 |
NREL: Converting Biologicals to Fuels and Products (continued)
For example, we are working with DuPont on a four year research project to determine the technical and economic feasibility of building a biorefinery to convert the whole corn plant - grain, stalks, leaves - into fuel ethanol and high-value chemicals." The National Bioenergy Center is developing partnerships with US and foreign non- energy companies in the areas of pharmaceuticals, neutraceuticals, and enzyme production. These entities can work collaboratively with NREL in several ways: 1) through Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), the most widely used means of industrial collaboration 2) through participation in subcontracted biomass research (more than half NREL's budget goes to support Department of Energy-directed research conducted by large and small private companies, universities, research institutes, and consultants ) or 3) pay NREL to conduct research without your collaboration through Work for Others (WFOs) or Sponsored Research, such as Analytical Services Agreements (ASAs), an effective way for industry to take advantage of the National Bioenergy Center's expertise and unique research facilities. Additionally, NREL's patented biomass technologies are available for commercialization and NREL's world-class biomass facilities are available to industrial and university researchers.
NREL has just received a portion of a $350 million federal research initiative to produce hydrogen infrastructure and hydrogen-powered vehicles by the year 2025. One component of the project will involve using renewable energy such as wind or solar power to split water molecules to produce hydrogen.
|
|
Sterling Biotech: The Little Company That Could (continued)
The Sterling Grade™ products are made from proprietary base oil containing 100% vegetable oil, which is blended with additives to produce engine oils and other lubricants. Lubricants made with this technology have been used successfully in both automotive and small engine applications. In addition to providing a market-ready alternative to petroleum-based engine oils that comes from renewable, agricultural products, these lubricants have added benefits including reductions in engine wear, tailpipe emissions and gasoline consumption. The lubricants are also bio-degradable and non-toxic.
According to Laurie Ganong Jones, President and COO of Sterling Biotechnology, "We picked Sterling, Colorado, because I started a previous company here, it's a great place to live and we have access to major transportation facilities. In addition, we have a lot of local agricultural manufacturing talent in the area."
We are certainly interested in globalizing our product," says Jones, a serial entrepreneur with previous experience running Sykes Enterprises, an IT technical support company that eventually went international. "The Europeans, particularly, seem to be a lot more receptive to ecofriendly products like ours."
Sterling Biotechnologies was started in June of 2003 and presently has 9 employees. CEO Carol Werner, an attorney who negotiated the technology licensing deal from the Agromanagement Group, has ambitious plans, however. "We have pending sales orders and are ramping up our production to meet the demand", she says.
With 60% of US oil consumption coming from foreign exports, Colorado agbio companies are positioning themselves to meet demands for alternative energy sources.
According to Chris Shapard, Director of Biosciences and Emerging Technologies in the Colorado Governor's Office of Economic Development and International Trade, "With resources such as the Colorado State University in Fort Collins and the National Bioenergy Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, the agricultural biotechnology sector in the state is poised for growth." Though several hundred miles from the Denver-Boulder epicenter of the Colorado biocluster, Sterling Biotechnology is rapidly making itself one of the front line biotechnology innovators in Colorado.
|
 |
