Presentation Profile
Advanced Biofuels: Recent Breakthroughs Using Genetic Engineering, AI Optimization, and Waste Valorization
Currently Scheduled: 10/14/2026 - 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Room: Exhibit Hall Entrance
Main Author
Raj Shah - Koehler Instrument Company, Inc.
- Anushka Menon - University of Illinois
- Angelina Precilla - Koehler Instrument Company, Inc.
Abstract:
As demand for worldwide energy continues to expand, reliance on fossil fuels remains unsustainable, expanding the need for research and development in alternative fuels. Within the last three years, the biofuel industry has been reimagined with policy-driven commercialization, genetic engineering, and reduction of waste byproducts – an evolution brought on by several recent biological, procedural, and market developments. In algae-based biofuels, advancements in the CRISPR/Cas9 system have opened avenues for enhanced lipid production, improved metabolic pathways, and better fuel yield, leading to more precise and effective genetic modification in algae and improved scalability within fourth generation (4G) biofuels.
Furthermore, algae can be used for carbon sequestration, and enhancing this ability through genetic modification can mediate cultivation costs. Beyond the marine sector, the commercialization of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) has seen major developments in its scalability. Machine learning and AI have contributed to selecting feedstocks and molecules during the production process, enhancing its quality and optimizing production parameters such as temperature and amount of catalyst. Government mandates, specifically in European countries, and major airline initiatives have reinforced these developments utilizing different conversion processes without compromising airline architecture. In waste valorization during biodiesel production, acetalization of glycerol into solketal before electrolysis prevents carbon-carbon cleavage, greatly improving glyceric acid selectivity and hydrogen production, elevating biodiesel commerciality and cost effectiveness. These breakthroughs supported by evolving policies provide a reliable blueprint for the future of biofuels, with opportunity for further research and industry usage.
