocol for better use the explant by using hypocotyls and cotyledon explants to observe the in vitro response to callus induction and regeneration of three mustard types, namely BARI Sarisha-14, Binasarisha-4, and Binasarisha-9.Explants were cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) supplemented with different concentrations and combinations of NAA(10 mg mL-1), BAP (10 mg mL-1 for callus induction and shoot initiation medium , 2.5 mg mL-1 for shoot outgrowth medium), AgNO3(50 mg mL-1), GA3(2 mg mL-1), and IBA (10 mg mL-1)for callus induction, shoot initiation, shoot outgrowth, and root initiation. Binasarisha-4 showed the best performance with hypocotyls76.67% callus induction, 70.03% shoot initiation, 92.23% shoot outgrowth, and 40% root initiation followed by BARI Sarisha-14 (71.67%, 58.23%, 73.33% and 23.33% respectively) and Binasarisha-9 (54.17%, 38.87%, 45.83% and 11.11% respectively). It is recommended that in vitro hypocotyls culture of Binasarisha-4 can be used for frequent and successful genetic transformation in Mustard.

Market Trends in Biofuel

Biofuels, (ethanol and biodiesel primarily derived from corn, sugarcane and vegetable oils) are a growing area of renewable energy. For example, in the transport sector ethanol can be used in suitable internal combustion engines or blended with petrol while biodiesel can be used in diesel vehicles with little engine alteration. This study looked at biofuel supply and demand in a number of countries as it recovers from the 2019-2022 COVID-19 pandemic and found that demand fluctuated over this period since external factors which influence oil prices, have a greater effect on the smaller, and mostly newer, biofuel industry. Such fluctuations would happen with any major shift in energy resources but have been exacerbated by the pandemic and recent conflicts. While governments must evaluate the role of biofuels in energy security, food security and GHG objectives in a changing political and financial environment, there are countries where they can play a significant role in the energy supply. How Governments might look longer term to pave the way to a “new normal” energy base is discussed.

Sustainable aviation fuels must control induced land use change: an integrated assessment modelling exercise for Brazil

Bio-sustainable aviation fuels (bio-SAFs) are an important pillar of the aviation sector decarbonisation strategy in the mid-term. Here we assess the induced Land-Use Change (LUC) implications of producing bio-SAFs in Brazil under different assumptions of forest conservation governance. We evaluate four bio-SAF routes via two main pathways: the Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) and the Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) syntheses. We chose the most promising agriculture-based feedstocks to produce bio-SAFs in all five macro-regions of Brazil, including sugarcane and maize ethanol to jet and palm and macaw HEFA routes. To this end, we calculated future projections of air transport demand in Brazil and used the Brazilian Land Use and Energy Systems integrated assessment model to estimate LUC greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within five different levels of bio-SAF blends (10% to 50% of total aviation fuel demand) for each bio-SAFs evaluated. Estimated cumulated emissions vary widely, ranging from a carbon sequestration of −286.8 gCO2e.MJ−1 for a 10% blend of maize ATJ under a controlled deforestation scenario to a release of 15.0 gCO2e.MJ−1 for a 40% blend of high productivity macaw oil HEFA considering historical deforestation rates in the country. Results are highly sensitive to deforestation rate parameters, volume of bio-SAFs produced, the type of feedstock used, and methodological assumptions. Negative LUC GHG emissions were found under controlled deforestation assumptions and in low blends of bio-SAFs for maize and sugarcane ATJ routes. Under historical deforestation rates, the LUC GHG emissions are higher. Bio-SAF can be beneficial to reduce GHG emissions if effective land conservation policies are implemented. Therefore, large-scale bio-SAF production from sugar crops in Brazil may play an important role in the decarbonisation of the aviation sector if coupled with successful strategies to control deforestation. Additionally, when imposing bio-SAF demand, other biofuels demand reduces under the model optimal solution due to land restrictions.

CRISPR-Cas technology opens a new era for the creation of novel maize germplasms.

