This project is aimed at the development of the biofuels industry in Kentucky by establishing a laboratory to develop improved processes for biomass utilization. The facility is based at the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research and the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, and constitutes an open laboratory, i.e., its equipment is available to other Kentucky researchers working in the area. The development of this biofuels facility represents a significant expansion of research infrastructure, and will provide a lasting resource for biobased research endeavors at the University of Kentucky. In order to enhance the laboratory's capabilities and contribute to on-going biofuels research at the University of Kentucky, initial research at the laboratory has focused on the following technical areas: (i) the identification of algae strains suitable for oil production, utilizing flue gas from coal-fired power plants as a source of CO<
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(ii) the conversion of algae to biofuels
and (iii) thermochemical methods for the deconstruction of lignin. Highlights from these activities include a detailed study of bio-oil production from the fast pyrolysis of microalgae (Scenedesmus sp.) and the application of pyrolytic gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) to the characterization of high lignin biomass feedstocks.