tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-377616712012-01-31T02:06:23.202-08:00The 3rd of 4 BIOenergy Blogs, this one covers output of the conversion processes - emissions, biofuels, electricity, green chemicals - and new uses for them. The other three blogs are the <a href="http://biostock.blogspot.com"><b>BIOstock Blog</b></a>, the <a href="http://bioconversion.blogspot.com"><b>BIOconversion Blog</b></a>, and the <a href="http://biowaste.blogspot.com"><b>BIOwaste Blog</b></a>. Related <a href="http://twubs.com/biooutput">#biooutput tweets</a> @BIOblogger.C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.comBlogger601100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-45834337068513672342009-04-24T07:05:00.000-07:002009-04-26T06:56:34.033-07:00

Growth Energy and 52 ethanol manufacturers petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last month to raise the maximum blend level for ethanol in gasoline to as much as 15 percent. Starting April 21st, the EPA is soliciting comments on the waiver up until May 19th (30 days). The EPA then has 270 days to consider the waiver and make a determination.A podcast reported by Cindy

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-88973526594741126232008-08-27T20:30:00.000-07:002008-08-27T21:38:51.325-07:00

There are so many "discoveries" these days I would hate to have to handicap the winners. Some reports inspire confidence that we are on track to make the leap from today to tomorrow - and the next day. One thing to know about ethanol is that it is a carrier for hydrogen. That means you could deliver ethanol from origin to distribution point and extract the hydrogen from the ethanol. The question

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-23306268784912324662008-08-22T16:13:00.000-07:002008-08-22T16:54:48.695-07:00

The U.S. Department of Energy / Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy has published a June 2007 chart of the states whose legislatures have mandated that a certain percentage or volume of their electricity will come from renewable sources - wind, solar, geothermal, hydro, tidal, and bioenergy. This policy is called a "renewable portfolio standard" and it is interesting to note that a federal RPS

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-38139387466080432972008-07-08T09:45:00.000-07:002008-07-08T11:02:37.374-07:00

What is the most environmentally sustainable construction material available for erecting homes and buildings? If net carbon emissions per ton of material is the key measurement, the answer is framing studs and medium density fiberboard made from wood.That is one of the key messages from a new issue of Eco-link, a publication of the Temperate Forest Foundation's Research and Education division,

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-53902074632829870292008-01-24T04:42:00.000-08:002008-01-24T05:22:58.638-08:00

One of the "knocks" on ethanol (pun intended) is that for all the performance and emissions improvement that it provides as an oxygenate for gasoline, the more that you blend in, the lower the miles per gallon you should expect. For the lay person, that means more frequent stops to the filling station - roughly one extra fill-up for every three the vehicle currently requires. Even at price parity

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-75917349950550086672007-08-28T10:48:00.000-07:002007-09-01T09:00:23.980-07:00

In September of 1911, the fate of two world wars was pre-ordained by England's young First Lord of the Admiralty. He made a choice at considerable national economic and political risk that linked England's future to a dependence on its North Atlantic political, military, and trade relationship with America. Still, Winston Churchill decided the advantages far outweighed the liabilities. From that

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-32739921037080736362007-08-20T11:24:00.001-07:002007-08-21T19:35:32.429-07:00

E85 detractors often cite the comparative high energy content of gasoline to ethanol. It is true that currently designed combustion engines and even current flex-fuel models get lower mileage on ethanol than they do on gasoline. However, that is far from the whole story.On Jay Leno's Garage website he features a video titled "E85 Demystified" which contains an interview with noted engine designer

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-16521423830104900292007-07-29T17:46:00.000-07:002007-07-29T18:30:31.736-07:00

Clean Edge News published a story on a new report that analyzes the benefits of PHEVs (Plug-in Hybrid Energy Vehicles). The EPRI-NRDC study represents the most comprehensive analysis of the potential reductions of global warming and other emissions from wide-scale introduction of PHEVs over time. The study addresses the impact that lower-emitting electricity generation can have for increasing

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-79655415663961899802007-06-22T08:40:00.000-07:002007-06-25T19:12:33.123-07:00

Los Angeles has become a tough car market for General Motors. Toyota sold 50% more Priuses in L.A. last year than all the cars GM sold here combined!That frank admission was part of the message presented by "good cop" GM North America President Troy Clarke to a small, rapt audience of bloggers at the historic and very scenic HRL Laboratories in Malibu, CA.GM's corresponding "bad cop" would be

