Ethanol production from biomass: technology and commercialization status.
Owing to technical improvements in the processes used to produce ethanol from biomass, construction of at least two waste-to-ethanol production plants in the United States is expected to start this year. Although there are a number of robust fermentation microorganisms available, initial pretreatment of the biomass and costly cellulase enzymes remain critical targets for process and cost improvements. A highly efficient, very low-acid pretreatment process is approaching pilot testing, while research on cellulases for ethanol production is expanding at both enzyme and organism level.
Mielenz
J R
JR
White Cliff Biosystems Co, 107 Lake Meadow Drive, Johnson City, Tennessee 37615, USA. jmielenz92@aol.com
D018533:Biomass; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000191:economics; D002480:Cellulase / Q000378:metabolism; D002482:Cellulose / Q000378:metabolism; D004777:Environment; D000431:Ethanol / Q000191:economics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005285:Fermentation
D000431:Ethanol; D002482:Cellulose; D002480:Cellulase