Scientists in the Netherlands have discovered a fungus in elephant dung that will help them break down fibres and wood into biofuel.

Bioethanol firms currently extract sugars from crops like grains and sugar beet, but some are developing technologies to extract energy from fibre such as wheat bran, straw or wood. Citing Reuters, Planet Ark reports that scientists working for Royal Nedalco, the Delft University of Technology and a firm called Bird Engineering have found a fungus in elephant dung that helped them produce a yeast which can efficiently ferment wood sugars.

Production based on the new method can start at the firm‘‘s plant in Sas van Gent in 2009, though it will take longer for most of the new feedstocks to become commercially viable