Comments on: Doubts About Meeting Cellulosic Ethanol Goals http://domesticfuel.com/2009/04/02/doubts-about-meeting-cellulosic-ethanol-goals/ Alternative Fuel News Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:59:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Energy World » Blog Archive » Deciphering Big Oil’s Retreat from Renewables http://domesticfuel.com/2009/04/02/doubts-about-meeting-cellulosic-ethanol-goals/comment-page-1/#comment-113073 Energy World » Blog Archive » Deciphering Big Oil’s Retreat from Renewables Tue, 14 Apr 2009 08:29:16 +0000 http://domesticfuel.com/?p=11224#comment-113073 [...] against biofuels, its supporters will need all the help they can get from Big Oil. According to a report in DomesticFuel.comlast week, fuel trackers with the Department of Energy’s Energy Information Agency say that the United [...] [...] against biofuels, its supporters will need all the help they can get from Big Oil. According to a report in DomesticFuel.comlast week, fuel trackers with the Department of Energy’s Energy Information Agency say that the United [...]

]]> By: Deciphering Big Oil’s Retreat from Renewables « Eco koncepts http://domesticfuel.com/2009/04/02/doubts-about-meeting-cellulosic-ethanol-goals/comment-page-1/#comment-113061 Deciphering Big Oil’s Retreat from Renewables « Eco koncepts Mon, 13 Apr 2009 06:32:47 +0000 http://domesticfuel.com/?p=11224#comment-113061 [...] against biofuels, its supporters will need all the help they can get from Big Oil. According to a report in DomesticFuel.comlast week, fuel trackers with the Department of Energy’s Energy Information Agency say that the United [...] [...] against biofuels, its supporters will need all the help they can get from Big Oil. According to a report in DomesticFuel.comlast week, fuel trackers with the Department of Energy’s Energy Information Agency say that the United [...]

]]> By: Ron Wagner http://domesticfuel.com/2009/04/02/doubts-about-meeting-cellulosic-ethanol-goals/comment-page-1/#comment-113058 Ron Wagner Sun, 12 Apr 2009 21:16:07 +0000 http://domesticfuel.com/?p=11224#comment-113058 Until we get this technology advanced and in place, we need to use cellulose for burning in plasma torch furnaces, and in pellet stoves etc. We have a great need for heating. Electricity can be produced also, as needed. Natural gas and coal can also be co-fired with cellulosic waste. Fatty algae may be a cheaper way to make liquid fuel. There are many competing biomass sources, and technologies. We need to use our trash and methane sources also. Until we get this technology advanced and in place, we need to use cellulose for burning in plasma torch furnaces, and in pellet stoves etc. We have a great need for heating. Electricity can be produced also, as needed. Natural gas and coal can also be co-fired with cellulosic waste. Fatty algae may be a cheaper way to make liquid fuel. There are many competing biomass sources, and technologies. We need to use our trash and methane sources also.

]]> By: William Dittl http://domesticfuel.com/2009/04/02/doubts-about-meeting-cellulosic-ethanol-goals/comment-page-1/#comment-113005 William Dittl Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:42:39 +0000 http://domesticfuel.com/?p=11224#comment-113005 Alkaline catalysts are not enough to pretreatment cellulosic biomass alone. Likewise, alkaline catalysts such as ammonia leave behind cleaved lignin material on the microfibril that make fermentation rates decrease. The waste water used in washing biomass as well as the metals needed for biorefinery construction and the loss of other co-products due to chemical catalysts makes this pretty unlikely. Likewise, there is no way results with stover and hardwoods would yield the same results with softwoods. The alcohol groups with the lignin structure are far different. Very likely, most of the industry will move to SEA processing because that's where the profits are. In terms of the supply-side of woody biomass, over 80% of all timber is one private lands and since most federal forests harbor conifers (bad for fermentation), the best supply-side of woody biomass lies within private holdings. Alkaline catalysts are not enough to pretreatment cellulosic biomass alone. Likewise, alkaline catalysts such as ammonia leave behind cleaved lignin material on the microfibril that make fermentation rates decrease. The waste water used in washing biomass as well as the metals needed for biorefinery construction and the loss of other co-products due to chemical catalysts makes this pretty unlikely. Likewise, there is no way results with stover and hardwoods would yield the same results with softwoods. The alcohol groups with the lignin structure are far different. Very likely, most of the industry will move to SEA processing because that’s where the profits are.

In terms of the supply-side of woody biomass, over 80% of all timber is one private lands and since most federal forests harbor conifers (bad for fermentation), the best supply-side of woody biomass lies within private holdings.

