Energy Answers

Algae farming ramps up in Iowa

2012-02-02T13:18:00.000-06:00

Algae farming takes advantage of warmth and CO2 from an ethanol biorefinery. These by-products are rarely harnessed in most ethanol production. It could mean important new revenues for ethanol producers.
BioProcess Algae and Green Plains Renewable Energy Break Ground For Algae Production Facility in Shenandoah, IA Grainnet:

The horizontal reactors have been successfully running outdoors since the fall of 2011 and this marks the next step in the project to commercialize algae focused on markets for animal feed, fuel, omega-3 products and high-value nutraceuticals.

Capturing flared natural gas

2012-01-07T11:59:00.001-06:00

Apparently, the natural gas that comes along with oil production (associated gas) in smaller oil fields is usually flared because economies of scale are not sufficient to pipe the Nat gas out our liquify it. Carbon Sciences is announcing a technology which will allow this natural gas to be made into synthetic crude oil that can be mixed with the crude and piped our in the existing infrastructure used for the normally produced crude oil. If it is economical as they claim, this could be a good idea for profits, world oil supplies, and the environment.
Carbon Sciences - News:

Byron Elton concluded, “Associated gas is a big problem for resource holders and can negatively affect oil field economics. By converting this excess gas into synthetic crude oil using our low capital, clean-tech solution, we believe we can deliver both economic and social value to oil field operators. We intend to aggressively target oil field operators with our CarbonCrude solution.”

Range Fuels failure a lesson in picking biofuel technologies

2011-12-22T10:37:00.001-06:00

The Macon Telegraph (Macon.com) recently ran an article looking into Range Fuels, a failed cellulosic ethanol venture that received considerable government backing. According to the article, they really only produced test batches of methanol, not ethanol, before proceeding to commercial scale. Obviously this was a huge risk since the end goal was production of both methanol and ethanol. Enthusiasm outpaced common sense. Hopefully lessons were learned.
Range Fuels failure raises the question: How much risk should the government take with taxpayer dollars? - Local & State - Macon.com:

Range apparently never produced ethanol. It produced a test batch of methanol -- wood alcohol, which is a lot cheaper and less useful -- before it shut down almost a year ago.

Global Natural Gas Consumption Regains Momentum

2011-12-20T10:33:00.001-06:00

Natural Gas is making a comeback, and increased use for automobiles could accelerate the trend.
Global Natural Gas Consumption Regains Momentum Worldwatch Institute:

Driven by surging natural gas consumption in Asia and the United States, global use of this form of fossil fuel rebounded 7.4 percent from its 2009 slump to hit a record 111.9 trillion cubic feet in 2010, according to a new Vital Signs Online report from the Worldwatch Institute. This increase puts natural gas’s share of total energy consumption at 23.8 percent, a reflection of new pipelines and natural gas terminals in many countries.

Commercial scale cellulosic wood to ethanol in the works

2011-12-10T18:50:00.000-06:00

In these tough economic times it is encouraging to see a 20 million gallon per year cellulosic ethanol biorefinery being funded with majority private investment. This mans investors have some confidence that the Mascoma Consolidated Bioprocessing technology will make cellulosic ethanol profitable. The feedstock will be hardwood. The technology accomplishes hydrolysis and fermentation into a single step. The key is genetically modified yeast and bacteria, according to the Mascoma web site.
Ethanol Producer Magazine EthanolProducer.com:

Cellulosic ethanol technology developer Mascoma Corp. has finalized an agreement with petroleum refiner Valero Energy Corp. to finance the construction and start-up of its first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol facility, to be located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula near Kinross.

GE Technology Turns Gas Flares Into Electricity

2011-11-29T16:35:00.000-06:00

I've always cringed seeing the flares from crude oil processing, knowing natural gas was being lost where no infrasturcture exists to use or input the gas into pipelines. This article is about efforts by GE to use some of the wasted natural gas for producing electricity.
"Fire Power: GE Technology Turns Gas Flares Into Electricity GE Reports: The climate impact of the flares is the same as the annual emissions from 77 million cars, or 34 percent of the U.S. car fleet. If converted to carbon credits at $15 per metric ton, the emissions would be worth $6 billion.
But there is an upside. Billions of dollars in wasted natural gas could be used to generate reliable, affordable electricity and yield billions more per year in increased global economic output."

University of Minnesota Scientists and Master Gardeners Analyze Biofuel Feedstock Production and Potential to Improve Land Use | BioFuels Journal

2011-11-11T09:56:00.000-06:00

A process called pyrolysis makes bio-oil and biochar from biomass such as perennial grasses. The bio-oil may be refined into various biofuels, while the biochar may be used as a fertilizer. If this fertilizer proves useful, it could be an important part of making the pyrolysis process profitable and sustainable.
University of Minnesota Scientists and Master Gardeners Analyze Biofuel Feedstock Production and Potential to Improve Land Use BioFuels Journal: “What is so exciting about this project is that it has the potential to improve soil fertility of large agricultural fields as well as small gardens,” said Jason Hill, assistant professor in the U's bioproducts and biosystems engineering department and one of the project’s lead investigators.

Joule Ethanol Production from Sunlight and CO2

2011-07-28T10:11:00.002-05:00

Sources of waste CO2 are widely available, including corn-fed ethanol biorefineries. Therefor this ethanol production process could be a game changer if it is scalable and perfected as this company expects. They plan to begin commercial production in 2012. They say they have engineered microorganisms capable of continuous ethanol production using sunlight and CO2 as the inputs.
Joule Awarded Patents for High-Volume Ethanol Production from Sunlight and CO2: "These innovations, together with Joule's advances in bioprocessing and solar capture and conversion, will help Joule achieve an ultimate target of 25,000 gallons per acre annually – a rate that is 10X greater than that of cellulosic ethanol and 100X greater than corn ethanol – while requiring no depletion of food crops, agricultural land or fresh water. In addition, by eliminating the need for biomass, Joule avoids the burden of fluctuating feedstock cost and supply, as well as the energy-intensive, multi-step conversion of biomass to product. At full-scale commercial production Joule expects to produce ethanol for as little as $0.60/gallon."

Pelletizing biomass for cellulosic ethanol feedstock?

2011-06-02T20:12:00.000-05:00

Delivery and handling of bulky feedstock is one of the big barriers to commercial scale cellulosic ethanol production. Pelletizing might solve some of these problems, since the pellets could be handled much the way grain is currently handled. It remains to be seen whether the technology will turn out these pellets at a cost low enough to compete with corn kernels, especially since the biomass would need to be moved twice--first to the pelletizing plant, and then to the biofuel refinery. Pellets might also be useful for co-firing with coal at power plants, reducing output of pollutants.
Ethanol Producer Magazine | EthanolProducer.com: "The pellets can be used to co-fire industrial boilers, but they can also be used as a feedstock for cellulosic ethanol production, according to Russ Zeeck, chief operating officer of Pellet Technology."

Iowa State engineer working with fungus for new ethanol food coproduct

2011-05-28T17:19:00.002-05:00

I'm not sure most people know that corn ethanol production also results in DDGS animal feed. This article discusses a new food coproduct using a fungus feeding on leftover thin stillage. The result is more food for animals and possibly even people.
Iowa State engineer scales up process that could improve economics of ethanol production | www.news.iastate.edu: "What van Leeuwen and a team of Iowa State researchers are producing is a fungus, Rhizopus oligosporus, that makes a high-quality, high-protein animal feed from the leftovers of ethanol production. The process of growing the fungus also cleans water from ethanol production so that it can be recycled back into fuel production. And the process, called MycoMeal, could one day produce a low-cost nutritional supplement for people."

