This month, NCERC assisted in identifying further collaborative opportunities and opportunities for growth within the Southern Illinois University (SIU) System based on existing partnerships. Three of NCERC's collaborative partnerships were chosen for elaboration by the SIU Partnership Working Group including collaboration between NCERC, Illinois Corn Marketing Board and the Center for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences (CFAAS) at SIU Carbondale (SIUC), collaboration between NCERC, Joint Bioenergy Institute (JBEI) and Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts Process Development Unit (ABPDU) of the U.S. Department of Energy, and collaboration between NCERC and the Cannabis Science Center of SIUC.
NCERC - ICMB - CFAAS Collaboration
Background:
Over the past decade, ICMB has funded numerous NCERC research projects related to improving corn to ethanol processing, corn fiber converted to ethanol, and value added co-products from corn to ethanol production. ICMB brings questions and challenges from Illinois corn farmers to NCERC related to improving the business development of the corn to ethanol industry and NCERC leads a scientific team to answer those questions.
Opportunities for Growth:
The production of corn in the Midwest provides a platform to
reshape the fundamental correlation between food, fuel and feed in the U.S. Introducing newly developed science and technology to the corn ethanol industry is imperative, and the continuous financial support from ICMB is invaluable for NCERC’s future growth.
NCERC - JBEI - ABPDU Collaboration
Background:
Collaboration between NCERC and JBEI began in 2017. JBEI employs the most innovative technology from the U.S. Department of Energy in converting biomass to biofuels and bioproducts on a lab scale, and relies on ABPDU to scale up to an intermediate size, with NCERC leading commercialization. The collaboration units from SIU include the Department of Chemistry at SIUE and Agribusiness Economics at SIUC.
Opportunities for Growth:
The collaboration with JBEI and ABPDU has helped with NCERC's debut in the national arena. However, in order to attract more business partners, more marketing of NCERC’s scale up capabilities is needed, especially in coastal areas where many biotech companies are based.
In the past year, NCERC has collaborated with JBEI and ABPDU on numerous proposals. The research ideas presented in the proposals prove to be attractive to industry. For example, to convert food waste from municipal solid waste to make aviation fuel and aquafeed has already drawn attention from industry, but more funding is needed to initiate the lab work.
NCERC - Cannabis Science Center Collaboration
Background:
Following the legalization of recreational cannabis use in January, there has been an increased interest in research around the crop and its market development. Similarly, the high fiber hemp plant, which does not contain euphoric properties, is also gaining traction in the new marketplace. SIUC has begun developing partnerships in the Southern Illinois region, including with NCERC, to advance hemp research.
Opportunities for Growth:
Several research avenues have been discussed between the Cannabis Science Center and NCERC including converting hemp biomass to biofuel and bioproducts, utilizing industrial hemp seeds in aquaculture feed and producing 100 percent, hemp-based blue jeans.
