Make your own ethanol at home with the MicroFueler
Flex-fuel vehicles, especially trucks and SUVs, are increasingly commonplace in the U.S. market. However, in many (actually most) parts of the country, actually finding ethanol at retail pumps is exceedingly difficult, if not impossible. E-Fuel technology now has a solution that allows users to produce and pump their own ethanol at home or work. The MicroFueler is an all-in-one ethanol production and dispensing system that takes prepared feedstocks in one end and pours out alcohol from the other. The unit includes a feedstock tank, fermentation tank, distillation stack, and fuel storage tank in addition to the pump. At $9,995, the MicroFueler is not likely to save normal users much in the way of money. However for fleet users, it could be a viable option. When you buy the unit, you sign up with an E-Fuel distributor that delivers the prepared feedstock which essentially a sugar solution made from various organic waste. The device requires electrical and water hookups and consumes up to four gallons of water per gallon of ethanol produced.
Chico, California-based Sierra Nevada Brewing Company is installing a MicroFueler at its brewery to produce fuel from its beer waste. E-Fuel Technology will start shipping the MicroFueler in July.
[Source: E-Fuel Technology]
PRESS RELEASE:
E-Fuel Leads the Organic Fuel Revolution with New MicroFueler and Business Model
E-Fuel Technology and Business Model to be Displayed at California State Capitol
SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The E-Fuel Corporation, joined by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, will unveil the final production model of the E-Fuel MicroFueler™, the world's first home ethanol system, today at the California State Capitol. The MicroFueler, a household appliance-sized unit that creates ethanol fuel (E-Fuel100) from organic waste, is revolutionizing the green fuel industry.
Since the prototype's unveiling in May 2008, the MicroFueler design and E-Fuel business model have undergone improvements that will enable consumers and businesses to more easily reduce their carbon footprint by producing energy where it is consumed, and breaking ties to the oil industry and local power grid. The final MicroFueler product will start shipping to California consumers in July. Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in Chico, CA plans to install a MicroFueler this year and use its beer waste to power its vehicles. The State of California's Department of General Services is also exploring a pilot program to test the MicroFueler with its flex-fuel vehicles.
"We are making our state a cleaner, greener and healthier place for everyone, but our goals require revolutionary technologies and low-carbon fuels," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "That's why I get so excited about the entrepreneurial spirit of creative and innovative companies who have been inspired by our groundbreaking environmental policies and are putting people to work right here in California. It's great news for our economy, our environment and our energy future."
New MicroFueler Design
The final MicroFueler product, which starts shipping in July, is more than 60% smaller and 80% lighter when compared to the original concept unit shown last year. The size and weight reduction is due to several design improvements to the core ethanol conversion column that is now capable of processing various organic waste material, as well as cellulosic and algae feedstocks.
Electricity from E-Fuel100 and 50% Water
The MicroFueler solution has been expanded to include the new GridBuster electric generator. The MicroFueler supports the optional GridBuster through a direct-connect fuel feed and intelligent control circuitry. The fuel is automatically combined with 50% water for optimal efficiency ad pumped to the GridBuster. Customers are free to drop off the grid and generate their own electricity, realizing substantial savings.
MicroFueler Supply Chain Model
Improvements to the E-Fuel business model and MicroFueler design mean that the sole task customers are required to perform is to simply fill their vehicles with E-Fuel100 ethanol. The E-Fuel Global Network (EGN) will monitor all aspects of the MicroFueler performance via online connectivity to an E-Fuel datacenter server. Local E-Fuel-registered dealers will have real time status updates and will be notified when organic fuel deliveries are required.
E-Fuel dealers are geographically focused, typically servicing multiple counties within a state, an entire state, or an entire country. Currently, E-Fuel dealers are setting up operations in 16 US states, as well as Ireland and Japan. E-Fuel plans to build a comprehensive international wide network of dealers, centered in major metro areas worldwide by the end of 2010. Dealers will sell and service MicroFuelers purchased at www.microfueler.com and will deliver organic fuel to customers for E-Fuel100 ethanol production.
Organic Fuel from Waste
E-Fuel has identified billions of gallons of organic waste worldwide which will act as the primary source of fuel for MicroFueler production of ethanol. One example is the "beer slurry" discarded from breweries. In Chico, CA. the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co discards 1.6 million gallons of beer slurry each year, and has agreed to test MicroFuelers at its plant, with a goal of creating its own E-Fuel100 ethanol for its fleet of vehicles and other purposes. Being abundant and inexpensive, organic waste will create E-Fuel100 ethanol that will always be available and price competitive against gasoline.Tom Quinn, E-Fuel Corporation CEO, said "Our game changing system and technology eliminates the two main impediments to ethanol production – the reliance on corn as a feedstock and the difficulties of distributing ethanol. Now that consumers can produce organic fuel where they consume it, they can drastically reduce their reliance on fossil fuels by avoiding the gas station and powering their homes off the grid."