POET producing high quality Corn Oil coproduct along with ethanol

2011-04-13T15:35:00.001-05:00

This kind of value-added coproduct will increase the efficiency of ethanol and biodiesel production processes. Ethanol biorefineries have always produced more than just ethanol from the corn kernel. Now those coproducts can be higher in value.
POET Corn Oil to Supply Up to 60 MMGY Biodiesel Production | BioFuels Journal: "When corn oil is captured on the back-end of that process following BPX, it is a higher-quality product with a lower amount of free fatty acids.

'The corn kernel is an amazing thing,' POET CEO Jeff Broin said.

'As we continue research into more and more co-products, our ability to displace foreign oil continues to grow."

USDA Program to Fund Ethanol Blender Pump Installation

2011-04-13T15:28:00.001-05:00

Blender pumps can dispense fuel with various percentages of ethanol. This might be the best way for fuel vendors to offer E15 (15% ethanol) after the recent approval for newer cars. They will be able to also dispense E85 for flex fuel vehicle owners from the same pumps.
USDA Announces Program to Fund Blender Pump Installation | BioFuels Journal: "The Obama administration has set a goal of installing 10,000 flexible fuel pumps nationwide within 5 years."

Olives for Biodiesel, Ethanol

2011-03-30T13:57:00.000-05:00

The waste product left over from making olive oil might be valuable for making biofuels.
Olives: A Feedstock for Food, Biodiesel, Ethanol and Medicine : Greentech Media: "Pomace also contains chemicals that are toxic to soil: The Israeli government has begun to regulate how it can be disposed.
Approximately 5 percent to 7 percent of the total olive mass, however, can be converted to biodiesel. The olive stone can also be converted into cellulosic ethanol. In other words, two fuels can be made from one feedstock."

Hybrid Biofuel plants for greater efficiency

2011-03-30T13:45:00.000-05:00

A yet to be built biorefinery in South Dakota is being re-designed to produce both conventional corn kernel ethanol and cellulosic ethanol. It will also take advantage of a combined heat and power installation.
Plans for ethanol plant near Jamestown changed - Valley News Live - KVLY/KXJB - Fargo/Grand Forks: "The hybrid approach provides better economies of scale – reducing both capital and feedstock costs – and makes a stronger overall project."

Giant King Grass as Feedstock for biofuels

2011-02-14T15:05:00.000-06:00

Higher tonnage per acre will help advance cellulosic biofuels. But there will still be the challenge of transporting and processing the incredible volume of material because of low energy density in these materials. On-farm processing such as anaerobic digestion might be an answer for the transportation dilemma.
VIASPACE Reports Independent Test Results for Giant King Grass as Feedstock for... -- IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Agave as a biofuel source

2011-02-03T13:16:00.000-06:00

Agave is a drought-tolerant crop suitable for semi-arid regions. The biomass potential is quite large.
Agave seen as excellent biofuel source - UPI.com: "'We need bioenergy crops that have a low risk of unintended land use change,' bioenergy analyst Sarah Davis said. 'Biomass from Agave can be harvested as a co-product of tequila production without additional land demands.'"

Co-locating Ethanol biorefineries and coal-fired power plants

2010-06-11T14:10:00.000-05:00

The cellulose and hemicellulose from plant material can be an ethanol feedstock, while the lignin is great for buring in a power plant. Excess steam and heat from the power plant can be used in producing ethanol.
Cellulosic Ethanol and Power Plant Co-Location: Savings in Synergy - Ethanol Producer Magazine: "Our process modeling showed that in situations where a green electricity premium of $30 per MWh is charged, an ethanol price of approximately $2.10 per gallon (before any ethanol subsidies) is the break-even point for a co-location producer. Ethanol prices above this amount will allow the producer to make more money producing ethanol from just the cellulose and hemicellulose (and burning the lignin separately for power) than by burning the whole biomass feedstock."

CRP Croplands could yield ethanol fuel while maintaining ecological benefits

2010-03-25T10:49:00.002-05:00

CRP is the Conservation Reserve Program. The government pays farmers to maintain certain fields in grasses or trees. Often, this is land that is too steep for row cropping without extensive erosion. At first glance, you would think that removing biomass from these fields every year would reduce soil fertility. Actually, this is not necessarily so. Some plants, including most grasses, are stimulated to grow more strongly by mowing or grazing. This greater biological activity leads to tapping more nutrient reserves from deep in the earth and from the air. Bacteria and fungi work in symbiosis with plant roots to extract nitrogen from the air and from certain soil particles. These nutrients are translated into plant mass and greater organic matter in the soil.
Estimating Ethanol Yields from CRP Croplands / March 19, 2010 / Newsfrom the USDA Agricultural Research Service: "This extensive study also shows that CRP lands in the northeastern United States with a high proportion of tall native prairie grasses have the potential to produce more than 600 gallons of ethanol per acre. This energy can be produced while maintaining the ecological benefits of CRP grasslands."

Ethanol-Optimized Engine getting closer

2010-03-17T17:08:00.000-05:00

The octane and oxygen advantages of ethanol can overcome the fuel economy deficit. But it requires an engine designed to take advantage of these factors. Such an engine would be a game-changer in the automotive and energy world. The CEO of Growth Energy talks about their prototype engine:
Ethanol-Optimized Engine A Major Breakthrough for Producers - Ethanol Producer Magazine: "And, at blends of E40 to E50, the EBDI engine improves on the fuel economy of regular gasoline engines by as much as 10 percent. Think about that: One of the biggest criticisms of ethanol is that engines lose mileage when burning ethanol. But this engine proves that the problem isn’t the fuel—it’s the engine."

Syngas from waste being delivered to cellulosic ethanol biorefinery

2010-01-06T12:42:00.000-06:00

Through a plasma gasification process this facility is able to provide syngas with the right composition for conversion to ethanol. The feedstock can vary in composition, and this syngas could be tailored for other uses such as generating electricity. If plasma gasification proves viable on a large scale, it could provide the flexibility needed for large-scale utilization of waste products on a commercially viable basis.
ALTER NRG CORP. Alter NRG Corp. announces the Westinghouse Plasma Centre is delivering clean syngas to Coskata's ethanol facility: "Coskata's proprietary process was analyzed by Argonne National Laboratory, who found that every unit of fossil energy used, in turn generated up to 7.7 times the amount of energy which is significantly better than the current ethanol industry. It was also found that it reduces CO(2) emissions by up to 96 percent compared with a well-to-wheel analysis of gasoline. The feedstock-flexible process utilizes non- food biomass, thereby providing an opportunity to produce fuel-grade ethanol in greater quantities and at a lower cost point than that produced from food-based sources (corn, sugar, etc.)."

Efficient new process uses CO2 in gasification

2009-12-17T12:34:00.000-06:00

his new method of gasification could iincrease the efficiency and lower the cost of syngas prodtion from biomass. It makes direct uof CO2 -- a greenhouse gas. Syngas can then be made into many types of liquid fuels such as ethanol, or be upgraded for use as a natural gas substitute in cars, heating, generation of electricity, or other uses.
Columbia researchers explore new process to create greener fuels: "While a typical gasification process uses only steam to convert biomass into syngas, synthetic gas containing a mixture carbon monoxide and hydrogen, Castaldi’s new method replaces 30 percent of the water with carbon dioxide. Researchers believe that these findings carry exciting potential and hope the process will be able to improve the overall efficiency of fuel production when used on a large scale. Syngas can be converted into a variety of different chemicals and fuels, including diesel products."

