Willow adds new fuel to bioethanol debate

The humble willow tree is being investigated as a source of biofuel by researchers at The University of Auckland’s Faculty of Engineering. Alan Macfarlane has completed a doctoral study looking at better ways to convert components of wood into valuable chemicals, including bioethanol. Macfarlane has developed a simple, low-energy method to isolate cellulose from wood, but also to speed up the removal of another element called lignin. The 27-year-old found that controlling pH was the most important factor in his research. (November 18, 2009)