Energy Department announces advancement in biofuel technology

June 24, 2011

Researchers at the U.S. DOE's BioEnergy Science Center (BESC) have developed a method to use bacteria to convert plant matter directly into isobutanol, which can be burned in regular car engines with a heat value higher than ethanol and similar to gasoline.

"This is a perfect example of the promising opportunity we have to create a major new industry—one based on biomaterial such as wheat and rice straw, corn stover, lumber wastes, and plants specifically developed for biofuel production that require less fertilizer and other energy inputs," said U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu.

The work was conducted by researchers at the BESC, led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Using consolidated bioprocessing, a research team led by James Liao of UCLA for the first time produced isobutanol directly from cellulose. The team's work represents across-the-board savings in processing costs and time, plus isobutanol is a higher grade of alcohol than ethanol.

"Unlike ethanol, isobutanol can be blended at any ratio with gasoline and should eliminate the need for dedicated infrastructure in tanks or vehicles," said Liao. "Plus, it may be possible to use isobutanol directly in current engines without modification."