Nextant study concludes biodiesel is a transitionary technology
Filed under: Biodiesel, Emerging Technologies, Ethanol
Nextant, a technology solutions and consulting services company, has published a new report, "Liquid Biofuels: Substituting for Petroleum", which concludes that biodiesel traditionally produced from crops is most likely a transitionary technology. Biodiesel, which is a biodegradable, low-toxicity product, will be around for a long time even if it is not able to substitute for more than a small percentage of the world's total diesel consumption, the report says. Bioethanol is also identified as a likely to be transitional over the long term.
These conclusions are based on integrated thermochemical biomass-to-liquids (BTL) technologies supplanting traditional biofuels produced from sugar cane, corn, soy and canola, amongst others. BTL technologies are expected to be used in conjunction with hybrid electric drive systems to increase efficiency. Conflict over crop use for biofuels instead of food is expected to hasten the transition to BTL technologies with several biofuels crops increasing in price just in the last six months leading to a search for cheaper alternatives.
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[Source: Biofuel Review]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-02-2007 @ 2:13PM
1985 Gripen said...
This is crazy. Don't the taxpayers pay farmers NOT to grow certain crops? So we can't just allow them to grow crops to be made into biofuel? Why is there an arguement over food crops being used for fuel if we're paying farmers NOT to grow crops!?!?
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1-02-2007 @ 2:58PM
TX CHL Instructor said...
"Conflict over crop use for biofuels instead of food is expected to hasten the transition to BTL"
Somebody hasn't read about pond scum... Algae biodiesel doesn't have any of the problems mentioned in the article, and could well be the dominant fuel into the 22nd century.
Provided Big Oil doesn't find a way to make it illegal.
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1-02-2007 @ 4:45PM
Tim said...
Algae is high in beta carotene, essential oils, protein and anti-oxidants. In fact, it's a super food! http://www.algae-world.com/algae41.html We shouldn't burn important food stocks as auto fuel. ;) The rubber soles on my shoes scarred some poor tree for life! I’m such a sinner!!
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1-02-2007 @ 4:47PM
1985 Gripen said...
Like cellulosic ethanol I'm not sure algae has been proven to be capable of providing enough fuel large-scale to make a difference. It works in a lab, but how much work (and money) does it take to produce an acceptable amount of fuel?
I'd be more interested in these ideal fuel production methods if there was at least some small-scale production going on. I think the method furthest along is that cellulosic ethanol "proof of concept" factory on the drawing board in New York State. So how long before it's actually funded, built and functioning? How long before we can expect large-scale production of cellulosic ethanol?
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1-02-2007 @ 5:13PM
Tim said...
Gripen- Here is a great place to start researching bio-diesel or VegOil SVO from algae. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algaculture There is also some great information on this blog. Algae is very promising!
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