UQ's capabilities in biofuel and bioenergy research span disciplines including plant science, microbiology, engineering, and biotechnology. Our research covers many second generation biofuel technologies including the development of alcohol (methanol, butanol) fuel products from bio-electrochemical systems, green diesel from vegetable oil, micro-algal biofuel systems and biohydrogen production.
For example, through identification and manipulation of genes that can improve efficiency of biofuel feedstocks, UQ is making exciting biotechnology advancements in the development of feedstocks such as the legume tree Pongamia, eSorghum (a grass for arid environments), sugar (via the UQ-CSR SugarBooster program) and micro-algae (oil production for biodiesel).
Another focus is the engineering of green micro-algae as a source of biomass, biofuels, commodities and high value products, and includes using green algal cells and advanced bio-reactor systems to produce bio-fuels such as hydrogen in a CO2-neutral process. Additionally, microbial metabolic engineering of sugarcane for example, is leading to new bioproducts from cells.
One of the University of Queensland’s stand out capabilities is in the area of new nanomaterials which is integral to the focus on clean energy production and utilisation (including the development of chemical routes for biomass conversion into valuable chemicals, transportation fuels, and clean hydrogen production) and is highlighted by projects such as the catalytic conversion of carbohydrates/lignocellulose to key platform chemicals (fuel additives) using novel metal supported mesoporous materials.
Key Biofuel researchers
