Texas A&M Partners With University of Florida To Develop Clean Energy For India
A project involving Texas A&M University and the University of Florida could prove to be a huge benefit to millions of people in India.
The research project deals with producing cellulosic biofuels and emphasizes sustainable feedstock cultivation and supply, and biochemical conversion technologies for producing biofuels with minimal risk to the environment.
Texas A&M’s Jianbang Gan, professor of forest management and economics in the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, is a leader of the $6.25 million project, which has been funded by the Department of Energy over the next five years.
Jianbang Gan
“This came about when President Obama visited India a few years ago,” Gan explains.
“The U.S. and India developed a partnership to try and come up with strategies to develop clean energy. This is a way of doing that while also protecting the environment, enhancing energy security, and creating jobs.”
Gan said that when the project is finished, it will result in benefits to both countries by delivering a working model for feedstock production and supply.
“It will have biochemical conversion approaches and technologies that have been validated on pre-commercial scale systems, and overall economics and sustainability of biofuel production and supply systems,” Gan adds.
He adds that the project will improve feedstock using specific genomics and breeding tools; develop production logistics and identify soil and environmental criteria to ensure a commercially successful advanced feedstock production system; assess energy requirements and emissions; and analyze and develop approved protocols and sustainability standards.
In addition to Florida and Texas A&M researchers, the project will involve U.S. researchers from Virginia Tech University, the University of Missouri and Montclair State University.
Industry partners will include Show Me Energy Co-op, Stan Mayfield Biorefinery and Green Technologies.
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Media contact: Keith Randall at (979) 845-4644
