NCERC Biofuels Team Takes Research Message on the Road
The NCERC at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville team will crisscross the country in coming months, networking with biofuels industry leaders and identifying new research collaborators.
In March, NCERC Director John Caupert and a team of researchers will travel to the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), a U.S. Department of Energy Laboratory in Emeryville, Calif., to identify future research directions. Caupert, Research Engineer Terry Lash, Postdoctoral Fellows Arun Athmanathan, PhD, and Parisa Fallahi, PhD, will deliver a seminar on the state of the biofuels industry and discuss opportunities for collaboration.
“As a research center, NCERC is one of the first to feel the impacts of biofuels policy at the state and federal level,” Caupert said. “The uncertainty surrounding the Renewable Fuels Standard continues to limit investment in advanced biofuels research and development, making it increasingly important to identify innovative research projects that take advantage of existing resources and knowledge.
“We are excited to work with our friends at JBEI to identify areas of mutual interest and assist them in scaling up their new technologies.”
The NCERC is also sending representatives to national industry conferences throughout February and March, including the National Ethanol Conference and the Commodity Classic in New Orleans, and the Growth Energy Executive Leadership Conference in Orlando.
“Advocacy, education and research are core elements of the Center’s mission,” Caupert said. “Whether meeting with potential collaborators at a national laboratory, presenting research breakthroughs, or learning about the latest industry innovations, these efforts allow us to better meet market demands and stay on the forefront of biofuels research.”
About the NCERC The NCERC at SIUE is a nationally recognized research center dedicated to the development and commercialization of biofuels, specialty chemicals and other renewable compounds. The Center’s fully functional dry grind pilot plant and laboratories are equipped with advanced biofuels capabilities including corn fractionation, pretreatment and a fermentation suite with 5, 30, 150 and 1500L scale-up. Facilities are staffed by industry veterans with more than 100 years of collective experience in fermentation and biofuels production. This knowledgeable team has the flexibility and expertise to design and carry out projects in any region of the advanced biofuels or specialty chemicals space. For more information, contact Courtney Breckenridge, (618) 659-6737 ext. 230, cbreckenridge@ethanolresearch.com, or visit ethanolresearch.com.
Photo: NCERC Director John Caupert.