Maize (Zea mays) is one of the most important food crops in the world with the greatest global production, and contributes to satiating the demands for human food, animal feed, and biofuels. With population growth and deteriorating environment, efficient and innovative breeding strategies to develop maize varieties with high yield and stress resistance are urgently needed to augment global food security and sustainable agriculture. CRISPR-Cas-mediated genome-editing technology (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas (CRISPR-associated)) has emerged as an effective and powerful tool for plant science and crop improvement, and is likely to accelerate crop breeding in ways dissimilar to crossbreeding and transgenic technologies. In this review, we summarize the current applications and prospects of CRISPR-Cas technology in maize gene-function studies and the generation of new germplasm for increased yield, specialty corns, plant architecture, stress response, haploid induction, and male sterility. Optimization of gene editing and genetic transformation systems for maize is also briefly reviewed. Lastly, the challenges and new opportunities that arise with the use of the CRISPR-Cas technology for maize genetic improvement are discussed.

Bioconversion of sugarcane molasses and waste glycerol on single cell oils for biodiesel by the red yeast Rhodotorula glutinis R4 from Antarctica

• R. glutinis R4 produce singe cell oil (SCO) from cane molasses and waste glycerol. • The fatty acids composition of SCO from R4 is suitable for biodiesel production. • SCO from R. glutinis R4 were transformed into biodiesel with a 90% efficiency. • Biodiesel derived from SCO of R. glutinis R4 satisfied international fuel standards. In the context of the global energy crisis and the constant demand for biofuels, this work explored the biodiesel production from single-cell oils (SCO) produced by the Antarctic oleaginous yeast Rhodotorula glutinis R4 from low-cost local agro-industrial by-products (sugarcane molasses and waste glycerol). The lipid accumulation reached 46.8% and 40.7% at 120 h of culture using glycerol and molasses, respectively, which correspond to 5.72 and 8.68 g L -1 of final lipid concentration. R. glutinis R4 yielded 0.172 and 0.185 gram of lipids per gram of substrate consumed grown in molasses or glycerol medium, respectively. These amounts being higher than the ones obtained in glucose medium (0.126 g g -1 ). At 120 h of culture, lipid volumetric productivities were 0.048 and 0.072 g L −1 h −1 using glycerol and molasses, respectively, and 0.043 g L −1 h −1 in the glucose yeast extract (GYM) medium. Oleic acid is the predominant fatty acid in the oils from R. glutinis R4, reaching 67.5% with molasses, thus indicating that it is adequate for biodiesel synthesis. This is the first study where SCO produced by R. glutinis R4 were converted into biodiesel by acid transesterification with an efficiency above 90%. The biodiesel produced by R. glutinis R4 grown on culture media containing molasses or waste glycerol is fully compliant with the international standards for biodiesel. SCO obtained from R. glutinis R4 using molasses and waste-glycerol can be effectively used as sources of triacylglycerols for biodiesel production.

Economic analysis of the benefits to petroleum refiners for low carbon boosted spark ignition biofuels

A refinery modeling framework is developed to estimate the benefits of blending high-quality biofuels directly with refinery gasoline components to produce premium grade fuels. The results offer a change in paradigm - instead of biofuels being competitors to fossil fuels, biofuels can add value to refineries’ product slates, because of their favorable properties. This potential value can be characterized by calculating the breakeven value (BEV), as defined below. The proposed modeling framework incorporates extensive data from (1) projected product demands over the next few decades, (2) crude oil and refinery products pricing, and (3) fuel specifications. The complete refinery models serve as a basis for assessing the value of biofuels, assuming profitability remains the same for representative petroleum refinery configurations. Resulting valuations varied widely with BEVs observed between $10-$120/bbl given the considered blending levels and crude prices. Further, BEV was correlated with the fuel octane ratings such as octane numbers (research, RON and motor octane numbers, MON) and both antiknock index (AKI, average of RON and MON) and sensitivity (S, difference between RON and MON), with a slightly higher correlation with the sensitivity. However, the expected decrease in gasoline demand for the upcoming years could negatively impact biofuels demand and value, in a business-as-usual scenario. The analysis also showed high valuations in smaller refineries since they can enhance the capabilities for producing specialty, high-value fuels/products, and introduce high octane-barrels into otherwise constrained blending operations. Additional implications towards refiners include opportunities to rebalance operations, access to high-value fuel markets, and synchronization with broader transportation industry trends. Furthermore, results indicate the value of Co-Optima boosted spark ignition (BSI) efficiency gains can extend to refiners to incentivize decarbonization and diversified feedstock production.

