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June 7, 2005

Biodiesel: A New Way of Turning Plants into Fuel

A breakthrough process for converting biomass into biodiesel fuel promises a cheaper way to go green.

By Sam Jaffe

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Eco-dreamers have long hoped for a way to drive around without contributing to global warming, but the slow pace of progress in alternative fuel technologies has kept that vision from materializing. Now, a promising new process, designed by researchers at the University of Wisconsin and outlined in a paper that appeared in the journal Science on June 2, could be a significant step toward turning that dream into a reality.

The paper details a new way to produce biodiesel fuel, which is made out of plant matter. Traditional biodiesel refining uses only the fatty acids of a plant, which typically make up less than 10 percent of the mass of dried plants. Rather than converting only the fat, this new method promises to turn all of the dried plant material, including roots, stems, leaves, and fruit, into biodiesel or heat energy.

Ethanol, the most popular and commercial biofuel, has long been refined out of plant matter, but it requires the costly, energy-intensive step of distilling every molecule of water out of the solution. In contrast, the new biodiesel process is based on aqueous phase reactions, which don't need to go through the expensive distillation phase.

"The biggest advance we have to offer is the lack of that distillation process," says George Huber, one of the paper's authors and a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin who will soon be teaching at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. "That means that our process is exothermic." In other words, it doesn't need a lot of extra energy. And that's important, because the largest cost in the current biofuel refining process is energy.

The new method is divided into four parts. First, a stream of processed biomass consisting of water and sugars is fed over a nickel-tin catalyst to strip off some of its hydrogen atoms. Then the stream is treated with acids that take out most of the water. The resulting "goo" is then transported over a solid base catalyst, which forms it into long carbon chains, called alkanes. Finally, those alkanes are run through a platinum-silica-alumina catalyst at high temperatures, while the hydrogen from the first step is fed into the reactor. The resulting liquid has almost the exact same chemical structure as traditionally refined biodiesel and burns the same way in diesel engines. And the only byproducts are water and heat.

If the process can be scaled up to industrial levels, it could be a major step toward the creation of a transportation fuel that is relatively clean burning, doesn't contribute to global warming, and provides U.S. farmers with billions of dollars of new income.

According to Bill Jones, Chairman of the Board of Pacific Ethanol, a leading biofuel company, the oil industry currently views the emerging bio-fuels industry with fear, rather than acceptance.

"But eventually they'll come around," he says. "They'll understand that this isn't just competition, it's a whole new market for them to get into."

He points out that the Brazilian petroleum industry also resisted government attempts to promote biofuels, but it is now a big supporter -- more than half of Brazil's oil imports have been replaced with biofuels (see the Technology Review April cover story on world-changing ideas).

Others don't need to be convinced, though. Charles Wyman, a distinguished professor at Dartmouth College in Hanover NH, whose specialty is the biological conversion of cellulosic biomass to ethanol and other products, says this new methodology could give biodiesel a fighting chance to succeed in the commercial marketplace by allowing manufacturers to make either ethanol or biodiesel fuel.

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Comments

  • Contacts
    Guest (Mr Neisuh Patel) on 11/15/2005 at 10:37 AM
    Posts:
    1
    Dear Sir,
    I would like to know more about this new Biomass conversion process.
    Please contact me with Prof George Huber &amp Prof James Dumesic.
    My email address is Standing1@gmail.com
    I await your best attention  &amp quick reply.
    Regards,
    Mr  Neisuh Patel
    Rate this comment: 12345
    • Biodiesel from Algae
      Guest (Ganapathy Arumugam) on 06/22/2006 at 12:00 AM
      Posts:
      1
      Can you advise the species suitabli, productivity in terms of Biomass,Hydrocarbon, Metyhodology, Production cost ect
      Rate this comment: 12345
      • Alga into Bio Diesel
        Guest (Scott Brown) on 07/03/2006 at 12:00 AM
        Posts:
        1
        I work with a lot of southeast asian counties, this region can grow alge for very inexspensive cost. Most of the these regions also have palm oil. we have many compaies that would be interested in investing in this technolgy. please forward information. we would like to work with you to also build a processing plant.
        My email is sbrown@in-home.us
        Rate this comment: 12345
  • Contacts
    Guest (Mr Neisuh Patel) on 11/15/2005 at 10:37 AM
    Posts:
    1
    Dear Sir,
    I would like to know more about this new Biomass conversion process.
    Please contact me with Prof George Huber &amp Prof James Dumesic.
    My email address is Standing1@gmail.com
    I await your best attention  &amp quick reply.
    Regards,
    Mr  Neisuh Patel
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • Contacts
    Guest (Mr Neisuh Patel) on 11/15/2005 at 10:37 AM
    Posts:
    1
    Dear Sir,
    I would like to know more about this new Biomass conversion process.
    Please contact me with Prof George Huber &amp Prof James Dumesic.
    My email address is Standing1@gmail.com
    I await your best attention  &amp quick reply.
    Regards,
    Mr  Neisuh Patel
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • Bio-Diesel from algae
    Guest (TR Stevenson) on 11/19/2005 at 1:32 AM
    Posts:
    1
    TRSA has been working on Wet Fractionation of Lucerne (Alfalfa) to produce fibre, soluble protein concentrates and isolates and brown
    liquor solubles (sugars)
    Technuical &amp Research Services Pty Ltd (TRSA) is my company which has and is carrying out the following projects

