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goldseeker Champion Author West Virginia Posts:19,573 Points:2,721,740 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Apr 21, 2012 12:22:43 AM Ignore goldseeker Report Abuse North Dakota-based Green Vision Group is resolutely moving forward with a plan to build multiple 20 MMgy dedicated energy beet plants in the state. The quest began in 2007 and took some big leaps in early 2012, when it received $1 million in funding from the North Dakota Renewable Energy Council and other sources, says Maynard Helgaas, president. Around the same time, North Dakota State University, which has been assisting with the project, submitted an energy beet ethanol life-cycle analysis to the U.S. EPA in an effort to get it qualified as an advanced biofuel. The group has its first location selected, although it hasn’t been announced yet, and hopes to begin processing ethanol by fall 2014. With up to 1,000 gallons of ethanol production in just one acre of land. In other words, energy beets have the power to produce about double the amount of ethanol in one acre, when compared to corn. Besides ethanol, energy beet ethanol plants produce other valuable coproducts, including animal feed from the leftover beet pulp, much like distillers grains. I am all for alternative feedstocks. I have always believed that a diversity of feedstocks is the best way to go. This would also be a great opportunity for some of the small shuttered ethanol plants.

goldseeker

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Message Posted: Apr 21, 2012 12:22:43 AM

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North Dakota-based Green Vision Group is resolutely moving forward with a plan to build multiple 20 MMgy dedicated energy beet plants in the state. The quest began in 2007 and took some big leaps in early 2012, when it received $1 million in funding from the North Dakota Renewable Energy Council and other sources, says Maynard Helgaas, president. Around the same time, North Dakota State University, which has been assisting with the project, submitted an energy beet ethanol life-cycle analysis to the U.S. EPA in an effort to get it qualified as an advanced biofuel. The group has its first location selected, although it hasn’t been announced yet, and hopes to begin processing ethanol by fall 2014.

With up to 1,000 gallons of ethanol production in just one acre of land. In other words, energy beets have the power to produce about double the amount of ethanol in one acre, when compared to corn.

Besides ethanol, energy beet ethanol plants produce other valuable coproducts, including animal feed from the leftover beet pulp, much like distillers grains.

I am all for alternative feedstocks. I have always believed that a diversity of feedstocks is the best way to go. This would also be a great opportunity for some of the small shuttered ethanol plants.

