Recently there have been reports about various projects working to turn otherwise unusable products into energy sources.  Many of the reports have involved one or two companies who are working on ways to do this overseas with promising results.

There is now a report out regarding a U.S. company that is using municipal solid waste to convert to fuel.  Sustainable Power Corporation, located in Baytown, Texas has announced that it tested Municipal Solid Waste in its reactors and the results have been excellent.  The company was able to produce biofuels by using this process, and achieved an added bonus.  They exceeded their projections as to what they would be able to accomplish by the process they are using.  The process also exceeded the results that the company had achieved when using other sources of fuel.

There were three trial studies performed, with a yield of over 19 pounds of biofuels produced for every 25 pounds of waste used.  This is an exceptional yield, leaving very little waste compared to other methods of fuel production.

There is a truly innovative and exciting benefit to what Sustainable Power Corporation has achieved.  The three-fold benefit is that in this one type of fuel production will help alleviate the petroleum shortage, create sustainable and environmentally friendly fuel and manage waste products by using them for fuel rather than adding to existing landfills or other waste depositories.  Another plus for the company and all involved is that instead of the company having to pay for fuel stocks, they can receive waste, possibly being paid to collect it, and drive the prices of fuel downward instead of upward, since waste should always be plentiful.

This is an exciting development in the race to find viable, affordable, environmentally friendly, renewable fuels to replace dependence on fossil fuels.  Because of its ability to help in all these areas, development of ways to turn waste into energy could truly be a big part of the long-term energy solution.

Everybody is searching for fuel these days, and almost everybody is trying to find fuel that is sustainable, environmentally friendly and affordable. 

The UK has been experimenting with biodegradable fuel that could cut its transportation fuel purchases by 10%.  The fuel is actually created by using bacteria found in compost heaps.  The bacteria is used to convert waste plant fiber into ethanol. 

Researchers have actually created a new strain of bacteria that can break down straw and agricultural plant waste, domestic hedge clippings, wood chips, cardboard, garden trimmings and other waste products and convert them into fuel that can be used by the transportation industry.

There are a number of benefits to this discovery in addition to having another source of fuel.  The bioethanol fuel produced by the process will easily mix with existing fuel.  By creating the mix, greenhouse gasses will be diminished and this will help decrease global warming.  In addition, the fuel will reduce dependence on foreign oil and work toward meeting criteria for renewable energy sources.

Bioethanol used to be quite expensive to produce, because the barley mash had to be heated then cooled then re-heated, taking quite a lot of time, as well.  The new strain of bacteria that has been created does not have to go through such an intricate and elaborate process, making it faster and less expensive to produce. 

The UK has just completed commissioning its first cellulosic ethanol demonstration facility.  There are only a few of these facilities in the world.  Researchers are convinced that in addition to creating biofuel, the process can be used to create high-value chemicals and drug ingredients that are currently created from oil.

There are reports that the U.S. is working on similar projects that could create one piece of the energy puzzle through sustainable waste that is easily obtainable and efficient to use, while being renewable and less harmful to the environment.

For many years there have been efforts to keep oceans clean and to clean them up and eliminate waste in them if they are not clean.  We often think of waste as small items such as trash, soda cans and bottles and other items that end up overboard – accidentally or not.

There is a much larger issue when it comes to waste in our waters and an organization called “Fishing For Energy” is doing something on a large scale to help eliminate the problem.

Fishing For Energy is a partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), Covanta Energy in New England, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and Snitzer Steel Industries, Inc. to help communities along the nation’s coastlines eliminate or reduce the amount of abandoned fishing gear in coastal waters.

The way the partnership works is that it collects abandoned fishing gear and debris in cooperation with and with assistance from local fishermen.  Gear collected includes abandoned nets, crab pots, poles, and parts, as well as trawl gear.  This gear is a threat to marine life, navigation and ecology, so cooperation in eliminating it is essential to the health of the oceans and the coastal communities that depend upon them.

Not only is there cooperation with each town and the fishermen who fish in the coastal waters to remove debris, but there is also a concerted effort to eliminate fishermen from using outdated or abandoned gear that is no longer fit for use by fisheries.

All of the debris is collected and taken to Covanta’s Renewable Waste Energy facilities to be turned into energy that is renewable and environmentally sustainable.

This program is being used in several communities now, with plans to greatly expand and help communities throughout the country and throughout the world.  With innovative programs such as this one, it is encouraging to know that we can find environmentally friendly sources of energy and clean up the environment at the same time.

Pakistan is yet another country that has been hit by the fuel crisis.  It is somewhat ironic since they are located in the midst of the richest oilfields in the world.

Even with their proximity to oil, the country is looking to alternative fuel in the form of bio- diesel and bio fuels to help them in many areas.  The results of starting a bio-diesel program would be a positive use of marginal land, work for more farmers, reduced pollution, an extra source of renewable energy, and a more eco friendly country.

The bio-diesel can be obtained from chemically converting non-edible oils from plants and turning it into balanced, organic fertilizers that are rich in nitrogen and have less negative effect on the soil.  These plants can be planted and grown on marginal land that can be cultivated with saline and waste water.

In addition to all of these positive effects, one of the best effects would be the positive effect on the economy.  Since over 60% of all of Pakistan’s land lies barren, the potential for growing these crops is tremendous.  In other countries it might be too difficult and costly to undertake a change like this, but because of Pakistan’s land situation, the costs would not be as great in Pakistan.

There are about 100 million barren acres of land in Pakistan that are available to be planted and by using non-edible plants the costs will be low and price hikes for products yielded from the program should be negligible, or there could possibly be no price increases at all in the marketplace.

Pakistan State Oil has already begun planting non-edible plants on parts of the 100 million acres.  The bio-diesel can be used for buses, wagons and trains, reducing harmful emissions that lead to serious pollution.  Additionally, like every other oil-dependent country that imports much of their oil, by fully implementing the program, Pakistan will not have to depend on imported oil for as much of its fuel.

We should all look to Pakistan to see what the outcome is and how it could help the fuel situation in our own country.