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-37873150100361623932007-06-12T21:28:00.000-07:002007-06-12T22:02:20.687-07:00

Biofuel naysayers have a wealth of criticisms to use if they really want to derail the renewable energy juggernaut. "The EROIE is not as good as petroleum" "The feedstock is better used as food" "The emissions from ethanol is more toxic than gasoline" "Subsidies are the only reason that ethanol producers make any profits", etc. Well the oil industry "wasn't built in a day" either (and the

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-46652006584449913022007-06-07T21:59:00.000-07:002007-06-07T22:42:16.959-07:00

New bipartisan legislation is being introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate that propose funding research to investigate transport of ethanol by pipeline.I think the proposal is an excellent idea and a quite relevant area of research for site developers with whom I work. I would like to know the results of the kind of pipe research that is being proposed. Not being able to pipe

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-5549614470422602452007-06-03T12:00:00.000-07:002007-06-03T10:43:27.094-07:00

As a recent article on The Motley Fool (Fueling the Debate: Ethanol vs. Biodiesel) points out, comparing bioethanol and biodiesel is like comparing running or swimming - both are healthy exercises. But it is a good idea to know what the comparable benefits are because there are new technologies being developed all the time and the impact on biofuel infrastructure development is the key to

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-48326975038256132312007-05-31T18:44:00.000-07:002007-05-31T19:23:55.154-07:00

Up to now, much of the responsibility for buying renewable energy to replace existing sources is being placed by state legislatures squarely on the back of their electric utilities. Progressive states have been enacting renewable portfolio standards (RPS) which place a set MW quantity or percentage number to be achieved by a specific date (click on chart below to enlarge). According to a recent

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-64073760736396247722007-05-31T13:14:00.000-07:002007-05-31T13:15:16.433-07:00

Tying Energy Efficiency to Renewable EnergyLost in the rush to develop alternative energy technologies is the obvious value of making energy usage more efficient. As Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute would say, "a watt saved is a watt earned." This can be applied to biofuel usage as well. It is far cheaper to save energy than it is to produce more of it, particularly when existing

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-6113028982251219492007-05-30T20:38:00.000-07:002007-05-31T07:26:01.216-07:00

The Rocky Mountain Institute is a bastion of knowledge concerning energy efficiency and renewable energy. Much of its expertise focuses on the concept that "a watt saved is a watt earned" demand management can reduce energy expense more dramatically than adding new alternative supply production.Started in 1982 by Hunter and Amory Lovins, the organization now has 55 employees offering energy,

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-62085361108389340622007-05-29T09:31:00.000-07:002007-05-29T14:56:52.235-07:00

In its headlong rush to take the front line in the fight against Global Warming (California's AB32) the California Energy Commission has approved regulations that limit the purchase of electricity from power plants that fail to meet strict greenhouse gas emissions standards. That has to be considered bad news for neighboring states which have built coal plant facilities specifically to service

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-91887382254559346532007-05-24T21:39:00.000-07:002007-05-24T22:04:45.156-07:00

The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) has teamed up with the American Council for an Energy-Efficency Economy (ACE3) to make a statement that creating new renewable energy technologies (RE) will not be enough to achieve national and international goals to meet energy demands while reducing our dependence on carbon positive fossil fuel systems. We also have a responsibility to develop

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-67390026331147380602007-04-30T13:11:00.000-07:002007-05-31T13:12:31.606-07:00

Woody Biomass - Energizing a new generationAmerica is witnessing the balkanization of its renewable energy portfolio. The sun belt is home to solar energy. The corn belt is home to ethanol. Landfill bioenergy is focused in urban areas. The nation's woodpiles are in the Pacific Northwest and the Southeast. Each region will have to come to grips with the economic, technical, environmental, and

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-56519884991174577202007-04-07T12:56:00.000-07:002007-04-07T13:20:50.541-07:00

For anyone who desires a simple introduction to the current range of potential BIOoutput products, I suggest a careful reading of a brief technical overview document called The BioTown, USA Sourcebook of Biomass Energy (released in April, 2006). It was written for the Indiana State Department of Agriculture by scientist and fellow blogger, Mark Jenner, PhD. who has his own website called Biomass

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-13047348668117464822007-04-05T18:23:00.000-07:002007-04-05T21:45:18.627-07:00

