Innovators Developing Cleaner Fuels For the Future The Department of Energy (DOE) wants to develop cellulosic ethanol as an alternative for gasoline, which is an attainable goal. Advances in biotechnology have made cost-effective production of ethanol from cellulose. DOE has a research plan to transform cellulosic ethanol, which is a cleaner burning, renewable, neutral alternative fuel to gasoline, into an economically viable alternative fuel source for transportation. This identifies the research needed for overcoming the challenges of large-scale cellulosic ethanol production. Developing better processes to break cellulose down into sugar is very important to optimize ethanol yields (energy.gov). Options for Cellulosic Ethanol Expansion The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), particularly the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists who are figuring out how to turn wheat straw into ethanol (ARS). They are also studying bacteria and how they can affect ethanol crops and fuel production. Badal Saha, chemist, has conducted a 5-year experiment on wheat straw which is a product left over after wheat harvest could have potential for ethanol production. He also found a different way of pretreating cellulose with alkaline peroxide and then using enzymes to break down cellulose more effectively. This process got tougher-to-reach sugars in cell walls of plants which increases ethanol yields (ARS). Creating A Faster Way To Obtain Cellulose The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently in the midst of developing proteins that will help with cellulose production. Fuels from cellulose offer an alternative and economic energy source. Cellulosic biomass is an abundant resource globally and domestically. The current method of breaking down cellulose into ethanol is inefficient. This project wants to use HED2, a protein made by plants, to enhance the enzyme performance in biomass deconstruction. President Bush called for a replacement of 20% of the United States petroleum use with 35 billion gallons of alternative fuel (EPA). |
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