It seems that my old alma mater is one step closer to the "Mr. Fusion" presented in the "Back To the Future" movies.

The biorefinery uses two different processes to create fuel. The machine separates food material into a bioreactor that uses the yeast ferments to create ethanol. Other materials go to a gasifier and are converted into propane gas and methane, which then fuel the diesel engine that creates electricity.

I have said before (even if I haven't blogged about it) that something like this should be the ultimate goal of municipally-mandated recycling programs. Once the recyclable material is removed from the garbage, what is left is mostly organic. That organic material should be able to be processed to make methane (or, in the case of this article, ethanol), for use in electricity generation.

This would make the endless arguments about where to put the local landfill a thing of the past. Sure, nobody wants to have an ugly, smelly landfill in their backyard. With a recycling center and electrical generation plant nearby, everyone benefits -- except maybe the big power companies.

Labels: Purdue