D.O.E. to support another 5-10 cellulosic biofuel plants

[HoosierRon]

You cellulosic ethanol fans will recall that earlier this year, the Department of Energy gave grants to six companies to atart up cellulosic ethanol plants. THat was just the beginning.

http://wistechnology.com/article.php?id=3946

The United States Department of Energy has announced $200 million in new financing for cellulosic biomass projects....

The grant aims to lower the technical risk associated with financing commercial plants. Demonstration plants should be operable within three years with commercial plants to follow “shortly.”...

Applicants are requested to design, construct, build, operate, and validate an integrated biorefinery employing “terrestrial ligniocellulosic” feed stocks for the production of some combination of the following: liquid transportation fuels; bio-based chemicals; and substitutes for petroleum-based feed stocks....

• The mass of biomass feedstock throughput is at least 70 dry metric tons per day, or a minimum of 1.5 million gallons per year of biofuel must be produced.

[johnny smallblock]

Buy I'd like to retro-fit my Caprice

[TORRED1]

Well I guess the gas companys wont be investing in any new refineries now, just another excuse to limit the supply

[01cavalier]

I wish more cars could run on the ethanol, E85 or E100. If GM was smart they would have made the cars that sell well all able to run on it, they could have used it for CAFE.

[eaton53]

They should tax oil companies windfall profits and use it to put biomass fuels on the fast track.

[jason4225]

I had previously heard estimates of 5-10 years for cellulosic ethanol to be mass produced. Since this article says commercial plants will be ready shortly after the three year demonstration, hopefully it will be closer to the 5 year goal. By that time, we will (hopefully) have a better idea of the future of hybrids and diesels in the market and the combination of all of these will help break us of our dependence on foreign oil.

[sa_seahawker]

Originally Posted by TORRED1

Well I guess the gas companys wont be investing in any new refineries now, just another excuse to limit the supply

Didn't they just jack up the price of gas and gave "an increased demand for ethanol" as an excuse?

It seems to me that if demand for ethanol goes up, then regular gas should go down. The demand is less for gasoline.

[cincygoblue]

Originally Posted by 01cavalier

I wish more cars could run on the ethanol, E85 or E100. If GM was smart they would have made the cars that sell well all able to run on it, they could have used it for CAFE.

What do you mean? The largest volume vehicles GM makes DO run on E85. The Fullsize Pickups, Fullsize Utilities, and the Impala all run on E85. There are others too.

Plus there is a limit to the E85 CAFE loopholes, I believe.

[Butz]

Originally Posted by cincygoblue

What do you mean? The largest volume vehicles GM makes DO run on E85. The Fullsize Pickups, Fullsize Utilities, and the Impala all run on E85. There are others too.

Plus there is a limit to the E85 CAFE loopholes, I believe.

The thing is not everyone can afford to buy a Tahoe or an Impala just to have a vehicle that runs on E85. If GM can manage getting the Ecotoec to support E85 they'll have a huge success on their hands, if I'm not mistaken SAAB has an engine that runs on E85 I forgot if it was a 4 or a 6. GM can bring this engine to NA and offer it on a variety of small and medium sized cars and crossovers.

[redimpss5]

I bet you will never see this for 40 years!!