Biofuels Production from Hemicellulose

The global issues of increasing petroleum prices, and the impact of fossil fuel consumption on climate-change, have renewed national priorities to develop replacements for petroleum-based fuels that are non-polluting and renewable. Microbe-based processes for the production of fuels from biomass represent sustainable technological options. In order to successfully transition the U.S. to a predominantly biofuels-based manufacturing and transportation economy, it will be critical to diversify biofuel fuel types and sources. To address this national priority, Farasis Energy, Inc. is proposing to develop platform microbial strains capable of rapidly fermenting the mixed sugars contained in the hemicellulose fraction of agriculture residues to produce biofuels, biofuel precursors and fuel additives. During Phase I, a genetic improvement program will be executed on enteric microbes to identify strain variants capable of rapidly fermenting hemicellulose syrups to fuels. These platform strains will be ideally suited for industrial programs aimed at economically converting the currently underutilized hemicellulose fraction of biomass to fuels.