Farm-based anaerobic digester systems have adapted in various regions of the world. The “European Model” relies on cash crops and manures with very high incentives and feed-in-tariffs. The “U.S. Model” is based on mostly or…
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Perspectives on Waste-to-Energy Technologies
Waste to Energy Technologies By Zoltan Kish, Ph.D. Introduction Reducing the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases is one of the greatest environmental challenges of our time. Growing population, increased urbanization rates and…
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Renewable Jet Fuel: Why Everything Is So Up In The Air, A View from the Cockpit
Renewable Jet Fuel? Having flown the “heavy iron” for more than thirty (30) years, I can state with full confidence that there are only three (3) very important questions pilots have about Jet Fuel: #1….
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What to do About Algae?
(Note: This is was written in 2016 and may contain information that is now out of date). In thinking about algae, I am reminded of my visit some years ago to a platinum mine in…
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Sustainable Polyurethanes and the Bio Economy
Sustainable Polyurethanes and the Bio Economy? Sustainability has become a key concern in polyurethane industry. Reducing the environmental impact of polymers by replacing fossil derived carbon, using more environmental friendly processes and reducing and recycling…
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More Rubber Extraction Refineries Coming?
Are more rubber extraction refineries in our future? In 2004, the History Channel broadcast a Modern Marvels Special on Natural Rubber. My favorite quote from that special is “Our four most important natural resources are…
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Organic Acids: Key Facilitators of the Bio-economy
Organic Acids: Key Facilitators of the Bio-economy? Recent declines in oil prices and the failure of start-up biofuel processes to meet production cost targets have increased the interest in producing value added chemicals from biomass…
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Hot Prospects for Chemicals from Biomass
Chemicals from Biomass? A major theme of 21st Century industrial development will be replacement of fossil resources by renewable resources in the production of fuels and chemicals. Due to their massive scale and cost, the…
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Advanced Fermentation Agitation with Methanotrophs and Other Organisms
By Gregory T. Benz, Lee Enterprises Consulting Introduction Advanced fermentation processes, both aerobic and anaerobic, have been successful on an industrial scale for quite a long time, producing a wide variety of products. In most of…
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Hydrothermal Upgrading
What is hydrothermal upgrading? Water above 100 °C changes from a liquid phase to a gas phase. One can change the temperature boundary by changing the pressure – a low pressure lowers the boiling point,…
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