McGill University in Montreal - Renewable Carbon News

Renewable Carbon News
McGill University in Montreal

2 July 20252 July 2025

VTT has developed a degradable solar cell module to be attached to a plant leaf – agriculture needs green electronics

The cell developed by VTT is made of a bio-based thin film substrate and has a partly inorganic structure

7 March 20244 March 2024

Chitosan: A bioplastics breakthrough

Upon seeing the potential in chitosan, The Moores Research Group from McGill's University in Canada developed a biodegradable polymer that is derived from chitin from green crabs

2 September 202222 August 2022

Billions pour into bioplastics as markets begin ramping up

In a world increasingly troubled by the persistent harm that plastic — manufactured in petrochemical plants — has had on the environment, companies are investing billions of dollars to ramp up production of plastics made from natural, renewable materials that can be safely composted or can biodegrade under the right conditions

20 July 202215 July 2022

Solar-powered chemistry uses carbon dioxide and water to make feedstock for fuels, chemicals

Producing synthesis gas, a precursor of a variety of fuels and chemicals, no longer requires natural gas, coal or biomass

1 July 202223 June 2022

Natürlicher Superkleber aus heimischen Mistelbeeren

Material auf Zellulosebasis könnte in der Biomedizin Anwendung finden

A biological super glue from mistletoe berries?

Abundant, biodegradable and bio renewable plant holds promising possibilities

30 June 202227 June 2022

Unilever & Genomatica’s palm oil alternatives, biobased World Cup soccer balls, mistletoe as natural glue, and more: The Digest’s Top 8 Innovations for the week of June 23rd

In today’s Digest, check out these bioinnovations as well as mistletoe being used as natural glue, soybean based putting greens, and more…

11 January 20216 January 2021

Cellulose-based dispersants and flocculants

A new review article provides insight into the engineering pathways, the structural frameworks, and surface chemistry of “green” types of dispersants and flocculants

18 March 202014 March 2020

Making straws that don’t suck for the environment

Straws made from cellulose, the major component of trees and plants, don't lose their shape or collapse in on themselves when in use

5 March 20202 March 2020

Invasive green crab at Keji seaside could soon become biodegradable plastic

Invasive green crabs that have caused major problems for native species could, ironically, be the latest solution to reducing plastic pollution in the ocean

17 January 20209 September 2021

Using CO2 as an industrial feedstock could change the world. Here’s how

We need to actively remove excess CO₂ from the atmosphere. The question then becomes: what do we do with the carbon that is removed?

23 May 201918 May 2019

The reinvention of bio-plastics: New kids on the block

Bio-plastics industry is looking into the use of non-food crops (2nd and 3rd-generation feedstock), such as cellulose, with a view to develop new materials

28 February 201928 February 2019

Ultraviolet light could provide a powerful new source of green fuel

McGill University researchers report they’ve created a potentially cheap way to use sunlight to convert methanol to ethanol

25 February 201919 February 2019

The Government of Canada invests in innovation to help grow Canada’s bioeconomy

New biomass research cluster will drive innovation and help improve technologies for processing agricultural biomass

18 January 201816 January 2018

Using DNA strands to design new polymer materials

Researchers describe a method to create asymmetrical polymer particles that bind together in a spatially defined manner

1 February 20179 September 2021

Canadian scientists turn carbon-dioxide emissions into useful products

Here’s a look at some of the Canadian semifinalists of the the NRG COSIA Carbon XPrize

7 October 20165 October 2016

Governments urged to end expensive emissions-reduction policies

Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission recommends letting biofuels stand on their own, without support from government subsidies

22 June 201615 February 2018

Murray McLaughlin, Bioindustrial Innovation: Canada is working on a bioeconomy strategy

In this Interview Murray McLaughlin talks about bioeconomy in Canada, climate change, biomass, Green public procurement, carbon tax and other policies

8 March 20167 March 2016

Major scientific breakthrough with the creation of the first biological supercomputer

Researchers from the EU-funded ABACUS project have created a model biological supercomputer that is both sustainable and highly energy efficient

23 October 201521 October 2015

The airlines: who’s doing what in aviation biofuels?

Who’s a Major Player, who’s a Pioneer, who’s committed, who’s monitoring the space as a stakeholder? We look at 45 airlines and their efforts in bringing low-carbon fuels to the marketplace

29 August 2012

Events