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Biomass and Biofuel

Biomass and Biofuel

FESC Biomass Expertise and Resources

FESC Biofuel Expertise and Research

 

Developing Florida’s Biomass Resources FESC Biomass Expertise and Resources The State of Florida produces more biomass than any other state in the U.S. (7% of total). Given the state’s dependence on imported oil for transportation fuels and the value of transportation to our tourism industry, developing methods to convert this resource to fuels is important. The Consortium is pursuing microbial and gasification routes to produce this carbon-neutral fuel. In addition, algae production systems promise a direct route to fuel, along with its use for bioremediation of agricultural waste water and production of products from the residual biomass. A systems approach is being pursued to optimize water and land use, biomass harvesting and transport, and refining processes. The internationally recognized SUS researchers, the biomass production potential, and significant demonstrations projects provide promise to establish a leadership position by the SUS.

 

 

Core Faculty
Faculty	University	Expertise	Department or Position
Abdul Malik	USF	Analytical separations, sample preparation techniques, hyphenation of sample preparation and separation techniques	Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry
Alan W. Hodges	UF	Economic analysis of biomass energy resource development	Extension Scientist, Food and Resource Economics
Ali T-Raissi	UCF	Hydrogen production and storage, detection and sensing, solar fuels, biomass conversion	Director, Advanced Energy Research Division
Ann C. Wilkie	UF	Anaerobic biotechnology and biogas production from biomass and organic residues; Bioprospecting and cultivation of algae for biofuel production, nutrient recovery and wastewater remediation.	Professor, Soil and Water Science Department
Ashvini Chauhan	FAMU	Algal Biofuels. Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology; Biodegradation	Assistant Professor, School of the Environment
Aydin Sunol	USF	Systems Engineering, Supercritical fluid technology, Green Engineering, Product and Process Design	Professor, Chemical Engineering
Babu Joseph	USF	Biomass, gasification, Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis of Synthetic Liquid Fuels, corrosion, education	Chairperson/Professor, Chemical Engineering
Bala Rathinasabapathi	UF	Metabolic engineering of plants for increased biomass yield	Associate Professor, Horticultural Sciences
Brenton Greska	FSU	Solar-based alternative energy sources, advanced PEM fuel cells and advanced catalysis	Assistant Research Sc., Mechanical Eng.
Chaouki Ghenai	FAU	Biodiesel, wind farm design, biomass and coal co-firing	Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Ed Phlips	UF	Biology, ecology, and management of algae and aquatic microorganisms	Professor, Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
Eqwu Eric Kalu	FSU	Materials synthesis for applications in sustainable energy generation	Associate Professor, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
Fredy Altpeter	UF	Traditional plant breeding, genetic transformation technology, functional genomics toward genetically improved biomass grasses	Associate Professor, Agronomy
Gary Peter	UF	Tree breeding genetics of wood formation, improved utilization in biobased products, bioenergy, forest carbon sequestration	Associate Professor, Forest Resources and Conservation
Gbola Adesogan	UF	Anaerobic fermentation of crops and grasses	Associate Professor, Animal Sciences Department
George P. Philippidis	USF	Cellulosic and algal biofuel and bioproduct technology development and commercialization; biomass-to-power commercial projects	Associate Professor, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
Helena Hagelin-Weaver	UF	Heterogeneous catalysis, biomass, gasification, catalytic reactions that have environmental benefits	Assistant Professor Dept. of Chemical Engineering
