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News and Trends
http://www.neoseeker.com/news/story/6885/ As demand for biofuels increases, the available land space for cultivating biofuel crops may become a problem for land resource-limited countries like Japan. This is one of the reasons why Japanese scientists are now looking to the sea for cultivating novel biofuel feedstocks. The Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, together with Mitsubishi Research Institute and other Japanese companies have announced an ambitious project for the cultivation of seaweed for ethanol production. A 10,000 square kilometer seaweed farm is planned off the Sea of Japan, in a shallow fishing area called Yamatotai. In the proposal, fast-growing sargasso seaweeds will be cultivated in giant nets laid out in the cultivation area. Floating bioreactors will process the seaweeds into fermentable sugars for subsequent ethanol fermentation using specialized enzymes. Ethanol fermentation is also envisioned to be done at sea. Transport of the ethanol to land will be done by tankers. The Japanese scientists estimate that the 10,000 square kilometre seaweed farm can produce about 20 million kiloliters (5.3 billion gallons) of ethanol per year. The search for enzymes that can break down the organic polymers in the algae into fermentable sugars is one of the key areas of study. Seaweed is composed of polysaccharides, fucoidin and alginic acid. Although fucoidan-degrading enzymes are available, there is reportedly none so far for the degradation of alginic acid. Molecular biology techniques for the development of alginic-acid degrading enzymes are being considered. Related Links:
Cassava is considered a good bioethanol feedstock because of its favourable energy balance and its good GHG (greenhouse gas) balance. Cassava-growing regions can potentially harness the crop for “cassava ethanol”, and contribute to the livelihood improvement of farmers. Recently, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIARhas reported an initiative in Colombia that might help promote the country’s rural agricultural development. The initiative by the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) facilitates the participation of farmers for the “pre-processing” of cassava tubers into a liquid containing 50% ethanol. With the cooperation of the Caribbean Consortium to Support Cassava Research and Development (CLAYUCA), and Diligent Energy Systems, a Dutch company, the processing activities are to be done in low cost, “artisan-scale” plants. The initial 50% ethanol solutions obtained from these pre-processing plants can then be taken to a central ethanol distillery, where the materials are further processed into 99.5% ethanol. Besides the low cost, and the income that can be obtained in the pre-processing activity, the “artisan-scale” plants also provide value added by-products like feed and fertilizer. The CGIAR report also states that the initiative can (1) position cassava as an agricultural option for the improvement of incomes and the quality of life for the farmers in Colombia, (2) “help validate sustainable and competitive options of energy and agroindustrial development”, and (3) “serve as a model for “sustainable development of bioenergy using traditional crops” to other countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America.. http://www.businessdayonline.com/?c=53&a=14560 The Deputy Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Environment of the Government of Ghana, Abraham Dwoma-Odoom, has announced his government’s plan to invest 16 billion cedis (about US$1.72 million) for large scale plantation of Jatropha. Jatropha is a small tree whose seeds produce oil that can be processed for biodiesel. The announcement was made in a forum for the launching of Jatropha cultivation in the Central Region. According to Paul Collins Appiah-Offori, member of Parliament investors from Israel have expressed interest to build a biodiesel factory in the country..
http://biopact.com/2007/07/china-announces-agricultural-biofuel.html China has announced its Agricultural Biofuel Industry Plan which maps out the country’s biofuels development strategies. Among the strategies are: (1) cap the expansion of grain-based ethanol production, particularly for corn and potato, to minimize negative impacts on the food sector, (2) develop new crop bases for biofuel production: sugarcane, sweet sorghum and cassava for bioethanol, and rapeseed for biodiesel. According to the plan, “the total production of biomass energy from non-grain crops will grow to 500 million tons of coal equivalent, worth some 3 trillion yuan [€290/US$385 billion], which will account for 24 percent of the nation's total energy consumption.” Bioethanol production targets have also been raised to 6 million tons by 2010 and 15 million tons by 2020 (previously set at 12 million tons by 2020. Energy Crops and Feedstocks for Biofuels Production
BioPact an organization promoting sustainable use of bioenergy in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa has announced a sneak preview of their research on the potential of some “second generation” biofuel feedstocks. “Second Generation” biofuel feedstocks are non-food based, generally lignocellulosic biomass for biofuel production. One of the factors used to assess potential is a feedstock’s net energy balance: the difference between the energy produced from burning the biofuel and the energy used to produce it. A good feedstock should have a net positive energy balance and the higher the value, the better. Palm oil was found to be the “most ethanol productive crop” and the “most productive biodiesel crop”. Estimates from a one hectare plantation that produced 20 tons of fresh fruit bunches showed that 4 tons of crude oil and 1 ton of palm kernel oil can be extracted for biodiesel production. The 20 ton fruit bunch harvest also yielded the following cellulose rich/ hemicellulose-rich materials that can be utilized for bioethanol processing: 4.6 tons of empty fruit bunches (after oil extraction), 3 tons of fresh fiber, and 1 ton of kernel press cake. In addition, a one hectare plantation of 150 trees could yield 25 tons of hemicellulose-rich palm fronds for ethanol production. The palm oil effluent from the processing of palm oil would also yield 100 cubic meters of biogas (a 60/40 mixture of methane and carbon dioxide) that can be used to co-generate electricity in the processing plant. Biopact also notes that although they are aware and recognize the environmental problems associated with palm oil plantations, the reality is that some plantations already exist, but are not harnessed to their full production potential. Instead of increasing palm oil plantation areas, the report states that it is important to upgrade the production of existing plantations.. Biofuels Processing
Scientists from three campuses of the University of California are combining efforts with West Biofuels LLC to develop a prototype reactor for the production of an alcohol-based biofuel, without the use of a food-based feedstock and without fermentation. Urban and agricultural cellulosic wastes are the raw materials, and these have the advantage of not having negative impacts on food security/food prices compared to other “food” feedstocks, like corn. These wastes are also generated in large quantities in California. Using “heat, sand and catalysts”, the non-biological biomass-to-ethanol process involves three steps. The first step is the thermochemical treatment of the biomass, where high temperature converts the biomass into “producer gas” (a gas mixture containing methane, hydrogen and carbon dioxide). In the second step, the producer gas is “reformed” by a catalytic reaction, resulting in a product called “synthesis gas” or “syngas” (a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide). Finally, in the third step, the syngas is catalytically converted to alcohols which can be used as biofuel. West Biofuels LLC will build the one million dollar, 4 ton/day reactor and donate it to the University of California, who will do the testing. The University of California team, headed by Robert Cattolico (UC Davis Jacobs School of Engineering) will use the test results for the design of a 100 ton/day pilot plant.. Biofuels Policy and Economicshttp://www.greencarcongress.com/2007/07/india-likely-to.html Vilas Muttemvar, Minister of New and Renewable Energy of the Government of India has reported that the National Biofuels Policy for India “will be in place in a few months”. Muttemvar was addressing participants at the European Commission’s International Conference on Biofuels in Brussels. The national policy is set to include a government mandate for a 5% blend of biofuels in petroleum-based fossil fuels by 2012. This will be gradually increased to 10% by 2017. Previous reports on the draft of the biofuel policy included the recommendation for “minimum support prices for Jatropha and other non-edible oils”, and the establishment of a National Biofuel Development Board. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is responsible for formulating an overall policy for the promotion of biofuels, and for supporting research and development in biofuels production. Related Links: |
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