Center Director John Caupert and his research team begin their summer tour this week by participating in the International Fuel Ethanol Workshop in Minneapolis with four presentations and as an exhibitor.
The Center research team also will participate in the following events:
• Caupert will visit with members of Congress on19-20 June in Washington, D.C. as part of the Growth Energy Illinois Ethanol Fly-In.
• Members of the Center will attend the Department of Energy Biomass Summit on 9-11 July in Washington D.C.
• On 12-13July, Caupert will speak to the Illinois Agricultural Leaders of Tomorrow (ALOT) on “Biofuels, Policy and Technology at a Crossroads.”
• Caupert will be in Washington, D.C., the week of 16-20 July participating in meetings with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to discuss technology pathways and collaborative research on cellulosic ethanol from corn bran. While in Washington, he also will meet with leadership of the National Corn Growers Association to present recent breakthroughs in cellulosic ethanol research.
In May, Caupert participated in the Advanced Biofuels Industry Roundtable in Washington D.C. with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of Energy and Department of the Navy.
“The vast scope of research taking place at the Center far surpasses the corn-based ethanol research for which we were first known,” Caupert said.
“With the addition of the new fermentation suite and our Advanced Biofuels Research Initiative, we are actively expanding into the research and development of cellulosic ethanol, advanced biofuels such as bio-butanol, specialty chemicals and other renewable compounds,” he said.
The Center’s latest advanced biofuels research breakthrough took place last month when the research team successfully produced the first ethanol from the cellulosic portion of the corn kernel which led to national media attention and recognition.
“By utilizing existing technologies readily available in the commercial marketplace, the Center was able to produce a biofuel that builds upon the strengths of conventional corn ethanol and the promise of cellulosic ethanol, thus making bolt-on cellulosic ethanol a reality,” Caupert said. “This translates into immediate opportunities for jobs and economic development, particularly in rural areas. But from a research perspective, this is only the beginning of an extremely exciting journey.”
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