Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound platform technology to increase bio-ethanol production

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We will have depleted over 50% of our fossil fuel storage in the next 50 years. Therefore, we must begin developing alternative, renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and bio-fuel. One of the most widely recognized bio-fuel sources is bio-ethanol, which is a type of renewable bio-energy and can be blended with petroleum to create a bio-fuel blend used in conventional equipment without modification. Unfortunately, current bio-ethanol production processes are either inefficient resulting in low net-energy gains, or are infringing on other industries, such as the food or agricultural industry. An encouraging solution is the use of lignocellulosic biomass as a source of bio-ethanol. This NSERC grant will be used to support the collaboration between a Canadian biotechnology company (IntelligentNano Inc.) and the University of Alberta (UofA) teams to jointly designing an ultrasound system to enhance the production of bio-ethanol.