Comments on: Cellulosic Biofuel Still A Bit of a Damp Squib

By: Martin Schwoerer

Martin Schwoerer — Fri, 16 May 2008 05:09:45 +0000

SherbornSean :
So Autobild’s critical analysis reveals that the biodiesel is 20% cheaper than conventional diesel?

That would seem to be a good thing, no?

The 1€/L refers to *production* cost. Retail cost — including distribution and taxes — would be double that.

Of course, it could be argued (and so does Autobild) that SunDiesel should be sold tax-free. Given all the externalities of conventional fuels, it’s hard to dismiss such an argument off-hand. Space and time constraints didn’t allow me to touch that topic, but I’m thinking of talking with Choren for an in-depth piece.

By: menno

menno — Fri, 16 May 2008 01:45:24 +0000

We could have been making most of our fuel here in America from a process developed several years ago, but nooooo. The oil companies have apparently bought out our politicians.

Seems to me that making bio-oil (essentially what comes out the end of the plant is home heating oil / diesel fuel which can be cracked once in a refinery to make gasoline, too – as well as other valuable tid-bits).

So what goes in to make this biofuel I’m referring to?

Garbage. Offal. Or SEWAGE.

http://www.changingworldtech.com

Oh, how I wish I could buy some stock in this company. Because some day, we Americans are going to finally wake up and need to use it.

It’s not like the Chevy Volt either. There was a pilot plant running several years ago, and since a couple of years ago there is a full-sized plant running in Missouri outside a Butterball turkey processing plant, making oil from offal. That means the oil is being made from what used to go to the landfill – bones, tendons, skin, fat, feathers.

This Republic of Ireland has bought into the technology and are going to start building plants.

By: Robert Schwartz

Robert Schwartz — Fri, 16 May 2008 00:31:06 +0000

If you want to know more about this process and how it differs from other bio-fuel processes go read “Visit to New Choren BTL Plant” by Robert Rapier at the R-Squared Energy Blog on May 03, 2008. Robert is a Chemical Engineer. The article has diagrams and links.

By: SherbornSean

SherbornSean — Fri, 16 May 2008 00:18:18 +0000

So Autobild’s critical analysis reveals that the biodiesel is 20% cheaper than conventional diesel?

That would seem to be a good thing, no?

By: t-truck

t-truck — Thu, 15 May 2008 23:02:07 +0000

With diesel selling for 1.257 euros in Germany this fuel would be competitive with a some tax break or it could be sold alternatively as an “eco” fuel at a premium.

By: Engineer

Engineer — Thu, 15 May 2008 22:57:06 +0000

I would take this exact technology and feed it landfill waste, the bulk of which is waste paper. There could hardly be a better feedstock (than waste paper): dry, energy dense, renewable and widely available.

We’ll see.

By: Alex Rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez — Thu, 15 May 2008 22:31:49 +0000

You gotta start somewhere.