Ascomycetous isolates promote soil biological and nutritional attributes in corn and soybeans in sandy and clayey soils

Biological inputs are environmentally friendly agriculture practices for conserving natural resources in the face of the world's increasing demand for food, fiber and biofuels. The effects of beneficial non-mycorrhizal fungi on soil and plants are multifactorial and mostly unknown. In this regard, we aimed to assess the effects of five ascomycetous isolates, namely Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, Pochonia chlamydosporia, Purpureocillium lilacinum and Trichoderma asperellum, on the biology and fertility of sandy and clayey soils from the Cerrado biome under corn and soybeans grown in a greenhouse. The fungal treatments produced some differences in soil microbial biomass, enzyme activity and fertility and consistently promoted arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) colonization in both soils under corn and soybeans. Fungal applications significantly increased colonization efficacy of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) by 28%–72% in corn and from 57% to 105% in soybeans, relative to a control. A combination of principal component analysis and correlation analysis showed that applications of any of the five ascomycetous fungi increased AM colonization, and shoot concentrations of P, K, S and Cu in the corn assays, and shoot concentrations of K and phosphatase and fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis activity in the soil of the soybean assays. Thus, the application of fungal isolates, with the stimulation of root colonization, nutrient absorption and soil biological activity, may have effects on soil function and quality in the medium and long term. These findings can contribute to the development and adoption of more sustainable agricultural practices.

A Robust Possibilistic Bi-Objective Mixed Integer Model for Green Biofuel Supply Chain Design under Uncertain Conditions

In recent years, concerns regarding issues such as climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, fossil reserve dependency, and petroleum price fluctuation have led countries to focus on renewable energies. Meanwhile, in developing countries, designing an appropriate biofuel supply chain network regarding environmental competencies is an important problem. This paper presents a new bi-objective mixed integer mathematical model aiming to minimize CO2 emission and total costs in the process of the biofuel supply chain, creating a suitable green supply chain network. In this respect, CO2 emission and biofuel demand are regarded as uncertain data to address the real complex cases. Moreover, the SAUGMECON approach was implemented to construct a single objective model, and the obtained Pareto optimal points were depicted and analyzed. Thereby, a robust possibilistic programming approach was implemented to the proposed model to handle existing imprecise data. Furthermore, the applicability and performance of the proposed model were demonstrated based on an experimental example. In this respect, the obtained results from the proposed robust possibilistic programming model were compared with its crisp form to show the robustness and reliability of the proposed uncertain mathematical model.

Economic and Environmental Sustainability of Vegetative Oil Extraction Strategies at Integrated Oilcane and Oil-Sorghum Biorefineries

The production of biodiesel from conventional oilseed crops (e.g., soybean) is limited by the low productivity of oil per hectare. Oilcane (derived from sugarcane) holds the potential to improve vegetable oil production in agriculture to help meet projected demand for oil-based biofuels. However, the financial viability of oilcane-derived biofuels remains uncertain, with key questions centered on the technical feasibility of vegetative oil recovery and the economic/environmental implications of designing integrated biorefineries to process multiple oil-rich feedstocks. To address these questions, two biorefinery configurations producing biodiesel and ethanol were evaluated: (i) direct cogeneration of heat and power from bagasse (lower oil recovery) and (ii) an integrated, single-step co-fermentation of both extruded juice and bagasse hydrolysate (higher oil recovery). Sensitivity and uncertainty analyses demonstrated the sustainability gains of improved oil recovery, higher feedstock oil content, and the integration of oil-sorghum processing when oilcane is not in season. For the direct cogeneration and co-fermentation configurations, Monte Carlo simulations resulted in maximum feedstock purchase prices of 34.7 [22.4, 48.4] (median; 5th and 95th percentiles in brackets) and 40.0 [19.3, 63.7] USD·MT–1 and life cycle global warming potentials of 0.313 [0.285, 0.345] and 0.320 [0.294, 0.351] kg CO2-eq·L–1 of ethanol (under economic allocation), respectively.

