Australian Innovation Turns Plant Biomass into Renewable Biofuels

An Australian-led scientific breakthrough is set to revolutionize the production and use of biofuels worldwide by increasing oil yield from plants. Scientists from Australia’s research agency CSIRO have developed a technology that extends oil production beyond seeds and fruits to include the biomass of the plant, such as leaves and stems. Dr. Thomas Vanhercke, who has been working on the project for over a decade, believes this innovation could create a significant new global energy source by incorporating genetics for seed oil production across various crops with promising success.

The technology harnesses solar energy captured by the plant to convert starch reserves in the leaves into more energy-dense oil molecules, significantly boosting the energy value of the vegetative tissue where the oil accumulates. In greenhouse conditions, researchers have achieved up to 35% oil content in the leaves of some plant species, comparable to many oilseed crops. The oils produced are normal triglyceride type oils like canola oil, soybean oil, and other vegetable oils. Australian agricultural innovation company Nufarm has acquired the technology, and the Biomass Oil Project has been announced to further its development.

Under the leadership of Dr. Xue-Rong Zhou, the project aims to develop new biofuels and renewable oils to support a sustainable future. Collaborating with global research partners from CSIRO, the University of Florida, and the Instituto Agronomico in Brazil, Nufarm is working to deploy the technology into high biomass energy cane and sorghum varieties. This partnership will take the technology to the next level and make it a reality, marking a significant step towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly energy source.

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