    Past work by TRSA included working on production and processing of algae, using solar energy.  The solids were separated using similar equipment to above processes (Decanters)and dried by TRSA low temperature Spouting Bed Driers producing a Vitamin C product


    Other work has include the development of soybeans processing to produce soy base milk and soy residue, using similar equipment and operations which will be used in the lucerne project

    I would like to have further discussions with your group if you feel the above experience is relevant to bio-diesel and/or ethanol production
    Rate this comment: 12345
    • Bio-diesel manufacturing from plants (Steam, leaf)
      Guest (S.SENDIL NADIN) on 11/20/2005 at 10:39 AM
      Posts:
      1
      Dear sir,

           On that i had seen your article.  Its a good one invention sir.  Now i am intrested to setup this biodiesel based manufacturing industry at India (Pondicherry).  Please kindly send all those manufacturing technology and its machinery details with cost. 

         I am expecting your reply as early sir.

         Thanking you sir,

      S.SENDIL NADIN
      e-mail Id:shuvzemgroup@gmail.com
      Rate this comment: 12345
    • Bio-diesel manufacturing from plants (Steam, leaf)
      Guest (S.SENDIL NADIN) on 11/20/2005 at 10:39 AM
      Posts:
      1
      Dear sir,

           On that i had seen your article.  Its a good one invention sir.  Now i am intrested to setup this biodiesel based manufacturing industry at India (Pondicherry).  Please kindly send all those manufacturing technology and its machinery details with cost. 

         I am expecting your reply as early sir.

         Thanking you sir,

      S.SENDIL NADIN
      e-mail Id:shuvzemgroup@gmail.com
      Rate this comment: 12345
    • algae production   solid catalyst  for biodiesel prod
      Guest (js gill) on 06/21/2006 at 12:00 AM
      Posts:
      1
      Rate this comment: 12345
  • Bio-Diesel from algae
    Guest (TR Stevenson) on 11/19/2005 at 1:32 AM
    Posts:
    1
    TRSA has been working on Wet Fractionation of Lucerne (Alfalfa) to produce fibre, soluble protein concentrates and isolates and brown
    liquor solubles (sugars)
    Technuical &amp Research Services Pty Ltd (TRSA) is my company which has and is carrying out the following projects

    Past work by TRSA included working on production and processing of algae, using solar energy.  The solids were separated using similar equipment to above processes (Decanters)and dried by TRSA low temperature Spouting Bed Driers producing a Vitamin C product


    Other work has include the development of soybeans processing to produce soy base milk and soy residue, using similar equipment and operations which will be used in the lucerne project

    I would like to have further discussions with your group if you feel the above experience is relevant to bio-diesel and/or ethanol production
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • Bio-diesel vs. soil-building mulch
    Guest (Scott Slocum) on 11/27/2005 at 5:10 PM
    Posts:
    1
    Id like to learn more about an obvious cost of bio-diesel production: decreased recycling of organic matter back into the soil. Wouldnt increased bio-diesel production threaten long-term agriculture by depleting topsoil?
    Rate this comment: 12345
    • Soil degradation - not necessarily
      Guest (Jim Demers) on 02/27/2006 at 12:00 AM
      Posts:
      1
      So long as the nitrogen and phosphorus in the process waste streams are returned to the soil, there's no net loss if you take away only the ethanol... the C, H, and O come from water and atmospheric CO2.
      Rate this comment: 12345
    • Soil degradation - Biodeisels??
      Guest (Surendra Mohnot) on 03/19/2006 at 12:00 AM
      Posts:
      1
      Biodiesels are made from vegetable oils and animal fats. We already extract both edible and non-edible oils from plant sources. Only here we put these oils/fats to yet another eco-friendly use - Biodiesel making.

