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%.....
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