New lignin 'lite' switchgrass boosts biofuel yield by more than one-third - Fermentation research by Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Jonathan Mielenz confirmed that The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation had developed a strain of switchgrass that produces about 33 percent more ethanol than conventional switchgrass. The Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS) publication titled “Genetic manipulation of lignin reduces recalcitrance and improves ethanol production from switchgrass” researchers describe the transgenic version of switchgrass as one that produces about one-third more ethanol by fermentation than conventional switchgrass. This improved plant feedstock will be able to generate more biofuel per acre, benefiting not only the transportation sector but also the growers and farming community. The release of this publication was highlighted by several news feeds, including; ScienceDaily, PHYSORG, ScienceBlog, eurekalert, Scientific Computing, e! Science News, and more.
There is an estimated 50 million tonnes of lignin available from pulping processes worldwide, but much of this is not isolated but burned onsite to provide steam for heat and power production. The global production of isolated lignin for lignosulphonate production is currently around 1.1 million tonnes. The market is mature and growing slowly. 1 million tonnes is derived from the acid sulphite pulping process. The remaining 100,000 tonnes is derived from the kraft pulping process.
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