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Grass cuttings 'to be used as biofuel'

The Telegraph -- The Carbon Trust has announced it is working with the University of York to research how using microwave technology could turn garden and wood waste into biofuel.

Using microwaves, the waste is heated in the absence of oxygen through a process called pyrolysis.

The research will look at how this process could be used to produce a biofuel to blend with fossil fuel or use as a pure fuel.

According to the Carbon Trust, the carbon footprint of this new pyrolysis biofuel could potentially save 95 per cent of carbon compared to fossil fuels.

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Submitted Mar 15, 2010 By: GM

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kelsielee Champion Author Atlanta Posts:3,389 Points:672,025 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Mar 16, 2010 11:55:19 AM Ignore kelsielee Report Abuse I love the fact that my yard waste, which is picked up once a week already by the city, could be a source of biofuel. It is especially nice that this includes grass clippings (which the city pickup now excludes, but might include in the future if this technology were available here).
ajrn Champion Author Toledo Posts:12,017 Points:2,518,465 Joined:Nov 2003	Message Posted: Mar 16, 2010 4:53:17 AM Ignore ajrn Report Abuse Lots of things 'break down' into methane, or can be catalyzed into it.. --so it'd be similar to running things on cng.
alterman156 Champion Author New York Posts:5,100 Points:1,093,775 Joined:Dec 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 8:54:56 PM Ignore alterman156 Report Abuse Not bad. Now could they make a lawn mower that runs on biofuel?
PathfinderSC Champion Author South Carolina Posts:7,179 Points:1,368,885 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 6:07:25 PM Ignore PathfinderSC Report Abuse I have been using grass and leaves for a few years as compost for my garden.
DellDude2 Champion Author Nashville Posts:6,793 Points:1,658,035 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 6:01:40 PM Ignore DellDude2 Report Abuse Fantastic, I have tons of free fuel after mowing the lawn. Some clever engineer is bound to create a small solar oven to bake the grass into fuel one day. Probably end up looking like a moonshine still, lol!
wizzard1222 Champion Author St. Louis Posts:6,229 Points:1,836,040 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 5:29:20 PM Ignore wizzard1222 Report Abuse Reads like a great 'hot dog' cooker !!!
badbonita Champion Author Syracuse Posts:3,851 Points:889,655 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 5:13:36 PM Ignore badbonita Report Abuse When I still had a lawn to mow, I made sure that the clippings were mulched and I took advantage of the county mulching the turned-in Christmas trees and regular tree-trimming to get free coverings for the flower and plant beds. I question how much energy this is going to require to collect the biomass from wherever as well as how much is going to be used to convert it.
4warned Champion Author Michigan Posts:5,522 Points:1,742,065 Joined:Nov 2006	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 5:09:47 PM Ignore 4warned Report Abuse At least there trying something new. Only the future will tell if this process will be a good energy alternative.
goldseeker Champion Author West Virginia Posts:16,315 Points:2,255,590 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 5:08:48 PM Ignore goldseeker Report Abuse Nothing new.
NHLiveFree Champion Author New Hampshire Posts:7,232 Points:1,173,310 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 5:08:09 PM Ignore NHLiveFree Report Abuse These UK barons better stick with their studies on the "en masse" methods and processes! Garden waste and backyard clippings is small change at great expense or 'expence' as the Brits say. Where does the energy come from to power up their microwave source? Inefficient and wasteful.
pliskin Champion Author Syracuse Posts:4,374 Points:1,350,040 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 5:07:37 PM Ignore pliskin Report Abuse Another brain trust heard from, i suppose. Yet another form of bio-fuel.
outlaw329 Champion Author Austin Posts:5,299 Points:934,870 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 5:05:53 PM Ignore outlaw329 Report Abuse bermuda I guess will replace unleaded, saint augustine will be a mid level as zoyia will be the new super unleaded.
