Home Ethanol Production not Trivial

March 10, 2008

Quiz of the day: if I mention a pericarp, endosperm, tip cap and germ, what am I talking about?

If you guessed a corn, you’d be right. Those little kernels are becoming increasingly valuable as corn is converted to ethanol. Corn futures jumped from about $4.25 a bushel around Christmas to more than $5.50 although were settling back this morning as traders took profits.

So I wonder if grass clippings could be produce ethanol and apparently they can just like sorghum, wheat, potato skins and rice. And still others like Bluefire Ethanol are using raw materials like urban trash, cellulose and wheat straws. Maybe anyone can do this including homeowners.

Alas, there is a buzz about home ethanol production, but turning my grass clippings into energy isn’t going happen any time soon. Consider the daunting statistic that to produce 328 gallons of Ethanol require 7,100 pounds of grain, according to EcoHolistic.com. Add on the energy – 131,000 BTUs for one gallon of ethanol that itself only yields 77,000 BTUs - to ferment the sugars in corn mash and the economics get worse. The Renewable Fuels Association has a good explanation and accompanying video on how ethanol is made from corn. It’s not a trivial process. Still, there is no shortage of ethanol companies and associations lobbying on its behalf.

That said, I can’t help but think about all the heat that comes from collected grass clippings faithfully dumped in the same spot. Indeed, two high schools students from Nebraska have used grass clippings in combination with switch and Indian grasses. (Environmentalists urge homeowners to leave grass clippings where they are and recycle them back in to the lawn).

Just to make sure, I checked Amazon to make sure I did not overlook any home stills for making ethanol. They aren’t any yet although there’s plenty of ethanol books including one on how to set up a home still. And there stills you can buy. I found one for $899 from BeUtilityFree, Inc. complete with permit forms. Be careful!

Posted by John Dodge on March 10, 2008 | Comments (1)

March 17, 2008

In response to: Home Ethanol Production not Trivial
Matthew J. Traum commented:

If you generate bio-mass from plant grooming and cutting on your property, you are better off using that material to make compost, not ethanol. From a fossil fuel conservation standpoint, think if it in the following way: the compost you generate at home offsets the need to buy petroleum-infused fertilizers to keep your plants healthy. Until someone makes a major breakthrough in cellulosic ethanol production, the amount of energy sunk into making ethanol on a residential scale will exceed the energy content of the resulting fuel.

Design News Partner Zones

Light Matters: The Unsung Heroes of Modern Health Care
First, let's define "no-compromise." In an ideal configuration, this lamp would use a high-brightness LED (HBLED) that is built into a small, integrated package and is able to produce a large quantity of focused light, operate with a high level of reliability and generate no audible noise. Is this difficult? Yes, but it is possible.
Read More

Design Engineers' Portal for Sensing and Machine Safety
Whatever industry you're in, or whatever product you manufacture, the right sensors to automate your plant, and to improve your overall efficiency, quality and safety are a must. You'll find Banner Engineering to be an amazing resource of products, training and people with expertise.