Herbert A. Ingley	UF	Energy systems, HVAC, indoor air quality, CHP	Associate Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Jacob Chung	UF	Fluid mechanics, boiling heat transfer in micro-gravity, biomass gasification, Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis	Progress Energy Professor, Mechanical Engineering
James F. Preston	UF	Selection of bacterial enzymes for the depolymerization of plant biomass and its fermentative conversion to alternative fuels and bio-based products	Professor, Microbiology and Cell Science
James P. Cuda	UF	Biological control of invasive plants	Associate Professor, Biological Weed Control
John Kuhn	USF	Biofuels, hydrogen generation and purification, and electrocatalysis, materials synthesis, characterization, separations, and sustainability	Assistant Professor, Dept. of Chemical Engineering
Jon Stewart	UF	Biomass, lignin, interdisciplinary research in chemistry, biology and nanotechnology	Professor, Departments of Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering
Juan Ordonez	FSU	Photobioreactors, thermal management, constructal theory, solar-thermal fuel cells, biomass, hybrid power generation	Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering
K.T. Shanmugam	UF	Bacterial anaerobic metabolism, dinitrogen fixation and production by fermentative bacteria and cyanobacteria, molybdate transport and regulation	Professor, Microbiology and Cell Science
Lonnie Ingram	UF	Metabolic Engineering; Production of ethanol and value-added chemicals from biomass and renewable cellulosic waste	Distinguished Professor and Director, Microbiology and Cell Science
Lynn Sollenberger	UF	Energy crops, soil carbon sequestration, alternative nitrogen sources	Professor, Agronomy Department
Marian Marinescu	UF	Biomass (UF- IFAS Extension)	Assistant Professor
Matias Kirst	UF	Discovery of genes, metabolic and regulatory networks that control variation in wood quality, growth and other important traits for the forestry and agronomic industry	Assistant Professor, Quantitative Genetics
Nazim Muradov	UCF	Hydrogen production, fuel cells, sensors, biomass derived fuels, hydrocarbon processing	Principal Research Scientist, Florida Solar Energy Center
Norman Munroe	FIU	Biomass gasification, PEM fuel cells and micro-fuel cell power sources, SOFC, coal gasification	Professor and Associate Dean, Mechanical & Materials Engineering
Pratap Pullammanappallil	UF	Process design, modeling, optimization, and control with applications in fuel production	Associate Professor, Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Spyros Svoronos	UF	Biological Wastewater Treatment, Particle Processing	Professor
Stephen Miller	UF	Biomass to chemicals feedstock and polymers	Associate Professor of Chemistry
Subramanian Ramakrishnan	FSU	Physics and chemistry of complex fluids as applied to biomass energy conversion	Assistant Professor, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
Valerie Crecy-Lagard	UF	Microbial genetics	Assistant professor, Microbiology and Cell Science
Wendy Graham	UF	Subsurface flow and solute transport modeling; groundwater resources evaluation and remediation; evaluation of impacts of agricultural production on surface and groundwater quality; evaluation of impacts of climate variability and climate change on water resources ; stochastic modeling and data assimilation	Carl S. Swisher Chair, in Water Resources, Director
William Lear	UF	Semi-closed cycle gas turbine systems, Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis, fuel cells, distributed energy, refrigeration	Director, Energy & Gasdynamic Systems Laboratory
Yogi Goswami	USF	Solar thermal, thermodynamics, heat transfer, HVAC, photovoltaics, hydrogen, fuel cells	Professor, Chemical Engineering
Zhaohui (Julene) Tong	UF	Bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass to fuels , synthesis of biodegradable nanocomposite and value-added chemicals, analysis and characterization of lignocellulosic materials, chemical and bioprocess design, colloid and surface	Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Donald Rockwood	UF	Generic Improvements of Eucalyptus Species	Professor Emeritus, Forest Resources and Conservation.

