Dive Brief:

• Companies like Virginia-based Fiberight are testing an alternative  biofuel made from waste that could be used as a prolific energy resource in the near future.
• Cellulosic ethanol could hit the mainstream as early as this year, according to VOA News. Materials like paper, cardboard and other plant-based matter can be used in energy conversion. The waste is reduced to sugar, then a simple process converts it into ethanol.
• As more bio-refineries become operational, more ethanol can be produced. The setback is finding a car that uses the fuel and a consumer that wants to drive it. Currently, only a handful of models use ethanol, according to VOA News. 

Dive Insight:

In the past, the majority of biofuel was corn-based, garnering a fair share of critics because it ultimately raised food prices and created pollution. With the emerging method, trash replaces the corn in the fuel.