SFI
Activities in Sustainable Energy
Sustainable
Energy Initiatives at Michigan Tech
Renewable Energy from Forest Resources: An Investigation into the
Viability of Large-Scale Production of Sustainable Transportation
Fuels From Lignocellulosic Biomass NSF MUSES Grant
The objective of this
project is to investigate the technological, ecological, social,
economic, and political issues associated with lignocellulosic-based
ethanol production to determine the viability as an alternative
biofuel. This project, under the auspices of Michigan Tech's Sustainable
Futures Institute, joins an interdisciplinary research team from
Michigan Tech with expertise in ecological economics, natural resource
sociology, spatial statistics, geographic information systems, conservation
biology, forest and landscape ecology, silviculture, chemical engineering,
and mechanical-industrial engineering. Project outcomes include
(1) a feasibility assessment of the viability of a lignocellulosic
biofuel industry in the study region, and (2) the development and
application of quantitatively based decision support tools that
will advance biocomplexity studies and have potential broader applicability
for emerging biofuel industries. The expected societal impact of
this research is significant, given that the continued use of non-renewable
fossil fuels for transportation is unsustainable in the long-term,
and this biofuel may provide one alternative to effectively diversify
the energy supply of the future.
Alternative
Fuels Group Enterprise
The Alternative Fuels Enterprise is committed to providing
an opportunity for young professionals in multiple academic disciplines
to interact with industry and faculty and to provide viable solutions
to real world energy problems.
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