According to a new Department of Energy study U.S. and Canadian power plants are sitting on a 900 year storage capacity for their carbon sequestration. Getting the CO2 underground into the subterranean storage formations is not a process currently practiced in the United States (as it is in Europe) but it is good to know that we have the capacity to use as part of an overall carbon mitigation

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-80185908785074194042007-03-31T05:44:00.000-07:002007-04-02T05:45:49.861-07:00

Bridging the Gap to BiofuelsWhen it comes to energy, we are all stakeholders – whether we are producers, refiners, developers, educators, policymakers, marketers, regulators, environmentalists, distributors, farmers, foresters, or simply commuters... we are all consumers with a vested interest in future development of renewable energy in concert with environmental sustainability. Even though

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-41480906542890570562007-03-31T05:17:00.001-07:002007-03-31T05:38:16.070-07:00

Biopact has run a story about a Swedish science team whose research into Zygomycetes (an order of more than 100 different fungi) has discovered a saprophyte that grows easily in waste and drainage that converts it into ethanol and can be used to extract an unbelieveably useful super-absorbent and antibacterial cell-wall material that is biodegradeable! Is it April 1st yet? You might want to look

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-82920773489832706232007-02-28T14:28:00.000-08:002007-02-28T14:29:00.662-08:00

The IPCC finally released their long-awaited summary of findings on global warming. Al Gore's movie won the Oscar for Best Documentary. Does that mean that people are finally convinced of the truth about global warming? Does it matter?There are plenty of reasons to be concerned about the state of the atmosphere without having to declare one way or the other on the issue of global warming. Living

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-47275944944702704472007-02-21T22:56:00.000-08:002007-02-21T23:15:29.873-08:00

What will be the next technological breakthrough in clean electricity generation? Some say "biogas fuel cells." Here are parts of an article from the Biopact Blog about biogas fuel cells that explains what makes them so revolutionary.----------------Biogas fuel cell delivers heat and power: the world's cleanest and most efficient energy system?A milestone development in Germany is taking us

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-74777486356601647022007-02-21T07:45:00.000-08:002007-02-21T08:16:20.599-08:00

This may not be what CalSTEP has in mind as a replacement standard to gas guzzlers on California freeways, but it sure turns heads.Actually, if you are trying to change perceptions about something as basic as vehicle fuel, showcasing its performance and safety benefits in America's premier racecar event is a no-brainer. Henry Ford, an enthusiastic early promoter of ethanol (a friend of the farmer

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-53545265193810869792007-02-20T14:41:00.000-08:002007-02-21T07:57:04.748-08:00

In California, it's all about the cars. Government leaders and consumers alike are questioning what steps they can take and what can they buy that will help ease oil dependence and toxic emissions that come from their vehicles.It is also a state of "killer apps" - on the hunt for that rare but exhilarating solution that addresses old problems with revolutionary new solutions. The Toyota Prius has

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-83274895751173461852007-02-06T22:51:00.000-08:002007-02-06T23:07:50.068-08:00

Sorry for the Green Acres reference but there is a new, full-featured site that has been added to the blogosphere. It features good writers, good discussions, and information about what's going on and how to greenify your lifestyle. Jeff McIntire-Strasburg, the editor of stalwart Sustainablog has been hired as Senior Editor of this site.As they say...----------------Greening the Good LifeWelcome

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-47219147069104107822007-02-03T23:23:00.000-08:002007-02-04T08:33:29.684-08:00

As they say, timing is everything. Right before holding their annual Power-Gen Renewable Energy & Fuels conference March 5-8 in Las Vegas the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) is served up an alarming report furthering speculation about the effects of global warming on climate change. The report is the work of an intergovernmental body called the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-84120083976528221912007-01-31T17:19:00.000-08:002007-02-01T17:20:04.049-08:00

The Renewable Industrial RevolutionAfter more than 150 years, the Industrial Revolution is overdue for a major retooling. No longer can we heedlessly combust biomass and fossil resources without consideration for the carbon emissions and potential energy that "floats out the smokestack." But what can possibly replace the status quo paradigm that we have based so much of our energy, industry,

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-2724716102183379532007-01-29T13:14:00.000-08:002007-01-30T19:45:15.910-08:00

Well, it's not exactly up to the level inspired by George Washington Carver yet, but take it as an indication that one of the benefits of a paradigm shift to renewable biofuels will be stimulation of new byproduct and side-stream chemical industries. Aside from further weaning us from petroleum waste conversion, bioproducts are good "carbon sinks" and, more often than not, biodegradable.Here was

