August 21, 2015 – The leftovers from winemaking could make competitive biofuel according to researchers at the University of Adelaide.
Global wine production results in an estimated (and astounding) 13 million tons of grape pomace or marc per annum. Pomace or marc is the leftover skins, stalks and seeds of grapes, olives and other fruits after pressing for juice.
Associate Professor Rachel Burton, program leader at the Australian Research Council found that the majority of carbohydrates in grape pomace could be converted to ethanol through fermentation. For every ton of grape pomace, about 71 gallons of ethanol is produced. Leftover product from this process could be used for animal feed or fertilizer.
When the pomace is pre-treated with acid and enzymes, fermentation could yield up to 106 gallons per ton of waste.
Wineries will surely welcome a chance to dispose of waste responsibly and maybe even get paid for waste instead of paying for disposal.
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