Faculty Feature: Dr. Hans Blaschek and the Global Industrialization of Biofuels
Dr. Hans Blaschek is a Professor of Food Microbiology/Biotechnology in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition who specializes in biofuels. His work focuses on the genetic manipulation of microorganisms for biotechnological applications, examination of co-products as substrates for fermentation to value-added products, and development of an integrated fermentation system for biobutanol production and recovery.
Biofuels have the potential to address international issues such as climate change, rising energy costs, and fuel shortages; however, a global debate on their production and use is ongoing. Therefore, more research and education on topics related to biofuels are necessary.
As part of a collaboration with the Research Institute of Innovative Technology (RITE) based in Kyoto, Japan, Dr. Blaschek recently co-authored a textbook titled Biomass to Biofuels: Strategies for Global Industries (©2010, Wiley). With an international emphasis, this book addresses the challenges that have prevented the global industrialization of biofuels thus far. Specifically, the book discusses fermentation and downstream processing technologies; the biofuel markets around the world, including Brazil, the EU, the U.S., Japan, and emerging economies; and business issues related to biofuel production.
Dr. Blaschek is also the co-author of another new textbook stemming from an international collaboration, Biofuels from Agricultural Wastes and Byproducts (© 2010, Wiley). Co-written with Thaddeus Ezeji, a UI colleague, and Jürgen Scheffran, a Professor at the Institute for Geography and at the KlimaCampus of Hamburg University in Germany, this is the first textbook to focus solely on the production of biofuels primarily from agricultural waste and by-products.
Dr. Blaschek explains how international collaboration adds value to his research and educational projects: “Everyone has their own strengths. For example, the Japanese have a lot of industry support for their biofuel research. And they are obviously on an island without the resources we have and therefore have been forced to address acute issues that require alternative energy. They are leaders in waste conversion and are very good at reutilizing everything and developing biological-based approaches for liquid fuels.”
To further promote the necessary international collaboration on biofuels, Dr. Blaschek actively participates in an international group known as Clostridium XII for its 12th meeting coming up in 2012, that focuses on microorganisms that produce bio-butanol. His other past international activities include facilitating student internships as part of the Professional Science Master’s program in bioenergy being offered through the Center for Advanced BioEnergy Research (CABER) with the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil via a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Dr. Blaschek is of German heritage and consequently has many established professional relationships with colleagues in Germany.
Dr. Blaschek serves as Director of CABER at the UI, which is a campus-based center focused on facilitating research, teaching, and outreach in bioenergy systems. He also serves as Assistant Dean, Biobased Research Initiatives in the Office of Research, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois. Additionally, he co-founded TetraVitae Biosciences, a company that was recently sold to Eastman Chemicals. Eastman is commercializing butanol fermentation technology developed in Dr. Blaschek’s laboratory.