The Race for Ethanol | Green Energy News

September 7, 2003 – Vol.8 No.24

THE RACE FOR ETHANOL.

Hurdles to be leapt to make ethanol a more common fuel are to produce it more efficiently and to be able to derive it from a wide variety of feedstocks. Both of these hurdles could be leapt simultaneously if feedstocks such as wood, agricultural, paper wastes, along with grasses, can be broken down into sugars which can, in turn, be made into ethanol. PureVision is one company participating in that ethanol race.

The company, which has received $2 million in funding from the U.S. government, is working to develop a process analogous to the refining of petroleum that would turn biomass wastes into those needed sugars. Aside from fuel, the process would also yield fibers and pulp for textiles and papers, along with chemicals to make bioplastics. Waste from the process would be used as a combustible fuel to generate thermal energy and electricity needed in the production process. The company believes that enough excess electricity would be generated to sell to the power grid. Visit PureVision at http://www.purevisiontechnology.com/ .