Partners 20-Fueling America

**Announcer**

This time on Partners, it's Fueling America.

From super yeasts that improve ethanol production...

To small business-developed technologies that recycle fats into
biodiesel...

From algae unlocking the power of photosynthesis for clean hydrogen
fuel...

To switchgrass -- a fast-growing biomass alternative for making
ethanol...

Scientists are revolutionizing the way we power the country.

Number range CHAPTERWelcome to Partners! In the next half-hour, we'll
travel the nation and see breakthrough work in research, education and
Extension. That's what CSREES is all about - helping universities
generate valuable knowledge for those who need it, and educating our
next generation of Americans. And now, it's time for Partners!

**Narrator**

Cars. They have shaped American lifestyles and industry for over 100
years. They define who we are as individuals, how we travel from A to B,
and along with trucks, they have spawned a vast network of highways from
coast to coast. Latest figures estimate there are 191 million drivers
for 204 million vehicles in the US. Worldwide, there are over 600
million vehicles. If present trends continue, that number will double in
the next 30 years.

Our dependence on fossil fuels to power these vehicles has come with a
price. World markets and geopolitics dictate what we pay at the pump.
And beyond the gas station, there is an even bigger problem.
Gasoline-powered vehicles produce carbon dioxide at an astonishing rate.
Burning a single gallon of gasoline generates 22 pounds of CO2. This
abundance of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been linked to
increases in air pollution, greenhouse gases and climate change. But
America is beginning to meet these environmental and economic challenges
brought on by the car.

The Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service of USDA
is funding universities and small businesses that seek solutions through
biofuels -- propellants derived from renewable, natural resources.
Changing how a modern, industrialized nation powers itself is a complex
process -- one that demands a number of diverse solutions. In the next
half hour, we'll see how scientists are meeting this challenge with new,
innovative ideas across the country. And now, Partners Video Magazine
presents, *Fueling America.*

**Narrator**

As our country searches for fuel alternatives to gasoline, new sources
never considered before are emerging. Take, for instance, the innovative
pilot project at AC Transit - a San Francisco Bay transportation
provider.

**Doug Byrne-AT Transit**

*One thing you will notice it is very smooth operating. No shifting from
the transmission and very little acceleration. So it does very well-
very controllable and it has nice ride to it* .

**Narrator**

Doug Byrne is driving one of AC Transit's fleet cars. It uses hydrogen
gas as fuel, which is converted to electricity to power the car. The
result? An efficient, quiet running, non- polluting vehicle.

**Doug Byrne**

*We average about 120 miles per day on each vehicle. Our estimation is
between 45 to 50 miles per gallon. They are doing very well.*

**Narrator**

In addition, the company runs three hydrogen-powered buses for public
transportation. The response to date from both customers and drivers has
been favorable.

**Doug Byrne**

*Here we have a Kia fuel cell powered car.*

**Narrator**

But hydrogen's biggest hurdle is the cost of its fuel cell technology. 
These cells that convert the gas's energy to electricity are extremely
expensive. One AC Transit bus costs a million dollars. Until the price
point changes, hydrogen for Fueling America will remain a concept,
rather than a solution.

But even with cheaper fuel cells, one significant problem remains.

**Anastasios Melis -- University of California-Berkeley**

*The bulk of the hydrogen is produced upon reformation of natural gases
which is reformation of methane as a source of hydrogen. This is fine,
but it generates carbon dioxide as a bi-product, which is one of the
gases that causes global warming.* T*he other draw back, of course, is
natural gas is not going to last forever. I think our society
understands nowadays that we need to generate a source of hydrogen that
is renewable.*

**Narrator**

Anatasios Melis thinks the solution may be here.

**Anastasios Melis**

*This is a variety of green algae. The advantages is that it grow very
fast - faster than any other plant we know of- about 10 times faster
that corn. We are talking about green power*.

**Narrator**

The single-celled algae, called *Chlamydomonas*, conducts photosynthesis
just like any normal, green land plant. But Melis figured out a way to
trick green algae into producing hydrogen. He discovered that when the
algae is deprived of sulfur and is still exposed to the sunlight, it
produces an enzyme called *hydrogenase*. This enzyme spurs the release
of hydrogen gas. And it does it in a big way.

