Bio Ethanol

Research conducted by Delft University of Technology has brought the efficient production of the environmentally-friendly fuel bio-ethanol a great deal closer to fruition. The work of Delft researcher Marko Kuyper was an important factor in this. His research in recent years has greatly improved the conversion of certain sugars from agricultural waste to ethanol. On Tuesday 6 June, Kuyper received his PhD degree for his research into the subject.

Hybrids and high-mpgs have been the buzz in the auto industry lately, money being the motivating factor above environmental protection. Honda, never the follower, is making a move toward environmental friendly cars as it unleashes a new form of bio-ethanol which is derived from soft-biomass, a renewable resouce of plant derived material. The new process is not only more efficient and cost-effective to produce than previous forms of the fuel, but also promises that no new carbon molecules will be released into the atmosphere. It's a big step toward the use of ethanol as a primary fuel source. 28

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Backyard Biodiesel - Alternative Fuel Sources

Honda's new technology, in which cellulosic biomass is turned into ethanol, came in a partnership with the Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE). Current ethanol production primarily users sugars and starches from sugarcane and corn, two items that are also used for food. Honda's biomass-derived ethanol, however, brakes down sugars in soft-biomass material, which includes inedible leaves and stalks of plants, such as rice straw. As soft-biomass materials are renewable, and aren't sought after for as many commercial applications as sugarcane and corn, soft-biomass represents an renewable fuel source for ethanol technology, and one which promises no new carbon circulation in the atmosphere.