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UMaine researchers find new way to draw fuel from trees, trash

Bangor Daily News -- A new process developed at the University of Maine for creating biofuel from wood wastes won’t instantly solve the world’s energy crisis, according to a researcher behind the project.

But it’s one of many small steps that one day could help stem the United States’ dependency on foreign crude oil by acting as an efficient, environment-friendly additive to traditional petroleum products.

The product is a hydrocarbon fuel oil created using cellulose from fallen tree limbs, cardboard or even grass.

“This process is unique in its simplicity,” said Clayton Wheeler, a UMaine associate professor of chemical and biological engineering who developed the method along with students in his lab.

Researchers across the country have long been interested in converting waste products — everything fr

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Submitted Mar 08, 2013 By: NHLiveFree

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teenitup Champion Author Houston Posts:1,847 Points:276,885 Joined:Sep 2012	Message Posted: Mar 9, 2013 2:41:48 PM Ignore teenitup Report Abuse More coulds, mights and maybes.
LetemEatCake Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:5,667 Points:1,229,200 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 11:59:09 PM Ignore LetemEatCake Report Abuse Excellent article NH! Thanks much for posting!
BigTruc All-Star Author Memphis Posts:993 Points:805,260 Joined:Jul 2004	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 12:56:28 PM Ignore BigTruc Report Abuse Forestry is out best renewable resource.
MadFueler Champion Author Winston-Salem Posts:1,084 Points:200,210 Joined:Sep 2012	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 12:49:17 PM Ignore MadFueler Report Abuse Sounds like a good, way to use stuff we no longer want anyway - and making oil would out of this material would make it much more versatile than ethanol. "Not commercially viable," but that sounds like the next step. I would ask if the energy inputs, and also effort and cash, to make this process work are the same as or less than those for cellulosic ethanol. If so, we may have a winner on our hands.
bar1035 Champion Author Charlotte Posts:9,343 Points:1,325,920 Joined:Aug 2006	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 8:05:14 AM Ignore bar1035 Report Abuse Look to the left and see my wood shed
MiataPrincess All-Star Author Des Moines Posts:733 Points:126,385 Joined:Feb 2013	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 8:01:56 AM Ignore MiataPrincess Report Abuse Hope it works...every little bit helps
gs7101 Champion Author San Antonio Posts:5,658 Points:396,020 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 7:52:56 AM Ignore gs7101 Report Abuse Good luck!
OTISFL Champion Author Pensacola Posts:4,745 Points:892,540 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 7:47:15 AM Ignore OTISFL Report Abuse Fantastic!
leeac Champion Author Ohio Posts:1,736 Points:461,605 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 7:30:23 AM Ignore leeac Report Abuse Science and engineering can be great things.
Previvor Veteran Author Virginia Posts:377 Points:86,190 Joined:Jan 2013	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 6:15:30 AM Ignore Previvor Report Abuse We need to use new biofuels from waste and dump sites
USMCturtlehead Champion Author Lexington Posts:2,394 Points:131,400 Joined:Feb 2013	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 5:48:58 AM Ignore USMCturtlehead Report Abuse Great another fuel source.
grandpadon28110 Champion Author Charlotte Posts:4,856 Points:1,170,010 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 5:42:25 AM Ignore grandpadon28110 Report Abuse Keep looking.
CarefulDriver All-Star Author Ann Arbor Posts:681 Points:260,215 Joined:Aug 2012	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 5:38:29 AM Ignore CarefulDriver Report Abuse interesting, but is this viable for companies.
SUPERSTEVIEO Champion Author Quebec Posts:3,523 Points:787,115 Joined:Oct 2010	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 5:37:31 AM Ignore SUPERSTEVIEO Report Abuse good idea... what will teh fuel cost? and how much can be efficiently manufactured?
iFueler Champion Author Durham Posts:65,033 Points:206,000 Joined:Nov 2012	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 2:07:08 AM Ignore iFueler Report Abuse interesting approach
1momsunshine Champion Author Ottawa Posts:5,615 Points:1,026,020 Joined:Mar 2010	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 1:48:15 AM Ignore 1momsunshine Report Abuse can they really do it.
wally52 Champion Author Little Rock Posts:27,767 Points:842,290 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 1:33:14 AM Ignore wally52 Report Abuse It's nice if its cost effective.
bikechuck Champion Author Indianapolis Posts:7,153 Points:2,090,820 Joined:Apr 2006	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 1:26:40 AM Ignore bikechuck Report Abuse yes, but at what cost? Development of our own natural resources will do a better job of becoming not dependent on foreign sources including this method.
DirtDauber Champion Author San Antonio Posts:6,922 Points:1,655,160 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 1:24:56 AM Ignore DirtDauber Report Abuse Another attempt at being 'green'.
Bill100 Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:41,749 Points:1,190,545 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 1:19:33 AM Ignore Bill100 Report Abuse I'm sticking with oil products until something else is found to be more cost efficient and capable of getting my job done.
greenfog Champion Author Illinois Posts:6,630 Points:1,666,720 Joined:Feb 2008	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 1:19:27 AM Ignore greenfog Report Abuse every idea may prove worth the effort on down the line.
BobD2009 Champion Author Long Island Posts:7,129 Points:1,267,485 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 1:18:00 AM Ignore BobD2009 Report Abuse Nice if they can really do it.