**Anastasios Melis**

*In the lab we get them to double there biomass every 4 or 5 hours under
mass culture conditions. Seventy to eighty percent of the cell volume is
occupied by the chloroplast. The chloroplast is where photosynthesis
takes place. So these are, in fact, factories for photosynthesis. That
is how they are able to multiply with enormous rates, and under natural
sunlight it has been reported that they multiply or they double their
biomass on a daily basis.*

**Narrator**

To test this idea and to prove that the algae could generate substantial
volumes of hydrogen. Melis and his team went outside. They built a large
plastic tube known as a photobiotic reactor, filled it with 1000 liters
of water, and added the green algae with fertilizer to stimulate its
growth.

**Anastasios Melis**

*Within 5 or 6 days, the medium became very dark green as the algae
multiplied very quickly under the bright sunlight and we where able to
collect buckets full of hydrogen. You can imagine the 1000 liter reactor
produced 1000 times more hydrogen then we get right here in the
laboratory.*

**Narrator**

CSREES funds have allowed the University of California-Berkeley team to
prove the potential of hydrogen production from algae. The challenge now
is to tap its full potential -- to exploit the power of green.

**Anastasios Melis**

*The problem we have before us right now is that the yield of the
process is not as high as it could be. So, for example, we know the
capacity of these green algae to produce hydrogen. We find that it is
only 10 to 15% of the theoretical maximum. That means that there is a
lot of work for us to do. I do not know if we will ever be able to go to
the 100% level. But lets try to reach say 50% or 60%* . *These are the
hurdles that we have before us nowadays.*

**Narrator**

Once the project reaches that goal, places like AC Transit may change
where they get the hydrogen from. Currently, they are involved in a
joint project with Chevron Oil and produce the hydrogen on site at their
Oakland, California headquarters. But beyond the world of
transportation, Anastasios Melis sees his research benefiting a new kind
of farmer.

**Anastasios Melis**

*I think it is a form of modified agriculture - the growth of an
organism through photosynthesis. In this case, it's hydrogen. It is a
bio-fuel. It is not a traditional crop that we normally have. It is the
crop of the future and I think it is absolutely essential to permit us
to continue our civilization and to drive elements of our society and
our economy as we know it today. We are converting the energy of
sunlight into biofuel* . *I think it is going to help not only this
country but all countries around the globe to meet their basic energy
needs*

**Announcer**

At Oregon State University, land-grant scientists are studying
blue-green algae - oxygen-producing strains of cyanobacteria that also
produce hydrogen.

**Narrator**

Ethanol. As America begins to shift away from gasoline, this biofuel is
becoming an early, popular choice. It has a number of benefits -- clean
burning, high-octane, and it mixes easily with gasoline like in this
E-85 blend that contains 85% ethanol. While most ethanol is made from
corn kernels, much of what is left behind in the field is not used to
produce the biofuel. The problem is that this cellulosic material
--millions of tons of stalks, husks and cobs -- doesn't chemically break
down like the easily fermented yellow grain. That is, until now.

**Nancy Ho -- Purdue University**

*I'm Nancy Ho from Purdue University, and I made a super yeas t- super
yeast - super yeast.*

**Narrator**

Nancy Ho and her team at Purdue have been modifying a yeast called
*Saccharomyces.* This natural yeast has been used by humans for
thousands of years in the making of bread and the fermentation of wine.
But now, this time-tested organism is being used to breakdown the corn
refuse, as well as wheat straw, left behind in the field. By doing this,
40% more ethanol can be produced from the same field, a real boon to
farmers.

**Nancy Ho**

*Generally, one dry ton of residue can produce 85 to 100 gallon of
ethanol.*

**Narrator**

While corn kernels contain glucose that can be easily fermented by
conventional yeasts, the cellulosic refuse of corn has an additional
natural sugar--xylose. It is xylose that prohibits fermentation and
thus, the making of ethanol. Nancy Ho knew that to overcome this
problem, she would need to change the genetic structure of the yeast.

**Nancy Ho**

*There is lot of science and knowing what the yeast is missing. So I
simply engineer with the recombinant technology. You can put the genes,
extra genes in the cells.*

**Narrator**

Through trial and error and CSREES funding, Nancy and her team found
three perfect genes to alter the yeast. This recombinant DNA work allows
both glucose and xylose sugars to be simultaneously converted to
ethanol, making the process economically viable. The result? A new
product called Ho-Purdue yeast.

**Nancy Ho**

*Because it can produce both sugarsvery effectively, it produces ethanol
very efficiently. We can still improve it.*

**Narrator**

While the work continues at Purdue to make the Ho-Purdue yeast even
better, it is currently being used for ethanol production. Iogen
Corporation of Ottawa, Canada now produces the world's first cellulosic
ethanol fuel for commercial use. It uses wheat straw for biomass. And
American firms are also experimenting with the technology. The super
yeast has the potential to change the ethanol industry benefiting both
farmers and consumers.

