Advanced Biofuels Are Closer Than You Think, Says Investor Vinod Khosla
CNET News:
Start-up Range Fuels on Tuesday will host a groundbreaking ceremony in Soperton, Ga., where the company will build a plant that will make the fuel ethanol from wood chips.
If successful, the company claims it will be the first to build a commercial cellulosic ethanol plant, using a feedstock that’s cleaner than corn–the primary source of ethanol in the U.S. today.
Green tech venture capitalist Vinod Khosla is one the investors in Range Fuels and a high-profile advocate of ethanol and other biofuels.
The numbers behind making ethanol from wood waste, rather than corn, are compelling, he says: 75 percent less carbon emissions and 75 percent less water used, compared to existing processes.
And it’s cost-competitive with gasoline today. Of course, with oil around $95 per barrel, that’s an easier target to hit today than ever.
In an interview, Khosla talked about the importance of making ethanol from the cellulose, or plant fiber, rather than corn and why he thinks the technology will be available before most people expect.
Why is this Range Fuels plant (which is receiving Department of Energy funding) significant?
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