OVERVIEW
ENERGY
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The Applied Research Center (ARC) has responded to the global shift toward increased energy security and climate protection by building the infrastructure and acquiring the talent necessary to lead the development and commercialization of renewable energy and biofuels.  The Center spearheads technology development in biomass conversion to fuels and power, algal fuels, and deployment of renewable energy systems.   ARC is a national leader in biofuels systems engineering and integration leading to technology scale-up and commercialization. 

Capabilities

  • Ethanol Production
  • Biodiesel Production
  • Algal Fuel Development
  • Biofuels Technologies and Markets
  • Biomass Conversion
  • Deployment of Solar, Wind, and Biomass-to-Power Systems
  • Renewable Energy and Biofuels Potential in Latin America and the Caribbean
  • Workshops, Training, and Outreach in Alternative Energy and Fuels









 

 

Ethanol
Energy security and sustainability is essential and can be achieved through fuel diversification.  The United States consumes over 140 billion gallons of gasoline annually.  Although there is no “silver bullet”, biofuels can play a key role in such an effort.  ARC has over 19 years of expertise in 1st and 2nd generation ethanol production from sustainable resources, such as sugarcane and cellulosic biomass.  Sugarcane ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emissions by over 80% compared to gasoline and yields renewable energy equal to almost 9 times the fossil energy consumed for its production on a life-cycle basis.  Cellulosic ethanol is projected to have similar sustainable features, as it is produced from agricultural, forestry, and yard residues without the need for additional land.   In partnership with the private and public sectors, ARC pursues various technologies for conversion of biomass to ethanol: (1) Biochemical conversion through enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation and (2) Thermochemical conversion by gasifying the biomass and catalytically converting the synthesis gas into ethanol.

Biodiesel
Fuel diversification is needed for diesel engines.  The United States consumes over 60 billion gallons of diesel annually.  ARC has both technical and business expertise in biodiesel production and use.  Due to sustainability concerns, we focus on biodiesel from non-edible resources, such as jatropha oil and waste vegetable oils.  A pilot facility is available for scaling up the transesterification process that converts oils to biodiesel.  The Center collaborates with private companies in production, distribution, and marketing aspects of the biodiesel business. 

 


Algal Fuels
Algae represent a promising source of alternative fuels and a sink for carbon dioxide.  Using our experience in algae technology development for the production of chemicals and fuels, we use native Floridian algae strains and FIU’s facilities for the characterization, manipulation, cultivation, harvesting, and processing of algae.  Algal lipids can be transesterified to produce biodiesel and recover by-products or can be subjected to thermal processing for upgrade to aviation- and military-specification fuels.   The Center’s engineering expertise addresses critical challenges in algal fuels, such as optimization of lipid productivity, energy-efficient extraction of lipids, recycling of water and chemicals, indoor and outdoor bioreactor design and operation, conversion of lipids to fuels, and power cogeneration from process byproducts.  These technical skills are supplemented by business experience in assessing the economic feasibility of biofuels technologies and the sensitivity of the return-on-investment to market conditions.

Biomass Conversion
Biomass is an abundant and inexpensive domestic feedstock for power generation and biofuels or alternative fuels production.  Florida ranks first in the country in annual biomass production: sugarcane bagasse and yard waste in South Florida, citrus peel and agricultural residues in Central Florida, and woody residues in Northern Florida.  ARC engineers assess the potential of various biomass species to generate biofuels, hydrogen, and power via gasification using a 5-kW downdraft gasifier equipped with gas filters and heat recovery capabilities. 

 

 

Renewable Energy Systems in the Americas
Using its systems engineering experience and renewable energy expertise, the ARC integrates, tests, validates, and deploys off-the-shelf renewable energy and water purification systems.  Such systems are vital for off-grid applications and first response to natural disasters and emergency situations.  Solar, wind, small-scale hydro, and biomass-to-power systems have been deployed in various countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, where ARC engineers train local staff in the operation and maintenance of the units.  FIU’s in-depth understanding of Latin America and strong relationships with Latin American institutions facilitate interactions and collaborations with agencies, companies, and academia throughout the Americas.

 

 

 

Workshops, Training, and Outreach in Alternative Energy and Fuels
The Global Energy Security Forum, a collaborative effort of FIU's ARC, School of Business, and School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), organizes and delivers workshops, conferences, training courses, and outreach programs in alternative energy and fuels.  Events in the last two years have focused on energy outlook, integration of alternative energy and fuels in the existing infrastructure, biofuels, hybrid and flex fuel vehicles, energy security, energy cooperation in the Americas, US-EU partnerships, and the development of a low-carbon economy.  The events cover all aspects of the energy market: policy, regulatory, technical, financing, and distribution issues.

For more information about the Forum: http://international.fiu.edu/index.php?name=about_global_energy_security_forum


ARC Energy Facilities

Enzymatic and Fermentation R&D
Enzymatic and Fermentation R&D

Anaerobic Studies Chamber
Anaerobic Studies Chamber

Pilot Biodiesel Production System
Pilot Biodiesel Production System

Pilot Biomass Gasification System
Pilot Biomass Gasification System


Contact Information

Dr. George PhilippidisDr. George Philippidis has 20 years of experience in leading strategic business units in biofuels, energy, and biotechnology. Before joining FIU, George was business director at a subsidiary of Thermo Fisher Corp. (a Fortune 500 company), where he directed business development and R&D and commercialized composite products. Prior to that, George directed a joint venture in cellulosic ethanol technology between the US Department of Energy and Amoco Corporation at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

His expertise includes biofuels (ethanol and biodiesel), renewable energy (solar, wind, biomass, and ocean power generation), energy security, and integration of alternatives into the existing energy infrastructure. George leads FIU's biofuels and energy business with US government agencies and the private sector in both the United States and Latin America.  He has an excellent understanding of the markets, key stakeholders, competing technologies, and project financing.  He holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota and an executive MBA from the University of Denver, is multilingual, has numerous publications and presentations, and holds 9 US patents.

George P. Philippidis, Ph.D.
Energy Director, Applied Research Center (ARC)
Co-Director, Energy Business Forum (EBF)
Florida International University (FIU)
10555 W. Flagler St., EC 2142
Miami, FL 33174

(305) 348-6628 (ph)
(305) 348-1852 (fax)
philippg@fiu.edu