The promise of affordable transportation fuels from biomass-a sustainable, carbon neutral route to American energy independence-has been left perpetually on hold by the economics of the conversion process. New research from the Researchers from University of Georgia (UGA) have claimed to have made significant advance in consolidated bioprocessing of switchgrass to fuel. Findings are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This documents the direct conversion of biomass to biofuel without pre-treatment, using the engineered bacterium Caldicellulosiruptor bescii. Pre-treatment of cellulosic feedstocks is the step of breaking down plant cell walls before fermentation into fuel. This pre-treatment… Login to continue

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