[Scotsman]

Reading between the lines it looks like someone has found a way to produce cellulosic ethanol for mass production. Interesting.

GM announces partnership with Coskata to produce ethanol fuel



General Motors announced today at the Detroit Auto Show that it will be teaming with Coskata, Inc. — a biology-based renewable energy company based in Indiana — to produce ethanol using a new, environmentally friendly method.

The new system allows for the production of ethanol from sources other than corn. The new technology would make it possible to make bio-fuel from renewable resources — such as livestock waste, municipal waste or even old tires — eliminating the pitfalls of producing ethanol from corn.

The new process is also much more efficient than the one currently used to turn corn into fuel. Whereas the current process requires about 3-4 gallons of water to produce 1 gallon of fuel, Coskata's process uses less than 1. In addition, Coskata's process yields 7.7 units of energy for every unit put into production — well above the ratio of corn-based ethanol production.

Coskata's bio-fuel also burns cleaner, reducing green house gas emissions by 84%.

But the new partnership promises to be just as good for consumers as it is for the environment. GM and Coskata both claim that the new fuel will cost about $1 gallon, well below the $3 per gallon consumers are used to seeing.

While it will be a few years before the new fuel comes online — Coskata plans to open its first production plant later this year — Coskata predicts that its will produce between 50 and 100 million gallons of the clean bio-fuel by 2011.

The announcement followed on the heels of the official introduction of the Hummer HX concept and Saab 9-4X BioPower — both vehicles that use GM's FlexFuel technology. GM also announced that every Hummer vehicle will be available with a FlexFuel engine option by 2011, indicating the automaker's commitment to the technology.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/gm-annou...anol-fuel.html