Budapest Business Journal, Hungary
04-21-07
ConocoPhillips establishes $22.5 mln biofuels research program at Iowa
ConocoPhillips will establish an eight-year, $22.5 million research program at
Iowa State University dedicated to developing technologies that produce
biorenewable fuels.
The grant is part of ConocoPhillips’ plan to create joint research programs with
major universities to produce viable solutions to diversify America’s energy
sources. Research program to promote biorenewable fuels technologies.
Biorenewable fuels are produced from organic materials and help reduce
pollution and greenhouse gas emissions while diversifying the energy supply.
Conventional biorenewable fuels include ethanol from corn starch and biodiesel
from soybean oil.
Advanced biofuels are expected to be made from fibrous biomass such as the
stalks and leaves from corn plants and switchgrass. „I’m pleased Iowa State
University and ConocoPhillips will partner to research and develop new
technologies for producing biofuels,” said Iowa Governor Chet Culver. „These
kind of public-private partnerships are an important part of my plan to fuel Iowa’s
future. Private sector investments will be the driving force behind the
development of new industries and technologies, and I’m encouraged that Iowa
State and ConocoPhillips are working together to create the right research
programs for our state’s energy future.”
„We believe the key to a secure energy future is the efficient and effective use of
a diverse mix of energy sources,” said Jim Mulva, chairman and chief executive
officer of ConocoPhillips. „ConocoPhillips is developing long-term relationships
with respected academic institutions such as Iowa State to research extensions
of traditional energy sources that ultimately will benefit consumers.”
„We are excited to work with ConocoPhillips to develop a research program that
applies Iowa State University’s strengths in renewable energy,” said Iowa State
President Gregory Geoffroy. „The emerging consensus is that a very big part of
increasing the nation’s energy security will be producing fuels from plants. Iowa
State scientists and engineers are well positioned to put science to work
advancing biofuels technologies.” Robert C. Brown, the Iowa Farm Bureau
Director of Iowa State’s Office of Biorenewables Programs, said ConocoPhillips
is especially interested in converting biomass to fuel through fast pyrolysis, a
process that uses heat in the absence of oxygen to decompose biomass into a
liquid product.
This so-called bio-oil can be used as a heating oil or can be converted into
transportation fuel at petroleum refineries. Brown said ConocoPhillips also will
sponsor studies of other thermochemical technologies that produce biofuels.
ConocoPhillips will fund research to understand and support environmental
sustainability and rural economies. Studies will emphasize crop improvement and
production, the harvesting and transportation of biomass and the impacts of
biofuels on economic policy and rural sociology. Iowa State’s Office of
Biorenewables Programs includes 145 faculty members with ties to 18 academic
departments and 19 research centers and institutes across campus.
Those researchers have attracted more than $57 million in sponsored research
funding since 2002. The ConocoPhillips research program will add to that total.
„Iowa State University, with its central location in the agricultural belt and rich
traditions of research and service, is uniquely positioned to set the standard for
biorenewables research, education and technology transfer,” Geoffroy said.
„Contributing to the development of the bioeconomy is directly in line with our
mission: ‘Create, share and apply knowledge to make Iowa and the world a
better place.’” (petrolplaza.com)