Eco Factor: Process involving gaseous ozone could lead to more and better biofuels.
Lately we have seen many researches making way to the production of biofuels. Adding to the list is the new research at that took place at the North Carolina State University. The conventional process of producing biofuels from woody plants involves the use of toxic chemicals and also wastes a good amount of the carbohydrates in the form of a liquid byproduct. The researchers at North Carolina claim to have found a solution to the problem.
The North Carolina team has found a way of producing better and larger quantity of biofuel using a single process. The new process involves the use of gaseous ozone, resulting in no liquid or solid waste. News of another research comes from the University of Florida, where researchers have been tackling the lignin problem from another angle by using a tobacco-derived enzyme to break it down.
As of now, the research centers around biofuel from crop waste such as tobacco stalks and orange peels, but researchers have plans to use newspaper, straw, and other woody biomass for biofuel production. The high-risk fossil fuel harvesting will be history soon, courtesy the rapid development of more sustainable biofuel crops and processes.
Via: CleanTechnica
