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Posted in September 29th, 2008
Submitted by Energy Answers Blog
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 […]
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Posted in September 12th, 2008
Submitted by Energy Answers Blog
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 […]
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Posted in August 22nd, 2008
Submitted by Energy Answers Blog
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 […]
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Posted in August 22nd, 2008
Submitted by Energy Answers Blog
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
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Posted in August 22nd, 2008
Submitted by Energy Answers Blog
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 […]
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Posted in August 19th, 2008
Submitted by Energy Answers Blog
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 […]
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Posted in August 15th, 2008
Submitted by Energy Answers Blog
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 […]
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Posted in August 8th, 2008
Submitted by Energy Answers Blog
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, […]
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Posted in August 6th, 2008
Submitted by Energy Answers Blog
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 […]
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Posted in August 5th, 2008
Submitted by Energy Answers Blog
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 […]
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Posted in August 4th, 2008
Submitted by Energy Answers Blog
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 […]
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Posted in August 4th, 2008
Submitted by Energy Answers Blog
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 […]
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Posted in July 31st, 2008
Submitted by Energy Answers Blog
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 […]
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Posted in July 28th, 2008
Submitted by Energy Answers Blog
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: […]
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Posted in July 28th, 2008
Submitted by Energy Answers Blog
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 […]
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