CNAP artemisia research project

Contacts:

CNAP Director,
Professor Ian Graham

CNAP Manager, Dr Caroline Calvert

CNAP Centre for Novel Agricultural Products, Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York YO10 5DD, UK

 

CNAP - Centre for Novel Agricultural Products

Biorenewables and Biofuels

Plants as renewable resources

CNAP has a wide ranging research portfolio and scientific expertise directly relevant to the improvement of existing crops and development of new crops for biorenewable and biofuel production. The aim in all these projects is to develop sustainable plant feedstocks without impacting negatively on food production and without harming the environment.

Biorenewables

The major focus for CNAP in this area is renewable plant oils and related specialty chemicals for a range of industrial applications. Plant oils offer renewable sources of a rich diversity of high value fatty acids for the speciality chemical industry as well as bulk oils for bio-fuels.  Many renewable oils already find significant applications in a range of non-food products.  Vegetable oils have, in the main, been developed for food rather than industrial applications, however.  Yield of specific types of fatty acid remains a major barrier to their use in many industries.  Fulfilment of their potential in industry will require development of germplasm and extraction / processing technology.

Plant oils are already important ingredients in the chemicals industry: In 2006/7 14% of the total world production of renewable oils and fats was used in chemicals or around 21 million tons per annum.  Applications include lubricants, soaps, detergents, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, leather, paints & coatings, printing inks, rubber, plastics.

Current renewable oils projects in CNAP fall into three categories

  1. optimising plant oils for skin care applications
  2. producing oil in biomass and seeds
  3. genetic engineering of oilseed crops to produce omega-3 fatty acids, the health-giving ingredient of fish oils

Biofuels

CNAP projects in this area fall into three categories

  1. converting biomass to bioethanol
  2. producing oil in biomass and seeds
  3. increasing biomass for biofuel production

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