By LINDA McGURK
Indiana Correspondent WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Renewable Fuel Standard calls for the production of 21 billion gallons of advanced biofuels by 2022, but so far the high cost has slowed down cellulosic ethanol’s move from the laboratory to commercial production.
A new, genetically engineered yeast, developed by researchers at Purdue University, could make cellulosic ethanol production more cost-effective.
Traditionally, yeasts used in ethanol production are only capable of fermenting glucose. But biomass, such as corn stover, wood chips, sugarcane bagasse and energy grasses have a more complex makeup of carbohydrates than corn, and often include a significant amount of the sugars xylose and arabinose as well.
The new yeast is capable of fermenting both xylose and glucose, which makes it more competitive, according to Nancy Ho, a research professor at Purdue’s School of Chemical Engineering, who developed the yeast.
Ho is also the founder and president of Green Tech America, a technology-based company that will produce and market the new yeast.
The company holds an exclusive license to make improvements to the yeast and will provide technical assistance to companies that use it for ethanol production.
“(The yeast) is actually already used for commercial production in Canada. We have the original (yeast) here and we can produce it for anybody,” Ho said. “We can produce the yeast more cost-effectively. It is similar to how few people will make their own bread at home because it is more convenient and less expensive to buy loaves in the supermarket.”
Ho’s interest in ethanol was spurred by the oil crisis in the 1970s and she’s been researching yeasts since the 1980s.
Although corn is still the most cost-effective way to produce ethanol in the United States, she believes there’s a market for the new yeast as the world is increasingly turning to second generation biofuels.
“I think our company could make a great impact and foster cellulosic ethanol production in this country and in the world,” Ho said. |
