fuels of the future fuels of the future

By Nurhan Dunford By Nurhan Dunford

FAPC Oil/Oilseed Chemist FAPC Oil/Oilseed Chemist
nurhan.dunford@okstate.edu nurhan.dunford@okstate.edu

E thanol is an alternative fuel
derived from biologically
renewable resources. It
is a good substitute for gasoline in
spark-ignition engines. Ethanol can be
employed to replace octane enhancers,
such as methylcyclopentadienyl
manganese tricarbonyl, and aromatic
hydrocarbons, such as benzene, or
oxygenates, such as methyl tertiary
butyl ether.
In the United States, biofuel
production has increased dramatically
during the last several years.
Production of ethanol from corn has
been quickly adapted by the U.S.
biofuel industry.
Today corn-based ethanol is the
main source of fuel ethanol in the
United States. This fast expansion
of the biofuel industry has put
tremendous pressure on agricultural
commodities.
Currently, food processors and
biofuel producers compete in the
same market. The ethanol and corn
industries are being criticized by
interest groups for causing everything
from sharply higher food prices for
American consumers to social unrest
resulting from food shortages in the
developing countries.
A box of oranges weighs 90 pounds and results in about
50 percent juice and 50 percent peel material. The citrus
peel material includes a mixture of peel, segment mem-
branes, and seeds rich in pectin, cellulose, and soluble
sugars. This material is available in large volumes.
Better management of resources to meet feedstock
needs of the biofuel industry can lead to growth of the
global economy. Non-edible feedstock, waste bio-mate-
rial and biomass that require minimal land use should be
fully exploited to sustain the biofuel industry.
Better management of resources Florida, are exploring the potential of
to meet feedstock needs of the citrus peel as a commercial feedstock
biofuel industry can lead to growth for ethanol production.
of the global economy. Non-edible “Citrus Energy and FPL have a
feedstock, waste bio-material, and common vision to take a first small
biomass that require minimal land use step towards displacing fuel from
should be fully exploited to sustain the below ground with fuel from above
biofuel industry. ground,” said David Stewart, president
Bio-ethanol production from of Citrus Energy. “This collaboration
lignocellulosic waste materials, such builds on basic research done at the
as crop residues, municipal solid USDA Citrus Lab in Winter Haven,
wastes, forest products wastes, leaf Florida, including research done by
and yard wastes, municipal sludges, Mark Wilkins.”
and dairy and cattle manures, have World citrus production has been
been explored. significantly increasing since the
Mark Wilkins, an assistant 1980s. As a result, citrus processing
professor at the Oklahoma State industries, especially in developed
University department of biosystems countries, have expanded rapidly.
and agricultural engineering, recently It is estimated that orange
signed a research agreement with production will reach 66.4 million
Citranol Energy I LLC, a unit of FPL metric tons in 2010. This growth
Group Incorporated of Juno Beach, represents a 14 percent increase
Florida, which together with its partner compared to that of 1997–1999 orange
Citrus Energy LLC of Boca Raton, production. Florida is the largest citrus
growing state in the United States.
“The Florida Department of Citrus
projects the size of the citrus crop
for the next 10 years at around 200
million boxes per year,” Stewart said.
A box of oranges weighs 90
pounds and results in about 50 percent
juice and 50 percent peel material.
ETHANOL
The citrus peel material includes a
mixture of peel, segment membranes,
and seeds rich in pectin, cellulose,
and soluble sugars. This material is
result, ethanol can be made available
at a cheaper rate.
Wilkins’ research group is
evaluating thermotolerant yeast
available in large volumes. strains and new generation
“Citrus fruit processors generally enzymes to more efficiently
dry and pelletize this citrus peel convert orange peel to
material to produce a cattle feed called ethanol.
citrus pulp pellets,” Wilkins said. Kluyveromyces marxianus
“Some small processors cannot afford IMB3, a thermotolerant yeast
to invest capital in the equipment capable of growth and
needed to produce citrus pulp pellets ethanol production
and must pay haulers to take citrus at temperatures
peel away from their facility and up to 50°C, is
dispose of it in a landfill.” being examined in
Stewart said, “Utilization of collaboration with
by-product materials like citrus peel Ibrahim Banat of the
to produce liquid transportation University of Ulster for its
fuels, such as ethanol, would reduce ethanol production
dependence on petroleum while efficiency.
turning a historical liability into The same
valuable asset for processors.” thermotolerant
In general, the fermentation yeast also is
process that produces ethanol is being tested
carried out between 25 and 35°C to for ethanol
maximize ethanol production and production
prevent heat-inactivation of the yeast from switch-
cells. grass, which
Yet, high temperature fermentation has high
has some advantages including energy potential as
savings achieved through a reduction an ethanol
in cooling costs and the possible use of feedstock for
continuous ethanol stripping to recover Oklahoma.
ethanol from fermentation broth. This col-
Thermotolerant yeasts in this laboration is
situation are advantageous because another example
they have faster fermentation rates, of OSU scientists’
minimize the cooling and distillation far-reaching expertise
costs and, thereby, help in lowering in the biofuels research
the overall fermentation costs. As a and development field.

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