Watermelon juice - the next great automotive fuel?
Corn as a source for ethanol has its problems. While there are a number of backers, there are real issues that need to be addressed, including (but not necessarily limited to) the huge amount of corn required to brew large batches of the alcohol fuel and the large quantities of water needed in the process. A new alternative is just now popping up that may offer at least a partial solution: watermelon juice.
According to Discovery News, 360,000 tons of watermelons are left to rot and spoil each and every year as farmers leave between 20 and 40 percent of their crops on the ground. Why? It seems consumers just won't buy watermelons that don't look quite as attractive as their siblings, whether that's due to an odd shape, smaller size or minor animal damage. Researchers from the United States Department of Agriculture in Lane, Oklahoma, have found that its possible to create ethanol from these unwanted watermelons. We've heard about this potential biomass before.
Though there's only enough watermelon juice available to brew 2.5 million gallons of ethanol (total ethanol production will top 9 billion gallons this year), researchers indicate that the tasty nectar can be used to displace up to 15% of corn or molasses, cut down on water usage and supply needed nitrogen to the mix.
College Station, Texas-based company Common Sense Agriculture, LLC is reportedly working on a prototype plant to produce ethanol from waste watermelons. Company President Jim Rausch points out:
"This is not going to replace corn. In that sense it will remain a niche source of biofuel. But unlike algae biodiesel or cellulosic ethanol, it's a right now thing. There's no new technology that needs to be developed to make it economical."[Source: Discovery News | Image: babasteve - CC 2.0]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jason 6:36PM (8/27/2009)
One step closer to a Mr. Fusion in every car!
Has anyone tried banana peels yet?
Reply
Mark Kiernan 6:41PM (8/27/2009)
We throw away also 30% of all the food produced in the west, we could put it to better use.
Reply
Nixon 8:48PM (8/27/2009)
Corn on the cob.
Watermellon
Fried Chicken grease
Labor day holiday picnic? Nope. Just fueling up the cars and trucks in the driveway! =}
Reply
john 8:58PM (8/27/2009)
I find the uglier fruit usually tastes better :) But then I'm an odd sort...
Reply
Ernie 3:16PM (8/28/2009)
Burning crops is an act of war, not a viable transportation solution.
Reason: Solar panels for all their inefficiency are far more efficient than plants at turning sunlight into something we can use for power.
Reply
Carney 9:50AM (8/31/2009)
Ernie, there's no world shortage of food (hunger today is caused by poverty, war, and state restrictions on commerce), but there is tremendous slack capacity in the world and US agricultural sectors.
Spoiled food is wasted, but if turned into clean burning alcohol fuel it not only is better for the environment than gasoline, it helps build up an alternate-fuel industry.
The real problem is that most cars can't run on ethanol (not counting extremely low ethanol blends like E10) and thus can't take advantage of these developments. We need to set a standard that all new cars be fully flex-fueled, able to run equally easily on any alcohol fuel (ethanol, methanol, etc) as on gasoline. That would create a potential market so that these stories will truly be meaningful instead of exercises in "wouldn't that be nice" theory and wishful thinking.
For more on the food vs. fuel myth, see here:
http://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/in-defense-of-biofuels