Comments on: Watermelon Juice — Next Source of Renewable Energy http://cleantechnica.com/2009/08/27/watermelon-juice-next-source-of-renewable-energy/ Clean Tech News & Views: Solar Energy News. Wind Energy News. EV News. & More. Mon, 29 Dec 2014 08:38:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.0.1 By: A Sustainble Recipe for Biofuel: Ethanol from Orange Peels and Tobacco - CleanTechnica http://cleantechnica.com/2009/08/27/watermelon-juice-next-source-of-renewable-energy/#comment-125903 Fri, 06 Jul 2012 19:18:50 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=3222#comment-125903 […] of use, biofuel production can be tailored to take advantage of local resources, whether it’s biofuel from unmarketable watermelons, algae, carbon monoxide harvested from factory emissions, or even biofuel from microbes and […]

]]> By: #1: Clean Energy Patents Hit Record High in the US : CleanTechnica http://cleantechnica.com/2009/08/27/watermelon-juice-next-source-of-renewable-energy/#comment-7001 Sun, 30 Aug 2009 07:57:50 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=3222#comment-7001 […] recent news on biofuels, read Watermelon Juice — Next Source of Renewable Energy, Electrolyzed Water Turns Waste Product Into Biofuel, and Scientists Force Fungus to Have Sex to […]

]]> By: Tom Coalson http://cleantechnica.com/2009/08/27/watermelon-juice-next-source-of-renewable-energy/#comment-6999 Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:43:20 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=3222#comment-6999 I’d have to agree with Chris if the ethanol were produced at a location some distance from where the melons were grown. On the other hand, if one were to introduce one of the SmartGrid’s ideas and process the melons at a facility close to where they were grown, it might make sense.

A year or so ago I spoke with some potential ethanol manufacturers in California who were going to do exactly that, build a methanol facility in a corn-producing area of the central coast. The by-products of the process were to be sold locally to cattle ranchers for a feed supplement.

Another logical step in this chain would be to distribute E-85 ethanol in the locality where it is produced, again reducing the impacts of transporting the finished product.

I don’t know if the project ever got off the ground, and I would love to hear from others who may have first-hand knowledge of such facilities and any documentation that may be available on the energy yield to energy production costs.

Respectfully submitted,

Tom Coalson

]]> By: Tom Coalson http://cleantechnica.com/2009/08/27/watermelon-juice-next-source-of-renewable-energy/#comment-23993 Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:43:00 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=3222#comment-23993 I’d have to agree with Chris if the ethanol were produced at a location some distance from where the melons were grown. On the other hand, if one were to introduce one of the SmartGrid’s ideas and process the melons at a facility close to where they were grown, it might make sense.

A year or so ago I spoke with some potential ethanol manufacturers in California who were going to do exactly that, build a methanol facility in a corn-producing area of the central coast. The by-products of the process were to be sold locally to cattle ranchers for a feed supplement.

Another logical step in this chain would be to distribute E-85 ethanol in the locality where it is produced, again reducing the impacts of transporting the finished product.

I don’t know if the project ever got off the ground, and I would love to hear from others who may have first-hand knowledge of such facilities and any documentation that may be available on the energy yield to energy production costs.

Respectfully submitted,

Tom Coalson

]]> By: Zachary Shahan http://cleantechnica.com/2009/08/27/watermelon-juice-next-source-of-renewable-energy/#comment-7000 Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:57:31 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=3222#comment-7000 In the article by the authors, linked above, I believe they recommended performing the process ON the farms and using the ethanol there.

Have to check that in the article.

]]> By: chrisp68 http://cleantechnica.com/2009/08/27/watermelon-juice-next-source-of-renewable-energy/#comment-6998 Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:35:35 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=3222#comment-6998 How much energy would be used to get all these watermelons to a processing plant to convert them to fuel? If it has an energy density similar to corn then it is a waste and they should be left to rot in the fields to replenish the soil.

Also realize if they are removed then extra fertilizers will be needed to replenish the missing nutrients…

]]> By: chrisp68 http://cleantechnica.com/2009/08/27/watermelon-juice-next-source-of-renewable-energy/#comment-23992 Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:35:00 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=3222#comment-23992 How much energy would be used to get all these watermelons to a processing plant to convert them to fuel? If it has an energy density similar to corn then it is a waste and they should be left to rot in the fields to replenish the soil.

Also realize if they are removed then extra fertilizers will be needed to replenish the missing nutrients…

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