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-30593257176249341732007-01-21T20:29:00.000-08:002007-01-21T20:44:55.020-08:00

One product from bioconversion that is getting recent press is biobutanol - a non-corrosive biofuel similar to ethanol with energy content similar to gasoline that can be mixed with gasoline.Here is story from Green Car Congress about Green Biologics, a company that is using hydrolysis with patented bacteria to convert biomass into biobutanol.----------------Green Biologics Awarded £560,000 for

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-42701529875990946932007-01-20T22:44:00.000-08:002007-01-28T17:19:05.292-08:00

1. What is "BIOoutput"?BIOoutput is our name for the broad spectrum of products and energy that result from the conversion of biomass feedstock. This includes ancillary products like the vehicles that operate on this output.2. What is the focus of the BIOoutput Blog?The third of four biomass conversion blogs, this one is intended to help identify the new products, energy supplies, and markets

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-21286483683029027912007-01-12T12:13:00.000-08:002007-01-19T18:02:10.325-08:00

A chilling article posted by Knowledge@WhartonNetwork raises concern about pollution in China. It could have an unhealthful impact on the 2008 Summer Olympics. Consider this - at a recent marathon in Hong Kong:Runners coughed and gagged as they limbered up. Thick smog shrouded the Tsing Ma Bridge. Pollution index readings on this morning in February 2006 were at 149, the highest in months. Any

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1168536351082409602007-01-11T09:25:00.000-08:002007-01-11T09:28:32.420-08:00

Wouldn't the introduction of plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles mute the booming demand for biofuels over the long haul? Not according to the French automaker Renault in a recent article posted on the Biopact Blog.Biofuels contribute less than 3% of current fuel usage in the U.S. It could grow considerably before challenging fossil fuel dominance or the gradual introduction of electricity as

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1168388771288322622007-01-09T16:25:00.000-08:002007-01-09T16:27:09.686-08:00

Governor Schwarzenegger has announced new targets for gasoline producers to hit in a continuing state campaign to lead the nation in innovative public policy regarding fuels and vehicle emissions.According to the L.A. Times - The order could also usher in a new generation of alternative fuels in California, experts say, as refiners consider adding ethanol or other biofuels into gasoline blends.

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1167771525304397312007-01-02T12:55:00.000-08:002007-01-02T12:59:36.836-08:00

Grist just ran a nice interview with everyman environmentalist, Ed Begley, Jr. His first of six episodes of his reality show Living with Ed premiered just after the Rose Parade on HGTV and will be running at its regular timeslot on Sundays (at 10pm ET/PT but check your local airtimes and channel). It's a tongue-in-cheek look at what is like for his celeb-wife Rachelle Carson to live with this

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1167576970471003882006-12-31T06:55:00.000-08:002006-12-31T06:56:10.636-08:00

December 2006 saw major developments in the commitment of whole industries to a new paradigm shift to renewable energy.On the heels of last month's release of the forest products industry report called the Forest Products Industry Technology Roadmap several wood chip refinery press releases and wood industry reference sites became articles in the blogosphere. There were also two auto shows in Los

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1165766892167112212006-12-10T07:39:00.000-08:002007-06-23T00:16:16.877-07:00

Friday's opening of the international Los Angeles Auto Show will feature the usual leggy models draped across carnauba-waxed chassis. It will showcase the usual engine housings, gleaming under spotlights, and futuristic dashboards twinkling like front-yard Christmas displays.So begins veteran reporter Dan B. Wood of the Christian Science Monitor in his well-written review of Press Day at the Los

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1165644142247274222006-12-08T21:03:00.000-08:002006-12-09T07:07:11.646-08:00

The Media Event/Ride-n-Drive for the two-day Alt Car Expo was a fun day at the sunny, warm Santa Monica beach - half a city and a parallel universe away from the gargantuan Los Angeles Auto Show. Touted as the "most comprehensive presentation ever of alternative fuel vehicles" it was a day for the media to ask the organizers questions about trends in fuel, life style, social commitment, and

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1165560464619553952006-12-07T22:19:00.000-08:002006-12-08T09:00:19.010-08:00

Last August I wrote an article about the China syndrome problem of non-biodegradeable plastic waste escaping our recycling programs and polluting the oceans. The Algalita Marine Research Foundation (AMRF) of Long Beach, California has been covering this environmental catastrophe for years and has produced a series of videos called Our Synthetic Sea which can be previewed online.Anyone who has