Risk-based multistage stochastic mixed-integer optimization for biofuel supply chain management under multiple uncertainties

CO2 emissions from the transportation sector account for 22% of global emissions. Blending biofuels with fossil fuels is a promising method for reducing these emissions and ensuring energy security. One of the most important and challenging aspects of the biofuel production process is the design of supply chains that integrate various types of biomasses under multiple uncertainties. The aim of this study is to address this issue by proposing a multi-stage stochastic program for strategic and tactical planning in multi-feedstock biofuel supply chain networks under uncertainties of biomass supply and biofuel demand. The proposed model minimizes the total annualized cost by selecting raw materials, positioning production facilities, placing storage facilities, and defining deferral paths for each feedstock. In addition, a new dynamic method of the conditional value at risk is adopted to consider the risk hedge. Deterministic, stochastic, and risk-based models are compared, and case studies based on the South Korean context show the effectiveness of the model and the algorithm. Computational results indicate that considering risk can increase biofuel expected production cost by up to 88%. It also shows that biomass transportation is the most affected part of the supply chain in risk assessment. Furthermore, it indicates that a value of 0.5 is the most effective risk aversion factor.

Factors Shaping Performance of Polish Biodiesel Producers Participating in the Farm Accountancy Data Network in the Context of the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union

The aim of this study was to present factors shaping biodiesel production in Poland influenced by the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Union (EU). The performance of Polish biodiesel producers was analyzed. A regression model was built to identify the factors that impacted biodiesel production in Poland. The Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) was the main source of information about Polish biodiesel farmers. The FADN is the most comprehensive and detailed source of economic and agricultural data in Poland. Changes in the number of biodiesel producers in the Polish market were analyzed with the use of indicators. In the last stage of the study, the impact of selected variables on the performance of rapeseed farms was determined in a regression analysis. The second source of information was Eurostat data, which provided information about pure biodiesel production in the European Union (EU) countries from 2004 to 2019. The biggest producers of pure biodiesel in the European Union are Germany, France, Spain, and Italy. Poland is also an important producer of biodiesel in the European Union (EU). Both descriptive statistics and statistical analyses are presented. First, we used descriptive statistics to present changes in pure biodiesel production in the European Union. Second, we used statistical analyses to present factors shaping the economic performance of biodiesel producers in Poland. The study demonstrated that the number of rapeseed producers in Poland has increased and that farm performance has improved during the period analyzed. Rapeseed farms have increased their land area and the value of fixed and current assets. The land area under rapeseed cultivation has increased after Poland joined the EU, which suggests a positive response to a growing demand for biofuels.

Life cycle environmental sustainability and cumulative energy assessment of biomass pellets biofuel derived from agroforest residues.