MicroFueler Availability
E-Fuel is now accepting dealer applications and MicroFueler orders at www.microfueler.com and first shipments will begin in July 2009. The MicroFueler is available for US customers for $9,995.00, although significant federal, state and local rebates may be available.
About E-Fuel
The E-Fuel Corporation was founded in 2007 by Tom Quinn and ethanol scientist Floyd Butterfield to create efficient micro ethanol refinery products for people who want to break their dependency on oil.
With more than 30 people employed in Los Gatos and Paso Robles, California and China, the employees of E-Fuel represent some of the top United States ethanol researchers and proven Silicon Valley professionals with diverse expertise in the ethanol, electronics, automotive and software industries.
E-Fuel creates ethanol micro refinery products that conform to U.S. safety and durability standards and include modern safety features. E-Fuel products are available for purchase online and through a network of worldwide resellers. For more information, visit http://www.microfueler.com.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Roger 5:01PM (6/06/2009)
A machine that takes food, water and power and turns it into alcohol to put into your car ???
Better put the power in your car and drink the alcohol.
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Captain Obvious 5:15PM (6/06/2009)
Can someone explain to me how converting 4 gallons of water to 1 gallon of fuel is eco-friendly?
This technology could never be deployed in communities without a large water source....
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Nick 5:45PM (6/06/2009)
Before poo-pooing it, how much water does it take for 1 gallon of gasoline? How much oil and energy was used for pumping, drilling, transporting, refining?
Also, what happens to the 4 gallons of water used? I suppose over 3 gallons of fluid will be left over for every gallon of ethanol, can it be used for something else, irrigation?
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3PeaceSweet 7:11PM (6/06/2009)
Use a solar water heater to save natural gas, and upgrade the insulation and air tightness of the building and you can save enough electricity and natural gas to power a vehicle.
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Aureon Kwolek 8:01PM (6/06/2009)
The MicroFueler comes with an optional “GridBuster” electric generator that automatically adds 50% water to the ethanol before converting it to electric power. It takes 3 kw to make a gallon of ethanol fuel with the unit, and it produces 23 kw of electric power per gallon. The fuel itself costs about $1 a gallon to make, if you buy their waste-sugar feedstock. If you have a vehicle optimized for ethanol or E-85, you could save a substantial amount. For example, if you use 15 to 20 gallons of fuel a week and save $2 a gallon, that would save $30 to $40 a week or about $1500 to $2000 a year. The unit would pay for itself in 5 to 7 years. There may be some tax credits for making your own ethanol. See “Alcohol Can Be a Gas”, by David Blume. He details these deductions.
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DaveD 11:34AM (6/07/2009)
@Aureon,
I'm not sure what you're saying, could you please clarify: "It takes 3 kw to make a gallon of ethanol fuel with the unit, and it produces 23 kw of electric power per gallon"
kW is a rate of power flow, not a measure of the energy used. Did you mean that it takes 3kWh to produce a gallon of ethanol fuel? And the obvious follow on question...what do you mean it produces 23kw of electric power per gallon? Again, do you mean it produces 23kWh of electricity per gallon?
In the first place, a gallon of ethanol only contains about 23kWh of energy. So how could it take in electricity and water and somehow turn the energy from that resulting product to electric power with 100% efficiency (even ignoring whatever electricity it used to turn the organic waste to ethanol in the first place?).
It seems to me that this could be a great product that could help companies utilize organic waste and save money at the same time they are helping reduce dependence on foreign oil etc. A great product and a great idea (of course i'm going to ask why they don't target butanol instead of ethanol because then they could run it in existing engines...not just flex fuel vehicles :-)
If you want to generate electricity from organic waste, there are much more efficient ways to do that than converting it to ethanol and then converting that back to electricity so that seems like a silly use of the system.
I just don't want to see what could be a great product get a bad name because people have unrealistic expectations of it which are not even needed.
jharlan 8:08PM (6/06/2009)
Roger, you have it right. Put the power in your car, not use the power for something else to put in your car.
What I do like is any fuel making process free from government meddling and corporate control. I can see this could be profitable for anyone with a large amount of agricultural waste, but if you can use the waste to make electricity, and you could afford an EV with some range (which just isn't available yet), why make alcohol for other than human consumption?
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jpm100 11:20PM (6/06/2009)
Because internal combustion engines can run on the stuff.
AK 8:37PM (6/06/2009)
At Captain: Recycled waste water from sinks and showers can be used to supply this unit.
