Vetiver grass is a phytoremediation plant, which can be used to conserve soil or water from heavy metal contamination. Further utilization of vetiver can provide economic benefits, such as the use of the roots to produce essential oil and the leaves for bioethanol production. This study deals with the production of bioethanol by using of the vetiver, which former usage in revitalizing Al or Al/Ni
contaminated water. In this study, the production of bioethanol from vetiver leaves containing Al or Al/Ni was done by using Neurospora intermedia, which can carry out the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation. The effects of Al or Al/Ni on the growth of Neurospora intermedia and the production of bioethanol were investigated. It was observed that the growth of Neurospora intermedia is not affected with the present of Al with the concentration range of 5-80 ppm. Nevertheless, the growth rate of Neurospora intermedia was increased when 1 ppm Ni was added to the culture medium. The highest value of growth rate was achieved when 10 ppm Al and 1 ppm Ni were contained in the culture medium, i.e. 0,037 h-1. The present of Al in culture medium could affect the enzyme performances of Neurospora intermedia to produce bioethanol. The higher Al concentration contained in the culture medium, the lower bioethanol yielded. However, the addition of 1 ppm Ni into the culture medium is able to improve the yield of bioethanol up to 20% increase.