Honda in collaboration with RITE (Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth) has succeeded in creating cellulosic ethanol from soft bio-mass like rice stalks. Next will be refining and combining processes to increase efficiency and develop a biorefinery that will not only produce ethanol but also other automotive materials from biomass.
http://world.honda.com/news/2006/c060914EthanolFromCellulosicBiomass/
http://www.rite.or.jp/English/E-home-frame.html
http://world.honda.com/news/2006/c060914EthanolFromCellulosicBiomass/
http://www.rite.or.jp/English/E-home-frame.html