Pause that Refreshes Could Also Refuel:
By John O'Dell October 21, 2009Sugary Waste From Soda Pop Makes Good Ethanol Feedstock, Companies Say
Maybe there's some use for flat Coke after all.
GreenHouse International, which earlier this year started distributing a fueling system that helps convert organic products such as beer-brewing waste into ethanol, is working on a similar plan involving products such as waste from soft-drink manufacturing.
The San Diego-based company whose investors include basketball star Shaquille O'Neal, is partnering with Farmersville, Texas-based Allard Research & Development on a fueling system that converts soft-drink waste, used beer yeast and other products into ethanol, the companies said.
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An Allard-developed automated ethanol refinery.
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GreenHouse has the exclusive rights to sell Allard fueling systems to soft-drink companies and governmental entities. Allard's customers also include ranches and farms, which use agricultural and livestock waste for feed stocks.
Sales of the fueling system to soft-drink companies would be notable because they would represent a so-called "closed loop" system, where waste elimination and fuel production take place at the same site.
In addition to developing a method of converting soft-drink waste to ethanol, Allard has created a product that helps cut the size of grain and cellulose particles used to convert organic matter into ethanol.
GreenHouse and Allard didn't specify which soft drink makers would receive or use the ethanol-refining system or how much it would cost.
GreenHouse also distributes an at-home micro-refinery system called MicroFueler, which is made by Los Gatos, Calif.-based E-Fuel Corp. and which converts organic waste into ethanol. The company has an exclusive agreement with E-Fuel covering Southern California and Arizona.
E-Fuel in February reached an agreement to install several MicroFuelers at Chico, Calif.-based Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., allowing the brewery to make E100 (100% ethanol) using waste from its brewing process.
Danny King, Contributor
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