Biofuels: From An Information Perspective

Kathleen Vazoulas Sands

USDA’s National Agricultural Library

Objectives

• Status of Information

• How to Find Information

• Solving Information Overload

Biofuels

• Interest in biofuels is sweeping not only the nation, but the world as well• Relieve our dependence on petroleum oil • Environment issues

• help slow global climate change• reduce emissions

Communication and Information Flow

• Characteristics at the present time• Information coordination is poor• Wealth of information available • Not being shared in an organized manner• Difficulty navigating

Multidisciplinary Nature

• Diversity of scientific disciplines involved• Sciences

• Chemistry• Physics• Agriculture• Biology• Environmental Science• Economics

Diversity of People

• Scientists• Farmers/Agricultural Producers• Government• Public• Private Companies• Other key stakeholders

Factors Influencing Information

Research and Development

Advances in Technology

Public Policy

•More literature and discussion•Expanding organizations and companies•Policy push•Advancing technology

•New processes to learn•Impacting research projects and policy•Competition for best technology among organizations

•More literature and discussion•Grants for research and technology•Increase use of technology

Information Resources• Where people are looking for information

• Databases • ABI Inform - 4,685• Academic Search Premier• AGRICOLA (Agricultural Online Access) - 2,030• AGRIS - 4,081• Applied Science Technology• CAB Abstracts - 3,206 • Chemical Abstract Service/SciFinder Scholar• Chemical Business Newsbase - 5,726• Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology Abstracts - 1,320• Current Contents - 5,710• EI Compendex - 7,175• Fuel and Energy Abstracts• Lexis Nexis• Science Citation Index/SciSearch - 5,119• Science Direct• Scopus - 134,277• Web of Science

Note: Numbers represent the approximate number of records on biofuels in each database at the

current time

Information Resources

• Where people are looking for information• Databases

• AGRICOLA• Books• Journals• Articles• Conference Proceedings• Experiment Station Publications• Extension Service Publications• Theses

Search AGRICOLA http://agricola.nal.usda.gov

Information Resources

• Where people are looking for information• Science-based journals

• Biodiesel Magazine• Energy Policy• Biomass and Bioenergy• Journal of Biobased Material and Bioenergy • Chemical and Engineering News• Science (AAAS)• Agricultural Research

Information Resources

• Where people are looking for information

• Newspapers• Local

• Star Tribune Newspaper of the Twin Cities• Great Falls Tribune

• National• Washington Post• New York Times

Information Resources

• Where people are looking for information

• Conferences• American Chemical Society• National Ethanol Conference• Biofuels America Conference and Expo• World Biofuels Markets Congress and Exhibition• National Biodiesel Conference• World Renewable Energy Conference and Expo• World Refining and Fuels Conference• Biomass and Biorefinery Deals• Biodiesel Finance and Investment Summit

Information Resources

• Where people are looking for information• Internet Resources

• National Biodiesel Board• DOE-Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy• Biodiesel Blog + News• Biodiesel America . Org• USDA’s NAL Technology Transfer Information Center• DOE- Information on Biofuels Policy and Legislation• LOC-Thomas Database• Nasdaq• US Patent Database• AgNIC• Land Grant System

• Where people are looking for information• Gray Literature/Invisible Web

• USDA – CRIS (Current Research Information System)

• DOE-Biomass Document Database

• Report of the National Energy Policy Development Group-Chapter Six

• Bioenergy Feedstock Information Network

• Directory of Open Access Journals

• DOE – Information Bridge

• National Technical Information Service

• OSTI – Energy Citation Database

• GrayLIT Network

Information Resources

Information Resources

• Searching difficulties

• Terms in literature vary • topic’s multidisciplinary nature • resource’s focus within topic • vocabulary used in the text

• Terms are used interchangeably, sometimes causing confusion

Information Resources

• biofuel(s)

• bioenergy

• renewable energy

• sustainable energy

• ethanol

• biomass

• biodiesel

• cellulosic

• (bio)butanol

• gasohol

• fuel alcohol(s)

• feedstock(s)

•Searching Tips•Try searching multiple times with different words

•Try searching terms such as:

•Contact the experts at NAL, DOE, DOT, DOC, DOI, or EPA

•www.usa.gov

Information Resources

• How people are obtaining information• Library reference services

• literature searches• relevant resources• legal/standards information• publications in print or online• customized help • obtain these services through a variety of media

Information Resources

• How people are using information

• Research projects• Start companies• Acquire grants• Teach others• Write policy• Prepare conference talks

Current State

Future

Coordinated Information System

• This system would create and provide:

• A central source• Organization• Coordination• Easily accessible resources

• Full text

• Specialized bibliography of resources• Subject specific information products

National Agricultural Libraryhttp://www.nal.usda.gov/ttic

www.nal.usda.gov

National Agricultural Librarywww.nal.usda.gov

• Web site links

• Information Centers

• Online and in-print journals

• Reference services

• USDA research projects

• DigiTop on-site

• Thesauri (AGRICOLA and CABI)

USDAwww.usda.gov

• USDA Research, Education, and Economics• Agricultural Research Service

• Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service

• National Agricultural Statistics Service

• Economic Research Service

Conclusions

• Organize and share information immediately

• Partner to enhance information availability

• Connect researchers and their information to each other, and to other interested parties

• Develop a national coordinated information system for biofuels

The National Agricultural Library is continuing to look at ways in which this can be done!

Thank you!• Please visit the Web site below to view this presentation after

the conference:• http://www.nal.usda.gov/downloads/Chicago

• Kathleen Vazoulas Sands• AgRef@nal.usda.gov• (301) 504-5755