Researchers from the Energy Biosciences Institute at the
University of Illinois, evaluating the biomass potential of woody crops, are
taking a closer look at the black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), which showed a
higher yield and a faster harvest time than other woody plant species that they
evaluated, said U of I associate professor of crop sciences Gary Kling.
“For now the only thing you can do with it is use it for
direct combustion,” Kling said. “But if it becomes a major crop other researchers
could start working on the process of how to break it down,” he said. “The EBI
is working on how to get the sugars out of plants and how to turn those to
alcohols. It is a very tough thing to do. It’s typically been tough to break
down the biomass in woody plants to make it useful for alcohol production. Our
plan is to be able to take anything we grow and convert it into a drop-in
fuel.”