IISc researchers turn stubble into ethanol

At a time when pollution from stubble burning has become a concern, researchers from IISc have devised a way to extract ethanol from it which is a valuable fuel.

Professor T V Ramachandra and his doctoral student Deepthi Hebbale presented the result of their experiments at Lake 2020, the 12th biennial symposium of the Energy Wetlands Research Group of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc).

Deepthi said 100 kg of paddy straw can produce 36 litres of ethanol while wheat stalk of the same quantity can produce 53 litres.

“There is wide scope for biofuels as only a fraction of crop residue, especially stalk and straw is utilised as fodder. Tonnes of such biomass is burnt leading to pollution and waste of valuable resources,” she said.