Switchgrass Uses Nitrogen Efficiently

2009-12-02T10:09:00.000-06:00

Part of the reason Switchgrass is so efficient is the microorganisms that reside with the roots in a synergistic relationship. This USDOE study looks at biomass production from a profit potential perspective. This is important because the profit motive is still the most important consideration for farmers. They need to make a living. So we must take input expenses into account, such as fertilization.
Switchgrass Produces Biomass Efficiently - Renewable Energy World: "Biomass feedstock nitrogen study compares four grasses and finds that switchgrass is most efficient."

Cassava Ethanol to replace Kerosene as cooking fuel in Africa

2009-11-27T10:33:00.000-06:00

Here's the kind of smart production and use of ethanol that I like to promote. Production will be small-scale and close to the cassava fields, reducing the energy and money spent on feedstock transportation. On the use side, ethanol becomes a much cleaner alternative to kerosene as a cooking fuel. I also suspect that there will be valuable coproducts left over from processing the cassava. I would like t find some more details.
allAfrica.com: Nigeria: NCGA Signs N56 Billion Contract For Cassava Kerosene (Page 1 of 1): "The Cassakero project is targeting the installation of 10,000 small scale bio ethanol refineries in the 36 states of the federation including the FCT, over the next four years to produce daily ethanol cooking fuel requirement for 4 million families."

Investment in Ethanol from Sweet Soghum

2009-11-13T12:07:00.000-06:00

DPG Investments LLC plans to invest in ethanol from Sweet Sorghum. This is a promising development becasue of the efficiency and simplicity of converting sorghum sugars into ethanol as opposed to starch from grain. Starch must be broken down into simple sugars. The drawback is spoilage of simple sugars and transportation costs for the raw feedstock.. Various approaches have been investigated for meeting these challenges such as making silage or on-farm pre-processing of sorghum cane. DPG's appeoach will to install small ethanol biorefineries on the farms where the sorghum is grown, integrating them with farming operations. This will drastically the cost of moving feedstock.
New Venture to Finance Sorghum-to-Ethanol Projects - Domestic Fuel: "A new venture could provide up to $376 million for projects that will turn sweet sorghum into ethanol"

Flexible feedstock ethanol getting closer

2009-10-17T13:08:00.000-05:00

Plasma gasification is one route to ethanol production. It can utilize just abot any carbon-based feedstock, includung municipal solid waste. Coskata is getting close to going full scale with this technology.
Coskata's new Lighthouse cellulosic ethanol plant, in depth — Autoblog Green: "Flex ethanol is the term Coskata is using for ethanol that can be made with almost any feedstock, i.e., ethanol made using the Coskata process."

Iowa Ethanol producer deploys algae production

2009-10-14T15:39:00.001-05:00

A Shenadoah, Iowa ethanol biorefinery is using waste heat and C02 to nourish algae production. In the future, algae could be used for feed, food, or fuel. The unveiling will be October 14, 2009.
BioFuels Journal - News & Information for the Ethanol and BioDiesel Industries: "Omaha, NE—Green Plains Renewable Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: GPRE) announces the unveiling of BioProcessAlgae, LLC’s Phase I photobioreactor pilot project."

Hydrated Ethanol can increase diesel engine efficiency

2009-10-14T15:31:00.000-05:00

CleanFlex Power Systems is retrofitting diesel engines to run on hydrated ethanol combined with diesel. The ethanol is a mixture of 40% water and 60% ethanol, dubbed EM60. Two separate tanks are used. the hydrated ethanol and diesel come together at the last second during combustion. The result is less emmissions and more horsepower. I consider this to be a high-efficiency use of ethanol. Click the link for an article with more details.
Precision Pays

Biogas from waste comes to Flint

2009-09-22T09:42:00.000-05:00

Let's hope this project works well, as it could then be replicated at many more waste treatment plants, reducing cost and producing renewable energy from a waste product. Biogas can be upgraded to use like natural gas, including as a fuel for converted vehicles or vehicles built to tun on natural gas.
Swedish Biogas Starts Construction Of New Biogas Plant In Flint City, Michigan, US - Energy Business Review: "The $8-million- to $10-million plant will be built on city's wastewater treatment plant. The project is expected to be operational by next fall. Human waste treated at the wastewater treatment plant will be used to create biogas."

Distributed pre-processing for cellulosic ethanol

2009-09-17T16:59:00.000-05:00

One of the biggest limitations for cellulosic ethanol is the need to transport huge quantities of bulky biomass. If this biomass can be easily processed to increase energy density near where it is harvested, this would decrease transportation cost. Pyrolysis is one such method. The result of pre-processing is then pyrolysis oil which could be shipped by pipeline or tanker. The article linked below hints at another possiblity--cellulosic sugar. This dry substance could be stored and shipped like grain.
BioFuels Journal - News & Information for the Ethanol and BioDiesel Industries: "Comet Biorefining has demonstrated this unique technology at pilot scale and estimates that cellulosic sugar can be produced for as low as 7 cents per pound based on laboratory testing."

Fertilizer from corncobs

2009-09-03T19:36:00.000-05:00

Nitrogen fertilizer is usually made from natural gas. Now bioammonia will be made from Iowa corncobs.
SynGest, Heartland plan to make bioammonia DesMoinesRegister.com The Des Moines Register: "SynGest Inc. has signed a letter of intent with Heartland Co-op of West Des Moines to explore a partnership to make and sell ammonia from corncobs."

TX facility produces High-Octane Green Gasoline

2009-07-30T16:10:00.000-05:00

BioFuels Journal - News & Information for the Ethanol and BioDiesel Industries: "The gasoline was produced using Terrabon's licensed MixAlco™ technology to pre-treat and ferment biomass at the Company's advanced biofuels research facility, Energy Independence I, located in Bryan, Texas.
This process yielded organic salts, which were converted to ketones and then to high-octane gasoline."

Synergy between ethanol, CHP, and electric cars

2009-07-29T17:13:00.000-05:00

I agree with the linked article that we chould make more use of combined heat and power (chp) production and natural gas, but I do not agree with pitting these technologies against ethanol. CHP can be combined with ethanol production for greater production efficiency. On the use side, most people are going to want liquid fueled engines in combination with plug-in electric in order to extend the range. Ethanol or other high octane biofuels could be the perfect fuel for this application. A small engine running at a consant speed just for battery recharging can be optimized to make the best possible use of ethanol, thereby increasing efficiency of the system. There would be little or no fuel economy deficit when using ethanol in an optimized engine.

CHP Electricity Powers Cars 22 Times Farther Than Ethanol! - Renewable Energy World

Innovative New Yeasts Could Help Cellulosic Ethanol Production

2009-07-29T16:52:00.000-05:00

ARS researchers have been thinking outside the box. Rather than focusing only on the difficult task of converting xylose into ethanol, they developed yeasts that can use xylose for energy and thereby convert more of the glucose in the feedstock into ethanol. Xylose is a type of sugar that is found in cellulosic biomass. But many cellulosic type materials also contain glucose. Jerusalem artichoke stems and sweet sorghum stems might be good candidates.

New Yeasts Could Help Fast-Track Biofuel Production / July 28, 2009 / News from the USDA Agricultural Research Service: "The new yeast doesn’t directly convert large quantities of xylose into ethanol. Instead, xylose provides energy the yeast needs to grow and reproduce without oxygen. This means that the glucose that might have been used by the yeast to grow and reproduce is now available for fermentation, and the rate of ethanol conversion increases."

