KORDI develops new technology for producing bioethanol

Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute (KORDI) said that it has developed new technology for producing bioethanol from macrophytes, such as laver and seaweed. KORDI, jointly with Kangwon University, succeeded in developing “High-Pressure Liquefying Technology” (HPLT) which is used to extract sugar from homogenized macrophytes. The research team also found out that a maximum of 160g/L of ethanol can be produced from a modified microbe called Saccharomyces cerevisiae SC 1024. International patent applications for HPLT have already been filed in South Korea, the U.S., Europe and China. KORDI said that it is the first technology ever developed to liquefy macrophyte biomass. (July 27, 2009)