At Roger: It takes 3 kw of electric power to make one gallon, or about 30 cents. Also, many other feedstocks can be used, such as waste, algae, cattails, duckweed, etc.
Would you like to see people addicted to petroleum, that keeps pulling new CO2 up out of the ground, or would you like to see people making their own renewable fuel that recycles existing CO2?
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CNCMike 8:57PM (6/06/2009)
A little pricey but you can buy bulk excess cane sugar from Mexico right now for 2 to 3 cents a pound and yes the gov't will pay you 53 cents a gallon to run an alternate fuel once you jump through all the hoops.
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~D. 9:36PM (6/06/2009)
a machine that makes alcohol? isn't that a still?
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AK 11:15PM (6/06/2009)
To make one gallon of ethanol with the MicroFueler using your own feedstock:
electricity: 30 cents,
12 pounds of surplus sugar at 3 cents a pound: 36 cents,
yeast: 10 cents,
other:
That totals 76 cents minus a tax credit of 53 cents a gallon. Your cost of materials: 23 cents a gallon, plus the cost of the machine.
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Curt 1:36AM (6/07/2009)
Where exactly do I buy this "inedible sugar" for 5 cents a pound ? At my local supermarket ?
I heard you need something like 10 pounds of sugar to make 1 gallon of ethanol.
Is this true ?
If I need to buy regular sugar from my local store, it'll cost about 20 cents per pound.
And what happens when sugar prices go thru the roof because everyone is making ethanol in their own stills ?
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AK 2:32AM (6/07/2009)
There are numerous other forms of sugar, and starch is another alternative that’s 3-5 cents a pound in bulk. You would need to pre-treat starch with barley malt or other enzymes to convert it to sugar. There are many kinds of starch, so it just depends on your location and climate, as to which form of starch would be the cheapest and closest source. Potato, corn, sweet sorghum, cassava, Jerusalem artichokes, cattails, etc. How ‘bout restaurant and bakery throwouts? Some people are growing algae and duckweed on their waste water and making ethanol from that. There are a lot of possibilities. You wouldn’t pay retail for your sugar or starch. Buy it in bulk or grow your own. It takes 12 pounds of sugar to make a gallon of ethanol.
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M1hai 6:14AM (6/07/2009)
does it work with hay, leafs?
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AK 11:41AM (6/07/2009)
Their website says the feedstock can be derived from cellulosic material. But the cellulose would have to be converted to sugars first, and then only a sugar solution goes into the unit. Converting cellulose to sugars is what researchers and scientists are working on right now. Wood alcohol has been around for a while. That technology might work. For a do-it-yourself grass and leaves feedstock, if you have the time and the interest to experiment, I would try different things. You might discover something.
Grass and leaves is cellulose which is typically long chains of sugars bound up by lignin, the natural glue that gives cellulose its rigidity. Once you come up with a way to weaken or dissolve the lignin, you can get at the cellulosic sugars and break the long chains up, so the sugars can be fermented.
Acid hydrolysis using chemical acids or enzymes is one method being used. Also steam explosion, ammonia fiber expansion, alkaline wet oxidation and ozone pretreatment (Wikipedia). I have also heard of microwaves, ultrasound, and Ultraviolet-C being used to break cellulosic bonds. You might try the enzymes / microbes used to clean-up septic systems (about $6 a pound). Take a very small amount at a time and feed them a little sugar to multiply them. Then soak your grass and leaves separately in a solution of that, and see if you get sugars.
If you can come up with a simple, cheap way to convert cellulose to sugars, you’ll be in the history books, because biomass waste is plentiful and cheap.
If you have a big enough supply of biomass, you could first put it in an anaerobic digester and get biogas. Then take the liquid effluent, grow high-starch duckweed on that, and make duckweed your ethanol feedstock. This has proven to be very successful.
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LongshotX 12:12PM (6/07/2009)
A fucking waste. Skip all the conversions and fuels and shit and just run you car on electricity. But that makes too much sense right?
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Rahul 1:00PM (6/07/2009)
It is a revolutionary idea. But with the right technology available cheaply, most people will be able to make ethanol in their backyards. i hope somebody is listening. Bio Fuels are going to the fuels driving cars in near future.
Rahul
Indian Car Advisor (Carazoo.com)
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Daniel 2:30PM (6/07/2009)
Isn't this a glorified moonshine still? If it could make some cheap moonshine, i'm in :-)
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Bill 5:28PM (6/07/2009)
The only practical feedstock for this machine is the previously mentioned inedible sugar imported from Mexico.
Don't forget in the U.S. you'll need ATF approval/licensing/inspection and a stock of gasoline to denature the ethanol.
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