February 23, 2005

NEED HELP GENERATING THE WASTE? (via Tom Morin):

A Turkey In Your Tank: Could poultry scraps be the next big source of fuel oil? (Ellyn Spragins, February 1, 2005, Fortune)

One solution to america's energy crisis just may be gobbling away at a poultry farm near you. Changing World Technologies has developed a working system to convert turkey guts and scraps into fuel oil. But CWT's tribulations show how hard it is for even the most innovative green company to compete in the energy business.

CWT's improbable alchemy is based on an idea that scientists have been kicking around for three decades: mimicking the earth's process for creating oil and gas. By subjecting organic materials to extreme heat and pressure, CWT produces in minutes what the planet takes thousands of years to make. The company says its process works on tires, various hazardous wastes, and plastic as well as heavy metals.

The key question is whether the end products are pure enough and cheap enough to compete with other biofuels and petroleum.

Posted by Orrin Judd at February 23, 2005 6:35 AM
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