Experiments with Z. mobilis have been carried out at the Institute of Microbiology of the Latvian Academy of Sciences, since 1983. Levan and ethanol production in sucrose medium has been investigated in detail, including energy metabolism, physiology, and osmotolerance. RME can effectively eliminate injection problems in direct-injected diesel engines. The fuel properties of RME are similar to those of diesel fuel. The mass flow diagram for the production of rape seed oil and RME shows that 1 hectare can yield 3180 kg of rape seed and 5470 kg of rape straw.
Rape oil is one of the best fuels from renewable agricultural resources.
Glycerol is a raw material for the chemical industry. Honey can also provide an increased saving in biodiesel production. Methane fermentation Methane fermentation is a well investigated process. In the thermophilic regime, the inactivation of the pathogenic microflora, helminths and weed seeds as well as biodegradation of pesticides were stimulated. However, mesophilic methane fermentation proved to be energetically more attractive.