aarrrt Champion Author San Diego Posts:5,442 Points:1,215,190 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 5:05:42 PM Ignore aarrrt Report Abuse Well ok I suppose.
Beboper Champion Author Virginia Posts:6,377 Points:1,699,815 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 5:01:56 PM Ignore Beboper Report Abuse I don't think this is a good idea
djgunrunner Champion Author Salt Lake City Posts:7,606 Points:1,890,845 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 5:00:20 PM Ignore djgunrunner Report Abuse This is well and swell and costs a lot of money. We have Natural Gas right now. We own the factories that can build engines and put them into new cars. We have the technology to go for Hydrogen which is a proven fuel and will never run out. What do they do, worry about grass clippings that should be used for garden compost.
Northernskys All-Star Author Dayton Posts:539 Points:357,590 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 4:58:12 PM Ignore Northernskys Report Abuse if it works, then that's great.
playtimeCLE Champion Author Cleveland Posts:5,920 Points:1,094,425 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 4:57:25 PM Ignore playtimeCLE Report Abuse I'd love to be able to do more then mulch with my grass & leaves.
aldog365 Champion Author Nashville Posts:3,160 Points:1,561,660 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 4:55:59 PM Ignore aldog365 Report Abuse Where will all this grass come from? Will it be cost effective? We will see.
girlznjeeps Champion Author Phoenix Posts:1,220 Points:302,635 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 4:54:46 PM Ignore girlznjeeps Report Abuse Now that's really going "green". :)
signwiz Champion Author Indiana Posts:1,395 Points:1,352,180 Joined:Feb 2006	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 4:54:05 PM Ignore signwiz Report Abuse Likely won't end up producing much more energy than is expended to transform this waste.
kbierley Champion Author Dayton Posts:9,934 Points:1,271,545 Joined:Nov 2003	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 4:53:35 PM Ignore kbierley Report Abuse Ok. But what are the costs for the fuel generated?
cuspid All-Star Author Michigan Posts:570 Points:396,205 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 4:46:19 PM Ignore cuspid Report Abuse far fetched
mooneagle Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:7,115 Points:1,296,560 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 4:44:56 PM Ignore mooneagle Report Abuse call Exxon to come over an cut my grass and the can have it for free to make fuel.
NatureBoyKY Champion Author Kentucky Posts:2,657 Points:978,500 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 4:44:00 PM Ignore NatureBoyKY Report Abuse That this can be done is old news. If it will burn, it can be a fuel. I wish Carbon Trust the best.
Ken2OD Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:6,694 Points:1,509,250 Joined:Dec 2005	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 4:41:08 PM Ignore Ken2OD Report Abuse Now you tell me after I bought a new mulching mower.
SilliesRock Champion Author Detroit Posts:1,346 Points:822,125 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 4:40:10 PM Ignore SilliesRock Report Abuse So we can start saving our grass clippings and tell our local code inspectors to KISS OUR GRASS! Sounds like fun!
Kamakani Champion Author Hawaii Posts:2,390 Points:955,935 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 4:30:30 PM Ignore Kamakani Report Abuse They can have mine.
sailormon Champion Author Michigan Posts:3,177 Points:721,745 Joined:Jul 2007	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 4:26:19 PM Ignore sailormon Report Abuse good idea! Do you know how many tons of grass clippings are dumped into a landfill each year? Try 1000# for each family every year!
Hugo40 Champion Author Kentucky Posts:5,295 Points:1,155,450 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 4:25:11 PM Ignore Hugo40 Report Abuse Lots of ideas out there.
Sealer Champion Author Charleston Posts:5,653 Points:838,400 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 4:24:46 PM Ignore Sealer Report Abuse How much energy does it take to "produce" energy this way?
96sc1 Champion Author El Paso Posts:7,440 Points:1,145,530 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 4:22:38 PM Ignore 96sc1 Report Abuse Microwave radiation takes a lot of energy to produce. I can't imagine a net gain with this process.
