Biofuels That Look Like Gasoline
April 15, 2009 by admin
Filed under Alternative Energy, Alternative Fuel, BioFuels, BioMass, Ethanol, Featured, Hybrid Cars
The offspring of Jay Keasling’s synthetic biology research and vision, Emeryville, CA-based Amyris Biotechnologies has made a double impact. First, the company, with more than $40 million of backing from the Bill Gates’ Institute for One World Health charity, developed a microbial route to the anti-malarial compound artemisinin. In and of itself this work was a stunningly successful scientific achievement, and the resulting process has been licensed to Sanofi-Aventis for low-cost manufacturing and distribution in the third world.
But how does that relate to biofuels? Well, producing the anti-malarial drug relied on the engineering of a metabolic pathway to produce a key intermediate that is in the class of chemicals called terpenes. Chemically, terpenes are hydrocarbons, similar to diesel or gasoline, and are therefore very good fuel compounds. Thus, the same basic science that led to artemisinin can be applied, with appropriate tweaking, to produce fuels based on terpenes. And according to the company, a desired fuel compound can be selected based on its properties (flash point, cloud point, boiling point, density, fuel value, etc), and then the pathway to produce it can be designed. Voila! You have a designer fuel. And being hydrocarbons with properties similar to gasoline, terpenes do not suffer from the limitations that alcohols (particularly ethanol) have as fuels. If you want to put something into your gas tank or jet engine, a designer hydrocarbon is likely to be superior to any alcohol. At least that is what Amyris argues.
Amyris has the backing of a well-heeled group of VCs: Kleiner Perkins, TPG Biotech, and DAG Ventures. In the area of bio-based production of gasoline-like fuels, Amyris is at the head of the class. Economics remain to be proven, but Amyris has formed a joint venture with the second largest Brazilian sugar producer, Crystalsev, to get access to inexpensive sugar feedstock, and the first demonstration plant is scheduled to be built right on the sugar plantation in Brazil by 2010. It will produce a biodiesel (with the interesting name of “No CompromiseTM”), currently being piloted at Amyris’ Emerville facility. Amyris promises that a bio-gasoline and a bio-aviation fuel are not far behind. If any company can make terpene-based fuels successfully, Amyris appears to be that company.
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David Rozzell maintains a web site and blog dedicated to the latest developments and news in biofuels, biocatalysis, and industrial biotechnology. For informative, sometimes amusing, always opinionated analysis go to http://www.bio-catalyst.com He has 25 years of experience in biocatalysis and industrial biotechnology, and speaks frequently at international symposia. He is available for consulting projects. Contact him at david@bio-catalyst.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Rozzell
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Is BioDiesel Good or Bad for the Environment?
December 20, 2008 by admin
Filed under Alternative Energy, Alternative Fuel, BioDiesel, BioFuels
The Biofuel Debate – What’s all the fuss about?
There has been much talk of biofuels and in particular biodiesel being touted as a more carbon friendly alternative to traditional petroleum based fuel…
- Because biodiesel is made from renewable resources (unlike fossil fuels) and it has lower emissions compared to petroleum diesel
- Because it is less toxic than table salt and biodegrades as fast as sugar
- Because it is made entirely from renewable resources such as soybeans, sunflowers, rapeseed and palm oil as well as waste vegetable oil (used cooking oils)
it surely follows biodiesel must be better for the environment…or is it?
Over the last few years through the Kyoto Protocol, governments have discussed the global issue of climate change with a view to setting targets to reduce greenhouse gases. Whilst there has been general agreement that something needs to be done and targets have been set, the United States is the only developed country that has not ratified the treaty and yet it is one of the significant greenhouse gas emitters.
The dilemma seems to be that biodiesel is undoubtedly greener than traditional petroleum based fuel. On the other hand however, as there is no stipulation how and where this fuel is produced, could this ‘green’ fuel actually be doing more harm to our environment than good?
Let’s look at some of the contributing factors to this debate…
Biodiesel – The Good
As an alternative fuel, biodiesel would seem to be a very good alternative to fossil based fuels:-
- Mitigating the effects of greenhouse gas emissions
- Making best use of the remaining limited supplies of fossil fuels
- Reducing air pollution along with the associated health risks to the public
- Benefiting domestic economies by reducing the dependence on importing foreign petroleum
- Relatively easy to produce in small or large volumes
Biodiesel – The Bad
The main problem with bio-fuels today is the source of the raw materials:-
- Biodiesel and ethanol are produced from plant oils and from edible crops meaning competition for basic foodstuffs, food or oil?
- Rain forests are being converted to palm oil production (palm oil is a key ingredient of food and other consumables…it can also be used to produce biodiesel)
- Current crops cannot keep pace with the bio-materials needed for producing biodiesel
Does this mean if we replace traditional petroleum based diesel with biodiesel we’ll compromise our supply of foodstuffs?
