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Tip of the Day
To save energy, remember to turn off the light when leaving a room
Biofuel from garbage
photo by SaltyGrease (Flickr CC)
So-called ‘second generation’ biofuels are fuels derived from biomass which do not come primarily from food sources and thus attempt to avoid the ‘food vs. fuel’ dilemma that has tainted biofuels like corn ethanol.
A second generation biofuel can come from the non-edible residual byproducts of crops, like leaves and husks, from non-edible crops like switchgrass or jatropha, or other industrial waste biomass such as wood chips or fruit peels.
UK firm TMO Renewables’ genetically modified bacteria turns compost and other waste into bioethanol. The company opened the UK’s first bioethanol plant in 2008, but is now finding far more business in the US, rather than Europe.
From an article in the Guardian:
TMO Renewables developed a strain of “turbo-charged” bacteria that can turn tea bags, cardboard, wood and other household waste into fuel for cars and trucks. The Guildford-based company signed a 20-year, $25m-a-year deal with US firm Fiberight.
At current rates, TMO’s US deal totals over €380 million.
TMO’s waste eating superbugs have the dual advantage of aiding waste management and producing sustainable biofuel.
Additional resources:
Renewable Energy World – TMO Renewables wins $25 million US bioethanol plant contract
Tags: bioethanol, biofuel, biomass, second generation, TMO Renewables, UK, US
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