An improved dry grind system and method for producing a sugar stream from grains or similar carbohydrate sources and/or residues, such as for biofuel production. In particular, a sugar/carbohydrate stream, which includes a desired Dextrose Equivalent (DE) where DE describes the degree of conversion of starch to dextrose (aka glucose) and/or has had removed therefrom an undesirable amount of unfermentable components, can be produced after saccharification and prior to fermentation (or other sugar conversion process), with such sugar stream being available for biofuel production, e.g., alcohol production, or other processes. In addition, the systems and methods also can involve the removal of certain grain components, e.g., corn kernel components, including protein, oil and/or fiber, prior to fermentation or other conversion systems. In other words, sugar stream production and/or grain component separation occurs on the front end of the system and method.

The present invention provides for a method of fermenting or saccharifying a biomass comprising: (a) (i) contacting a biomass comprising a polysaccharide, and an ionic liquid (IL) to form a first solution, or (ii) providing the first solution comprising the biomass and the IL, (b) contacting the first solution and carbon dioxide such that the first solution results in a lower pH, (c) introducing (i) an enzyme capable of enzymatically to breakdown at least one bond in the polysaccharide or a breakdown product of the polysaccharide, and/or (ii) a microorganism that capable of producing the enzyme and/or fermenting the polysaccharide or a breakdown product of the polysaccharide, such that the polysaccharide is at least partially broken down and the first solution is transformed into a second solution.

Disclosed herein is a porous membrane having an immobilized enzyme wherein the enzyme is immobilized within pores which are three-dimensionally connected to each other. The porous membrane having the immobilized enzyme is three-dimensionally crosslinked in a molecular level wherein nanopores of 5 to 100 nm are interconnected, so that the immobilized enzyme may be in contact with a reactant in all directions, and the reaction solution may be easily diffused, thereby proceeding with the catalytic reaction fast and conveniently without deterioration of material transport.

Compositions and methods for a hybrid biological and chemical process that captures and converts carbon dioxide and/or other forms of inorganic carbon and/or CI carbon sources including but not limited to carbon monoxide, methane, methanol, formate, or formic acid, and/or mixtures containing CI chemicals including but not limited to various syngas compositions, into organic chemicals including biofuels or other valuable biomass, chemical, industrial, or pharmaceutical products are provided. The present invention, in certain embodiments, fixes inorganic carbon or CI carbon sources into longer carbon chain organic chemicals by utilizing microorganisms capable of performing the oxyhydrogen reaction and the autotrophic fixation of CO.sub.2 in one or more steps of the process.

Compositions and methods for a hybrid biological and chemical process that captures and converts carbon dioxide and/or other forms of inorganic carbon and/or CI carbon sources including but not limited to carbon monoxide, methane, methanol, formate, or formic acid, and/or mixtures containing CI chemicals including but not limited to various syngas compositions, into organic chemicals including biofuels or other valuable biomass, chemical, industrial, or pharmaceutical products are provided. The present invention, in certain embodiments, fixes inorganic carbon or CI carbon sources into longer carbon chain organic chemicals by utilizing microorganisms capable of performing the oxyhydrogen reaction and the autotrophic fixation of CO.sub.2 in one or more steps of the process.

Methods, systems, devices and materials for producing biofuels under nanoscale control (“nanobiofuels”) are provided. In one aspect, the invention provides method for producing a biofuel, including providing a hydrocarbon producing organism; exposing the biological hydrocarbon producing organism to conditions effective to cause substantial release of the hydrocarbon from the biological hydrocarbon producing organism; and isolating at least a portion of the hydrocarbon. At least one of the actions of providing, exposing, and isolating is performed using a corresponding nanoscale control.

The present disclosure provides genetically engineered microorganisms for the simultaneous fermentation of pentose and hexose sugars, for example, glucose and xylose. The microorganisms can be modified to express AtSWEET polypeptides, LST1 polypeptides, mutants thereof, homologs thereof or combinations thereof. Also provided are methods of co-fermenting hexose and pentose sugars, methods of increasing the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass via microbial fermentation, and methods of generating biofuel.

Methods and compositions for producing fatty acid derivatives, for example, fatty esters, and commercial fuel compositions comprising fatty acid derivatives are described.

A method of producing biodiesel includes reacting at least one of brown grease and FOG with at least one enzyme, alcohol, and an aqueous solution to produce a reacted feedstock and producing biodiesel from the reacted feedstock, the biodiesel having a composition of sulfur less than 15 ppm.

A method to increase the biomass production and fatty acids in the alga Chlorella vulgaris Beyerinck and obtain a lipid rich biomass type C:16 (palmitic), C18:1n-9 (oleic), C18:2n-6t (linoleidic) and C18:3n-3 (alpha-linolenic), which uses low irradiance from a dichromatic light source.