Redghost wrote: <<<There is also the use of non grain feed stock which may increase the btu available. Somebody is using the left over chaff and processing that into fuel so more plant matter is able to provide sugars.>>>
Over the last 20 or so years, there have been a number of research efforts to hydrolyze cellulose into starch, then into sugar for fermentation. Cellulose is in straw, corn stover, saw grass, and many other plentiful biomasses. But this process takes a cellulase enzyme which has not yet been demonstrated to be cost effective. A Canadian company is currently looking for government funds and investors to build a large and expensive cellulose based ethanol plant. But I would not invest any of my money in this one. That company shares no meaningful technical or economic data about their proposed plant. But when somebody solves the puzzle about how to cost effectively turn cellulose into alcohol - look out - petroleum will be history. Ned Kleinhenz '95 E300D x2 '85 300D 80 300TD
