Well, it might not be for the squeamish, but Waste Management, Inc. and Valero Energy have joined forces with Terrabon to produce MixAlco. MixAlco is a new technology that takes a wide variety of biomass sources and converts the mixture into gasoline. So, what's the squeamish part all about? Part of the biomass this technology uses includes such piquant substances as sewage sludge and municipal solid waste (MSW).
When you stop and think about it, gasoline has come full circle. In the beginning of the 20th century, gasoline was a waste product that had to disposed of in order to obtain the kerosene that consumers needed to light their homes. Now, an age-old waste (sewage) is being used to produce what used to be a waste product but is now in high demand.
So, how is this "green"? The carbon in biomass (including sewage sludge) comes from the biosphere. Carbon from petroleum gasoline is brought from below the surface of the earth and into the biosphere, increasing the environment's carbon content.
Another beautiful thing about using sewage sludge is that there is a ready supply where ever the population is the most dense and the need for energy is greatest. Perhaps most poetic is the fact that as long as Congress exists, there will be an inexhaustible supply of the required raw material.
You can read more about this non-governmental project at http://www.terrabon.com/mixalco_overview.html.
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