(Biomass Magazine) Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have developed a process that uses gamma valerolactone (GVL) to deconstruct plants and produce sugars that can be chemically or biologically upgraded into biofuels. The team is expected to begin scaling up the process later this year.
GLV is created from plant material. In addition to being renewable, it’s more affordable than conversion methods requiring expensive chemicals or enzymes. According to the researchers, the process can convert 85 to 95 percent of the starting material to sugars. READ MORE and MORE (University of Wisconsin) and MORE (University of Wisconsin)