The February 2011 issue of Biorefining Magazine is headed to the print shop today, so I would like to take this opportunity to share a sneak preview of what feature articles you can look forward to, before the online version hits the Web and the printed journal arrives in your mailboxes.

Bryan Sims, associate editor for Biorefining Magazine, talked with several key players in the bio-oil sector for his feature article, “The Bio-Oil Barons,” in which he discusses several different pyrolysis oil upgrade technologies. First-stage bio-oil, as unstable and acidic as it is, can be considered a feedstock like crude petroleum oil that requires further refining (and there are a number of different ways to do this) to make transportation fuels, biobased chemicals, fuel for generation of heat and power, and more. Check out Sims’ cover story and let him know what you think.

Associate Editor Erin Voegele authored, “Unlocking the Mysteries of Lignin,” a scientifically solid article on Purdue University research to understand and control lignin production in plants, with the ultimate goal of manipulating lignin development to facilitate and enhance the release of cellulosic and hemicellulosic sugars trapped within its fortress.

Luke Geiver, associate editor, wrote “Energizing Europe,” which is about energy crop development on the Continent to help the EU meet its renewable energy goals.

Also look for a Talking Point column from the G-team consultants Thomas Corle and Roger Moore, which discusses Inbicon’s work, through a report produced by Larry Johnson, to commercialize corn stover collection.