Powering the Future: Biofuels

Activity: Extracting sugar from sugar beet Describe the process of extracting sugar from sugar beet Calculate the yield of sugar from sugar beet Suggest ways of improving the process for more efficient extraction of sugar and commercialisation

To help combat climate change the UK has a target to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by % of the UK renewable energy could come from biomass heat and electricity by To meet the European Renewable Energy Directive, the UK is aiming for 10% of transport energy to be from renewable sources by % of the sustainable renewable road transport fuel used in the UK between April 2012 and April 2013 came from UK feedstocks. Facts and Figures

Bioenergy is the energy derived from harvesting biomass such as crops, trees or agricultural waste and using it to generate heat, electricity or transport fuels. © Rothamsted Research

Sugar beet: Sugar beet (15%) is a significant source of sugar for bioethanol production using current methods. Sugar beet is cultivated in the UK and there are currently a number of bioethanol plants in the UK, using wheat or sugar beet as feedstocks.

Stained cross-section of plant stem: The sugars locked away in the stems of plants would make excellent fuel for sustainable bioenergy. Research will investigate how they could be unlocked for conversion into green bioenergy. © University of Cambridge

Scanning Electron Microscope image of yeast: Researchers are developing novel yeast strains and fermentation processes that optimise bioethanol production. Bioethanol is produced by fermentation of simple monosaccharide and disaccharide sugars by yeast such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae. © National Collection of Yeast Cultures

Light Harvesting complex 2: Photosynthesis is only 6% efficient and it may be possible to improve this to produce higher yielding plants or develop novel ways of capturing solar energy. © University of Glasgow

Scanning Electron Microscope image of Yeast: Sugars from sugar beet can be fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae without prior treatment as they are already disaccharides, but starch polymers from maize or wheat need conversion to di- or monosaccharide sugars, by a hydrolysis reaction prior to fermentation. © National Collection of Yeast Cultures

Plant Cell Walls: Lignin is a strengthening and waterproofing material that encrusts the sugar based polymers in plant cell walls making them hard to access for biofuel production. © University of Dundee at SCRI

© Institute of Food Research Steam explosion unit: We need to optimise the release of sugars from agricultural and wood- industry wastes to produce a fermentable feedstock that microorganisms can use to produce fuels. Pretreatment of feedstocks with steam opens up the structures in plant cell walls to enable access by cellulase enzymes.

Professor Katherine Smart BSBEC LACE Programme School of Biosciences University of Nottingham © University of Nottingham To harness the potential of lignocellulosic (plant cell wall) materials, we need to optimise the release of sugars from agricultural and wood-industry wastes to produce a fermentable feedstock that microorganisms can use to produce fuels. Developing robust microbial strains that can use these feedstocks will enable sustainable production of bioethanol.

Method 1.The sugar beet should be cleaned and peeled. 2.The sugar beet should be sliced into strips about half a centimetre wide and weighed. 3.The strips of sugar beet should be added to a glass beaker along with enough water to cover it. Note: fill the beaker to the half way mark to avoid boiling over. 4.Set up a Bunsen burner with heatproof mat, tripod and gauze. 5.Heat the beaker of sugar beet and water with the Bunsen burner until almost boiling and simmer for 15 minutes with occasional stirring. 6.Weigh an evaporating basin on a balance that is accurate to at least two decimal points before adding any of the beet extract and make a note of the weight. 7.Carefully add enough of the liquid from the beaker to half fill the evaporating basin. Note: use heatproof gloves and take care to avoid splashes, as the liquid will be hot. 8.Heat the evaporating basin gently over the Bunsen burner to evaporate the water. 9.Leave the solution to cool then check for crystals. 10.Add more beet extract solution to the evaporating basin and repeat steps Once you have evaporated all the water from the beet extract weigh the evaporating basin containing the sugar crystals. 12.You can then calculate the actual yield of sugar produced using the equation below. Yield = weight of sugar extracted/weight of sugar beet

Results Mass of sugar beet g Mass of evaporating basin g Mass of evaporating basin and sugar crystals g Actual Yield of sugar %

Activity: Extracting sugar from sugar beet Describe the process of extracting sugar from sugar beet Calculate the yield of sugar from sugar beet Suggest ways of improving the process for more efficient extraction of sugar and commercialisation

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