Our project research and development involves production, processing and marketing of products derived from the industrial crops Cannabis Sativa L, “hemp” and Hibiscus Cannabinus L., "kenaf". With over fifty years of production development completed at Mississippi State University, Texas A&M University and others, kenaf is poised to become a major source of biomass for industry worldwide. Local production research has been underway for over forty years and kenaf has been proven a viable alternative crop for Arizona's cotton farmlands. The innovation is to combine the production of ethanol with a state-of-the-art fiber separation process. By producing two high-value products at the same facility, the unit cost is reduced for each.

The proposed first processing step will produce a high-value 90-94% core-free fiber (33% of biomass). The second step of the process will convert the remaining 66% of biomass into ethyl alcohol and other chemicals using the latest state-of-the-art technology. The economic production of ethanol from cellulose feedstocks is a challenge that has been under intense research for many years; and great strides have been made recently. These developments enhance productivity enough to make the economic production of ethanol a reality when taken in context with this proposal. Several production and co-product opportunities exist which hold promise for future value added processing techniques.

Markets for products of the system are transportation fuels, chemical co-products, oil absorbents, bio-remediation tools, insulation for cars and buildings, animal bedding and soil amendments. Markets for fiber are the automotive and composites industries, the pulp and recycled paper industries and the textile industry.

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