Infrastructure, Facilities, and Other

• UF Cellulosic Ethanol Pilot Plant, and the Stan Mayfield Biorefinery Pilot Plant.
• Joint Clean Energy Research and Development Center (JCERDC); US – India partnership.
• Bench scale reactors for converting syngas to liquid fuels using Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis
• Catalyst Synthesis and characterization equipment. (Other facilities include GC/MS, FTIR, XPS for Characterization)
• Combustion Laboratory – TVC combustor
• Engine Testing – dynamometer and gas analyzer
• Steam Power Engine
• Biodiel Processor – 40 Gallons/day
• Engines – 2 Gasoline engines and 1 Diesel Engine
• Fully Equipped biochemical R&D laboratory focused on biomass conversion, algae technology, biofuels and bioproducts
• Indoor pilot laboratory for technology testing and demonstration
• Outdoor pilot facility for algae technology deployment
• Bio-based materials laboratory (800ft) includes homogenizer (for particle disrupting) Malvern Nanosizer (nanoparticles characterization), Agilent-HPSC systems equipped with RI and UV-detectors and also be functioned as GPC with GPC software add-ons and the columns (for biomass characterization and monomer sugar analysis, molecular weight measurements of biomass and biomaterials), High Temperature Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA) with DSC (for thermal properties- measurements of biomaterials)
• Physical Properties laboratories (800ft) includes assorted instruments and apparatus for measurement and determination of physical and rheological properties such a tensile strength, and flexural strength measurements of bio-based materials

Industrial Collaboration and Technology Commercialization

Strong partnerships with various private sector entities in the areas:

• Scale-up and commercial development of novel algae cultivation systems
• Partnerships with agro-energy and algae companies, local governments, and other institutions
• Scale-up of biomass conversion to cellulosic sugars and biofuels
• Digestors
• Collaboration to make high-value byproducts from fermentation residues
• Waste to biofuels, biodiesel, bio jetfuel

 

FESC Biofuel Expertise and Research  Florida produces more biomass than any other state in the U.S. The consortium’s biofuel and jet fuel expertise include energy crops, field testing of crops producing oils and terpenes, and converting hydrocarbons or biomass into bio fuels.  A systems approach is being pursued to optimize water and land use, biomass harvesting and transport, and refining processes.  The internationally recognized SUS researchers, the biomass production potential, and significant demonstration projects provide promise to establish a leadership position by the State University System (SUS).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Core Faculty
Faculty	University	Expertise	Position or Department
Energy Crops and Trees
Bala Rathinasabapathi	UF	Metabolic engineering of plants for increased biomass yield	Associate Professor, Horticultural Sciences, UF
Brian Boman	UF	Research and extension activities concerning water management, eTuber™ – yield & growing protocol, rotation crops (sugarbeet, sweet sorghum, others), economic analysis, greenhouse gas analysis.	Professor, Indian River Research and Education Center, UF-IFAS
David Wright	UF	Production and management of oilseed crops and impacts on following crops/ soil parameters and variety evaluation	Professor of Agronomy UF IFAS-NFREC, Quincy
Donald Rockwood	UF	Genetic Improvements of Eucalyptus Species	Professor Emeritus, Forest Resources and Conservation, UF
Fredy Altpeter	UF	Traditional plant breeding, genetic transformation and genome editing technology, functional genomics toward genetically improved biomass grasses	Professor, Agronomy Department, UF
Gary Peter	UF	Tree breeding and genetics of wood formation, improved utilization in biobased products, bioenergy, forest carbon sequestration; jet fuel from terpenes	Professor,  Forest Resources  and Conservation, UF
James P. Cuda	UF	Biological control of invasive plants	Professor, Biological Weed Control, UF
Jim Marois	UF	Plant Pathology, Integrated pest management, Epidemiology	Professor of Plant Pathology, UF IFAS-NFREC, Quincy
Lynn Sollenberger	UF	Energy crops, soil carbon sequestration, alternative nitrogen sources	Professor, Agronomy Department, UF
Rob Gilbert	UF	Sugarcane and energy cane cultivar development, green cane harvesting, transgenic sugarcane.	Professor and Chair, Agronomy Department,  UF IFAS
Sheeja George	UF	Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, production practices and microbial diversity, root-microbe interactions, nutrient cycling enzymes, soil health.	Biological Scientist UF-IFAS-NFREC-Quincy
Wilfred Vermerris	UF	Improving crops that can be used for the production of renewable fuels and chemicals, genetic approaches to not only improve the performance and yield of the crop, but also the bioprocessing characteristics and properties of the materials that can be produced from plant biomass.	Associate Professor,  Microbiology and Cell Science, UF-IFAS
Biochemical Conversion
Lonnie Ingram	UF	Global redirection of  central metabolism by genetic engineering;  Industrial fermentation  processes;  Carbohydrate metabolism;  Expression and secretion  of glycohydrolases which degrade plant polymers;  Alcohol tolerance	Distinguished Professor, Director, Florida Center for Renewable Chemicals and Fuels (FCRC),  Microbiology and Cell Science UF-IFAS
James F. Preston	UF	Selection of bacterial enzymes for the depolymerization of plant biomass and its fermentative conversion to alternative fuels and bio-based products	Professor, Microbiology and Cell Science
K.T. Shanmugam	UF	Bacterial anaerobic metabolism;  metabolic engineering of bacteria for production of fuels and chemicals	Professor, Microbiology and Cell Science
Pratap Pullammanappallil	UF	Process design, modeling, optimization, and control with applications in fuel production	Associate Professor, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, UF-IFAS
Zhaohui (Julene) Tong	UF	Bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass to fuels, chemicals and materials, lignin depolymerization to make aromatic hydrocarbons for jet fuel engine, synthesis bionanocomposites from biorefinery residues	Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, UFIFAS
Super Critical Conversion
Aydin Sunol	USF	Systems Engineering, Supercritical fluid technology, Green Engineering, Product and Process Design	Professor, Chemical Engineering, USF
Thermochemical Conversion
Ali T-Raissi	UCF	Biomass conversion, hydrogen production and storage, detection and sensing, solar fuels	Director, Advanced Energy Research Division, UCF/FSEC
Babu Joseph	USF	Biomass, gasification, Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis of Synthetic Liquid Fuels, Methane Reforming, Landfill gas reforming	Professor, Chemical Engineering, USF
Jacob Chung	UF	Thermal-chemical conversion of biomass and municipal solid waste to syngas, high-temperature steam gasification, syngas conversion to liquid fuels by Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis	Andrew Hines, Jr/Progress Energy Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
John Kuhn	USF	Biofuels, hydrogen generation and purification, and electrocatalysis, materials synthesis, characterization, separations, and sustainability	Assistant Professor, Dept. of Chemical Engineering, USF
Nazim Muradov	UCF	Biomass derived fuels, hydrocarbon processing Hydrogen production, fuel cells, sensors	Principal Research Scientist, Florida Solar Energy Center, UCF/FSEC

