Abstract
Lignocellulosic biowastes can be utilized to produce microdiesel, a promising alternative energy source for limited crude oil and food based biofuels. As an alternative fuel, microdiesel produced from lignocellulosic materials has superior environmental benefits; be economically competitive; be producible in sufficient quantities and the energy conversion efficiency was also estimated in the article in theory. In the article, Populus euramevicana cv leaves acid hydrolysate has been utilized as a substrate for microbial oil production using Rhodotorula glutinis. Microdiesel was further produced by transesterification and most properties complied with the limits established by ASTM related to biodiesel quality. In order to further reduce the cost, exogenous depolymerization enzymes used in the hydrolysis process could be replaced with plants that are capable of synthesizing these enzymes in situ and the cellulase and hemicellulase would be produced and break down the cell wall just before harvest.