Wisconsin researchers investigate role of biofuels in renewable energy future

In Wisconsin, The Badger Herald reported that the Wisconsin Energy Institute is researching methods to convert biological matter into fuel and plastics, with intentions to replace fossil fuels. 

Biofuels are created using biological material to convert their sugars into a fuel compound — many having diverse renewable energy applications, associate director of the Wisconsin Energy Institute Mary Blanchard said.

To convert the biomass from organic matter into fuel, it first needs to be chemically broken down, Blanchard said. The most common methods involve converting biomass into a hydrolysate — a liquefied biomass — or facilitating fermentation using microbes. Researchers are also exploring combusting the biomass into a gas, Blanchard said.

Most of Wisconsin’s energy resources are imported and not generated in the state, Blanchard said, adding that research into how agricultural and forestry waste and biomass can be converted into bioenergy can help Wisconsin grow economically and sustainably.

Blanchard said Great Lakes Bioenergy scientists are researching the most economical and efficient plants to use for biofuel production. Some energy efficient crops are poplar trees, switch grasses and other perennial crops, according to the report.

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