National Renewable Energy Laboratory researchers report success in using lignin as a path toward a drop-in 100% sustainable aviation fuel. Lignin makes up the rigid parts of the cell walls of plants. Other parts of plants are used for biofuels, but lignin has been largely overlooked because of the difficulties in breaking it down chemically and converting it into useful products. Lignin is an underutilized natural resource that could be just what the airline industry needs to curb carbon emissions. Researchers at three institutions – the…
