Finnish Project Declares Willow Suitable as a Cheap Feedstock for Ethanol and Chemical Production

Fast-growing willow has not been widely utilized as a raw material in the biofuel industry. In addition to its low price, willow can be grown on marginal land. Hence, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and Aalto University recently discovered that when processed correctly, willow is a suitable feedstock for ethanol production.

Ethanol yield from willow improved substantially when the willow bark was first separated from the biomass before steam explosion and yeast fermentation. A lignin-containing residue is produced in the process, from which, various bio-based chemicals and materials can be manufactured.

In addition to sugars suitable for ethanol fermentation, various fractions can be separated from willow, lignin, bark component fibers, as well as bioactive and antimicrobial compounds. The results of the research would be vital on using willow in ethanol production in industry using existing technology, especially if industrial or farm scale equipment suitable for debarking is available.