Link to article- http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/07/business/energy-environment/us-backs-plant-to-make-fuel-from-corn-waste.html?partner=rss&emc=rss#
Title- U.S. Backs Project to Produce Fuel From Corn Waste
By MATTHEW L. WALD. 7.6.11
Link to picture: http://www.google.com/imgres?q=corn+waste&hl=en&tbo=d&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=RBXL18fShu3P_M:&imgrefurl=http://www.ongo.com/v/1322620/-1/90A2B84EAB237501/us-backs-project-to-produce-fuel-from-corn-waste&docid=WCrQa9pem3jIZM&imgurl=http://www.ongo.com/6/2011/07/07/1322620/202ea9c7360c1043a829778b9f7422e4d00.jpg&w=1024&h=670&ei=ZqjbTri1MOrp0QGTh-HpDQ&zoom=1&biw=1024&bih=690
Caption to picture: in this picture it is showing all the corn waste that is used each day in the factory to make motor fuel.
Summary- The Energy Department plans to provide a $105 million loan guarantee for the expansion of an ethanol factory in Emmetsburg, Iowa, that intends to make motor fuel from corncobs, leaves and husks.In the article it mentioned this could be the first project to make ethanol from a nonfood, or cellulosic,plant source.if this idea works properly it could greatly increase the potential to make motor vehicle fuel and reduce the use of fossil fuels. It could also reduce the use of corn in the manufacture of ethanol as motor fuel, which is becoming an arguable issue because it is reducing food supplies for people and animals.The plan for this corncob plant is intended to make all the energy it needs to operate and to supply some energy to the corn ethanol plant next door.The company’s plant in Scotland,has been running since 2008 and converts a ton of cobs, husks and leaves, a day into 75 to 80 gallons of ethanol! In order to get the final product the process is very simple:The waste parts of corn plants, called stover, are steamed and treated with acid, and then broken down by enzymes into ordinary sugar and a second sugar with one fewer carbon atom. Both are converted by yeast into alcohol, but persuading the yeast to eat the second sugar requires altering its DNA.
Opinion/ reflection: I think this is a really great idea! In class I remember discussing alternative energy sources and how it has it's positives and negatives. Well I think in retrospect this idea it mainly positives. An example of one it's positive factors is that the ethanol is being made from corn cobs, leaves, and husks. This means that it is not reducing food supplies for humans or animals. Another positive is that we are using waste material in order to make the ethanol, not something we had to make, buy, or use.like I had previously mentioned this will help us use less fossil fuels, and that is another positive thing, because it will help prevent us to run out of fossil fuels.I believe the article also mentioned that this project will help lower oil and gas prices, which is another great positive, in this horrible economy. I was able to relate this back to class when we were discussing about using human and animal feces as energy to power your home. I think this is something similar but more powerful and efficient .
I absolutely agree with Simal. She said that in the article it said that some people do not like this idea because it reduces the amount of food we will have for humans and animals, I completely disagree. We have so many alternative food sources that we could use. Plus, they are not using every bit of corn. There will still be plenty of corn for our consumption and for animals. I also agree with Simal that this is a really great way to use an alternative energy source. I personally, do not eat corn too much and can survive with a little bit less corn for consumption.
ReplyDeleteI also have a question:
Question #1: What made them decide to use corn out of all growing crops?
Another picture link:
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=corn+for+alternative+energy&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&sa=N&rls=en&tbm=isch&tbnid=msagh3hf0JeTiM:&imgrefurl=http://news.thomasnet.com/green_clean/2011/09/26/green-scissors-gets-heartland-institute-and-friends-of-the-earth-in-bed-together/&docid=3zaFCXjhK2MIvM&imgurl=http://news.thomasnet.com/green_clean/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/CornEthanolKOMUSmall.png&w=320&h=214&ei=uTzdTte6PMb50gGB_MWKBQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=196&vpy=333&dur=2630&hovh=171&hovw=256&tx=168&ty=154&sig=115695861578907495061&page=8&tbnh=121&tbnw=161&start=144&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:15,s:144&biw=1204&bih=616
Picture explanation:
A plant that is using corn. You can see the corn going through the machinery and coming out of the opening. I guess a lot of companies are using corn for different things.
Sorry for forgetting the questions guys! Okay so my three questions are:
ReplyDelete1- can other crops also be used for this type of project?
2- at this rate will the ethanol be anon renewable source or renewable, and by when if so renewable?
3- aside from the dog feces for energy project, are there any other projects that are similar to this one and if so what are they using?
This article is showing that we are actually trying to find alternative sources for fuel, which is a great thing! I do not understand why some people don't like this option. It is such a great idea and we have plenty of corn. Just look around the country side! Even if we just use a fourth of that four fuel we will still have plenty for consumption. I can also see how people would think that it will take away from consumtion. If we all eat corn on the cobs then we still have that waste that we don't eat that can be used for food.
ReplyDeleteAnswer to question:
To answer question number two, I think that ethanol will become a renewable resource because we always replant corn and it keeps growning. The only thing we have to worry about is the soil becoming poor in nutrients.
Questions of my own:
1- Why do we only use corn for this? Why can't we use any other large growing crop?
2- Can this be used at homes to heat the house?
I think it is great that they are going to take advantage of something that we can grow more of for a fuel source. This will save us lots of money as well as resources. When I started reading I actually did wonder if it owuld take away from the amount of corn that we use, but they use the parts that we don't eat too which is great. It's kind of like recycling to recycle.
ReplyDeleteANSWERS:
1) I don't know for sure, but I would think that with a little work that we could use any type of crop for fuel.
QUESTIONS:
1: This may seem kind of gross, but is there anyway that we could recycle the corn cobs that we have left over form eating corn so they could be used for fuel?
This is a great idea! by using the excess corn, and the parts of the corn that we would commonly throw away we are able to make an alternative energy source that could replace the use of fossil fuels needed for cars! Biomass fuels are a great source of alternative energy because we can always plant more crops if necessary. The more popular this alternative energy industry gets the less fossil fuels we will use, and the less pollution will occur.
ReplyDeleteto answer the last question, i remember learning about this in middle school, and many different crops are being used in the biomass process. stalks and stems are a big thing, as well as the fertilized soil that goes with them.
my questions: is this a big energy source in the US?
#2 how do you feel about this alternative energy source v. solar power or wind power?