This study was carried out to produce low-emitting biomass pellets biofuel from selected forest trees such as (Cedrus deodara and Pinus wallichiana) and agricultural crop residues such as (Zea mays and Triticum aestivum) in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan using indigenously developed technology called pelletizer machine. Characterization, environmental life cycle impact assessment, and cumulative energy demand of biomass pellets biofuel produced from selected agriculture crops and forest tree residues were conducted. The primary data for biomass pellets production was collected by visiting various wood processing factories, sawmills, and agricultural crop fields in the study area. Biomass pellets are a type of biofuel that is often made by compressing sawdust and crushing biomass material into a powdery form. The particles are agglomerated as the raw material is extensively compressed and pelletized. Biomass pellets have lower moisture content, often less than 12%. Physically, the produced pellets were characterized to determine moisture content, pellet dimensions, bulk density, higher heating value, ash content, lower heating value, and element analysis. A functional unit of one kilogram (kg) biomass pellets production was followed in this study.The life cycle impact assessment of one kg biomass pellets biofuel produced from selected agro-forest species revealed environmental impact categories such as acidification (0.006 kg SO2 eq/kg pellets), abiotic depletion (0.018 kg Sb eq/kg pellets), marine aquatic ecotoxicity (417.803 kg 1,4-DB eq/kg pellets), human toxicity (1.107 kg 1,4-DB eq/kg pellets), freshwater aquatic ecotoxicity (0.191 kg 1,4-DB eq/kg pellets), eutrophication (0.001 kg PO4 eq/kg pellets), global warming (0.802 kg CO2 eq/kg pellets), and terrestrial ecotoxicity (0.008 kg 1,4-DB eq/kg pellets). Fossil fuel consumption was the hotspot source to all environmental impacts investigated. To measure the cumulative energy demand of biomass pellets made from different agroforestry species leftovers showed that the maximum cumulative energy was from wheat straw pellets (13.737 MJ), followed by corncob pellets (11.754 MJ), deodar sawdust pellets (10.905 MJ) and blue pine sawdust pellets (10.877 MJ). Among the various production activities, collection and transportation of primary raw material, crushing, screening, adding adhesives, pelletizing, cooling, final screening, and packing have the maximum contribution to the water scarcity index, followed by lubricating oil (0.00147m3). In contrast, the minimum contribution to water footprint was from electricity (0.00008m3) and wheat starch (0.00005m3). The highest contribution to the ecological footprint impact categories such as carbon dioxide, nuclear, and land occupation was lubricating oil and less contribution of wheat starch and electricity for manufacturing one kg pellets biofuel. It is concluded that physico-mechanical and combustion properties of the biomass pellets biofuel developed in the present study were following the Italian recommended standards. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that the Government of Pakistan should introduce the renewable biomass pellets industry in the country to reduce dependency on fossil fuels for cooking and heating purposes.

Circular economy in biorefineries: Scale-up of anaerobic/aerobic membrane bioreactors for vinasse recycling

The increased ethanol production driven by the growing demand for biofuels have the generation of vinasse as a negative aspect. Aiming for vinasse recycling, this study compared the performance of aerobic (AeMBR) and anaerobic (AnMBR) membrane bioreactors as alternatives for water, energy, and fertilizer recovery. In terms of organic matter, the AnMBR demonstrated a better removal efficiency (RAnMBR: 97%, RAeMBR: 92%) with significant differences. Higher values of chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the AeMBR permeate were correlated with the higher production of soluble microbial products and external polymeric substances. The opposite was observed in terms of total nitrogen removal since AeMBR showed better efficiency (RAeMBR: 80%, RAnMBR: 56%). Due to the higher fouling rate, the AeMBR required a higher increase in transmembrane pressure to guarantee a constant permeate flux and more frequent interruptions for membrane cleaning and maintenance. It would be able to recover 527 m³/h of permeate to be used in cane washing procedures or as feedstock for fertilizer obtainment, the latter with the expectations of better reuse of vinasse nutrients and lower environmental impacts compared with fertigation practices. Their demand (water and fertilizer), aligned with economic aspects, should be considered when deciding on the best reuse alternative. The AnMBR presented a higher operational cost (0.515 US$/m³) compared with the AeMBR (0.441 US$/m³). Nevertheless, the system allowed to recover 6.1 Nm³-CH4/m³-vinasse, which represents an energy production potential of 26.1 kW/m³-vinasse. Overall, the systems would allow for the higher valorization of vinasse, with better use of wastes and contributing to less dependence on raw materials.

