China scientists make breakthrough turning stalk to bio-oil
Date: 21.7.2006
Beijing, June 30 (PTI): Chinese scientists have claimed to have made a breakthrough in reducing the cost of converting crop stalks, chaff and sawdust into bio-oil, an alternative source of energy.
Bio-oil produced with the scientists' technology is 56.8 per cent cheaper than diesel oil and 39.1 per cent cheaper than heavy oil, said Professor Guo Qingxiang of University of Science and Technology.
However, that bio-oil only produces two-fifths of heat from the same amount of diesel oil and only half that of heavy oil, Guo said.
The technology, which can produce over six kg of bio-oil from 10 kg of sawdust and five kg from stalks, has passed appraisals by provincial department of science and technology, Guo said.
Producing one tonne of bio-oil in the Chinese lab only costs about USD 100. The lab also invented a machine that can process 120 kg of biomass per hour, Xinhua news agency said.
Globally research has been continuing from the 1980's on the process known as pyrolysis liquefaction technologies- that decompose biomass using heat which then turns it into liquid. The high cost has prevented scientists from making an economically feasible energy product.
"The Chinese government will subsidise the application of the lab's technologies," an official has said.
Traditionally, over 700 million tons of stalk and chaff left over from harvest every year is burned, causing not only pollution but also a huge waste of energy, Guo said.
Bio-oil can be used directly in heating boilers and as fuel for motor vehicles after further refining. Ethanol can also be extracted from bio-oil.
Source:[ http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/008200606301321.htm]