Developing a direct injected turbo ethanol engine

2009-06-15T19:12:00.000-05:00

This article does a good job of explaining how an engine can be designed to take advantage of ethanol's properties to wipe out the usual fuel economy penalty. This kind of technology could be revolutionary.

AutoSpeed - Going Direct Injected Turbo Ethanol!: "When operated on ethanol blends such as E85, current flex-fuel engines pay a fuel economy penalty of about 30 per cent compared to gasoline. The EBDI engine substantially improves ethanol's efficiency, and performs at a level comparable to a diesel engine."

Combining biogas, ethanol, and livestock production

2009-06-04T16:25:00.000-05:00

This has been tried before. Hopefully thay've got it right this time. This combination should produce greater efficiency and preserve nutrients better. The material left after biogas production could be a valuable fertilizer.
Green Car Congress: Profile: Farmers EthanolFocusing on Sustainable Corn Ethanol Production and a Triple Bottom Line

Air-fueled Battery Being Developed

2009-05-22T17:10:00.000-05:00

The article says this is at least 5 years from being available, but it could be big for electric cars, laptops, and other devices with batteries. I could also be used for storing wind energy.
Air-fueled Battery Could Last Up to 10 Times Longer - Renewable Energy World: "A new type of air-fueled battery could give up to ten times the energy storage of designs currently available."

Sewage could help solve coming phosphate fertilizer shortage

2009-05-20T22:09:00.000-05:00

According to the article linked below, "peak phosphate" may be a more urgent issue for our world than "peak oil." Rock phosphate mined from a few dwindling reserves is vital in world food production. Researchers at the University of British Columbia have developed a method for extracting nutrients from municipal sewage in a form that is useable on farms. It could also provide a valuable revenue source for municiple sewage plants around the world.
globeandmail.com: The sewage plant carries the sweet smell of valuable phosphorus: "'Phosphate production is going to peak around 2035 and then tail off,' Dr. Ashley said. 'If we don't do something we are looking at mass starvation.'"

Plans for cellulosic ethanol in Missouri

2009-05-20T21:56:00.000-05:00

This biorefinery would turn a wide variety of waste products and energy crop feedstocks into cellulosic ethanol and other valuable chemicals. Production of ethanol would start out at 10 million gallons per year, with the potential of expanding to 40 million gallons.
Marshall Democrat-News: Story: Company CEO explains details of biorefinery processes, products: "Irshad Ahmed, president and CEO of Pure Energy Inc. the company that is spearheading the effort to build a biorefinery complex in Saline County, spoke on the specifics of operations at the complex during the Saline Green Project town hall meeting, including how to involve local farmers."

USDA studies Watermelons for Ethanol

2009-05-20T21:48:00.000-05:00

USDA researchers are looking for a way to use blemished watermelons ususally left in the field. They estimate 20% of the total crop goes unharvested. They are also looking at other crops with simple sugars--such as sweet sorghum--that could be rotated with watermelons to supply biorefineries more consistently. This would be a vital part of making the plan work. Another important aspect is that valuable neutraceuticals could be extracted from the watermelons in addition to the sugars for ethanol. This would prabably provide the primary revenue stream.
Watermelons Tapped for Ethanol / May 20, 2009 / News from the USDA Agricultural Research Service: "On average, a 20-pound watermelon will yield about 1.4 pounds of sugar from the flesh and rind, from which about seven-tenths of a pound of ethanol can be derived."

Company plans to make biobutanol from dairy and wood waste

2009-05-19T10:30:00.000-05:00

They plan to use gasification and then convert the gas to biobutanol. They say this will be more profitable than fermentation, even with a relatively small biorefinery. Biobutanol is easier to ship by pipeline than ethanol and has a higher energy density. The leftover material can be used as a fertilizer.
Company trying to turn waste into biofuel StatesmanJournal.com Statesman Journal: "Salem businessmen to turn dairy dung into butanol for vehicles"

Bioelectricity and liquid biofuels can work together

2009-05-08T15:31:00.000-05:00

This study discussed at the link below finds it more efficient to generate transportation electricity from biomass rather than making the biomass into liquid biofuels for transpotation use. I don't doubt this, but I would suggest a combination is still the best in the form of a flex-fuel plug in hybrid. Without a huge an expensive battery array, a purely electric car simply does not have the range to satisfy most consumers. A small biofuel-powered engine running at a constant speed could extend the range quite efficiently. It would also allow quick refueling at fuel stations on long trips.
Also, I doubt the study considered direct injection of high octane biofuels. In this way, a small amount of ethanol or biobutanol can be leveraged to increase fuel economy tremendously. It only requires a small second fuel tank that would be filled infrequently. I suspect it would rival the efficiency of biomass electricity. It would be interesting to see that comparison.
Bioelectricity More Efficient than Ethanol for Transportation, Study Shows : Gas 2.0

Ford E85 Direct Injection Boosting Study

2009-04-30T15:36:00.000-05:00

Keep an eye on this one. Direct injection ethanol boosting could revolutionize driving and the ethanol industry.
Green Car Congress: Ford E85 Direct Injection Boosting Study: A Less Expensive Alternative to Diesel: "Improved engine efficiency leverages the effect of the limited supply of E85, compared to simply displacing gasoline as in an FFV [flexible fuel vehicle]...this leveraging can be very substantial, and has the effect of dramatically improving the net energy balance of ethanol, and therefore its beneficial impact on reducing petroleum consumption.
—Stein et. al. (2009)"

Institute researches Jerusalem Artichokes for ethanol

2009-04-30T15:17:00.000-05:00

Jerusalem artichoke stems contain lots of simple sugars. Also, it is a perennial, so it would not need to be planted every year as with corn. Researhcers are working on Jerusalem Artichokes at the Institute for Advenced Learning.
Institute the backbone of regional efforts to go green | GoDanRiver: "“Jerusalem artichoke is a really cool plant,” said John Kennedy, director of research and innovation. “It has a lot of soluble sugar in it, and you need sugar to make ethanol.”"

Solar power captured in space, beamed to Earth

2009-04-16T21:20:00.000-05:00

They say radio waves would be beamed to earth where they would then be converted to electricity. Cost has been the obstacle until now. PG&E thinks they have lowered costs sufficiently.
Solar power captured in space, beamed to Earth csmonitor.com: "PG&E wants to put solar cells above the clouds, where they don't need to worry about anything blocking their view of the sun."

Biogas from industrial wastewater

2009-04-16T21:01:00.000-05:00

Here is an example of energy production that helps solve a problem--wastewater treatment.
GRAINNET News and Information for the Grain, Milling, Feed, Seed and BioFuels Industry: "Ken's Foods Utilizes Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor to Generate Biogas to Power Wastewater Treatment Plant Operation"

Ethanol from Duckweed

2009-04-10T20:55:00.000-05:00

This "duckweed" is a fast-growing aquatic weed that would grow in wastewater. It would clean up the water from municipal wate treatment or livestock production. At the same timw, researchers say it would produce more starch per acre than corn. The starch could be a feedstock for ethanol in existing biorefineries.
GRAINNET News and Information for the Grain, Milling, Feed, Seed and BioFuels Industry: "North Carolina State University Researchers Find High-Starch Duckweed Could Be Utilized to Produce Ethanol More Quickly and Efficiently Than Corn"

Engines can retrofit to run on half ethanol and half water

2009-04-03T15:53:00.000-05:00

Perhaps the most significant advantage of using dilute ethanol (aka hydrous ethanol) is that it shoul dbe less expensive to make. It takes a lot of energy to remove the last bit of water from ethanol.
GRAINNET News and Information for the Grain, Milling, Feed, Seed and BioFuels Industry: "Sand Point, ID—An Idaho company is developing an internal combustion steam engine that will run on 50% water and 50% ethanol."