Biodiesel – The Future
The Biotech Industry has begun to help with the need to find alternative fuel sources for the future by looking at how to get more from less:-
- Increased production of more plants
- Improving crop yields – corn, a common biofuel crop in the USA, yields under 200 barrels (per square mile per year) whereas Jatropha for instance can yield over 2,000 barrels
- Use of marginal land – look at crops (see below) that can be grown on arid land rather than take away arable farmland needed for essential food production. Using arid land in the poorer regions could provide social and economic benefits for that region
New sources that lessen the threat of environmental impact include:-
- Algae – grows quickly, renews quickly but to be a viable option cost effective harvesting remains a challenge
- Jatropha – can be grown in arid climates, has a high yield compared with traditional biocrops, has the potential to increase fertility of the land
- Camalina – Researchers say the Camelina plant is an excellent source of biofuel; it can be grown in arid land, with less water, fertilizer and pesticides
Biodiesel – Many Complex Issues
Diesel engines were in fact originally designed in the early 1900′s to run on biodiesel made from oil seed crops and not to run on petroleum-based diesel. Was it a mistake not to encourage the development and take up of biodiesel back then instead of depending almost solely on petroleum?
Despite agreement in principle that biodiesel has a role to play in helping to reduce emissions unless politicians give clear guidelines about the future of renewable fuels there will continue to be a haphazard take up around the world. Most governments have been proceeding with caution and rightly so but mixed messages from governments around the world have only added to the uncertainty around the use biodiesel fuel. What should be the governments role be in promoting the use of biodiesel?
We live in a world today that has largely grown up in a throw away society without due regard to the consequences of waste. This wasteful attitude has been exacerbated by the lack of proper education in the basic skills of survival. It is only relatively recently that modern day governments have begun to encourage large scale recycling.
The challenge we face is to educate the public about the issues surrounding biofuels and what is good or bad. Honest debate not influenced by individual hidden agenda’s is the only way to arrive at political choices that embrace all the issues surrounding the use of biofuel.
So, is biodiesel good or bad for the environment?
One thing is for sure, first generation biofuels once thought to be the alternative fuel source of the future, have come under increased scrutiny recently. It is becoming clear that more information is needed about the potentially destructive elements of first-generation biofuels and the impact they have on the environment.
Environmentalists are concerned that the inadvertent consequence of using biodiesel fuel is unrecoverable damage to the environment. Furthermore, developing a dependence on traditional first generation biocrops may result in food competing with fuel over the use of land. We need to determine what the true balance is between good and bad from an environmental perspective.
Clearly governments need to further embrace the concept of reducing greenhouse gas emissions but should they be more proactive in finding a green source for our fuel as well?
Instead of destroying forests maybe we should look to new more “green” raw materials for producing biofuels. We must embrace the promotion of second and third-generation biofuels in an effort to help solve many of the current problems surrounding the use of first generation biodiesel.
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Alan Folkard is an avid devotee and follower of all things Biodiesel and supports the adoption of biodiesel as an alternative fuel provided a way can be found to balance the good and bad from an environmental perspective. Learn more about what biodiesel is. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alan_Folkard |
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Ethanol Fuel Research
December 3, 2008 by admin
Filed under Alternative Fuel, Ethanol
Ethanol is a viable, homegrown energy alternative to fossil fuel and is available today in E10 (10 percent ethanol/90 percent gasoline) and E85 (85 percent ethanol/15 percent gasoline) blends. Used as a clean-burning fuel additive, ethanol is a renewable fuel made from plants, usually from sugar cane and maize. There are five parts to the ethanol process; Conversion, fermentation, distillation, filtration and dehydration.
The University of Florida has been involved in biomass-to-energy research for about 20 years. New research at UF by Dr. Lonnie Ingram on variety of plant waste products proves that they are suitable for “cellulosic” ethanol production. The same kind of ethanol produced from this experiment too; but the source and process are different, allowing more efficient use of organic wastes for fuel production. It is proved that Ethanol blends are higher in octane than regular gas, about 100 compared to 87. Though we can see the difference in the reduction in fuel economy and less mileage per gallon, but the engine stays cooler, runs cleaner and produces less pollution.
Recent studies proved that it reduces the global warming due to its clean burning and cuts the greenhouse gas emissions by 18 percent to 29 percent a gallon. It powers flux fuel vehicles. Ford, General Motors and DaimlerChrysler have announced to producing 50 percent of their new vehicles as flex-fuel vehicles powered by E85 ethanol by 2010. Indy 500 utilized 100 percent ethanol in the tanks of 33 cars used in 2007 race and the drivers said that the use of ethanol improved the mileage by 30 percent.
The software genius Bill gates invested in Pacific Ethanol to help fund the construction of an ethanol plant in Madera County, California. Virgin Atlantic Airways’ Richard Branson has also invested in cellulosic ethanol plants to make fuel which is from the waste product of the plant and measured to be the next energy step after corn ethanol. DuPont plans to open its first pilot plant to manufacture cellulosic ethanol in 2008.