      The oilcakes, crude by-products,other plant parts can be composted to aid the topsoil with high quality manure thus produced.
      Rate this comment: 12345
  • Bio-diesel vs. soil-building mulch
    Guest (Scott Slocum) on 11/27/2005 at 5:10 PM
    Posts:
    1
    Id like to learn more about an obvious cost of bio-diesel production: decreased recycling of organic matter back into the soil. Wouldnt increased bio-diesel production threaten long-term agriculture by depleting topsoil?
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • fff
    Guest (ss) on 11/30/2005 at 12:34 AM
    Posts:
    1
    ......................................
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • fff
    Guest (ss) on 11/30/2005 at 12:34 AM
    Posts:
    1
    ......................................
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • want crude glycerine
    Guest (lemon) on 12/09/2005 at 8:46 PM
    Posts:
    1


    We introduce ourselves as Popular Holding LTD.We are located in China .



    Now we need   Crude  Glycerine   in our production .Do you produce Crude Glycerine?



    If you produce and can supply . Pls do not hesitate to contact us and be so kindly to give us your spec., packing and quote your best price on FOB basis(MT/USD) .Tks



    Looking forward to receiving to your reply.





    Jonathan/Lemon


    Fax: 86-592-5163527
    E-mail:chem15@winmail.cn




    Rate this comment: 12345
    • crude glycerine
      Guest (keith plumley) on 01/30/2006 at 12:00 AM
      Posts:
      1
      We are current exporting crude Glycerine, and have approx 100mt per month until year end,
      If of interest please contact me.
      E-mail keith@cphchemicals.nl
      Best wishes
      Keith Plumley
      Rate this comment: 12345
    • Glycerin
      Guest (Balasubramanian.C) on 02/16/2006 at 12:00 AM
      Posts:
      1
      We are in India (Mumbai); in the process of setting up bio diesel plant and the Glycerine will be available in latter stage- 10,000TPA. Would like to know from you on long term aggrement possiblities and quantity requirements.contact me at balasubramanianc@essar.com
      Rate this comment: 12345
    • Crude Glycerine uses
      Guest (Surendra Mohnot) on 03/19/2006 at 12:00 AM
      Posts:
      1
      Can we produce biofertilizers, biocides or other products from crude glycerine (containing sodium or potassium soaps, etc.) obtained during biodiesel processing from waste vegetable oils/fats?

      My email: surendra.mohnot@gmail.com 
      Rate this comment: 12345
    • crude glycerin
      Guest (stephen gephart) on 05/24/2006 at 12:00 AM
      Posts:
      1
      please contact me regarding your request for crude glycerin. sgephart@gti-e.com
      Rate this comment: 12345
  • want crude glycerine
    Guest (lemon) on 12/09/2005 at 8:46 PM
    Posts:
    1


    We introduce ourselves as Popular Holding LTD.We are located in China .



    Now we need   Crude  Glycerine   in our production .Do you produce Crude Glycerine?



    If you produce and can supply . Pls do not hesitate to contact us and be so kindly to give us your spec., packing and quote your best price on FOB basis(MT/USD) .Tks



    Looking forward to receiving to your reply.





    Jonathan/Lemon


    Fax: 86-592-5163527
    E-mail:chem15@winmail.cn




    Rate this comment: 12345
  • We Supply Crude Glycerine
    Guest (Dunkwu Charles) on 01/08/2006 at 5:03 PM
    Posts:
    1
    We are a manufacturers mandate and we introduce ourself as able to supply Crude Glycerine min.,80%.

    Thanks.

    Dunkwu Charles
    chdunkwu@aol.com
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • We Supply Crude Glycerine
    Guest (Dunkwu Charles) on 01/08/2006 at 5:03 PM
    Posts:
    1
    We are a manufacturers mandate and we introduce ourself as able to supply Crude Glycerine min.,80%.

    Thanks.

