US Department of Agriculture has awarded $5.08m to a research team led by Kansas State University (K-State) to study oilseed camelina as biofuel feedstock, especially for biodiesel and jet fuel.
The project has received funding as part of a $25m initiative by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture for the research and development of next-generation energy and biobased products from several plant sources.
The team also comprises researchers from Montana State University, University of Wyoming, StrathKirn, Montana Gluten Free and Henkel.
K-State Grain Science and Industry professor Xiuzhi Sun, who is leading the team, said that the primary goal is to make oilseed camelina a cost-effective bioenergy and bio-based product feedstock.
"This project will generate substantial information that will build a foundation to make nonfood oilseeds a better resource for biofuels, chemicals and bioproducts, with minimal negative impact on food crop systems or the environment," Sun added.
Previous studies have revealed that jet fuel derived from camelina cuts carbon emissions by nearly 80% compared to existing fuels.