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elcid1300 Champion Author San Diego Posts:1,663 Points:314,975 Joined:Jul 2012	Message Posted: Jul 13, 2012 10:02:28 AM Ignore elcid1300 Report Abuse this story has been beet to death.
oilpan4 Champion Author Virginia Posts:12,062 Points:306,900 Joined:Jul 2006	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 8:34:40 AM Ignore oilpan4 Report Abuse " I believe the reason ethanol has not been made on a commercial scale from sugar beets instead of corn is because it is too expensive". If I remember correctly sugar beets need a lot of nitrogen fertilizer to grow them properly. So they are not cheap to grow.
chemist74 Champion Author Cleveland Posts:13,510 Points:2,395,980 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Jul 12, 2012 7:14:37 AM Ignore chemist74 Report Abuse Technicaqlly, ethanol can be made from any plant that produces sugars or starches. Cellulosic ethanol technology would increase the potential crop sources. I believe the reason ethanol has not been made on a commercial scale from sugar beets instead of corn is because it is too expensive. If they have found a way to make ethanol from sugar beets cheap enough without government subsides, great.
SilverStreaker Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:11,952 Points:2,219,425 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Jul 11, 2012 1:40:22 PM Ignore SilverStreaker Report Abuse Sweet Sorghum is another ethanol producting crop.
the1roadhog Champion Author Atlanta Posts:9,913 Points:2,058,530 Joined:Jun 2007	Message Posted: May 12, 2012 7:02:26 AM Ignore the1roadhog Report Abuse Team this up with algea and there you go PrezO.
goldseeker Champion Author West Virginia Posts:19,573 Points:2,721,740 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: May 12, 2012 5:48:01 AM Ignore goldseeker Report Abuse Green energy plan would turn sugar beets into biofuels The vacant Spreckels sugar beet factory in Mendota may receive a green energy overhaul, as a group of former sugar beet farmers pursues a plan to transform the site into an advanced biorefinery using several high-tech processes to convert sugar beets into ethanol and other forms of energy.The energy beet refinery facility would incorporate: n Advanced ethanol production: About 150 truckloads of harvested beets a day would be processed into advanced, second-level ethanol. During the process, some cellulosic ethanol would also be produced. Beets produce about 1,200 gallons per acre of ethanol, compared to 450 to 500 gallons per acre of corn. On an annual basis, 1.4 million tons of beets would be needed, which represents the production from about 35,000 acres. n Biomass gasifier: Biomass prunings would go into the biomass gasifier and into a steam turbine, which would make both steam and electricity. The processed steam would be recycled for ethanol production and the electricity would be used internally. The process would produce almost 40 percent of its own electricity.n Water treatment facility: Wastewater from the beets and from the city of Mendota would be processed through the water treatment facility and converted into processed water. About 400 acre-feet of surplus water for agriculture and landscaping would be produced each year.It will be interesting to see where this plan goes. Bring it on! [Edited by: goldseeker at 5/12/2012 6:51:00 AM EST]
goldseeker Champion Author West Virginia Posts:19,573 Points:2,721,740 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Apr 28, 2012 11:04:03 PM Ignore goldseeker Report Abuse Fodder Beets may be an even better choice.
mr157ifhz Sophomore Author Gasbuddy Posts:155 Points:3,120 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Apr 21, 2012 12:17:18 PM Ignore mr157ifhz Report Abuse Another great crop to use is sweet sorghum. It can be grown wherever corn can grow -including northern areas- needs half the water and a fraction of the fertilizer. -Matt [Edited by: mr157ifhz at 4/21/2012 1:20:02 PM EST]
SilverStreaker Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:11,952 Points:2,219,425 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Apr 21, 2012 11:39:54 AM Ignore SilverStreaker Report Abuse I always wondered why they don't use beets for ethanol, since they use beets to make sugar.
chemist74 Champion Author Cleveland Posts:13,510 Points:2,395,980 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Apr 21, 2012 8:10:46 AM Ignore chemist74 Report Abuse Most people do not realize that most of the sugar produced in the United States already comes from sugar beets grown in northern states, not sugar cane (which can not be grown in most states).
goldseeker Champion Author West Virginia Posts:19,573 Points:2,721,740 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Apr 21, 2012 7:11:14 AM Ignore goldseeker Report Abuse ProfDude: Yes, there are plenty of crop options. However you have to remember there is also a "catch 22". You have to have sufficient quantities to produce the end product, and you also have to have a market for the end product, or the product will fail. Folks like to claim that sugar cane is the real crop for ethanol, but when you do a little research you find that you cannot grow sugar cane in quantity anywhere. Oh, we can grow it in the southern tier states and Hawaii, but that is about it. However, sweet sorghum can be grown in most of the lower 48 states, and it has a shorter growing season. In the southern regions two crops can be grown in one year. Some strains can yield over 1000 gallons of ethanol per acre. Sounds promising doesn't it. However, we must remember, there is no infrastructure in place for sorghum ethanol. Once you harvest sorghum you must crush the stalk to extract the juice in a short period of time. If you do not, then you will lose the sugar content. With corn you can store it for months, even years. Not the case with sorghum and sugar cane. Inspite of these limitations, I do believe that it should be researched and developed. We should never place our eggs in one basket. A diversified approach is the best solution.
ProfDude Champion Author Illinois Posts:2,213 Points:450,470 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Apr 21, 2012 1:38:38 AM Ignore ProfDude Report Abuse I have often thought that it would be good to try something other than corn for this purpose. I had presumed that such an alternative crop would need to be grown farther south. Apparently there are more fuel crop options available to us yet.