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Three Things You Need to Know About Bioproducts

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Unlocking the Sweet Symphony of Sugars: A Biochemical Ballet In the realm of biomass conversion, different dance forms characterize the journey from various raw materials to the coveted glucose, the cornerstone of biofuel and bio product creation. Let's explore the intricate choreography performed by three main players: sugar crops, starchy biomass, and lignocellulosic biomass. From Sugar Crops: Sugarcane takes center stage, executing a meticulous dance routine. Through a precise process, sugary juice is separated from fibrous residues like bagasse. This ballet yields a remarkable amount of sugar, with sugarcane standing as a champion, providing an impressive 16-20% sucrose content in its juice, ready to be transformed into biofuel or culinary delights. From Starchy Biomass: Corn emerges as the star performer in a streamlined production. The prevalent technique of dry milling turns corn kernels into a slurry, undergoing liquefaction and saccharification. The numbers speak volumes—t...
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Wood: The Pluses, the Minuses, and the Neutrals

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  Wood: The Pluses, the Minuses, and the Neutrals Wood, a timeless and versatile building material, has been an integral part of human civilization for millennia. It offers a unique blend of advantages, disadvantages, and neutral aspects that make it a compelling choice for a wide range of applications. In this blog post, we'll delve into the world of wood, exploring its pluses, minuses, and neutrals, with a specific focus on Engineered Wood Products (EWPs) and their environmental impact. The Pluses of Wood One of the most compelling advantages of wood is its renewability. Unlike finite resources such as fossil fuels, wood is a replenishable resource. Trees can be replanted, and through sustainable forestry practices, we can ensure a constant supply of this natural material. In fact, the demand for wood products often encourages landowners to grow more trees, effectively increasing the overall tree population. Wood also boasts good dimensional stability, making it a reliable materi...
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Sourcing Feedstocks for Sustainable Biorenewables: The Foundation of a Greener Future

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Introduction In the ever-evolving landscape of sustainable energy and products, the importance of feedstocks cannot be overstated. These raw materials are the lifeblood of the biorenewable industry, powering the production of biofuels, bioplastics, and more. This can be a confusing topic to approach as we often see so many different news articles about how the food we eat negatively impacts our environment to how deforestation can have a huge impact on our daily lives. But here's the fundamental truth: all feedstocks, whether for biorenewables or other purposes, must be sourced from somewhere. In this blog post, we'll explore the fascinating world of feedstocks, the role of photosynthesis in driving biorenewables, and how the choice of feedstock impacts the entire process. We'll also touch upon the complex story of American forests and the delicate balance between conventional and alternative agriculture in addressing the environmental challenges of feeding a growing global...
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  Title: Consumption, Resources, and the Environment: A Holistic Perspective In an age when our planet's health hangs in the balance, understanding the intricate interplay between consumption, resources, and the environment is crucial. Revelations from the Star Tribune have ignited discussions about a largely overlooked resource - copper. Minnesota, rich in copper reserves, presents an opportunity to reshape our renewable energy landscape. Yet, the path to harnessing this resource is fraught with environmental challenges that necessitate careful consideration. We will also discuss the consumer's role in the negative environmental effects of producing unsustainable goods and what sustainability is and what it means to our warming world.  Copper: The Hidden Hero of Renewable Energy Copper, a resource abundant in Minnesota, around 4 billion tons,  has quietly become indispensable to our renewable energy ambitions. It forms the backbone of solar panels, wind turbines, and ele...
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