Grape wine leftovers converted to ethanol

Last night's glass of Sauvignon Blanc could help make cleaner, greener energy, says an Adelaide university study.

One tonne of fermented wine grape leftovers could produce up to 400 litres of ethanol suitable for fertiliser and animal feed, say University of Adelaide researchers.

"Grape marc [grape wine leftovers] is readily available, can be sourced cheaply and is rich in the type of carbohydrates that are easily fermented," PhD candidate Kendall Corbin said.

Global wine production creates an estimated 13 million tonnes of grape waste each year, while Australia produces hundreds and thousands of tonnes.