Growing cotton yields a large quantity of stalks that have to be removed to minimize carryover of insects. Compost and fuel are currently the main uses for these stalks. Researchers in Australia are investigating the possibility of extracting ethanol from these stalks. Ethanol is an alcohol widely used as fuel for internal combustion engines, particulary for mixing with diesel. One ton of dry mass of cotton plants produces about 300 liters of ethanol and 180 kilograms of lignin. An enzyme from a fungus breaks down the lignin surrounding the cell walls, which facilitates ethanol recovery. The cost of the ethanol depends mostly on the cost of the raw material.