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1165256128330074792006-12-04T10:15:00.000-08:002006-12-04T10:41:23.946-08:00

Welcome to the world's first online community for households and businesses to get paid for reducing the carbon emissions from their everyday energy usage.With that lead-in we now have an online mechanism for buying and trading carbon credits. Or at least we will with the near future - you can register now but the full service will not be operational until v1.0 testing is complete and v1.5 is

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1164900909322964202006-11-30T07:34:00.000-08:002006-11-30T07:35:10.580-08:00

Broadening the Scope - Focusing on PotentialThe BIOconversion Blog - while keeping an eye on biofuel and biomass conversion technologies, facility deployments, and international issues - welcomes two new siblings! The BIOstock Blog covers biomass feedstock questions - what feedstocks are being used, how they are being transported, and what pre-processing technologies are being developed. The

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1164856160878191612006-11-29T19:06:00.000-08:002006-11-29T21:05:17.916-08:00

Petroleum has so dominated the chemistry landscape that virtually every possible chemical need has been supplied by a petroleum bi-product. Why is this true? Probably because there was a high value in finding a conversion option to the refinery residue and well-funded labs ready to comply.Solvents, nutrients, plastics, fertilizers, pesticides - all tap the seemingly endless potential of

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1164431236669143682006-11-24T20:31:00.000-08:002006-11-25T11:39:16.513-08:00

Biomass conversion can be used to produce biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel, isolate hydrogen, and produce charcoal. But just as the growth of the oil industry led to the rapid development of the petroleum-based plastics industry, a huge industry in BIOplastics is expected to be developed from the by-products of biomass conversion. These products are especially attractive because of their

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1164429020770172192006-11-24T20:28:00.000-08:002006-11-24T20:30:20.823-08:00

On September 21st the U.S. Department of Energy released their Climate Change Technology Program (CCTP) Strategic Plan which describes broadscope measures that the D.O.E. should pursue to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The publication of the study confirms that the U.S. Department of Energy considers "climate change" to be a pressing issue:As a party to the United Nations Framework Convention

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1164428841082143942006-11-24T20:25:00.000-08:002006-11-24T20:27:21.176-08:00

"Business as usual" could could have serious long-term consequences for global energy consumption and carbon emissions. According to a report released by PriceWaterhouse-Coopers (PwC) last month, global carbon emissions from fossil fuels are going to more than double by the year 2050 unless a number of significant policy changes are enacted soon to deploy technological emission reduction

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1164428627984605442006-11-24T20:19:00.000-08:002006-11-24T20:23:48.326-08:00

The real, gritty work involved in carrying out what is probably the biggest project in the history of state regulation has begun. - Daniel Weintraub Here's a challenge that may put a practical halt to the enforcement of the far-reaching Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006.The legislators who passed the bill are displeased with how Governor Schwarzenegger intends to bring companies into

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1164261682167657862006-11-22T22:00:00.001-08:002006-11-22T22:01:22.276-08:00

What is the most direct way to decrease our reliance on gasoline? Create vehicles that achieve very high mileage on little or no gasoline. One company, Hybrids Plus, is converting off-the-shelf Toyota Priuses into plug-in versions that demonstrate how close we are to greatly multiplying vehicle MPG. James Fraser of The Energy Blog ran a story recently about the delivery of a plug-in hybrid

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1164261620460131302006-11-22T22:00:00.000-08:002006-11-22T22:00:20.523-08:00

From the Ford Bold Moves: Documenting the Future of Ford website comes a point/counterpoint set of two articles soliciting reader opinions on whether Ford should focus its immediate attention on developing flex-fuel, plug-in hybrid technology or fuel cells and hydrogen.If you read an article posted here April 3, titled Plug-in Partners National PHEV Initiative you'll already know this blog's

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1164261288872342262006-11-22T21:54:00.000-08:002006-11-22T21:54:48.950-08:00

Kudos to CalCars on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. for upstaging the Big Three automakers while they met inside with congressmen to discuss the challenge before them. My question remains - are there plans to make the hybrids flex-fuel compatible so that when they run on liquid fuel, that liquid fuel has as little gasoline in it as possible? That would quadruple their already high (100+) miles

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1164261146323214942006-11-22T21:51:00.000-08:002006-11-22T21:52:27.086-08:00

