Purdue Research Could Improve Ethanol Production
by Matthew Sparkes, London, UK on 04.27.07
Researchers at Purdue have found that when cornstalks are processed to produce ethanol, their particles undergo a change that has not been seen previously. This could pave the way for a viable method of large-scale ethanol production from cellulose. Cellulosic ethanol is better than other current ethanol production processes, because it puts less pressure on food prices. Michael Ladisch, co-author of the research, said, "Cellulosic ethanol would allow industry to expand beyond the limits brought about by corn's other uses, like sweetener production." Previously, cellulosic ethanol has been rather hard to produce, but this research should allow a more economical method to be developed. "This study will help us translate science from the lab to an industrial setting and will help produce cellulosic ethanol economically," Ladisch said. The image shows a cornstalk after the pretreatment developed by the team. The pores on the surface have been opened up, allowing more surface area for the ethanol production process to occur. :: Purdue University
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Good news.
There is no hope for biofuels unless we move off plants grown for food.
I'm confused by this anonymous comment. Please explain why there's "no hope for biofuels unless we move off plants grown for food." What's your basis for this?
Actually, the best sources for biofuels do NOT tap into plants used for food. Cellulosic ethanol is produced from a variety of feedstocks- all of them being unsuitable for human or animal consumption. Algae, paper production wastes, logging waste, urban tree removal from construction, agricultural wastes from seed hulls, corn stalks, and plant debris, switchgrass, and genetically engineered energy crops are just a few of the sources of feedstocks for cellulosic ethanol production. These items are nature's "trash" that we can collect to resolve our dependency on foreign oil. The best thing is that this technology will not increase the price of food products, unlike biodiesel which is mainly produced from soybean oil. This is GREAT NEWS- not just GOOD news.