Ethanol from Solid Waste....Simultaneously cleans up land fills and provides fuel ... Mr. Fusion !

[masmdu]

http://nextenergynews.com/news08/next-energy-news7.22.08a.html

The company claims that it can produce about 400 litres (90 gallons) of ethanol from one ton of dry waste. The new process works by heating the waste to produce gases, then feeding the gases to bacteria, which produce ethanol that can be purified into a fuel.

[NightWatcher]

1. how long before methane-powered shitmobiles?

the fat American lardass will make us #1. It would make NASCAR a lot funnier

[Initech]

12. We already have those. They're known as Hummer H2s.

[polichick]

2. We can do amazing things when we want to...

For decades I've thought an answer might be in our landfills ~ GREAT NEWS!

[Kajsa]

3. This sounds very promising.

Now, if they could find a way to circumvent the need for fossil fuels
in the blend, it would be better.

This solves two problems,

the growing landfills and
our need for affordable, alternative energy sources.

Thanks.

;)

[Sanity Claws]

4. Don't landfill materials have things that should not be burned?

All kinds of things like old tires, old computers, etc., have made their way into landfills. Burning them will cause the release of noxious/toxic gases, or so I think. Anyone know?

[elocs]

5. In the city where I live Excel Energy burns the garbage to produce electricity.

I am certain that some poor soul or souls has the job of sorting through the garbage before it is burned.

[Javaman]

6. Since the site is blocked to me here, how is the process heated? nt

[Terran]

7. Doesn't say, it's just a press release.

But that interests me too. Refineries are polluters and this is a refining process of a sort. If they can do it cleanly, then it seems all good (although I wonder how much energy it takes to produce one liter of ethanol, using their process?).

[BrianDavis]

9. Refineries are polluters

"Refineries are polluters and this is a refining process of a sort"

It depends on the technology you use!

[Ezlivin]

8. Yes, what is the EROEI?

It will make no sense if it takes the equivalent of two barrels of oil to produce one barrel of ethanol.

Just how much energy is required in the heating process to render the final product and where does the energy for this heating come from?

This could be great if they utilized solar energy to create the heat!

[Javaman]

10. Yeah, I was thinking about the heat issue as well.

it's that pesky little issue that "discoveries" of this nature like to gloss over.

[csziggy]

11. There is discussion in our community about doing this

But I have not saved the emails from the local group with the information about it.

One problem here is that the proposed plant would need about 2-3 times the amount of solid material our community dumps so we would have to truck in garbage from other areas to supply it. And yes, there are materials that should not be burned - it is hard enough to get people to separate plastics and other recyclables without trying to get them to separate even more categories.

The company that has the contract for solid wastes is testing sinking pipes to collect methane from the old garbage heaps to use for generating energy. But again, our community is likely not big enough to generate enough methane to be really useful.

Look up studies on generating biofuels from sewage - I think those are more practical even for small to medium size communities.