Latvian researchers may have broken the ethanol and furfural co-production conundrum

In Latvia, researchers led by the University of Latvia Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology have demonstrated the viability of a technique that produces both ethanol and furfural from wheat straw. Producing furfural from biomass typically involves destroying up to half of the cellulosic material, reducing yields for ethanol production significantly but the researchers claim to have found the missing link. The research was funded by the European Regional Development Fund.