A research agreement was recently signed by Swedish energy company, Taurus Energy, researchers from the University of Lund (Sweden), SEKAB, and other cooperators for the “development and large scale implementation of a new improved bio-technical process for production of ethanol from lignocellulose feedstocks based on Taurus' yeast technology for fermentation of both six and five-carbon sugars”. The “pentose-fermentation technology” from Taurus energy is reported to improve ethanol yields during the fermentation of sugars from the pretreatment and saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass. Pretreatment and saccharification usually strips-off the unwanted lignin from the biomass, and degrades the cellulosic material into simple sugars. The resulting sugar mixture (containing both 5-carbon and 6-carbon sugars) is usually fermented by yeasts into ethanol. Generally, only the 6-carbon sugars (“hexoses”) are preferentially utilized by the yeasts for ethanol production. The 5-carbon sugars (“pentoses”) are often unutilized or underutilized. According to SEKAB technical director, Jan Lindstedt, a 40% percent improvement in ethanol yield can result if the pentoses are fermented efficiently in continuous production. It could also lower production costs. In Stage 1 of the project, suitable yeasts with pentose-fermenting ability will be obtained, and the fermentation conditions optimized. Stage 2 will involve long term and large scale testing..