Dive Summary:
- INEOS Bio, a chemical company, announced it has created commercial quantities of ethanol from wood waste and vegetative matter, effectively producing fuel for automobiles while limiting greenhouse gas emissions.
- The innovative process consists of cooking waste matter into gasses, which is eaten by bacteria, excreted as alcohol and then distilled.
- The company uses methane from a nearby landfill for the process and is looking to produce ethanol from municipal waste next.
From the article:
... The Department of Energy hailed the development as the first of a kind, and said it was made possible by research work the department had sponsored in recent years. The energy secretary, Ernest Moniz, said in a statement, “Unlocking the potential for the responsible development of all of America’s rich energy resources is a critical part of our all-of-the-above energy strategy.” ...
... If ethanol can be produced at reasonable cost from abundant nonfood sources, like yard trimmings or household trash, it could displace fuel made from oil...