Bacteria for cellulosic biofuels from poor soil

2009-04-02T16:14:00.000-05:00

A successful crop involves the cooperation of numerous microbes. Scientists have found that adding specific bacteria to poplar trees accelerates their growth considerably, even when they are growing on poor soils. These are soild that would be next to useless for row crops such as corn.
Scienceline » Bacteria for Better Biofuels: "Adding the right kind of bacteria, scientists find, can boost plant growth on poor quality soil."

Making ammonia fertilizer from corn cobs

2009-03-31T16:11:00.000-05:00

Here is an example of cellulosic technology thinkinging outside the box. It may be more efficient to make fertilizer from cellulosic material rather than liquid fuels. This would displace natural gas now used in the production of ammonia fertilizer.
Plant to make ammonia from cobs | DesMoinesRegister.com | The Des Moines Register: "SynGest of San Francisco said it will make anhydrous ammonia fuel and fertilizer from corn cobs and other biomass from a factory to be located on 75 acres near Menlo."

Ethanol biorefinery using landfill gas as process fuel

2009-03-27T17:28:00.000-05:00

Co-locating an ethanol plant near a landfill is one way to utilize landfill gas. Most landfills are not exploited as they could be.
GRAINNET News and Information for the Grain, Milling, Feed, Seed and BioFuels Industry: "The POET plant will utilize the landfill gas in a wood waste-fuel boiler to generate process steam."

Methane form sewage to power buses

2009-03-26T15:14:00.000-05:00

Plans are in the works to run city buses in Oslo, Norway, with biomethane extracted from sewage and food waste. These underutilized resources are available in any city.
Norway turns to poo-powered buses COSMOS magazine

Lower cost method for processing algae

2009-03-26T15:05:00.000-05:00

ALgae is a potential feedstock for various biofuels such as ethanol or biobutanol. If the cost of harvest, drying, and dewatering can be lowered as much as the linked article mentions, it could make algae much more competitive.
GRAINNET News and Information for the Grain, Milling, Feed, Seed and BioFuels Industry: "'We have demonstrated a truly disruptive technology that reduces that cost by more than 99 percent - from $875 per ton to $1.92 per ton,' Youngs said."

Ethanol pipeline studied for U.S.

2009-03-19T13:31:00.000-05:00

It seems that some ethanol commentators are under the impression that ethanol cannot be shipped by pipeline. This is not strictly true. Many years ago, a U.S. compamy did some successful tests on shipping ethanol in a multi-product pipeline. Recently, Magellan and Poet announced plans to explore the possibility of building an ethanol pipeline from the midwest to the east coast. Brazil is already shipping ethanol by pipeline.
Poet, Magellan to study ethanol pipeline - Ethanol Producer Magazine

Solazyme turning out auto-ready ‘crude’ from algae

2009-03-04T14:40:00.000-06:00

Solazyme Inc. is using a non light dependent algae fed with biomass. The result is a sort of crude oil that can be made into many products including biodiesel. A bid advantage is he compatibility with existing automobiles and distribution infrastructure.
ABC7.com Green Content - Algae fuel start-up Solazyme turning out auto-ready ‘crude’

Algae promising for biofuels

2009-02-26T15:00:00.000-06:00

USAgNet.com - Illinois News - Algae a Credible Frontrunner as Source for Biofuels

Dairy converts trucks to biogas power

2009-02-19T20:21:00.000-06:00

A California Dairy is using biomethane from cattle manure to power two farm trucks.
GRAINNET News and Information for the Grain, Milling, Feed, Seed and BioFuels Industry: "Nationally, dairy cows could power about one million vehicles with clean-burning biomethane."

Plans to produce flex-fuel ethanol engine with better fuel economy

2009-02-13T17:37:00.000-06:00

The British firm Ricardo expects to roll out a new engine design in 3-5 years that would run more efficiently on ethanol. They expect it to have only a 15% drop in fuel economy on ethanol, much better than the 30% drop experienced in most models today. This will make ethanol, such as E85, more cost-competitive and more attractive to consumers. The use of such engines in plug-in electric hybrids would create an attractive package in terms of fuel efficiency, low emmissions, and low cost of operation.
Ethanol stalled, but experts say it remains viable fuel option - Rebranding Michigan - Michigan Business Review – MLive.com: "It aims to leverage the higher octane and higher heat of vaporization elements of ethanol to increase fuel economy. It integrates direct injection technology, variable valve timing, exhaust gas recirculation and optimized ignition technology."

Direct Solar to Hydrogen Plant to be built in Australia

2009-02-13T17:20:00.000-06:00

Water can be broken down into hydrogen and oxygen with electricity. This facility in Australia will use solar concentrators to directly heat water to 1000 degrees. At this level of heat a given amount of electricity can produce more than twice as much hydrogen in the electrolysis process. In essence, then, they are making hydrogen from direct solar energy (as opposed to solar electricity) by displacing some of the electricity needed for the electrolysis process.
Direct Solar to Hydrogen Plant Goes Up in Australia Hydrogen Cars and Vehicles: "Solar Systems of Hawthorne in Victoria, Australia is developing the country’s first and perhaps even the world’s first direct solar to hydrogen commercial power plant."

Ethanol from Idaho agricultural waste

2009-02-12T11:32:00.000-06:00

Solving two problems at once can make a process more economically viable. In this case, it is waste management and fuel production.
ISU Headlines » Researchers seek to create ethanol from Idaho agricultural waste: "They are not exactly alchemists trying to turn lead into gold, but almost: researchers from Idaho’s three largest public universities are seeking to create ethanol from the Gem state’s agricultural waste.
And they have a realistic shot at converting potato, sugar beet and other agricultural waste – perhaps even cow manure – into a fuel that can run in your car.

Iowa Plant To Create Fuel From 'Pond Scum'

2009-01-30T20:02:00.000-06:00

If all goes as planned, The CO2 coming from an Iowa ethanol plant will soon be used to promote the growth of algae for additional biofuel production. This kind of symbiosis could become important for the biofuel industry.
Iowa Plant To Create Fuel From 'Pond Scum' - The Green Pages News Story - KCCI Des Moines: "SHENANDOAH, Iowa -- In Shenandoah, green algae is going from pond scum to a power source."

Tax incentives for biogas proposed

2009-01-30T19:54:00.000-06:00

Perhaps the most important benefit of biogas production from waste manure would be the reduction of odor and water pollution from manure handling. It would also replace some natural gas and produce new rural jobs.
The Independent > Archives > News > Ag > Nelson, Johanns sponsor biogas bill: "Nebraska Sens. Ben Nelson and Mike Johanns are among the sponsors of legislation promoting the development of biogas — a natural gas substitute created by converting agricultural, animal or other organic wastes — through tax incentives."

