Biofuel project receives grant

POTSDAM — The U.S. government wants more than 30 billion gallons of biofuel to be produced in the next decade, and a Clarkson University professor is setting out to make that an attainable goal.

Chemistry professor Sergiy Minko recently received nearly $201,000 from the National Science Foundation to develop technology that will make biofuel production less expensive. He will be working with two professors from the University of South Dakota, who were awarded an additional $309,000.

Their work will concentrate on finding a way to recycle an enzyme that breaks down long strands of cellulose, the material found in cell walls, to make the fuels.

"It is difficult to make biofuels competitive with fossil fuels," said Mr. Minko, who originally is from Ukraine. "To make this competitive with fossil fuels, one should think about how to make the enzyme less expensive. One way is recycling the enzyme."

Mr. Minko said he hopes that half of those 30 billion gallons will come from the method he is trying to create, which would use byproducts created during the decomposition process of plant material to create fuel.

The cellulose would come from any, or all, types of plant matter, from bushes and other types of plant to wood that isn't suitable for building or other uses. Cellulose is the most common organic compound on Earth.

The problem arises in getting the enzyme, which is found only in certain microorganisms and is expensive to extract. The enzyme is thrown away after it is used once, because it now is impossible to separate it from the other materials that cannot be used in the fuel.

That is where Mr. Minko and his partners from South Dakota come in. They are looking to create something that releases the enzyme in the beginning of the process and also collects it at the end. That way, the enzyme would be contained in something large enough that it can be separated from the plant wastes.

"We cannot use the enzyme forever, but if we can use it four or five times, it will decrease the cost," Mr. Minko said. "As soon as we see that it works properly, it can be a more economical decision."

If they are successful, the process can be replicated anywhere in the world where there is plant life.

The funding will be used during the next three years. After that, they can reapply for funding if their research shows promise, Mr. Minko said.

"In science, you never know," he said. "You can bet, but you can't predict."