LuthierKS Champion Author Wichita Posts:3,908 Points:757,630 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 1:17:56 AM Ignore LuthierKS Report Abuse Good for UMaine researchers.
silvereb All-Star Author Fort Wayne Posts:556 Points:266,155 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 1:17:43 AM Ignore silvereb Report Abuse It's almost getting to be like the Back to the Future movies. Ya gotta love it!
RENEGADEGAS Champion Author Missouri Posts:15,069 Points:1,618,825 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 1:17:41 AM Ignore RENEGADEGAS Report Abuse Juststack it on the pile of other greenie weenie ideas and let us know when one of these actually pans out.
Kawibiker Champion Author Illinois Posts:1,221 Points:215,465 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 1:16:22 AM Ignore Kawibiker Report Abuse get er done.. I'm sure it could be put to good use, powering generators for electricity.. good ole waste.. better than the land fill..
heydano67 Champion Author California Posts:1,806 Points:385,235 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 1:14:28 AM Ignore heydano67 Report Abuse follow up on it
bcok Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:2,181 Points:1,555,520 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 1:13:43 AM Ignore bcok Report Abuse love those chemists.
kd5kpd Champion Author Texas Posts:3,877 Points:1,444,425 Joined:Apr 2006	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 1:13:38 AM Ignore kd5kpd Report Abuse If this is really true it wont be long before Big Oil buys it & sticks in a closet never to be seen again, they sure dont want the competition!!! [Edited by: kd5kpd at 3/8/2013 1:13:58 AM EST]
TBONE3 Champion Author Pennsylvania Posts:8,881 Points:2,004,125 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 1:12:16 AM Ignore TBONE3 Report Abuse Interesting!!
vulcan96 Champion Author Ohio Posts:27,145 Points:3,126,955 Joined:Aug 2004	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 1:09:46 AM Ignore vulcan96 Report Abuse a joke - like ethanol
must87searcher Champion Author Maryland Posts:9,120 Points:1,807,360 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 1:09:11 AM Ignore must87searcher Report Abuse This is a very interesting idea.
Thomtec Champion Author Nashville Posts:2,600 Points:635,395 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 1:08:43 AM Ignore Thomtec Report Abuse I like this idea
KrsnaDragon Champion Author Montreal Posts:2,547 Points:559,000 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 1:07:36 AM Ignore KrsnaDragon Report Abuse Very interesting news.
gaspricewatchKS All-Star Author Kansas Posts:748 Points:279,090 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 1:07:19 AM Ignore gaspricewatchKS Report Abuse awesome
REVLAW Champion Author San Antonio Posts:10,576 Points:2,034,945 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 1:06:26 AM Ignore REVLAW Report Abuse How about processing some of the fallen and standing trees destroyed but not completely eliminated in forest fires?
jdmurphy329 Rookie Author Minnesota Posts:51 Points:33,840 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 1:05:58 AM Ignore jdmurphy329 Report Abuse What they need to focus on is the trash part of it. We all know that this county creates plenty of trash. Could mean digging up a lot of landfills to get at all that eventual fuel.
Ron77095 Champion Author Houston Posts:3,200 Points:630,375 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 1:02:59 AM Ignore Ron77095 Report Abuse What?
Bubba44612 Champion Author Ohio Posts:7,531 Points:1,904,385 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 1:02:46 AM Ignore Bubba44612 Report Abuse A new flux capacitor.
Fitwit Champion Author Stockton Posts:6,523 Points:1,379,755 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 1:02:35 AM Ignore Fitwit Report Abuse Another good idea. No waste, no want.
rd2000 Champion Author Florida Posts:3,712 Points:714,695 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 12:58:57 AM Ignore rd2000 Report Abuse just say no to ethenol
ican2step Champion Author Pittsburgh Posts:1,811 Points:452,400 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 12:55:03 AM Ignore ican2step Report Abuse I'd rather this than corn (ethenol). At least we don't eat limbs and grass clippings.
pv2004 All-Star Author Connecticut Posts:547 Points:366,615 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 12:53:49 AM Ignore pv2004 Report Abuse good
obimerrill Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:1,580 Points:317,415 Joined:Jul 2012	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 12:51:34 AM Ignore obimerrill Report Abuse Bring it on...as long as it can be done without subsidies!
smartdilbert Rookie Author Oregon Posts:45 Points:126,035 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 12:48:11 AM Ignore smartdilbert Report Abuse ITS ABOUT TIME
NemoIL Champion Author Illinois Posts:3,164 Points:1,340,880 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 12:45:37 AM Ignore NemoIL Report Abuse The "greens" in the EPA require the refineries to include cellulose based ethanol in their gasoline. Problem is that there is no such cellulose based ethanol produced yet, because the technology does not exist. The sad part it that the oil refineries are fined every month by the EPA for not including cellulose based ethanol in their gasoline. And we wonder why the gas prices are so high, we can thank the psychotic greens in the EPA.
hank1326 Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:9,045 Points:1,761,020 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 12:43:30 AM Ignore hank1326 Report Abuse Interesting. Get it to work for mass production.
ldiggy All-Star Author Wilmington Posts:911 Points:316,300 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 12:41:41 AM Ignore ldiggy Report Abuse Sounds good.
kcboy Champion Author Utah Posts:4,089 Points:1,533,170 Joined:Jun 2005	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 12:41:12 AM Ignore kcboy Report Abuse Interesting and a good idea
goldseeker Champion Author West Virginia Posts:19,755 Points:2,746,515 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Mar 8, 2013 12:41:00 AM Ignore goldseeker Report Abuse I wouldn't call this new.