Ethanol made with crops such as switchgrass may not boast the same efficiency as that made from corn, but research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison suggests that growing grass for fuel and using leftovers for glue might pay off. Paul Weimer, a microbiologist at the university's USDA-ARS Dairy Forage Research Center, considers the fermentation residue from ethanol production more valuable than the ethanol itself. "Specifically, they used it as wood glue," reports Newswise, a research-reporting service. "Although the adhesive appears to have great potential, there are still a few hurdles. For one, it's quite viscous. For use in an industrial application, the glue would need to be made easier to apply."Institute for Rural Journalism
