Process to turn animal fat into diesel fuel

[John Picard]

Syntroleum Corp. tops list of state’s best companies

Karen Gallagher, Syntroleum’s senior vice president and principal financial officer, is not surprised by the company’s gains.
"We feel like we’ve done the right thing at the right time,” she said.
Gallagher said Syntroleum is beginning to capitalize on years of research efforts.
The company was not intended to make a profit during that period, she said, but now Syntroleum has a product to sell: a process called Bio-Synfining that can convert waste products into fuel.
"We’re a very unique niche,” Gallagher said. "Not a lot of companies do renewable fuels.”
Syntroleum is nearing completion of a $150 million plant in Louisiana, a joint venture with Tyson Foods Inc. that will churn out 75 million gallons on synthetic fuel each year. The company also is selling its shuttered demonstration plant at the Port of Catoosa to Sinopec Corp., a state-owned energy company in China.
"We have a technique that can turn waste products like yellow grease and chicken fat ... into a much higher quality fuel,” said Ron Stinebaugh, Syntroleum’s senior vice president of finance.
The Dynamic Fuels plant will be the first of its kind in this hemisphere, he said. It primarily will produce diesel fuel.

I have friends in Europe who can't understand why diesels aren't more popular in the US since Europeans have a variety to choose from. This is the way of our transportation future over the ridiculous idea of battery powered cars.

 

[LaxScrutiny]

This could put an end to obesity. With lipids becoming increasingly valuable, liposuction centers would pop up on every major intersection, and along highways. Fat would be converted to fuel and we would on our merry way.

There should be a huge demand for this technology, it would allow us to eat as much as we want.

 

[sojourner]

I have friends in Europe who can't understand why diesels aren't more popular in the US since Europeans have a variety to choose from. This is the way of our transportation future over the ridiculous idea of battery powered cars.

Actually, creating energy at a central location, like a power plant, is much more efficient than individual engines in every vehicle. The real problem with battery power is how primitive the technology is.

Batteries right now are too heavy, slow to recharge, and expensive to produce. These problems will be solved eventually.

 

[John Picard]

Batteries right now are too heavy, slow to recharge, and expensive to produce. These problems will be solved eventually.

I think that is a bullshit pipe dream. There are limits to most every form of technology. The pro-battery crowd plugs their fingers into their ears and chants "LALALAICANNOTHEARYOU" when it comes to reality. I have an article I've pinned to a thread here, somewhere, where even Toyota admits that 100% battery technology won't be feasible or affordable. People have been preaching that same bullshit about Hydrogen since the 1970's and it has yet to reach fruition. I've read many articles where researchers have stated that it just isn't possible no mater what future developments may happen.

 

[sojourner]

Who said anything about %100? Remember, "perfection" is the enemy of "good enough". We don't need perfect. we just need better. Battery technology is WAAAYYY behind most other technologies. it will come along eventually. Now, whether it comes along soon enough to make a difference in the auto industry? Not so sure.