    Dunkwu Charles
    chdunkwu@aol.com
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • BIO-DIESEL
    Guest (S.SENDIL NADIN) on 01/17/2006 at 12:00 AM
    Posts:
    1
    Dear sir,
    On that i had seen your article. Its a good one invention sir. Now i am intrested to setup this biodiesel based manufacturing industry at India (Pondicherry). Please kindly send all those manufacturing technology and its machinery details with cost. I am expecting your reply as early sir. Thanking you sir, S.SENDIL NADIN e-mail Id:shuvzemgroup@gmail.com
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • to gain knowledge
    Guest (piyush) on 03/02/2006 at 12:00 AM
    Posts:
    1
    sir,
       can you tell me how we can apply biotechnology inthe biodiesel ie to produce biodiesel in biological way using any enzymes or any thing else
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • Environmental Impacts
    Guest (KW Seastrom) on 04/27/2006 at 12:00 AM
    Posts:
    1
    What happens when there is a petrol spill that envolves ethanol? Does the bacteria in soil eat the ethanol first and leave the benzine?
    Rate this comment: 12345
    • [no subject]
      Guest (johhny rockenschpeil) on 05/30/2006 at 12:00 AM
      Posts:
      1
      no you idiot
      Rate this comment: 12345
  • Biomass to bio fuel
    Guest (Vinod K Bhargav) on 05/08/2006 at 12:00 AM
    Posts:
    1
    Dear sir,
    Could u ple send me little more detail about the conversion of biomass to biofuel concept
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • Biomass to bio fuel
    Guest (Vinod K Bhargav) on 05/08/2006 at 12:00 AM
    Posts:
    1
    pl send me more detail of biomass to biofuel concept on my mail vkbciphet@gmail.com
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • please send me biomass to biodiesel info
    Guest (Michael Woody) on 05/10/2006 at 12:00 AM
    Posts:
    1
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • Biodiesel from algae
    Guest (Narsi) on 05/16/2006 at 12:00 AM
    Posts:
    1
    You can find some inputs for biodiesel derived from algae from this web page - http://www.castoroil.in/reference/plant_oils/uses/fuel/sources/algae/biodiesel_algae.html
    Rate this comment: 12345
    • Re: Biodiesel from algae
      robfreel on 10/20/2006 at 6:26 AM
      Posts:
      1
      Thanks for the web address for my research. Biodiesel from algea could drive gasoline back into the ground or the novel idea of using biodiese to power a plant to manufacture syngsoline. This is an inexpensive renewable fuel.
      Rate this comment: 12345
  • biodiesel
    Guest (rajaendran) on 05/17/2006 at 12:00 AM
    Posts:
    1
    Pls send me information on the conversion from palm oil to diesel
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • biodiesel
    Guest (Rajaendran) on 05/17/2006 at 12:00 AM
    Posts:
    1
    technology transfer to Malaysia
    Rate this comment: 12345
    • Technology transfer
      Guest (Ganapathy Arumugam) on 06/22/2006 at 12:00 AM
      Posts:
      1
      Dear Mr Rajendran what technology you expect from us the requirements and planning investment ect
      Rate this comment: 12345
    • Technology
      Guest (S.SENDIL NADIN) on 07/05/2006 at 12:00 AM
      Posts:
      1
      sir, which one you want first? Please reply to shuvzem@rediffmail.com
      Rate this comment: 12345
  • Technology
    Guest (colin) on 05/23/2006 at 12:00 AM
    Posts:
    1
    Dear Sir,

    I will be returning to Africa and would like to start introducing this technology there- How would I start and wo could assist me ( not Financially )with this project. Your reply would be greaty appreciated.
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • Bio Diesel
    Guest (Jay) on 06/22/2006 at 12:00 AM
    Posts:
    1
    Dear Sir,
    I am interested to setup a biodiesel plant. Pls send me details. My mail id is:jaychak@gmail.com
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • Ungrangsee
    Guest (Supin) on 08/07/2006 at 12:00 AM
    Posts:
    1
    I am interested in producing Bio Fuel from Biomass. Would you please share essential information for me.  My email address is  supin_ungrangsee@yahoo.com     Thanks.
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • Misinformation
    Peter Simmons on 08/21/2006 at 1:46 PM
    Posts:
    1
    "every drop" of water does not have to be distilled for Ethanol - low-energy molecular sieves are used also

    Energy is not the "largest cost" for ethanol - feedstocks like Corn are 70% of the cost - energy is around 25%

    How factual is this article?
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • Bio-Diseal vs Regular Gasoline
    afiarafiq on 04/07/2007 at 9:11 AM
    Posts:
    10
    Avg Rating:
    3/5
    Can Bio-Diseal in any way be compareble to Gasoline as far as performance, price and consumption is concerened in vehicles? Could they provide enough horsepower to make objects like AIRBOARD hover?
    Rate this comment: 1