Biofuel crops can reduce or offset greenhouse gas emissions by directly removing carbon dioxide from the air as they grow and store it in crop biomass and soil. Fuels from bioenergy crops are thus considered emission-neutral when burnt. The challenge is to get a good energy yield from the crops. Scientists from the University of California, Riverside have developed a new method of processing biofuels that turns lignocellulosic biomass—raw agricultural and forestry residues and other plant matter—into fuels and chemicals. The new process produces high enough yields at low enough costs to become a viable alternative or replacement for petroleum-based fuels and chemicals.