Bio diesel and the quest to be self suffient

[400lbsonacubseatspring]

There are 3 types of processes out there currently to convert cellulosic materials into ethanol. Enzymatic, Biological, and conventional chemical (acidic). All of them have their advantages and disadvantages. The reason people are looking into cellulose conversion is that the feedstock is nearly free. Sawdust, corn stover, wood chips.

Some of the processes yield lignin in large amounts, which, if properly dried, can be used as a process fuel during distillation. The Biological processes are the most efficient, but, alas, the bugaboos that do the work for you are all patented, and very expensive.

I'm not real keen on biologically engineering new and exciting critters just to munch on cellulose and pee out simpler sugars. I worry about mutations that will spread throughout our forests or fields turning them into goopey syrup, but then again, that's just me. I'd just as soon restrict the genetic engineering to human medical benefit, for the time being.

[cowboy]

Hi Tom or Jack

Is their somewhere that I can find out what crop I can find in michigan for the best production of ethnal. From what you say the more sugar in a crop the better my yield of ethnal will be. I would like to find the yields per bushel for different crops so I can find the most cost effective feed stock for a ethnol plant. I would also like to find the best crop to plant in this area as I may be able to find some lant to plant my own crop.

Thanks Billy

[Jack fowler]

Hi Billy,

Sorry I didn’t get back sooner, I have been out of town visiting my Dad.

I think Tom would be the better one to comment on what crop to grow in your area. The only thing I know about Michigan is my Dad was born there and when I visit friends there, it’s always cold!

I’ll try to contact a friend that is in agriculture in the area and maybe he can help.

Jack

[George Willer]

Billy,

Some years ago my mentor was considering a move to British Honduras (now Belize, I think) after he lost his large (over 2000 acres) acreage in Brazil. It was his intention to be entirely self sufficient. The crop he chose maybe 40 years ago with what he thought would give the best yield/acre for fuel production was yams.

Denzil would have LOVED the internet!

[cowboy]

Hi Jack

If you find yourself in S.E. michigan you are welcome to stop by. I am 40 minutes from detroit metro ariport.

Geroge I'll have to look into that. Looking forward to seeing you agin next weekend.


Billy

[johnbron]

Billy, Have you ever ran across that womans biodiesel web page?. I have read many posts saying she really knows her stuff when it comes to to home brewing fuel. Her web page is titled ?-girl or close to that. If you are interested I can find it for you on a different forum that I seen it on.

[Lurker Carl]

I'm not real keen on biologically engineering new and exciting critters just to munch on cellulose and pee out simpler sugars. I worry about mutations that will spread throughout our forests or fields turning them into goopey syrup, but then again, that's just me. I'd just as soon restrict the genetic engineering to human medical benefit, for the time being.

Fear not, Tom. Thankfully, bio-efficiency comes with a price. Something like 99.99% of all those engineered mutations fail to survive. Of those purpose-bred plants/animals that do survive, they do so only under closely monitored conditions.

Critters like termites use the sugars for their own purposes, plus it's hard to harvest from the bug. The enzymes come from bacteria living in the termite's gut, not the termite itself. The bioengineering works to produce more efficient bacteria that will specifically manufacture those enzymes that reduce the cellulose to simple sugars. Those bacteria can't survive in the real world because the mutations forcing the high enzyme output will, among other things, screw up their ability to reproduce.

[cowboy]

Hi J B

I do not know if I have seen it or not. Last year I looked closly at Bio D. and decided to go with burning strait vegtable oil and used engine oil. And setting up a ethanol plant/still which my brother is putting together.

Billy

[Kodiak]

Billy, I have some info on plans for a ethnol still from a guy in Tenn. you can take a look see at Cubfest. See you there in a few days.

Ron

[johnbron]

Hi J B
I do not know if I have seen it or not.

Billy

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Here it is Billy if you want to take a gander at it.

http://www.girlmark.com/

[beaconlight]

Man you can spend a day or two reading all that. Very interesting.
Bill

[cowboy]

Cool Ron looking forward to seeing you too.

Hey J B thats a good one.

Hi Bill did you make it home yet Hope all is well with ya

Billy

[beaconlight]

Yep home from Alaska, Canada and Las Vegas. I won't make the round up. Have a planning session this week end for the trip I am taking with a local church rebuilding some houses in Florida that had hurricane damage. We leave June 28. Will miss all of you .

Bill

[cowboy]

Wow Bill thats great you must have wings on your feet Keep on keeping on we'll catch up one day

Billy

[Eugene]

http://www.moreenergy.org/

Thought I would throw this resource in the mix. New Life Evangelistic Center (a church) has a renewable energy facility near New Bloomfield, Missouri. This church also has a TV station in the Jefferson City, Mo. area and provides TV programs on renewable energy - also old time classic movies and westerns.

Eugene