Bergius Process, a Cheap Process to Make Ethanol

A startup based in Tel Aviv, Israel, called HCL-Cleantech has reinvented a century-old process called the Bergius process as a much cheaper method to produce ethanol from biomass. The process uses concentrated hydrochloric acid (HCL) to breakdown biomass into sugars but has been too expensive for commercial use. The company, however, says that it has developed a way to recycle 42 percent of the HCL, pumping it back into the system and significantly reducing the cost of making ethanol. Read more here

Labels: Cellulosic Ethanol Production

posted by Geetha @ 12:59 AM 0 Comments

The Economic Downturn that has Slowed the Ethanol Industry

Making ethanol from plant cellulose - such as crop residue and wood chips - could help reduce the nation's use of gasoline.

Refiners are required by law next year to start using at least 100 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol. But industry officials acknowledge they will not come close to providing enough of the fuel to meet that target or the targets for subsequent years.

Companies that are trying to commercialize cellulosic ethanol are struggling to find investors and lenders. Read this

Labels: Cellulosic Ethanol Production

posted by Geetha @ 9:26 PM 0 Comments

Cellulosic Ethanol Provides 54 Percent more Energy than Corn-based Ethanol

The ethanol industry is taking a beating from the bad economy, with big producers like VeraSun shuttering factories and filing for bankruptcy. Those left standing are pleading with the feds to increase the amount of ethanol that can be blended with gasoline, arguing it will boost demand, produce thousands of jobs and hasten the arrival of viable cellulosic ethanol. Read more

Labels: Cellulosic Ethanol Production

posted by Geetha @ 9:22 PM 0 Comments

Honda Hits the Gas on Cellulosic Ethanol R&D

Honda Motor Co. has been toiling away at ethanol research since before hybrids moved in from the fringe of autoshows and well before deriving the stuff from corn ignited a heated debate over food vs. fuel. The company said it will build a large-scale plant to test the viability of its cellulosic ethanol production technology in “practical applications” — something it’s had in the works for more than two years. Read.

Labels: Cellulosic Ethanol Production

posted by Geetha @ 12:35 AM 0 Comments

KL’s Cellulosic Ethanol Plant is Converting Waste Wood into a Renewable Fuel

In a development that could dramatically advance the renewable fuels industry, cellulosic ethanol is now in production at the first small scale waste wood commercial facility operating in the U.S. Wyoming, the plant was engineered, constructed and is operated by KL Process Design Group (KL). This is the result of six years of development efforts between KL and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.
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Labels: Cellulosic Ethanol Production, Development, Reality

posted by Geetha @ 5:57 AM 0 Comments