| Summary: | Palm sap extracted from old oil palm trunks was previously found to contain sugar and
nutrients (amino acids and vitamins). Some palm saps contain a low content of sugar due to
differences in species or in plant physiology. Here we condensed palm sap with a low content of
sugar using flat membrane filtration, then fermented the condensed palm sap at high temperature
using the thermotolerant, high ethanol-producing yeast, Kluyveromyces marxianus. Ethanol
production under non-optimum conditions was evaluated. Furthermore, the energy required to
concentrate the palm sap, and the amount of energy that could be generated from the ethanol, was
calculated. The condensation of sugar in sap from palm trunk required for economically viable
ethanol production was evaluated.
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