Flex-fuel vehicles can run on gasoline or ethanol or any blend in between. But the liquid fuel MPG is not very good. Hybrid cars can extend the MPG of an automobile by substituting electricity generated within the car in place of liquid fuel - but you need to run the car on fuel to build up the charge. Plug-in cars run on electricity alone without fuel and can be recharged overnight - but their

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1164261079682511192006-11-22T21:50:00.001-08:002006-11-22T21:51:25.186-08:00

General Motors is beginning to promote E85 (a blend of 15% gasoline and 85% ethanol) and their line of Flex-Fuel vehicles in their advertising. It is estimated that about 4 million vehicles in the U.S. are already E85 compatible. Many owners of certain models of major manufacturer cars and trucks don't realize that their vehicles are already capable of running on ethanol. To remedy this situation

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1164261032538805462006-11-22T21:50:00.000-08:002006-11-22T21:50:32.616-08:00

The push is on for more gas efficient, flexible-fuel vehicles. Below is a recent article from Green Car Congress about a car that sports not only hybrid level gas efficiency but also the multiplying benefits of running on E85 ethanol blended gasoline (85% ethanol multiplies by 5 the mpg of gasoline alone). Modifying existing car models (standard or hybrid) is not difficult or expensive so expect

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1164260983673136952006-11-22T21:49:00.000-08:002006-11-22T21:49:43.740-08:00

Chris Ellis, Chief Engineer of the PowerBeam Company Ltd, based in England, wrote an article that was picked up and distributed by the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition. He explains the mileage and environmental benefits of E85 hybrids (especially when running on cellulosic ethanol) over fuel-cell vehicles and EVs. Below are some excerpts from his compelling arguments and crystal ball gazing.---

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1164260871797034462006-11-22T21:45:00.001-08:002006-11-22T21:47:51.803-08:00

There are two articles that indicate that General Motors (GM) is getting serious about marketing Flex-Fuel Vehicles (FFV) in the U.S. FFVs are cars that have been modified to run on both gasoline or ethanol. They feature stronger fuel lines (ethanol is more corrosive than gasoline) and a device that can differentiate the particular blend of ethanol/gasoline in the tank to adjust carburetion. The

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1164260753673917882006-11-22T21:45:00.000-08:002006-11-22T21:45:53.676-08:00

NOTE: The International Symposium on Alcohol Fuels held its 15th annual meeting Sept. 26-28, 2005 in San Diego, CA. There were many important and timely papers and presentations delivered at the event for which I will provide abstracts.Thomas MacDonald of the California Energy Commission provided evidence that "alcohol flexible fuels vehicles" (a.k.a., Flex-Fuel Vehicles - FFV - that run on

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1164260734014809062006-11-22T21:43:00.000-08:002006-11-22T21:45:34.020-08:00

Who will be the George Washington Carver of the developing ethanol industry? Carver is best known as the inventor of over 300 uses for peanuts during the late 19th century - but that is probably the least of his accomplishments. This slave orphan broke racial barriers to persevere as a student, scientist, and Tuskegee Institute educator for all Southerners who struggled to survive the post-Civil

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1164260557067477862006-11-22T21:42:00.000-08:002006-11-22T21:42:37.070-08:00

Biopact reports that research on the carbon sequestering capacity of forests is challenging long cherished beliefs that they are 'carbon sinks" that suck more carbon-dioxide out of the atmosphere than they emit. The idea that planting or retaining more trees will automatically compensate for greenhouse gases released elsewhere is apparently a myth.Still, the net CO2 contribution of forests is far

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1164260514064236752006-11-22T21:41:00.000-08:002006-11-22T21:41:54.070-08:00

In August I cited an article on Terra Preta that focused on an organic method of sequestering carbon in the soil.On the World Changing website, I recently ran across an article and a conversion technology animation involving pyrolysis and the generation of charcoal for the production of a high carbon fertilizer. Such a process would not only add to the sustainability of soil for the cultivation

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37761671.post-1164246243926804022006-11-22T17:43:00.000-08:002007-01-13T05:25:29.865-08:00

Conversion technologies (CTs) promise to solve both environmental and fossil fuel problems by completing the cycle between waste and energy. With this Executive Order (S-06-06) issued April 25th, Governor Schwarzenegger clearly understands the link. Furthermore, he is ordering his state agencies and commissions to meet specific targets in the production and use of biofuels. This important message

C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.com0