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Energy Literacy

A critical review of the U.S. biofuels industry

U.S. ethanol biorefineries by location in 2016. Adapted from Renewable Fuels Association at http://www.ethanolrfa.org/resources/biorefinery-locations/
U.S. ethanol biorefineries by location in 2016. Adapted from Renewable Fuels Association at http://www.ethanolrfa.org/resources/biorefinery-locations/

NARA researchers have just published a critical review of the U.S Biofuels Industry. Their work appears in the BioProducts Business journal and can be viewed at http://biobus.swst.org/index.php/bpbj/article/view/18

The review provides a historical account of the …more

Wood to biofuel conference targets commercialization and education

Dr Bill Goldner (USDA-NIFA) addresses the 2016 NWBBCP conference in Seattle, WA
Dr Bill Goldner (USDA-NIFA) addresses the 2016 NWBBCP conference in Seattle, WA

The 2nd Northwest Wood-Based Biofuels + Co-Products Conference was held May 4-5, 2016 in Seattle WA. The USDA-NIFA and WSU extension were the conference sponsors. NARA played a lead role in developing this conference, which drew 170 participants.

Representatives …more

High school students present energy solutions

In May 2016, over 400 high-school students brought their solutions for a better world to the 2016 Alaska Airlines Imagine Tomorrow competition at Washington State University. The competition is hosted by the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture at Washington State University. NARA has been a major sponsor of this event since 2011. Encouraging high school students to think about energy solutions fits well with NARA’s education goals to increase bioenergy literacy and develop a bioenergy workforce.

With NARA’s …more

U.S. Government posts Biofuels Data Sources matrix

A Biofuels Data Sources matrix was recently posted by the DOE’s Energy Information Administration and USDA’s Economic Research Service. The matrix provided links to information related to:

NARA introduces webinar series

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The Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance (NARA) is concluding its final year under the contractual terms with the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA). Many of the outputs generated from this project are recorded in peer-reviewed journals or documents in various NARA reports.

Another format used to rapidly introduce NARA outputs to a wide audience is through webinars. In October 2015, NARA launched a …more

NARA 2015 Annual Meeting

Participants at the 2015 NARA annual meeting held in Spokane , WA
Participants at the 2015 NARA annual meeting held in Spokane , WA

In mid September, NARA conducted its 2015 Annual Meeting in Spokane, WA. This meeting marked the conclusion of the Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance Project’s fourth year, and the launch of its last year under the contractual terms with the United …more

NARA students provide supply chain data for the Olympic Peninsula

IDX students observe collection and processing equipment for post-harvest forest residual in the Olympic Peninsula.
IDX students observe collection and processing equipment for post-harvest forest residual in the Olympic Peninsula.

Students enrolled in the Integrated Design Experience (IDX) course at Washington State University are showing people what a wood-to-bio-jet fuel supply chain might look like.

The IDX students are working on behalf of …more

The McCall Outdoor Science School (MOSS) receives international Innovative Education Award for STEM education

MOSS Students learning about trees. MOSS photo credit
MOSS Students learning about trees. MOSS photo credit

NARA affiliate, The University of Idaho McCall Outdoor Science School (MOSS), received the prestigious Underwriters Laboratories Innovative Education Award for their work to advance STEM learning through projects involving real environmental problems.

MOSS, a program of the College of Natural Resources at the historic McCall Field …more

Bioenergy lessons for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades

 

Front cover of Fueling Our Future: Exploring Sustainable Energy Use; grades 3-5
Front cover of Fueling Our Future: Exploring Sustainable Energy Use; grades 3-5

Facing the Future (FTF) recently published a lesson plans that introduce energy concepts to elementary students in grades 3-5. These lesson plans were vertically aligned to the middle and high school curricula previously published by FTF. The lesson …more