Comments on: Dude, DIY Ethanol From Beer Yeast http://earth2tech.com/2009/02/03/dude-diy-ethanol-from-beer-yeast/ Helping the Earth with Technology Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:19:10 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Garrett http://earth2tech.com/2009/02/03/dude-diy-ethanol-from-beer-yeast/#comment-25820 Garrett Tue, 24 Feb 2009 02:39:29 +0000 http://earth2tech.com/?p=22090#comment-25820 <p>Good to see that the yeast that is no longer suitable for brewing will be re-used for ethanol generation.</p> <p>I was wondering at first how the ethanol would be economically separated from the water. It seems that the membrane separator solves part of that problem.</p> <p>I would still question the total energy requirement for the system and the total carbon footprint. Electrical energy to run the unit has to come from somewhere. Energy to create the membrane has to come from somewhere. Yeast can only consume simple sugars -- table sugar won’t work -- and this feedstock has to come from somewhere, be transported from somewhere, etc.</p> <p>Unfortunately, it always takes more energy to make energy that we can utilize than the work potential in the energy that was created.</p> Good to see that the yeast that is no longer suitable for brewing will be re-used for ethanol generation.

I was wondering at first how the ethanol would be economically separated from the water. It seems that the membrane separator solves part of that problem.

I would still question the total energy requirement for the system and the total carbon footprint. Electrical energy to run the unit has to come from somewhere. Energy to create the membrane has to come from somewhere. Yeast can only consume simple sugars — table sugar won’t work — and this feedstock has to come from somewhere, be transported from somewhere, etc.

Unfortunately, it always takes more energy to make energy that we can utilize than the work potential in the energy that was created.

]]> By: Fill 'er up with beer sludge, please | Politics in the Zeros. Progressive politics. Anti-war, global warming, cleantech http://earth2tech.com/2009/02/03/dude-diy-ethanol-from-beer-yeast/#comment-24856 Fill 'er up with beer sludge, please | Politics in the Zeros. Progressive politics. Anti-war, global warming, cleantech Wed, 04 Feb 2009 06:33:06 +0000 http://earth2tech.com/?p=22090#comment-24856 <p>[...] highly portable E-Fuel 100 MicroFueler takes beer yeast leftovers from a local brewery and turns it into [...]</p> [...] highly portable E-Fuel 100 MicroFueler takes beer yeast leftovers from a local brewery and turns it into [...]

]]> By: Jay Parkhill http://earth2tech.com/2009/02/03/dude-diy-ethanol-from-beer-yeast/#comment-24828 Jay Parkhill Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:25:04 +0000 http://earth2tech.com/?p=22090#comment-24828 <p>So cool. I thought that stuff was only good for covering the ceiling of my kitchen when I botched a homebrew recipe and pressure built up too much in the fermenter.</p> <p>Seriously- fuel from waste is awesome to see.</p> So cool. I thought that stuff was only good for covering the ceiling of my kitchen when I botched a homebrew recipe and pressure built up too much in the fermenter.

Seriously- fuel from waste is awesome to see.

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