]]> By: J. Lee http://domesticfuel.com/2009/04/02/doubts-about-meeting-cellulosic-ethanol-goals/comment-page-1/#comment-112993 J. Lee Wed, 08 Apr 2009 04:36:17 +0000 http://domesticfuel.com/?p=11224#comment-112993 Of course the mandates aren't being met. This is a no-brainer. Though low demand for ethanol may be a factor at present, Congress must fix the flawed supply-side restrictions for woody biomass in the Renewable Fuels Standard's "Renewable Biomass" definion. Of course the mandates aren’t being met. This is a no-brainer. Though low demand for ethanol may be a factor at present, Congress must fix the flawed supply-side restrictions for woody biomass in the Renewable Fuels Standard’s “Renewable Biomass” definion.

]]> By: Ricardo F Caro PE http://domesticfuel.com/2009/04/02/doubts-about-meeting-cellulosic-ethanol-goals/comment-page-1/#comment-112942 Ricardo F Caro PE Sat, 04 Apr 2009 08:16:58 +0000 http://domesticfuel.com/?p=11224#comment-112942 A new electrolytic membrane process designed by Electrosep Inc in Corvallis, Oregon (USA) can probably ACCELERATE the development and production of cellulosic bioethanol and biobutanol in the United States by 3 or 4 years. The new EL MEMBRANE PROCESS uses a DuPont Nafion® perfluorosulfonic membrane to recover the alkaline catalyst that is used in the digesters in cellulosic biofuels production during the pretreatment stage. The pretreatment stage is where the lignin and the hemicellulose components of the cellulosic biomass are separated from the cellulose prior to saccharification or sugar production. The sugars are normally produced from the cellulose and the hemicellulose via enzymatic hydrolysis. The sugars are then sent to fermentation and distillation processes that render the final biofuel product at the other end of the biorefinery. The company has also designed an EL MILD PRETREATMENT PROCESS that reduces the production of acetic acid, hydroxy-methoxy-furfural, and other inhibitors that hinder the reactions in the saccharification and fermentation stages downstream. Preliminary tests show that the new EL process is capable of breaking the recalcitrant structure of the fibers even when temperatures and pressure conditions are kept low. The preliminary data shows production of about 100 gallons of ethanol per ton of cellulosic biomass with an estimated production cost of about $ 1.10 per gallon after taking into account the credit value from coproducts such as the lignin and hydrogen generated during the operation. The new EL process can be used with raw materials such as such as corn stover, softwood, hardwood, wheat straw, sugarcane bagasse, and others. The company is presently performing pilot tests at a number of sites to gather data and to finalize the design and development of a sustainable and economically viable process to be used at biorefineries. Any comments or questions regarding the new EL process can be sent to admin@electrosepinc.com and it is our hope that we all try to cooperate in bringing cellulosic biofuels into production as soon as possible in order to reap the benefits of becoming less dependent on foreign oil. A new electrolytic membrane process designed by Electrosep Inc in Corvallis, Oregon (USA) can probably ACCELERATE the development and production of cellulosic bioethanol and biobutanol in the United States by 3 or 4 years. The new EL MEMBRANE PROCESS uses a DuPont Nafion® perfluorosulfonic membrane to recover the alkaline catalyst that is used in the digesters in cellulosic biofuels production during the pretreatment stage. The pretreatment stage is where the lignin and the hemicellulose components of the cellulosic biomass are separated from the cellulose prior to saccharification or sugar production. The sugars are normally produced from the cellulose and the hemicellulose via enzymatic hydrolysis. The sugars are then sent to fermentation and distillation processes that render the final biofuel product at the other end of the biorefinery. The company has also designed an EL MILD PRETREATMENT PROCESS that reduces the production of acetic acid, hydroxy-methoxy-furfural, and other inhibitors that hinder the reactions in the saccharification and fermentation stages downstream. Preliminary tests show that the new EL process is capable of breaking the recalcitrant structure of the fibers even when temperatures and pressure conditions are kept low. The preliminary data shows production of about 100 gallons of ethanol per ton of cellulosic biomass with an estimated production cost of about $ 1.10 per gallon after taking into account the credit value from coproducts such as the lignin and hydrogen generated during the operation. The new EL process can be used with raw materials such as such as corn stover, softwood, hardwood, wheat straw, sugarcane bagasse, and others. The company is presently performing pilot tests at a number of sites to gather data and to finalize the design and development of a sustainable and economically viable process to be used at biorefineries. Any comments or questions regarding the new EL process can be sent to admin@electrosepinc.com and it is our hope that we all try to cooperate in bringing cellulosic biofuels into production as soon as possible in order to reap the benefits of becoming less dependent on foreign oil.

]]>