With global warming and expected shortages in oil and other fossil-based fuels, attention has turned to wood, pulp fibres and grasses as sources of fuel.

These fuel sources have been identified as possible sources for industrial applications such as biorefineries for the production of bioethanol, polymers and glues.

However there is a lack of understanding in how the chemical compositions of lignocellulosic materials - the wood and pulp fibre - impact on microbial fermentation when used as feedstock for bioethanol production.

Global expert Professor Barbel Hahn-Hagerdal, Editor-in-Chief of Biotechnology for Biofuels and Former Head of Applied Microbiology at the University of Lund, Sweden, is visiting CQUniversity to share her knowledge about getting more biofuel out of microbial-based lignocellulosic feedstock conversions.

The presentation will be staged at CQUniversity Rockhampton on Monday July 5 in building 33 G.14 (and video streamed to Gladstone and Mackay) from 10am to 11am. The presentation is part of CQUniversity's Learning About Our World seminar series.

In Sweden biofuels provide 25% of their energy and the majority of their heating.

Professor Hahn-Hagerdal will share how something as simple as yeast, can be used on wood, grasses and pulps to make bioethanol and advance renewable energy worldwide.