Working at the Plant

BusinessWestOnline (Massechusetts)

Scientists Seek Breakthroughs in the Field of Cellulosic Ethanol
By JOSEPH BEDNAR

Switchgrass is a hardy prairie grass that can grow quickly to heights of two to six feet during the warm months of the year.

It’s self-seeding, is resistant to many diseases and pests, and produces high yields. It also improves soil and prevents erosion, which is why it’s approved as a cover crop for land protected under the federal Conservation Reserve Program. And it grows practically anywhere.

Oh, and it’s rich in cellulose.

That makes it one of several promising non-edible plant materials being closely examined by proponents of cellulosic ethanol, a potential fuel source produced from the cellulose of switchgrass, wood chips, leaves, corn cobs, corn stover (what’s left of the plant after harvest), and dozens of other sources, known collectively as ‘biomass.’

“I’m passionate about working in this field, working to develop this technology,” said Susan Leschine, a professor of Microbiology at UMass Amherst, and one of several science and industry experts who recently presented a day-long seminar on campus focusing on the promise and challenge of cellulosic biofuels.

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