Mapping of Alternative Oilseeds from the Brazilian Caatinga and Assessment of Catalytic Pathways toward Biofuels Production

Biofuels are increasingly important renewable resources in the world’s energy matrix that have challenged the scientific community as well as small and large farmers to develop alternatives to fossil fuels in order to achieve the aims of energy transition. In particular, Brazil’s proven competitiveness in agribusiness together with its rich biodiversity put the country in a key position in the biofuels market. The semiarid Caatinga of northeastern Brazil, an exclusive biome rich in many oilseed species suitable for potential energy purposes, is of particular interest in this field. Nowadays, soybeans are the main feedstock used for the production of biodiesel, but, due to the increasing demand for biofuels, the search for alternative sources of oil from tropical flora with high productivity is crucial. Under this premise, this systematic review focuses on mapping Caatinga’s vegetable oil crops that could be used as alternative raw materials for biofuels’ production in Brazil, in addition to traditional soybeans and sugarcane. To gain more detailed insight into these matrices, their main properties, including oil content, fatty acid profile and physicochemical properties, are discussed. Moreover, an overview is provided of processes to synthesize different types of biofuels, particularly biodiesel and aviation biokerosene, including the routes employing homogeneous, enzymatic and mainly heterogeneous catalysts. Finally, future prospects and challenges for renewable biofuels and the Caatinga biome are addressed.

Power-to-heat on the reserve capacity market—Policy implications considering economic constraints and competing heat production

Studies have shown that surplus power from variable renewable electricity generation can be consumed in electric boilers or compressor heat pumps, i.e., Power-to-Heat (P2H), for heat production. This potentially provides power balancing for the electric grid and can also decarbonize and/or reduce biofuel demand in the district heating (DH) sector. This sector-coupling of thermal and electrical systems is, however, limited by production planning complexity, grid fees, tariffs, and risk-averse actors. The conditions for P2H production vary between DH-systems due to non-homogeneity in the configuration of production units in different systems. This study investigates the economic feasibility of placing bids for P2H electricity consumption on the reserve capacity market in three different DH systems. It is assumed that P2H electricity consumption is controlled by a hypothetical balance operator. To increase production flexibility, the DH systems are equipped with heat storage where P2H-produced heat is stored. The results show that P2H on the reserve capacity market can increase revenue for DH operators, but DH systems with co-generation of heat and electricity risk reducing income from power production. Furthermore, stored heat needs to compete with cost-efficient base-load production to avoid the large storage required. The power balancing potential of P2H in DH systems is generally limited by the installed P2H capacity as well as the rest of the constituents and the production strategy of the DH system. To overcome these limitations, policies are needed that reward power balancing services and provide investment support for P2H capacity and heat storage.

Recent Advances in Sugarcane Genomics, Physiology, and Phenomics for Superior Agronomic Traits.

Advances in sugarcane breeding have contributed significantly to improvements in agronomic traits and crop yield. However, the growing global demand for sugar and biofuel in the context of climate change requires further improvements in cane and sugar yields. Attempts to achieve the desired rates of genetic gain in sugarcane by conventional breeding means are difficult as many agronomic traits are genetically complex and polygenic, with each gene exerting small effects. Unlike those of many other crops, the sugarcane genome is highly heterozygous due to its autopolyploid nature, which further hinders the development of a comprehensive genetic map. Despite these limitations, many superior agronomic traits/genes for higher cane yield, sugar production, and disease/pest resistance have been identified through the mapping of quantitative trait loci, genome-wide association studies, and transcriptome approaches. Improvements in traits controlled by one or two loci are relatively easy to achieve; however, this is not the case for traits governed by many genes. Many desirable phenotypic traits are controlled by quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) with small and variable effects. Assembling these desired QTNs by conventional breeding methods is time consuming and inefficient due to genetic drift. However, recent developments in genomics selection (GS) have allowed sugarcane researchers to select and accumulate desirable alleles imparting superior traits as GS is based on genomic estimated breeding values, which substantially increases the selection efficiency and genetic gain in sugarcane breeding programs. Next-generation sequencing techniques coupled with genome-editing technologies have provided new vistas in harnessing the sugarcane genome to look for desirable agronomic traits such as erect canopy, leaf angle, prolonged greening, high biomass, deep root system, and the non-flowering nature of the crop. Many desirable cane-yielding traits, such as single cane weight, numbers of tillers, numbers of millable canes, as well as cane quality traits, such as sucrose and sugar yield, have been explored using these recent biotechnological tools. This review will focus on the recent advances in sugarcane genomics related to genetic gain and the identification of favorable alleles for superior agronomic traits for further utilization in sugarcane breeding programs.

