In Washington state, scientists at Washington State University (WSU) and partner institutions have developed a new, cost-effective method to produce sugar from corn stover and other crop waste for biofuels and bioproducts. The process uses ammonium sulfite-based alkali salts and potassium hydroxide in a mild temperature pretreatment. This pretreatment efficiently breaks down complex cellulosic biomass into sugar using enzymes.
A key advantage is that it avoids the need for chemical recovery. Researchers calculated that by using or selling byproducts, the resulting sugar could be produced for as low as 28 cents per pound, making it competitive with imported sugar. The method produces high-quality fermentable sugar for biorefineries and a fertilizer byproduct from the waste liquid, creating no waste stream. This patent-pending process makes converting biomass into fuel and useful products more economically feasible. The research, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, is set to advance to pilot scale.
More on the story.
