POET DSM officials says they’ve reached a breakthrough in cellulosic biofuels that’s been their biggest hurdle toward commercialization. POET DSM Spokesman Matt Merritt says they were able to do that at their Project Liberty Plant in Emmetsburg, Iowa. He says the breakthrough was in pretreatment which is the first stage of cellulosic biofuel production.

He says their next step is to get that licensed and out to other biofuel plants.

Merritt says by taking the cellulosic feedstock (corn cobs,leaves,husks) and processing it so that enzymes and yeast can access the cellulosic sugars, it then ferments them into biofuel. He says that not only benefits the biofuel plants but also the environment and farmers.

Merritt says that extra profit farmers are seeing with the cellulosic feedstock comes at a good time as they’re facing low commodity prices.