(August 20, 2015) The
solid waste left over from wine-making could make a competitive biofuel,
University of Adelaide researchers have found.
Published in the journal Bioresource Technology, the
researchers showed that up to 400 litres of bioethanol could be produced by
fermentation of a tonne of grape marc (the leftover skins, stalks and seeds
from wine-making).
Global wine production leaves an estimated 13 million tonnes
of grape marc waste each year. Nationally it is estimated that several hundred
thousand tonnes are generated annually and it is generally disposed of at a
cost to the winery.
“This is a potentially economic use for what is largely a
waste product,” says Associate Professor Rachel Burton, Program Leader with the
Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls in
the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine.
PhD candidate Kendall Corbin analysed the composition of
grape marc from two grape varieties, cabernet sauvignon and sauvignon blanc.
She also investigated pre-treatment of the grape marc with acid and enzymes.
Ms Corbin found that the majority of the carbohydrates found
in grape marc could be converted directly to ethanol through fermentation with
a yield of up to 270 litres per tonne of grape marc. The leftover product was
suitable for use as an animal feed or fertiliser.