HEBster Champion Author Kentucky Posts:6,479 Points:1,918,290 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 4:14:07 PM Ignore HEBster Report Abuse Makes sense...
papou Champion Author Tampa Posts:8,502 Points:1,449,990 Joined:Jul 2005	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 4:05:07 PM Ignore papou Report Abuse what abouat the fertilizer in this fuel ?
virginia52 Champion Author Alaska Posts:5,752 Points:1,132,690 Joined:May 2007	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 3:48:23 PM Ignore virginia52 Report Abuse I like this idea! I have lots of grass clippings in the summer. I hope it works.
Bagtag Champion Author Georgia Posts:1,228 Points:1,412,920 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 3:37:47 PM Ignore Bagtag Report Abuse I could supply them with mountains of clippings!
FordF2502001 Champion Author Mississippi Posts:5,698 Points:1,157,690 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 3:37:27 PM Ignore FordF2502001 Report Abuse Burn some weeds!
Navychic09 Rookie Author Cleveland Posts:13 Points:1,690 Joined:Mar 2010	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 3:37:10 PM Ignore Navychic09 Report Abuse If this helps get rid of more crap on this Earth I say go for it..
BWD Champion Author Charleston Posts:3,116 Points:1,760,940 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 3:36:55 PM Ignore BWD Report Abuse What's next?
rfe330 All-Star Author Winston-Salem Posts:704 Points:230,680 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 3:35:23 PM Ignore rfe330 Report Abuse Using a lot of energy to make fuel.....
MRED3 Champion Author Jacksonville Posts:3,626 Points:803,345 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 3:31:08 PM Ignore MRED3 Report Abuse It sound like it will cost a lot to make it.
Jo120 Champion Author Arizona Posts:4,242 Points:1,475,430 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 3:29:47 PM Ignore Jo120 Report Abuse If it has to be heated, how much energy is required to produce a gallon of the product?
stickyvalves Champion Author Iowa Posts:3,254 Points:1,178,035 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 3:28:41 PM Ignore stickyvalves Report Abuse I've worked with collecting lawn clippings. Some of the strangest objects come off of yards. Apples, pears, logs, paper bags, clothes hangers, tomatoes. You name it, it's there. That sounds like a prime suspect for the NIMBY principle.
swrestler Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:3,795 Points:1,108,175 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 3:26:09 PM Ignore swrestler Report Abuse Now our exsust will smell like grass clippings.....
BazooQC Champion Author Montreal Posts:7,347 Points:1,175,405 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 3:25:32 PM Ignore BazooQC Report Abuse Wouldn't that be the day. Rather than pay the dump to dispose of grass, they pay you to bring it in.
jony Champion Author Florida Posts:5,244 Points:1,247,375 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 3:25:31 PM Ignore jony Report Abuse I hereby give permission for anyone doing this kind of research to come by my house and gather up all my grass clippings and since spring is just about to produce a lot, be sure to come by every week.
ILVET Champion Author Illinois Posts:12,509 Points:2,476,095 Joined:Jan 2005	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 3:24:25 PM Ignore ILVET Report Abuse Just when you think you've heard it all
DancingDee Champion Author Gary Posts:3,647 Points:909,125 Joined:Jul 2005	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 3:17:56 PM Ignore DancingDee Report Abuse Sounds really promising!
Rick52 Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:9,438 Points:741,260 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 3:16:04 PM Ignore Rick52 Report Abuse Grass clipping left to long begin to Rot or Break down... Leaving a smelly mess .....
pdcarver Champion Author San Diego Posts:1,289 Points:252,370 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 3:15:45 PM Ignore pdcarver Report Abuse ok, come pick it up and pay me.
pulpwood Champion Author Mississippi Posts:5,631 Points:1,498,750 Joined:Sep 2006	Message Posted: Mar 15, 2010 3:11:41 PM Ignore pulpwood Report Abuse Another good idea from across the sea!