Growing Better Biofuel Crops

Our current dependence on fossil fuels is on a collision course with the need of future generations for a habitable environment. Supplying more than 80 percent of human energy consumption globally, fossil fuel combustion contributes to the rise of atmospheric greenhouse gases such as CO₂, nitrous oxide, and methane, which are widely believed to cause detrimental climate change. We can mitigate these effects by using the many available no- or low-carbon methods to harvest energy, including wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, and solar approaches, such as the harvesting of plant biomass that can be burned as solid or liquid fuels.

Conversion of biomass is currently the most cost-effective route to produce renewable liquid fuels, and contributes 78 percent of the total renewable energy worldwide.

… Full text: the-scientist.com/2012/07/01/growing-better-biofuel-crops/

Tags: conversion of biomass, renewable liquid fuels, fermentation, bagasse, cellulosic stover, biofuel crops, acetylation

Source

TheScientist, 2012-07-01.

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