Bateria increases poplar biomass yield up to 50%

2009-01-27T12:53:00.000-06:00

Poplar is being researched as a promising crop for cellulosic ethanol production. These trees grow very fast, even on marginal land unsuitable for most types of food production. It has long been known that many plants rely on organisms such as fingi and bacteria to optimize uptake of nutrients. The research described in the linked article seeks to optimize this relationship by innoculating with the most desireable types of bacteria. This technique might have applications for food crops as well. Farmers already innoculate legume crops on a routine basis to improve nitrogen fixation from the air. Other types of innoculation might be a good way to unlock the potential of nutrients found in the soil, but in a form that is unavailable to most plants.
Greentech Media: Green Light � Blog Archive � Good News for Zeachem: Bacteria That Increases Poplar Growth

AFEX Pretreatment could reduce cellulosic ethanol cost

2009-01-22T20:38:00.000-06:00

A more efficient way of releasing sugars from cellulose could revolutionize cellulosic biofuel production.
MSU-patented process can reduce the cost of making cellulosic biofuels MSU News Michigan State University: "The AFEX (ammonia fiber expansion) pretreatment process, developed by Bruce Dale, University Distinguished Professor of chemical engineering and materials science, uses ammonia to make the breakdown of cellulose and hemicellulose in plants 75 percent more efficient than when conventional enzymes alone are used.The AFEX (ammonia fiber expansion) pretreatment process, developed by Bruce Dale, University Distinguished Professor of chemical engineering and materials science, uses ammonia to make the breakdown of cellulose and hemicellulose in plants 75 percent more efficient than when conventional enzymes alone are used."

Biomass Gasification plus CHP in Denmark

2009-01-14T11:38:00.000-06:00

A demonstration plant in Denmark is perfecting biomass gasification combined with CHP (Combined Heat and Power). The BioGas is used to power generators and waste heat is captured and used. This method results in more electricity produced from the biomass as compared to direct burning without gasification.
Biomass Gasification in Skive: Opening Doors in Denmark - Renewable Energy World

Cornell technology makes small scale biogas more feasible

2009-01-10T14:53:00.000-06:00

Biogas can be made on a farm or landfill scale with simple technology. Removing the hydrogen sulfide, however, has been a more complicated process and not suited to small scale. It is toxic and needs to be removed for many applications and to reduce pollution. Scientists at Cornell have developed a small scale solution for removing hydrogen sulfide that is suitable for farms and other locations outside the large refineries. Biogas than then be used in properly equipped engines for electricity generation, transportation, and other work.

Cornell Chronicle: Cornell technology makes biogas greener: "Cornell plant scientists have invented a new method that uses manure and other farm byproducts to remove toxic hydrogen sulfide from biogas -- a renewable energy source derived from the breakdown of animal waste."

Companies turning algae Into jet fuel

2009-01-01T13:27:00.000-06:00

The article linked below discusses these 5 companies: Solazyme, Inventure Chemical Technology, Sapphire Energy, Aquaflow Bionomic Corp., and Algenol Biofuels.

Algae in the Air: 5 Startups Turning Algae Into Jet Fuel

Scaling up biochar and pyrolysis for energy and agriculture

2008-12-31T17:43:00.000-06:00

Pyrolysis means heating biomass in an oxygen-deprived environment. The result is pyrolysis oil, syngas (can be burned to make electricity) and biochar (a promising fertilizer). If it can be sacaled up, it could be an important solution for food production, greenhouse gas reduction, and clean energy production.
Carbon Sequestration, Agriculture, and Charcoal - Can Biochar Stop Global Warming? - Popular Mechanics: "Biochar goes beyond this, directly removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by stimulating plant growth as well as storing the carbon from decomposing plants in the soil as well as those that were burned to make it for as long as 5,000 years."

Interactions between ethanol, oil, and food prices

2008-12-26T17:43:00.000-06:00

With the plummetting oil and food prices around the glode, we now have data needed in order to analyze what effect ethanol truly has on food prices. As the article below points out, food prices are tied more to oil prices than anything else. Ethanol production continues to expand even as food prices fall due to lower oil prices. All this should promt us to develop more regionalized and localized sustainable food systems that are less reliant on oil (fossil fuel) inputs.
Fact vs. Fiction on Food vs. Fuel - International Analyst Network: "At the height of the oil crisis, ethanol was responsible for keeping the price of oil 15% lower than where it would otherwise have been. This means that as vexing as some find annual ethanol subsidies of roughly $5.6 billion, the use of ethanol saved the U.S. economy in 2008 roughly ten-times that amount which otherwise would have ended up in the coffers of foreign oil-exporting countries - many of them hostile to us."

Saltwater Crops May Be Key to Solving Earth's Land Crunch

2008-12-11T13:18:00.000-06:00

Certain plants can be grown on land with a high salt concentration. Some of them could produce high biomass yields for cellulosic ethanol production. Most food crops cannot be grown on these soils, so they are largely under-utilized for farming.
Food vs. Fuel: Saltwater Crops May Be Key to Solving Earth's Land Crunch Wired Science from Wired.com: "His team's report for the agency estimates that salt-loving crops could be used to produce 1.5 billion barrels of ethanol annually on a swath of new agricultural land almost five times the size of Texas."

Recovering CO2 with Algae

2008-12-11T13:10:00.000-06:00

Algae is capable of converting CO2 into biomass. The algae biomass can then be converted to ethanol or biodiesel. Costs will need to be brought down, however.
Untitled Page: "They propose to employ algae to scrub carbon dioxide from the flue-gases of coal-fired power plants _ of which Kentucky has many _ and use the algae to produce an oil that could then be refined into fuel."

KMP begins ethanol shipment by pipeline

2008-12-04T20:55:00.000-06:00

The cost of shipment by rail and truck has been a limiting factor for the ethanol industry. Pipeline transportation may provide an answer in some cases. Pipelines must be modified or designed for shipment of ethanol.
Press Releases: "HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 2, 2008--Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. (NYSE:KMP) today announced it is now transporting commercial batches of denatured ethanol along with gasoline shipments in its 16-inch Central Florida Pipeline (CFPL) between Tampa and Orlando, Fla., making CFPL the first transmarket gasoline pipeline in the United States to do so."

Making Clean Energy from Waste with PEM

2008-12-03T13:16:00.000-06:00

Especially in the current financial environment, renewable energy production will be much more competitive if it solves other problems at the same time, such as waste disposal.
Making Clean Energy from Waste - Renewable Energy World: "Rather than incinerating waste, InEnTec uses its Plasma Enhanced Melter (PEM) Systems to heat waste to very high temperatures using electrically charged gas (plasma), breaking down organic material and creating a variety of products."

Clean water and biofuel with algae

2008-12-01T14:24:00.000-06:00

Scientists say a system for cleaning river water with algae is ready to go large scale. They want to then produce biofuels such as butanol from the algae. A small scale system is cleaning water flowing into Chesapeake Bay.
LancasterOnline.com:News:Project aims to produce bio-fuel while cleaning up bay: "The constantly growing algae is vacuumed up with an everyday Shop-Vac. The gooey material, when dried, could be a prime catalyst for fermenting a bio-fuel."

Iowa Ethanol maker to add algae bioreactors

2008-11-20T17:59:00.000-06:00

Green Plains Renewable Energy Inc. plans to expiriment with algae production at an Iowa ethanol biorefinery. This could increase the efficiency of biofuel production by utilizing waste heat and C02.

GRAINNET News and Information for the Grain, Milling, Feed, Seed and BioFuels Industry: "Using advanced photobioreactor technology developed by the company from base technology licensed to the company by BioProcessH2O, BioProcess Algae expects to produce algae at Green Plains' ethanol plant in Shenandoah, Iowa, sustained by the plant's recycled heat, water and carbon dioxide."