**Nancy Ho**

*I feel if you work hard and think hard, you can overcome most problems
in science.*

**Announcer**

*The U.S. has a goal to produce 35 billion gallons of renewable,
alternative fuels by 2017.  Today, CSREES supports development of new
feed stocks and conversion technologies for boosting renewable fuel
production.*

**Narrator**

At the end of this long tunnel is a view back to the colorful past of an
old frontier town...

**Marko Lucich Butte Silver Bow Chamber of Commerce**

*First of all, this is a mining community.* *Almost every ethnic group
that came to Butte, as with all the mining communities in the United
States. And our population was between 90 and 100,000 people. So mining
actually drove it. It was always like a huge single-industry town. We're
down to about 35,000 people. We still do have mining. We have about 350
people employed.*

*Now we are going into a more diverse population as far as business is
concerned, and I think that's what really helping us go forward in a
different direction, in a more positive direction. The real interesting
thing is that we are going into more technology, and I think that is
really helping us. We start to see the scientists, the engineers... so
that's really driving our economy right now.*

**Narrator**

One new high-tech employer is Resodyn, located in this historic building
in downtown Butte. CSREES awarded the company two SBIR - or Small
Business Innovation Research grants - starting in 2002, to explore ways
of converting used, industrial oils and fats into diesel fuel.

**Steve Galbraith - Resodyn**

*Oh, it was vital. Really, without the funding, the research would not
have occurred.* *Typically with these SBIR's, one doesn't really know
how effective the research is going to be or whether it does have
commercial viability and so most companies just wouldn't take this kind
of risk*. *We had the expertise on board to tackle the problem and come
up with a unique processing solution for creating bio-diesel.*  

**Narrator**

Steve Galbraith and senior chemical engineer Fangxiao Yang led the team
at Resodyn.

**Steve Galbraith**

*It basically makes a diesel product available out of typically what
would have been a waste product. So it's recycling waste into a reusable
fuel.*

*Typically, restaurants ...monitor the health quality of the fats they
use for deep frying. And when the health quality gets below a certain
point, they have to dispose of that.*

*It goes through a series of stir-tank reactors, and from those
reactors, there are two output flows. One is a glycerin. T*

*e other flow is the B-100 biodiesel fuel. Those two flows are separated
into each constituent, and then the glycerin is purified and the B-100
is purified through the distillation*

*It's a high quality biodiesel fuel. It's differentiated from other
processes because we do run the final product through a distillation
column. So it's a very clean fuel.*

**Narrator**

Today, new biodiesel plants across the country are using the processing
technology developed by Resodyn. It is part of the complex solution to
fueling America.

And B-100, if not sold in its pure form, is blended so that more
vehicles can benefit from it at the pump. But back in Butte, the work
still continues.

In the same warehouse where the pilot refinery was built and developed,
Resodyn is now experimenting with straw-to-pulp conversion. Wheat straw
is a big crop in Montana. This new process, if successful, could provide
the farmers here a valuable new market.

They also are working with butyl, a high octane bio-fuel that has a
number of advantages over ethanol - including a 30% more miles per
gallon benefit. The lessons learned during the B-100 project, help the
Resodyn staff with this new research

**Steve Galbraith**

*From my perspective as an engineer, it certainly develops core
experience in terms of designing various mechanical components such as
stir tank reactors, heat exchangers, pressure vessels, piping and
whatnot. Those skills are directly transferable.*

**Narrator**

Beyond that, the success generated by the SBIR grant has allowed
president Larry Farrar to hire more people at Resodyn - vital new jobs
for a small Western community like Butte.

**Marko Lucich**

*He has been huge as far as economic development is concerned. Because
when people look at our community, they see a success story. From 1994,
starting out with 2 employees - and then going up to 35 to 40 employees
right now. I believe that you will see him going up to the 50 to 80
number in a very short period of time. I think because we are a hidden
treasure here, I believe our workforce shows we have something to offer.
And Larry Ferrar and Resodyn are a great example of that. It does such
great things for our community and for the United States.*

**Announcer**

Since 2002, the USDA Small Business Innovation Research Program has
funded over 45 grants related to energy.  Over \$6.5 million was given
to companies in 19 states.

