Biofuel Production from Plant Biomass: Project Profile

Abstract:

<p>The objective of this project is to develop a stable thermophilic micro-organism able to produce high yields of ethanol from a variety of hydrolysed lignocellulosic feedstocks which are cheap and readily available.</p> <p>The cost of production of bioethanol for fuel is prohibitively high compared with gasoline, due to the expensive sugar or starch feedstock required, the low production rates and the inability of conventional yeast fermentation to utilise the pentose sugars found in plant biomass. Some yeasts have been engineered to utilise pentose sugars but these modified yeasts produce a significantly decreased, economically unviable, ethanol yield.</p> <p>Thermophilic bacteria have tremendous potential in the production of ethanol. Their high temperature fermentations offer reduced cooling costs, direct recovery of ethanol from the hot culture and high productivities, because of high growth rates and yields. This project aims to manipulate such thermophilic organisms to eliminate the organic acid production and maximise ethanol formation.</p> This profile contains information on the project's: <bl> <li>Objectives</li> <li>Summary</li> <li>Contractor</li> <li>Collaborator</li> <li>Cost</li> <li>Duration</li> </bl>

Author(s):

DTI