Biodiesel and Ethanol from catfish ponds

2008-11-20T17:54:00.000-06:00

PetroSun Biofuels proposes making biodiesel and ethanol from algae grown in Mississippi catfish ponds, producing both catfish and biofuels in the same space.
Grainnet Information for the Grain, Milling, Feed, Seed and BioFuels Industry: "Based on an annual potential production rate of 2,000 gallons per acre, the existing 80,000 acres of ponds would produce 160 million gallons of algal oil annually for conversion to biodiesel."

Biogas potential from U.S. livestock farms

2008-11-14T17:36:00.000-06:00

Other countries have developed large-scale production of biogas and electricity from livestock manure. With the proper regulatory environmnet and incentives, the U.S. could do the same. This article and the comments are a good introduction to the benefits and challenges of biogas from livestock manure.
Biogas: what options for Slurry power in the US? - Renewable Energy World: "Intensive animal farming produces large amounts of waste – about 75 kg per cow, per day – that is both a source of methane pollution and a potential groundwater pollutant. Using anaerobic digestion to treat animal slurry can provide a solution to this problem, as well as renewable energy."

Ethanol biorefinery to be powered by landfill gas

2008-11-14T17:14:00.000-06:00

Biogas (mainly methane) from a landfill will be used in place of natural gas as the process fuel used to turn corn and grain sorghum into ethanol. This should improve the energy balance of the ethanol produced and the city will receive a royalty.
The Robesonian > St Pauls Review > News > Ethanol plant permitted: "The plant will partner with Robeson County on the site. Robeson County, which signed a 15-year deal with Solv-It Technologies in February, 2007, will install a $1.1 million methane gas collection system to power the plant. The methane will be collected from the landfill."

St. Joseph demonstration plant for next generation biofuels

2008-10-30T15:51:00.000-05:00

Gevo and ICM are teaming up to build a demonstration plant in St. Joseph, Missouri. They will investigate Gevo's technology for converting standard ethanol biorefineries so that they can produce isobutanol and other alcohol-based chemicals from cellulosic agricultural waste materials. The technolofy is outlined here: http://www.gevo.com/our_technology.php. The end result could be cost effective bio-based renewable auto fuels, diesel fuels, jet fuels, and plastics.
Gevo – Next Generation Biofuels: "“Our data says that it will cost less than $0.30 per gallon to retrofit an ethanol plant to make isobutanol. Isobutanol can be converted to gasoline blendstocks for less than an additional $0.25 per gallon. Think of it: gasoline from an ethanol plant for less than $0.60/gallon additional capital,” stated Gruber. “This technology is a win-win for both the agricultural and petrochemical industries. It opens up new and broader value-added markets to the agricultural community, and it provides the petrochemical industry with an easier route to incorporate renewable fuels and chemicals into their existing infrastructure,” said Gruber."

New Method Turns Wood into Sugar for Biofuels

2008-10-29T11:23:00.000-05:00

German researchers appear to have a breakthrough in this new method for turning wood into simple sugars. Simple sugars can be easily turned into ethanol or other useful substances.
New Method Turns Wood into Sugar for Biofuels: "Up to now, conventional methods for converting cellulose to sugar have used acid baths or high temperatures and pressures that require massive amounts of energy. This new method, however, works by first dissolving cellulose in an ionic liquid so that the long chains are broken down into shorter, single stranded chains called oligomers."

Improving biobutanol production efficiency

2008-10-20T10:49:00.001-05:00

Researchers at the USDA Agricultural Research Service are working on more efficient ways to produce celllulosic biobutanol, an alcohol with properties superior to ethanol. They are able to combine some of the steps necessary to make biobutanol from straw.
Banking on Biobutanol: "If scaled up further, the process could yield 307 combined kilograms, or 99 gallons, of acetone, biobutanol, and ethanol from 1 ton of wheat straw. The P260 strain produces a specific ratio of the three chemicals, but efforts are now under way at Peoria to develop genetically modified bacteria that will make only biobutanol."

UNL study shows ethanol production efficiency growing

2008-10-17T13:58:00.000-05:00

Previous studies on ethanol production often used data from outdated technology. More recently, the ethanol industry is using less fossil fuels per unit of ethanol produced, and especially less petroleum.
UNL study: Ethanol energy efficiency growing - Grand Island, NE - Grand Island Independent: "Cassman said if the goal is to reduce dependence on imported oil, his research estimates that 13 gallons of ethanol are produced for every gallon of petroleum used in the production life cycle for corn ethanol."

New ethanol biorefinery will use barley

2008-10-01T18:06:00.000-05:00

Construction has begun on an ethanol biorefinery in Virginia that will use barley as the primary feedstock. Using barley will open up large new areas of the U.S. Southeast for ethanol production. Aslo, barley is generally a winter crop, double cropped with soybeans in this region. This winter crop cuts down on soil erosion and runnoff into the ocean because soil is not left unprotected through the winter. So this is and instance where ethanol could provide environmental benefit and help preserve soil productivity.
DD Construction to begin on new ethanol plant

Tropical sugar beet could benefit biofuels industry

2008-09-28T14:39:00.000-05:00

Sugar beets are typically grown in cooler climates. However, Syngenta has released a variety that thrives in tropical climates with yields similar to suagar cane, but in less time and with less need for water. This could prove quite useful for ethanol production, both in sugar cane regions and regions too dry for growing sugar cane without irrigation.
GRAINNET News and Information for the Grain, Milling, Feed, Seed and BioFuels Industry

MO power plants to cut emissions by growing algae for biofuels

2008-09-11T22:07:00.000-05:00

According to an AP article, two Missouri power plants plan to test a system that would use waste CO2 to grow algae that could be turned into ethanol, biodiesel, and animal feed. CO2 acts like a fertilizer for the green algae which also gathers energy from the sun via photosynthesis. If successful, the system could be implimented at numerous facilities that currently vent CO2 into the atmosphere.
Mo. power plants to cut emissions by growing algae - Forbes.com

Company plans to scale up production of gasoline from biomass

2008-08-21T20:12:00.001-05:00

Texas Engineering Experiment Station and Byogy Renewables say they have developed an integrated biorefinery that will take in any biomass, including cellulosics, and produces a biofuel that can be a direct replacements for gasoline, jet fuel, and diesel. All this at a competitive price, they say. They expect to scale up production within 2 years.
GRAINNET News and Information for the Grain, Milling, Feed, Seed and BioFuels Industry

Syngas from biomass gasification to power lime kilns

2008-08-21T20:03:00.000-05:00

The gasifier unit being perfected by Nexterra Energy Corp. could also provide thermal energy for pulp mills, ethanol biorefineries, and many other facilities with biomass, displacing natural gas or other fossil fuels.
GRAINNET News and Information for the Grain, Milling, Feed, Seed and BioFuels Industry

Google Invests $10 Million in Engineered Geothermal

2008-08-21T16:04:00.000-05:00

Engineered geothermal does not rely on existing hot water sources. Rather, water is injected into the dry hot rocks that are much more common. Steam from recovered water drives turbines to produce electricity. Much of the water is recycled by re-injecting. The potentail looks very good for this technology.
Warm Globe: Google Invests $10 Million in Geothermal

Variable Compression for better fuel economy on ethanol

2008-08-18T22:30:00.000-05:00

With a high compression engine to take advantage of high octane, fuel economy on ethanol can be near that of fuel economy on gasoline. But most flex fuel engines are designed for optimum fuel economy on gasoline. That's why they get much worse fuel economy on E85. A variable compression engine like the research model described below could run with optimum efficiency on ethanol and gasoline. This would be huge for motorists, reducing cost per mile driven and making ethanol much more competitive with gasoline.
Lotus developing efficient two-stroke OMNIVORE engine - Autoblog: "This engine design is expected to significantly increase fuel efficiency for sustainable bio alcohol fuels. The architecture features an innovative variable compression ratio system and uses a two-stroke operating cycle with direct fuel injection."