**Burt English -- University of Tennessee**

*Switchgrass is a perennial plant. It is planted once. It grows in place
for 10 to 15 years... it grows about to 6 feet tall, maybe 8. Yield is
about 10 per acre and that's without any genetic manipulation.*

*It is native to the United States. It's part of the mixed prairie grass
system that used to be here\... It's native from Colorado to the Coast,
and from Alabama up through Canada.*

**Narrator**

Burt English and his colleagues at the University of Tennessee are
fascinated by switchgrass because of its potential as a biomass source
for ethanol production. But for most refinery operations today, corn is
being used to produce ethanol. Critics argue that it might not be the
best choice. As the grain's price soars due to biofuel demand, so does
the cost of corn-based foods. And U.S. corn exports are also threatened
due to the fast-rising prices.

But beyond the economics, there is simply not enough corn to meet the
energy demands of the future.

**Burt English**

*Corn has a place, but it is limited. If you look at the total energy
needs for this country, corn can probably fill 16 to maybe even 18
billion gallons of ethanol. But we need 86 billion gallons or
more ethanol to come from renewable sources. And to meet that demand, we
need at least two and a half times as much corn than we grow in this
nation - just for ethanol.*

**Narrator**

Scientists are now looking to other fast-growing biomass sources for
fueling America, especially those that provide large amounts of
cellulosic matter for ethanol production. Switchgrass fits the bill.

**Burt English**

*Seven foot - one.*

**Narrator**

This wild grass has a lot of advantages for the farmer and the
environment.

**Burt English**

*You don't have to reseed it every year. You don't have to use the
tractor planting cultivating. After two years, you probably don't have
to use any chemicals on the plant. It grows and out competes anything in
the field. It's a low- input, low-fertilizer plant and you can use
ordinary hay equipment to harvest it.*

**Narrator**

But much needs to be learned about switchgrass for it to become a
profitable, cultivatable crop. And that's what researchers are learning
to do here at this University of Tennessee experiment station in Milan.
Different varieties are grown under different conditions and types of
terrain \--from flat fields, to sloped ones, to semi marshy. The color
contrast here shows the effects of this experimentation.

**Burt English**

*In addition we are looking at nitrogen tests going from 0 to 180
pounds.*

*We've been doing some weed experiments on switchgrass to see which
herbicides would work. When you have grass growing and competing with
switchgrass, it's very difficult to control that annual grass. And we
are working on those types experiments with Larry Steckle.*

**Narrator**

Soil is another major component of the study, and is headed up by
researcher Don Tyler. Since switchgrass is a perennial, that offers a
unique advantage to the farmer.

**Burt English**

*You're not disturbing the soil for 10 or 15 years. You're adding root
matter to that soil, and that's converted to organic matter. So there is
some enrichment of the soil.  We're trying to calculate how much of that
is occurring right now in this very field here.*

**Narrator**

But once these field studies are concluded, switchgrass for ethanol
production still faces a number of other challenges, especially when one
considers how much of it needs to be produced to meet the need.

**Burt English**

*The logistics of getting millions of acres in switchgrass are
tremendous. You need seed and you need reliable seed. We need seed
companies looking at this and staring to develop the mechanism in which
these fields that we have in the United States start producing seed for
them.* 

*And we need also plant improvement.*  *We need yield increase. The more
yield per acre, the more ethanol per acre, and I think that is going to
be critical as we go down the road in the long run looking at the food
versus fuel versus feed issue.*

**Narrator**

In the short run, however, things look promising for switchgrass. As
part of the research, several Tennessee farmers are growing the crop on
test plots on their own land. And soon, they will have a market for
their harvest.

**Burt English**

*In Tennessee, we have a facility being planned right now that will be
producing five million gallons of ethanol from switchgrass and from
wood.*

*By 2010, we will have it. It won't be commercially feasible by then,
but by 2012, I believe it will be. We grow cellulose very well here.*
*Having switchgrass as an alternative crop will provide the farmers
another source of income and allow them to, I think, compete at a better
level.*

**Announcer**

On the next edition of Partners, it's *The Science of Small.*
Nanotechnology is a new science that controls atom-scale particles with
astonishing results like micro-frameworks that promote the growth of new
human skin, nano barcodes that expose harmful bacteria at the molecular
level, mini-trackers that reveal non-point source pollution problems,
**a**nd miniscule, fibrous mats that detect kitchen germs with a mere
swipe of a cloth.

*The Science of Small -* next time on Partners.

For more on *Fueling America* or other episodes of Partners Video
Magazine, log on to this web site.