Duckweed, a small aquatic plant, can help clean up energy waste and be converted into ethanol the same way as corn ethanol.

Researchers from North Carolina State University noted that gowing duckweed on hog wastewater can produce five to six times more ethanol than that of corn. They also say that producing ethanol into duckweed could be faster and cheaper than corn produced ethanol.

“We can kill two birds — biofuel production and wastewater treatment — with one stone: duckweed,” said Professor Jay Cheng.

Duckweed captures the nutrients in the wastewater for growth and preventing their release into the environment. In other words, Cheng says, “Duckweed could be an environmentally friendly, economically viable feedstock for ethanol.”