Global warming is a serious problem, mainly because of the increase in greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon oxide (CO2), as well as society's dependence on petroleum products. Large amounts of money have been spent to research and develop new kinds of energy sources instead of petroleum-based fuel.
Bioethanol is a good candidate because it can be replaced with petroleum as a fuel and used as the raw material for chemical products. Nowadays, bioethanol is produced from agricultural products such as corn, sugarcane, and starch-based materials. However, these raw materials are also sources of food for humans. Utilizing plants, wood, wood waste, paper waste, and food waste as raw materials for bioethanol production is extremely effective and environmentally friendly. These kinds of biomass are the most abundant raw materials on earth and are a potential carbon-neutral source for alternative natural resources in place of petroleum.
These kinds of biomass are mainly composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, with cellulose being used as the main raw material for bioethanol production. Cellulose is a linear homopolymer of glucose. It is rigid and requires special treatment for breakdown.
Dr. Ryohei Mori at the Green Science Alliance found a solution for breaking down cellulose into glucose in an efficient way. Using this technology, they will produce bioethanol at an industrial level. They will also attempt to create a wood-alcohol-based drink. This will be the first instance of wood alcohol production at an industrial level. Since Green Science Alliance Co., Ltd. is a relatively small chemical company with less than 100 employees, they are also seeking partnerships in order to produce bioethanol and wood alcoholic drink at an industrial level in the world. Cooperation offer from companies, private or governmental organizations is all welcomed.