Get a better understanding of the your options when it comes to alternative fuels including methanol, ethanol, natural gas, hydrogen and others. Save the environment with smart decisions.
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Fuel Cell Technology and Ethanol
December 1, 2008 by admin
Filed under Alternative Energy, Alternative Fuel, Ethanol
The research towards finding an ethanol fuel generator has reached a promising stage. The basis of this research is fuel cell technology. A fuel cell works just like a battery by electrochemically combining hydrogen and oxygen without combustion, to generate electricity. A battery cell requires charging or may drain off after prolonged use. But a fuel cell will continue producing electricity so long as the fuel is continued to be supplied.
The mechanics of a fuel cell include two electrodes sandwiched between an electrolyte. When oxygen is passed over one electrode and hydrogen is passed over the second, it generates heat, water and electricity. The process expels pure drinking water in the form of waste.
Ethanol is the main fuel source for the ethanol fuel cell generators. When fuel substance like ethanol is introduced, the system converts into a generator that provides the power to fuel the car or whatever device you want to run.
Fuel cell technology allows vehicles to run on alternative fuel. Alternative fuels are “green” fuels and they enable vehicles to run for a longer time and at economical rates apart from being environmentally friendly. Experts believe that ethanol will be the fuel for the future. If you add the light fuel cells to the car engine, your car can run just as efficiently as on gasoline. You will also get excellent performance from your vehicle, because Ethanol burns cleaner than petrol. You are also helping the environment as ethanol fuel cell generators give out little or no emissions.
Fuel cells are becoming smaller in size and can be introduced in the engines without compromising on the performance of the vehicles. Ethanol is the preferred choice for alternative fuel due to its natural properties. If ethanol is used as the fuel source for the fuel cells, you get the power of the ethanol fuel cell generator for your car, which is amazing. It’s a excellent way to be a part of the ‘save the environment’ brigade!
When you use ethanol fuel cell generators in your cars it shows that you care for the environment and are ready to do your bit for the environment in a small way. The alternative fuel industry has been revolutionized due to the use of ethanol fuel cell generators and it is a nice way to save the world and also save money in the long run.
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Ethanol and Hybrid Cars
November 23, 2008 by admin
Filed under Ethanol, Hybrid Cars
Hybrid cars are starting to gain a modicum of popularity in the world market and this popularity seems to be growing.
Current fears regarding climate change combined with rising costs of gasoline have led to great public interest in hybrid cars although this interest has not entirely yielded huge sales at present.
This has led to many people wonder about the future of hybrid cars and this future is based on a variety of factors.
The future of hybrid cars will always center on the state of ethanol as ethanol remains the active component within the internal combustion engine process that makes hybrid cars possible.
Since ethanol derives from corn, the status of corn farming will always have an impact of the future of hybrid cars. This can be a somewhat curious status to predict because corn is also an important food source for many people and if corn supplies are directed towards fuel production there is a possibility that an unexpected negative impact can result from reduced food supplies.
For example, in Latin America civil unrest almost developed when the production in ethanol threatened to cause food shortages. Because of this, ethanol production was slowed down. This is not to say increased production of ethanol will always cause food shortages because a process can always be set in motion to correct any potential hazards.
Ultimately, the future of hybrid cars will be based on marketplace demand. In other words, if there is adequate demand in the market place for increased production of hybrid cars and these cars sell and continue to sell strong, then the future of hybrid cars will be strong.
Of course, there will always be a number of factors that will contribute to the success or failure of hybrid cars in the marketplace. One of the factors will be cost. This includes the cost of the car itself and the fuel costs associated with the car.
At present, a hybrid car would save people a great deal of money in both those areas so this is a huge positive for the potential of the cars.
The other area that will contribute to the success or failure of hybrid cars is sales and promotions. In other words, a solid advertising campaign would need to be set in place in order to stimulate public interest in the cars. Considering the skill of many ad companies, this should not be a problem and the future of these cars will look bright.
Other Posts with additional information
- Electric Cars in LA Limelight: Nissan, Mini E, Chevrolet Volt …
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– figure.inlineRight.width-300px { display: none } In the keynote address at the 2008 LA Auto Show, Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan and Renault, reiterated his company’s commitment to produce electric vehicles for the mass market.
– If you like to follow the issues regarding hybrid cars including concept hybrids, such as plug-in hybrid vehicles and the politics of hybrids, such as tax credits for hybrid vehicles, the hybrid car blog is for you.
– All about new hybrid cars, SUV and vehicles, the latest trend in hybrid car prices.
– figure.inlineRight.width-300px { display: none } Hybrids will take center stage at 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show, which opens to the public on Nov. 21. Thirty hybrid models will be on display—revealing the diversity of options coming to …
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