Honda, partner find cheap way to turn waste biomass into ethanol

Honda Motor Co. and the Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE) have developed a technology that enables low-cost production of bioethanol from waste biomass. Currently, the dominant bioethanol production technologies require separate processing for different types of plant fiber. But the new technology, created by wholly owned unit Honda R&D Co. and the government-affiliated research institute, is capable of converting fiber from weeds and rice straw into ethanol in one step. Because this technology also delivers higher production efficiency, 400ml of ethanol can be made from 1kg of rice straw. Honda R&D and RITE plan to team up with Genencor International Inc., a U.S. biotech firm possessing technology related to bioethanol production, and build a prototype plant as early as this year. (May 12, 2008)