Turn Plants into Biofuel with the Power of Enzymes

Are biofuels the wave of the future? People often talk about these plant-derived fuels as a way to someday cut down on our dependency on non-renewable carbon-based fuels, like gasoline. Ethanol (a type of alcohol) is a common biofuel used today. In the United States, ethanol is a common biofuel additive to normal gasoline. In fact, some states mandate that when you fill up your gas tank, 10 percent of the total fuel volume be made of ethanol. Brazil, the world's second-largest user of ethanol-based fuel, has been using ethanol biofuel to power cars since 1975.

The environmental benefits of biofuels are frequently debated, though. In published scientific literature, some research studies conclude biofuels are more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels, and other research studies conclude they are not. This apparent contradiction is due to the details of what type of biofuel and how the plants used to create it are grown. Ethanol made from the edible parts of plants that are high in sugar, like corn and sugar cane, can have large environmental footprints. Historically as demand for ethanol has increased, undeveloped land has been converted to farmland. This, combined with the energy demands of growing more crops, has made a significant environmental impact, so scientists and chemical engineers are interested in applying green chemistry to the problem.

This project idea was developed and written by Sandra Slutz, PhD, Science Buddies.

Slutz, Sandra. "Turn Plants into Biofuel with the Power of Enzymes." Science Buddies, 24 Feb. 2023, https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/BioChem_p038/biotechnology-techniques/turn-plants-into-biofuel-with-enzymes.