Eric Marchand works mainly in optimizing water quality and water treatment processes. But recently, Marchand jumped at the opportunity to conduct research and collaborate with Biomass and Biofuels group lead John Cushman.
Contact
John Cushman, Lead
Professor,
Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
(775) 784-1918
jcushman@unr.edu
www.ag.unr.edu/cushman
Founding a tradition of synergy
John Cushman, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, leads the Biofuel and Biomass group within the Renewable Energy Center. With the title comes the responsibility of searching for funding opportunities and coordinating about 20 faculty members from the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources, the College of Science, the College of Engineering and DRI. As the coordinator, he hopes to further develop the group and to foster communication and collaboration across the different disciplines.
Biomass and Biofuels
Collaborative Research Group
The Biomass and Biofuels Group brings together plant biochemists and ecologists; civil, environmental, and chemical engineers; and economists to study basic and applied approaches for the efficient production of non-food feedstocks from forested or marginal lands with limited freshwater availability as sustainable and renewable sources for biofuel generation within regional production systems.
We have complementary expertise in the production of biomass and biofuels from a diverse set of feedstocks and the conversion of these feedstocks by depolymerization, thermochemical and pyrolysis processes into useful gaseous, liquid and solid fuels.
The group is currently focused on five major research areas:
- Selection and optimization of terrestrial and aquatic biofuel feedstocks;
- Collection and efficient use of herbaceous, woody and waste stream biomass feedstocks;
- Leveraging of solar, wind, geothermal and wastewater resources in the production of biomass and biofuel feedstocks;
- Development pretreatment, extraction and conversion processes for biofuel production;
- Determination of the economically optimal mix and levels of (1-4) considering alternative locations, transport costs, size and sunk costs; and market opportunities for biofuel feedstock production, energy production and delivery.
Comparison of algal feedstock
Figure 1. Comparison of algal feedstock (Dunaliella salina) growth with simulated geothermal heating (left) and without (right). Supplemental heating provides for significant growth whereas without heating, no growth occurs for five months out of the year in Reno, NV.
Pending and Current Support
