In 2022, the Clean Fuels Alliance Foundation awarded Caleb Moellenhoff the Beth Calabotta Sustainability Education Grant. Moellenhoff, an undergraduate researcher and chemical engineering honors student at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, was working with a team focused on improving biodiesel production processes. But where is he now?
According to a recent article in the Phelps County Focus, Moellenhoff is a Ph.D. student in chemical and biological engineering at Princeton University and working in the Maravelias Lab, which focuses on analyzing and improving chemical processes for sustainable energy applications.
As a new member of Dr. Christos Maravelias’ research group at Princeton, Moellenhoff is learning to use and develop process systems engineering tools to study biofuel production technologies. “We're formulating optimization models to study lignocellulosic biorefineries producing biofuels and biochemicals,” Moellenhoff says.
A lignocellulosic biorefinery is a facility that processes lignocellulosic biomass, which are plant-based materials to produce biofuels, biochemicals and other products. The goal of the refineries is to replace petroleum-based products with sustainable alternatives.
“The work will involve collaborating with experimental researchers who are developing new technologies,” he says. “We're working to first show how these technologies can be integrated in a biorefinery and then calculate economic and environmental impact metrics for these production strategies.”
Moellenhoff says the need for clean energy is one of the world’s biggest problems, and the benefits of a reduced reliance on fossil fuels are numerous. From all of us at the Clean Fuels Foundation, we wish you continued success in your advancement of clean energy.
Figure 1: Caleb Moellenhoff in front of the “Engineering Quadrangle” at Princeton University, which houses the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering.
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