Feasibility of Biopolymer Production in Poplar

The two major outcomes of this project will be two-fold: First, the research team expects to provide detailed assessment of the biological feasibility of producing Poly-ß-Hydroxybutyrate (PHB) in poplar, after assessment of three distinct genetic alternatives and several extraction procedures. Second, the team expects to provide a detailed assessment of system feasibility, including economics, environmental indicators such as net greenhouse gas impacts, and regulatory pathways. The biological studies will help to calibrate the system assessments with realistic estimates of biological production and extraction costs. Depending on the outcome of this work, industries will be in a position to evaluate whether continued development in this area, such as through field trials of production levels, is worthwhile. The research team will work closely with GreenWood Resources, the major poplar grower in Oregon and the pacific northwest, to try and make their economic assessments directly relevant to their company interests (letter of collaboration attached).

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Program information: Advanced Research, Biobased Research

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Funding: $250084
• Sponsor Organizations:

  Research and Innovative Technology Administration

  Department of Transportation
  1200 New Jersey Avneue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Johnson, Shawn

• Principal Investigators:

  Strauss, Steven

• Start Date: 20090401
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 20110331

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Biomass; Environmental impacts; Feasibility analysis; Greenhouse gases; Polymers; Production; Trees
• Geographic Terms: Oregon; Pacific Northwest
• Subject Areas: Energy; Environment; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01575550
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Department of Transportation
• Files: RIP, USDOT
• Created Date: Sep 8 2015 10:40AM