Spring Break
Researchers convert water to ethanol
Kimberly Cox
Issue date: 10/30/07 Section: NEWS
It will take a while to get things right, he said, but once they get the samples, they can work in the Environmental Sciences Building. From there, they will move the process to the aquatic lab located west of Denton, where they have several small containers for study and several larger ponds to expand study.
Stevens said part of the research will find possible crops to grow in the wastewater. These crops could be cash crops, he said, for agricultural purposes, or even possibly to produce biodiesel or more ethanol.
"There are a number of potential crops we could use for biodiesel or harvest for ethanol, if they have enough sugar content," he said. "A number of crops have an oil content that could be utilized for biodiesel which may be compatible with a wetland setting."
Geiger said he hopes the plant, once fully operational, will produce four to five gallons of ethanol per year. Chris Bell, vice-president of TetraPoint, said the plant will be almost entirely eco-friendly. All the containers that go into the plant will be recycled as well. Bell said the only problem might be if the liquid waste comes in milk or juice cartons, which are difficult to recycle because they are lined with plastic to prevent leakage. The plant even saves on carbon emissions, he said.
"One gallon of ethanol saves 7.5 pounds of carbon dioxide from going into the atmosphere, and saves .66 gallons of gas," Bell said.
Stevens said part of the research will find possible crops to grow in the wastewater. These crops could be cash crops, he said, for agricultural purposes, or even possibly to produce biodiesel or more ethanol.
"There are a number of potential crops we could use for biodiesel or harvest for ethanol, if they have enough sugar content," he said. "A number of crops have an oil content that could be utilized for biodiesel which may be compatible with a wetland setting."
Geiger said he hopes the plant, once fully operational, will produce four to five gallons of ethanol per year. Chris Bell, vice-president of TetraPoint, said the plant will be almost entirely eco-friendly. All the containers that go into the plant will be recycled as well. Bell said the only problem might be if the liquid waste comes in milk or juice cartons, which are difficult to recycle because they are lined with plastic to prevent leakage. The plant even saves on carbon emissions, he said.
"One gallon of ethanol saves 7.5 pounds of carbon dioxide from going into the atmosphere, and saves .66 gallons of gas," Bell said.
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