Wales studying biofuel production with ryegrass

Welsh scientists are working on “grassohol” research to develop commercially and economically viable processes to make ethanol from perennial ryegrass.

The Crop Genetics, Genomics and Breeding Division at the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) at Aberystwyth University has been awarded GBP1 million or EUR1.16 million to develop a physical map of the perennial ryegrass genome.

It is believed that one hectare of grassland could produce up to 4,500 liters of ethanol, making ryegrass a potential answer to the UK’s need to meet its renewable energy targets by providing a locally-based source of biofuel.

Currently, biofuel production in the UK is limited and the bulk of bioethanol used in the UK is imported. Ryegrass offers a sustainable and acceptable local solution that does not compete directly with the food industry.

Welsh scientists are working on “grassohol” research to develop commercially and economically viable processes to make ethanol from perennial ryegrass, a commonly sown grass in the UK that is normally used for grazing or silage.

The key to finding the best methods for extracting and fermenting sugar from ryegrasses and of maximizing the yields and rates of ethanol production could be found in their genome make up or their complete DNA sequences. This is what controls the physical characteristics of the plant and could improve the endurance and performance of grasses under low water conditions and minimal fertilizer use as well as increase their growth rate.

In Wales, 1.04 million hectares, or 62% of the available land, is permanent grassland providing a readily-available resource that can be harvested over a long season.

The research includes an industrial collaboration between IBERS and two Welsh companies--Aber Instruments and the Wynnstay Group--for which the Institute has received £154,000 funding from the Welsh Assembly Government’s Academic Expertise for Business (A4B) programme.

This element forms part of a wider £1million, three-year research programme, which has received funding from DEFRA, DECC, and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) via the Renewable Materials LINK programme.

The research will contribute to the creation of a center of excellence in agri-biorefinery in Wales that will also investigate the production of chemicals from plants which have previously been produced by the petrochemical industry.

Under the industrial collaboration, Wynnstay will gain valuable information on the production and processing of feedstock for bio-ethanol production, including the identification of suitable varieties of high sugar ryegrass and machinery for processing the plant material.

Aber Instruments will develop and adapt new equipment for monitoring the growth of yeast and other microorganisms during fermentation to meet the growing demand from a potentially huge international market.


-  Katrice R. Jalbuena

Source:

¹ http://wales.gov.uk/news/topic/business/2009/090528biofuelgrass/;jsessionid=...