Infrastructure, Facilities, and Other

• Stan Mayfield Bio-refinery in Perry, FL
• Fully equipped biochemical R&D laboratory focused on biomass conversion, biofuels and bioproducts
• Joint Clean Energy Research and Development Center (JCERDC); US – India partnership.
• Bench scale reactors for converting syngas to liquid fuels using Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis
• Catalyst Synthesis and characterization equipment. (Other facilities include GC/MS, FTIR, XPS for Characterization)
• Combustion Laboratory – TVC combustor
• Engine Testing – dynamometer and gas analyzer
• Indoor pilot laboratory for technology testing and demonstration
• Bio-based materials laboratory (800ft) includes homogenizer (for particle disrupting) Malvern Nanosizer (nanoparticles characterization), Agilent-HPSC systems equipped with RI and UV-detectors and also be functioned as GPC with GPC software add-ons and the columns (for biomass characterization and monomer sugar analysis, molecular weight measurements of biomass and biomaterials), High Temperature Thermogravimetric Analyzer (TGA) with DSC (for thermal properties’ measurements of biomaterials)
• Physical Properties laboratories (800ft) includes assorted instruments and apparatus for measurement and determination of physical and rheological properties such a tensile strength, and flexural strength measurements of bio-based materials

Partners

• Agrisoma
• ARA
• Terviva Inc.
• Wise seed
• Paterson Grain
• Treasure Coast Research Park (TCRP) operated by the Treasure Coast Education, Research and Development Authority (TCERDA – formed under the auspices of the University of Florida and St. Lucie County)
• South Florida State College