Assessing the potential of nutrient deficiency for enhancement of biodiesel production in algal resources

Depleting energy sources result in a growing interest in the conversion of microalgal biofuel to improve economic feasibility. Efficient and cost effective biomass conversion to biofuel demands an increase of carbohydrates and lipid accumulation in algal cells. In the present study, it is measured that concomitant nitrogen, phosphorous and, iron deficiency induces significant physiological and biochemical changes in microalgae Oedogonium sp., Ulothrix sp., Cladophora sp. and Spirogyra sp. by using Response surface methodology as the optimization of growth medium tool. In each of the studied algae species, nutrient deficiency reduced the growth rate of algae as well as protein and chlorophyll of individual cells. On other hand, the biochemical compounds such as carbohydrates were increased up to 0.58 mg/g in Oedogonium sp., 0.56 mg/g in Ulothrix sp., 0.61 mg/g in Cladophora sp., and 0.65 mg/g in Spirogyra sp. as compared to controls. The lipid increased by 75% in Oedogonium sp., 83% in Ulothrix sp., 78% in Cladophora sp., and 73% in Spirogyra sp. lipid content and fatty acid fractions of C16:0, C18:1 and C18:0 of algal species improve under nitrogen, phosphorus and iron deficiency that keeps the fuel properties (EN 14214, ASTM 6751 standard) in the acceptable range important to increase biodiesel quality. The results indicate that nutrient deficiency in algal biomass cultivation can enhance oil and carbohydrates and their subsequent biodiesel production on commercial scale. Highlights Improve lipid yield of algae under nutrient deficiency is studied for first time Optimization of carbohydrates and lipids of new algal resources was established Algal species could be commercialized for sustainable biodiesel production

Integrated role of algae in the closed-loop circular economy of anaerobic digestion

Following the surging demand for sustainable biofuels, biogas production via anaerobic digestion (AD) presented itself as a solution for energy security, waste management, and greenhouse gas mitigation. Algal-based biorefinery platform serves an important role in the AD-based closed-loop circular economy. Other than using whole biomass of micro- and macroalgae as feedstock for biogas production, the integration of AD with other bio- or thermochemical conversion techniques can achieve complete valorization of biomass residue after processing or valuable compounds extraction. On the other hand, anaerobic digestate, the byproduct of AD processes can be used for microalgal cultivation for lipid and pigments accumulation, closing the loop of resource flow. Furthermore, algae and its consortium with bacteria or fungi can be employed for combined biogas upgrading and wastewater treatment. Innovative strategies have been developed to enhance biogas upgrading and pollutant removal performance as well as minimize O2 and N2 content in the upgraded biomethane.

Pathway to a land-neutral expansion of Brazilian renewable fuel production

Biofuels are currently the only available bulk renewable fuel. They have, however, limited expansion potential due to high land requirements and associated risks for biodiversity, food security, and land conflicts. We therefore propose to increase output from ethanol refineries in a land-neutral methanol pathway: surplus CO2-streams from fermentation are combined with H2 from renewably powered electrolysis to synthesize methanol. We illustrate this pathway with the Brazilian sugarcane ethanol industry using a spatio-temporal model. The fuel output of existing ethanol generation facilities can be increased by 43%–49% or ~100 TWh without using additional land. This amount is sufficient to cover projected growth in Brazilian biofuel demand in 2030. We identify a trade-off between renewable energy generation technologies: wind power requires the least amount of land whereas a mix of wind and solar costs the least. In the cheapest scenario, green methanol is competitive to fossil methanol at an average carbon price of 95€ tCO2−1.