2. FUELING THE FUTURE
In 2012, PETROSS began an
ambitious journey to transform
sugarcane and sweet sorghum
to naturally produce more biofuel
per acre than any other crop.
But PETROSS is about more than
engineering a better plant—it is
engineering a better future. A future
not diminished by greenhouse gas
emissions, but instead, a future
fueled by plants.
With critical support from ARPA-E, PETROSS is providing the
means for inexhaustible and sustainable wells of oil sprouting in
economically depressed rural areas. In just a few years, the project has
created bigger, more productive biofuel crops that can be grown on
more marginal land than ever before. But now could be the beginning
of the end. Only with commercial support can PETROSS help meet the
demands of the future by fully realizing the project’s vision for
ultra-productive biofuel crops grown in the U.S.
PLANTS ENGINEERED TO REPLACE OIL IN
SUGARCANE AND SWEET SORGHUM
3. PETROSS is engineering two of the most
productive crops in the world—sugarcane
and sweet sorghum—into ultra-productive
biofuel crops to provide an indefinite and
sustainable supply of bio-oil.
Normal sugarcane
and sorghum naturally
produce only 0.05% oil,
which is not enough to
convert into biodiesel
and jet fuel; however,
PETROSS crops are
being engineered to
produce as much as
20% oil—13x more
biodiesel per acre than
an acre of soybeans.
69%
PETROSS
CROPS COULD MEET
OF THE RFS2 MANDATE
Sugarcane has a limited
growing region; currently, it is
grown on just 892,700 acres
in the U.S. PETROSS crops
could be grown on 23 million
acres of marginal land in the
Southeastern U.S.
INCREASE OIL PRODUCTION
INCREASE PHOTOSYNTHESIS
INCREASE COLD TOLERANCE
The Renewable Fuel
Standards mandate (RFS2)
requires 36 billion gallons of
biofuel by 2022.
Plants that are better able
to turn the sun’s light energy
into chemical energy grow
larger and yield more.
PETROSS is engineering its
crops to photosynthesize 50%
more efficiently, which could
translate to 50% higher yields.
4. INCREASE OIL PRODUCTION
PETROSS OIL PROGRESS
PETROSS sugarcane produces 160x more oil—
that could be converted into biodiesel—than
normal sugarcane.
Plants naturally produce sugar as well
as the type of oil that is converted into
clean-burning biodiesel and jet fuel.
However, there is only 0.05% oil in the
plant because the oil is quickly metab-
olized into other chemicals. PETROSS
crops will produce as much as 20% oil
by speeding production and slowing
consumption. The crops’ oil can pro-
duce biofuel while the sugar can be
consumed, or converted into ethanol—
thus PETROSS crops are a bioeconomy
contained within a single genome.
Today PETROSS sugarcane produces
8% oil, which could yield 4.5x more
biodiesel per acre than soybeans,
with enough sugar left over to pro-
duce 2x more ethanol than an acre
of corn.
OBJECTIVES
PERCENTOILPERDRYWEIGHT
END 20%NOW 8%START 0.05%
PETROSS OIL PRODUCTION:
2015 SUGARCANE FIELD TRIAL
PETROSS sugarcane photosynthesizes more efficiently
than normal sugarcane, yielding 20% more biomass.
INCREASE PHOTOSYNTHESIS
Through photosynthesis, plants har-
ness energy from the sun to produce
the oil and sugar needed for biofuel
production. Photosynthetic improve-
ments directly translate to higher
yields. A digital design platform iden-
tified ways for PETROSS to increase
photosynthesis as much as 50% by
improving photosynthetic pathways
and engineering the crop canopy to
better utilize the sun’s light.
Today the project’s plants are 20%
more efficient and therefore yield
up to 20% more. Under cool condi-
tions, our lines have an even great-
er efficiency advantage—67% more
on average.
17%
taller
18%
thicker
stems
43%
more
stems
20%
more
biomass
NORMAL SUGARCANE PETROSS SUGARCANE
2012
PETROSS
sugarcane
2013 2014 2015 2016
0.05%
2.00%
5.50%
8.00%
0.80%
Normal
sugarcane
5. PROFITABLE PETROSS
PETROSS sugarcane is more profitable per acre than
soybeans and corn.
The true economic and market po-
tential of PETROSS crops is deter-
mined by analyzing yield, produc-
tion costs, and other factors using
SuperPro software. This detailed
techno-economic model, informed
by parallel industrial processes,
predicts profitability.
Accordingly, PETROSS crops will be
competitive with fossil fuels and
more productive and profitable per
acre than corn and soybeans. The
model’s predictions have been con-
firmed by BP Biofuel’s independent
techno-economic analysis.
MARKET ANALYSIS
EXTENDING THE GROWING REGION
Cold tolerant sugarcane could be grown on an
additional 23 million acres of marginal land in the
Southeastern U.S., replacing 28% of the fossil fuels
currently imported from outside the U.S.
