Oil is still the most economically attractive resource for fuels and basic chemicals that can be used to manufacture everyday products such as plastic bottles and detergent. New biotechnological processes aim to simplify the use of renewable biomass as an alternative to the fossil raw material and make it more cost-effective. Researchers at KIT are focusing on plant biomass such as wood and straw which is not used as food or feed. These and other innovation stories are presented in KIT’s current NEULAND magazine.