Bio-Ethanol in Colombia
John Loke has been living in Colombia for 14 years working for CIAT (Center for International Agriculture in the Tropics). As the main researcher for Biofuels in Colombia, he works with the farmers to help educate the availibility of different alternative fuels in the region.
He took us to tour a variety of different Bio-Ethanol outlets here in Colombia, including the 2nd largest factory in the country making biofuel from Sugarcane.
The problem is that they use coal to produce bio-ethanol which significantly reduces the energy potential.
They are starting to use the mulch from the waste products of the sugarcane, but are still a long way off from fully going away from the carbon industry. The photo below is a pile of sugarcane mulch.
If they are using a non-renewable resource to create a “so-called” renewable one, dosen´t that still make it non-renewable?
We visited a farm that is making bio-ethanol from the bi-product of the coffee industry once the beans are separated.
They use the bean shells to produce fuel, and they use the waste timber from the coffee plants for fuel to produce it.
When you meet John you can tell he is a creative guy, however the second you step into his backyard it is apparent that he is a border line genious.
He is undertaking a top-secret project-experiment with a grant from the Dutch government to research alternative ways to produce ethanol.
He is using solar energy to heat up the ethanol before it goes into the boiler (the place that uses the most energy).
Next, he uses the exhaust from the boiler to further heat the alcohol before it goes in signifcantly reducing the amount of energy needed to produce ethanol. He can do it by burning only the waste products of the plants he is using. It was pretty inspiring to work with John in Colombia.
February 12th, 2007 at 9:07 pm
Would be interested to discuss the financing of ethanol production colombia
September 22nd, 2007 at 9:06 pm
Hello,
My name is Luis Bolaños, I am a Colombian born, but American Cotizen that is living in Colombia for a time, I am intereted in meeting John to learn more about this ethanol fuel, I live in Cali, Colombia. If John has time, he may email me, or call my cell phone at 311 310 6319..thanks.