INCREASE COLD TOLERANCE
Sugarcane has a limited growing re-
gion; it can be grown only in tropical
areas, including Hawaii, Florida, and
the southern edge of the Gulf Coast
states. To develop cold tolerant vari-
eties that could drastically increase
the crop’s growing region, sugar-
cane is crossed with Miscanthus, a
related grass that is productive in
colder climates.
Using new crossing technolo-
gies, PETROSS is producing sugar-
cane-Miscanthus hybrids that per-
form as well as Miscanthus at 10°C,
extending sugarcane’s growing sea-
son by 30 days and boosting yields
by as much as 25%.
Land where sugarcane currently grows
Marginal land available for PETROSS sugarcane
Land where PETROSS sugarcane will be able to grow
Current land used for food & feed crops
SOY-
BEANS
0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000
CORN
NORMAL
SUGAR-
CANE
PETROSS
SUGAR-
CANE
(20% OIL)
COPRODUCTS
ETHANOL
BIODIESEL
Total value of products per land ($/acre)
For additional figures, go to petross.illinois.edu
WE ARE HERE (8% OIL)
4.5x more profitable than soybean; 2x more profitable than corn
6x more profitable than soybean; 2.7x more profitable than corn
PETROSS
SUGAR-
CANE
(5% OIL)
6. THE BEGINNING OF THE END
2012
2013
DIGITAL DESIGN PLATFORM
Through the development of a digital design
platform, PETROSS identified promising approaches
to increased leaf and crop photosynthesis.
Crops have been engineered with genes that
have increased photosynthesis more than 20%.
Observed high rates of
photosynthesis at low temperatures
in two hybrids between sugarcane
and Miscanthus and then backcrossed
to sugarcane to transfer cold
tolerance from Miscanthus.
PROOF OF CONCEPT:
INCREASE PHOTOSYNTHESIS
INCREASE COLD TOLERANCE
Achieved 100-fold increase of
oil from 0.05% to 1%.
PROOF OF CONCEPT:
INCREASE OIL PRODUCTION
Method developed and
patented to separate oil
and sugars from lipid cane.
SEPARATION PROCESS
OF OIL SUGARS
2014
Large construct
built with the DNA
assembler technique.
TRANSFORMED
LARGE CONSTRUCTS
In 2014, sugarcane field
trials conducted in Florida.
FIELD TRIALS
Conducted techno-economic analysis for
sugarcane in 2014 and sorghum in 2015.
Submitted patents for bioengineered traits.
TECHNO-ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
In 2015, completed
sugarcane field trials
in Florida and sorghum
field trials in Illinois.
FIELD TRIALS
Tested process to
separate oil and sugar
from PETROSS sugarcane.
PILOT SCALE
2016
INCREASE OIL
PRODUCTION
Achieved 8% oil
accumulation.
2015
7. PETROSS has shown proof of concept, demonstrating that sugar-
cane and sorghum can be engineered to increase oil production,
photosynthesis and cold tolerance. But there is still critical work to
be done to realize the project’s full vision for renewable, green oil
fields that could ensure our nation’s energy security indefinitely.
In the last year of ARPA-E funding, the project will continue im-
proving upon its three objectives and field testing PETROSS cul-
tivars. With additional support, PETROSS technology can combine
the three objectives into one ultra-productive plant for the market.
Increase oil production to 20%
Increase photosynthesis by 50%
Increase cold tolerance
FUTURE
WE ARE HERE
PLANS FOR 2016
Only
possible
with partner
funding
Field test sugarcane lines
Techno-economic analysis of jet fuel from our lipid cane
Further improve photosynthesis
Test constructs with genes for three objectives
Further increase oil production to 20%
Target oil production in stems
Backcross hybrids to sugarcane to transfer cold tolerance
Field test 8% oil lines
Pilot scale test of oil extraction from field harvest
Increase oil extraction efficiency
Combine PETROSS traits into one plant
50%
50%
8. The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) funds concepts, including
PETROSS, that industry alone cannot support, but whose success would dramatically
benefit the nation. Its high-risk, high-reward programs aim to substantially reduce foreign
energy imports; cut energy-related greenhouse gas emissions; and improve efficiency
across the energy spectrum.
A PROJECT FUNDED BY ARPA-E, LED BY THE
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN
PETROSS.ILLINOIS.EDU
PLANTS ENGINEERED TO REPLACE OIL IN
SUGARCANE AND SWEET SORGHUM
INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE
OR PARTNERING WITH PETROSS?
Contact Ank Michielsen to learn
more about PETROSS, including
various opportunities to fund this
research and capitalize on the
project’s intellectual property.
CONTACT:
PETROSS Project Manager
Ank Michielsen
michiels@illinois.edu
217-244-7473