New catalyst for ethanol from syngas being developed

2008-08-14T17:02:00.000-05:00

Researchers at Iowa State University are developing a catalyst that can be more selective in producing ethanol from syngas rather than other products. Through gasification, syngas can be produced from almost any organic material including waste materials. This technology ofr gasification is already in use and well developed. Syngas can be upgraded to replace natural gas or a catalyst can be used to convert syngas to ethanol.
GRAINNET News and Information for the Grain, Milling, Feed, Seed and BioFuels Industry: "“You can use the waste product from the distilling process or any number of other sources of biomass, such as switchgrass or wood pulp. Basically any carbon-based material can be converted into syngas.
'And once we have syngas, we can turn that into ethanol.”"

Agaves: more ethanol with less water

2008-08-08T09:40:00.000-05:00

Here is yet another ethanol feedstock that seems to hold great promise without the need for cellulosic ethanol technology (though it does yield large amounts of cellulose in addition to simple sugars). According to the linked article, Agave could produce much more ethanol per acre per year than corn or sugarcane, with additional coproducts available as well. All this while using much less water and growing on soils poorly suited for corn or sugarcane crops or other food crops. Agave is mainly grown in very dry regions of Mexico, but should be able to thrive in similar climatic zones of the southwest United States. This is a crop high in simple sugars, very easily and processed into ethanol fuel.
Mexico & Agaves: Moving from Tequila to Ethanol: "High in sugar content, the project team estimates that varieties of Agave tequilana weber can yield up to 2,000 gallons of distilled ethanol per acre per year and from 12,000-18,000 gallons per acre per year if their cellulose is included, some 14 dry tons of feedstock per acre every year."

Grass crossed with sugarcane might yield more ethanol then sugarcane

2008-08-07T13:57:00.000-05:00

A central Florida landowner estimates huge rthanol yields per acre possible from a cross between African Elephant Grass and Sugarcane. Like sugarcane, this grass is high in simple sugars, so ethanol conversion would be inexpensive and not require advanced cellulosic ethanol techniques.
Retired Lakeland Minister Thinks Grass Can Be Used for Ethanol theledger.com The Ledger Lakeland, FL

Miscanthus Shows Great Potential as Ethanol Feedstock

2008-08-06T10:46:00.000-05:00

Trials by Illinois researchers indicate the perennial grass known as Miscanthus could produce 2.5 times more biofuel energy per acre as compared to corn. This is with much less fertilization and erosion as compared to corn cropping. The variety used is sterile, and invasion of nearby fields has not been a problem in European and U.S. trials. Breeding for increased biomass could raise yields still more. Higher yields per acre will allow for shorter transportation distance for biomass to the biorefineries. This perennial grass will grow on marginal soils and actually improve soil fertility and carbon content over time. That's why long-term rotations with these grasses could actually improve food production over time. Land previously marginal for food production could be better for food production after a number of years in grass.
Miscanthus Shows Great Potential as Ethanol Feedstock

Renergie supports repealing ethanol Import tariff

2008-08-05T10:47:00.000-05:00

A Louisiana biofuel company focused on non-corn kernel feedstocks is arguing that ethanol import tariffs should be eliminated. They argue that more supply would permit and promote a building out of infrastructure for use of ethanol beyond 10% blending. Blender pumps, especially, would allow blending of gasoline and ethanol at various proportions. Also, imported ethanol would be valuable for U.S. coastal areas located far from the midwest ethanol production regions. Additional arguments are included in the linked article.

Why the Ethanol Import Tariff Should be Repealed � Renergie’s Weblog

Biogas power from U.S. cow manure

2008-08-04T16:25:00.000-05:00

The linked article describes large scale biogas production in Texas and California. Biogas can be used to produce electricity or can be upgraded as a direct replacement for natural gas. This upgraded biogas can be injected into the natural gas pipeline grid. The Texas facility processes manure from a nearby farm and mixes it with food waste. The output is able to power a little more than one house for every cow. If you add up the confined livestock numbers in the U.S., you will quickly see that the power potential is astounding, not to mention the great reduction in pollution. In the process of extracting biogas, manure is transformed into a fertilizer that is much more valuable for farmers and far less polluting, less reactive than the original manure.
Power from cow poo heats homes — Plenty Magazine

Dominican complex plans ethanol and methane from sweet sorgum

2008-07-31T17:48:00.000-05:00

Using Sweet sorghum as the main input, a Dominican agricultural complex plans to produce 100 million gallons of ethanol per year in addition to methane, hydrogen, and several types of livestock. Such an integrated system should be able to get more value from each ton of energy crop inputs.
Firm announces $340 mn ethanol venture in Dominican Republic

Florida company tests sweet sorghum for sugar-based ethanol

2008-07-31T17:42:00.000-05:00

A Florida company, Global Renewable Energy, is considering the kind of sorghum that produces lots of sugar-laden juice in the stems, similar to sugar cane. The ethanol would be made from this juice rather than grain. Ethanol is easier to make from these simple sugars, but the stems must be processed quickly after harvest because of spoilage. Refineries will need to be close to production fields. Florida's year-round growing season will be an advantage, and the sweet sorgum requires less water and fertilizer than does corn, the favorite ethanol feedstock currently.
Sebastian-based business hoping crop can play key role in ethanol production : Treasure Coast : TCPalm

New Pretreatment Technology Dramatically Increases Cellulosic Ethanol Yield

2008-07-31T11:36:00.000-05:00

A new mild acid pretreatment process promises to increase sugar yields from cellulosic biomass by 10 times according to researchers at the University of Georgia. It also uses less harsh chemicals than previous processes and works for a wide variety of biomass materials.
New Biomass Technology Dramatically Increases Ethanol Yield From Grasses And Yard Waste

U.S. study: Livestock manure could be major power source

2008-07-28T15:03:00.000-05:00

Researchers at the University of Texas found that biogas (mainly methane) from livestock manure could produce about 2.4% of U.S. electricity needs while reducing greenhouse gas emmissions. A useful fertilizer would be left as a byproduct. Currently, a large portion of livestock manure is wasted or even produces environmental contamination.
Cow power: the energy and emissions benefits of converting manure to biogas

Encouraging use of wasted heat

2008-07-25T09:35:00.000-05:00

A tremendous amount of power is wasted in the form of heat from power plants. Changes in regulations related to retail pricing and emissions would likely encourage use of this heat resource through the market system. The rising cost of energy makes this more likely. Thomas Blakeslee's article linked below explains some of the details of these needed changes in regulations.
Heat is Power. Let's Stop Throwing it Away!

Native grasses build soil fertility

2008-07-24T13:37:00.000-05:00

This news is very important to the food vs. fuel debate. A new study lends support to the idea that native grasses can improve the soil while providing biomass for biofuel production at the same time. Soils currently too exhausted for food production could be restored while providing biofuel feedstocks. With a long-term rotation, these soild could then be returned to food production. This would end the food vs fuel debate, and in fact would mean more biofuel production equals more food in the long run.
Switchgrass May Mean Better Soil