Monday, June 30, 2008

Ethanol to be made from city solid waste in Canada

Using solid waste for biofuels makes sense where feasible because it pretty much eliminates the feedstock transportation issues faced with energy crops. It also keeps some waste volume out of landfills.
Edmonton to use waste for fuel

Friday, June 27, 2008

Prospects for Cellulosic Ethanol

This is a good comprehensive article on EcoWorld about the current status of ethanol pros and cons and how we might transition to cellulosic ethanol:
Cellulosic Ethanol

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Combining plug-in electric and biofuels

Check out this very important report about combining two well-developed technologies for greater efficiency and less reliance on imported energy. Small Flex-fuel engines can easily be combined with electric motors and the latest battery technology. Electricity is quite versatile in how it can be produced and used. It could be produced more locally by home-based solar, wind, and regional generation stations powered by biogas from landfills and municipal waste.
Driving Our Way to Energy Independence - commentary on flex-fuel, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Company plans ethanol from algae in Mexico desert

Algae can be gown in water unsuitable for other uses and on land unsuitable for most crops. This could improve biofuel production levels significantly if perfected.
Reuters AlertNet - Algenol trains algae to turn carbon into ethanol

New cellulosic ethanol technique claims $1.00 production cost

An Israel company claims to have perfexcted a technique that will bring cellulosic ethanol production cost to under $1.00 USD. The technique is applicable to the step where sugars are extracted from the biomass.
GRAINNET News and Information for the Grain, Milling, Feed, Seed and BioFuels Industry

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Ethanol getting credit for Missouri's lower gas prices

Finally, ethanol is getting credit for lowering gas prices. The article linked below credits Missouri's ethanol mandate as part of the reason that gas prices in Missouri are the lowets in the nation. I don't necessarily think a mandate is the way to go, but at least this shows ethanol has some benefit at the pump.
Cheap gas in Missouri - MSN Money

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Turning human waste into energy

An Indian company, Sintex, has developed a family-sized, self-contained digester that can turn food, animal, and human waste into enough biogas to satisfy a family's need for cooking and a a fertilizer as well.
Turning human waste into energy - Feb. 27, 2008

Report concludes biofuels not dominant factor in food price increase

Even if all biofuel production never existed, we would still be facing the high energy prices that make it more expensive to plant, fertilize, cultivate, harvest, transport, and process food crops.
Food Price Increases: Is it Fair To Blame Biofuels?