This research explores the application of glucose and xylose from corn stover pretreated with nitric acid (HNO3) for the co-production of bioethanol and biodiesel. Response surface methodology was employed to optimize HNO3 pretreatment condition including HNO3 concentration (0.2-1.0%), temperature (140-160 degrees C), and reaction time (1-10 min). The optimal reaction condition was 151.9 degrees C, 0.68% HNO3 and 2.5 min, which resulted in the highest xylose yield of 77.8% and glucan content of 57.1%. Quasi-simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (Q-SSF) of pretreated corn stover with Saccharomyces cerevisiae gave an ethanol concentration of 22.4 g/L, corresponding to 69.1% theoretical ethanol yield based on initial cellulose weight. In addition, Cryptococcus curvatus in hydrolysate medium showed the lipid yield (final cell weight x lipid content) of 1.04 g/L, which was higher than those in defined medium using pure xylose. Our work demonstrates that the simultaneous production of ethanol and lipid can be one potentially promising option for lignocellulose-derived fuel production. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.