Making biodiesel from peanuts, for peanuts
From soy we can produce about 50 gallons of biodiesel per acre whereas peanuts can yield as much as 123 gallons on the same amount of land. So why then does the U.S. generate the majority of its biodiesel from soy? The answer lies within the value of peanut oil on the global market. It's more valuable than soy which makes the conversion to biodiesel an unattractive option.
According to Farm Press, researchers at the University of Georgia are working to fix this problem. They see the answer in a peanut variety that would be grown specifically for biodiesel production. Their primary goals are that they be non-edible, high in oil and cheaper to grow than a conventional peanut. If they can meet these requirements, they would not have to compete with the world market and biodiesel will be one step closer to becoming what Phillip Badger, president of General Bioenergy, calls a part of the "silver buckshot" solution alongside ethanol.
[Source: Farm Press via Renewable Energy Access]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Phil L. 12:22PM (11/10/2006)
Hmmm - a "silver buckshot" solution - that's actually a really good way to visualize where alternative fuels can take us!
Developing biofuel plants that make sense for a wide variety of climates is a part of this.
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russell geister 7:14PM (11/10/2006)
nuts well quite literally,another good source for oil is the cashew nut,they are so high in oil that they combust very easy try it take a match to one.
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Schneegz 7:44AM (11/13/2006)
russell:
I don't think cashews would be a good solution, not because of the nut itself, but because of the tree on which it grows. They're huge. Think of the biggest oak tree you ever saw and you'll have the idea. My family used to have one in Nicaragua. It would take decades to grow trees big enough to be economically viable. Plus, trees that size require enormous amounts of water, which is why ours grew so well in the tropics.
Peanuts, on the other hand, are legumes, not nuts. You can grow them almost anywhere in the US inexpensively. The same goes for sun flowers, soy beans and rape seed (canola).
You have to stick with what works in your corner of the world.
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Howard Lee Harkness 1:01PM (11/13/2006)
The best source for biodiesel feedstock, or even SVO, that I've seen so far is pond scum. http://www.unh.edu/p2/biodiesel/article_alge.html
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