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Startup Claims to Make $1/Gallon Ethanol

gnick writes to mention Wired is reporting that an Illinois startup is claiming they can make ethanol from most any organic material for around $1/gallon. Coskata, backed by General Motors and several other investors, uses a process that is bacteria based instead of some of the other available methods. The bacteria processes organic material that is fed into the reactor and secretes ethanol as a waste product.

17 of 456 comments (clear)

  1. the memories by caffeinemessiah · · Score: 4, Funny

    secretes ethanol as a waste product.

    aaah...reminds me of college.

    --
    An old-timer with old-timey ideas.
    1. Re:the memories by edittard · · Score: 3, Funny

      To think that I once thought pay-to-use restrooms were a good idea. Instead, those restrooms should be paying me!
      Ever been to Soviet Russia?
      --
      At the bottom of the /. main page it says 'Yesterday's News'. Well they got that right.
    2. Re:the memories by maxume · · Score: 2, Funny

      aaah...reminds me of college.

      You may have done it wrong. I remember consuming ethanol.

      --
      Nerd rage is the funniest rage.
  2. Mr Fusion? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    First thought was Marty's "Mr Fusion" on the back of his DeLorean. (Dump in a few banana peels -- 1.21 gigawatts!)

  3. Whoo hoo! by biased_estimator · · Score: 3, Funny

    Moonshine all around, its on me tonight!

  4. Only one problem by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The bacteria used in the process only grow in the middle east.

  5. Great, but by Hellad · · Score: 5, Funny

    it seems that this is the cost of production, not the cost to the consumer. If we are selling it a buck a gallon from the pump after the inclusion of taxes, then I am interested. Until then, please use my corn for good uses such as the syrup in my Mt. Dew like God intended.

  6. Startup hits "paydirt" by smittyoneeach · · Score: 4, Funny

    process that is bacteria based instead of some of the other available methods. The bacteria processes organic material that is fed into the reactor and secretes ethanol as a waste product.
    The Illinois startup patentd "a process for using bacteria to transform something into stuff" and promptly sued everyone in posession of compost.
    "Hey, since they beat us to the smartphone, the only thing we could do in response was test the outer limits of stupidity," said Joey, the CIO.
    Time could be running out for ambitious entremanures wanting to cash in on the USPTO, however, Joey continued:
    "The USPTO asked us a question, which was 'What time is it?' They hadn't ever asked any questions previously. We fear that this question could herald an unprecedented era of consciousness at the USPTO."
    --
    Get thee glass eyes, and, like a scurvy politician, seem to see things thou dost not.--King Lear
  7. Good ol' boys in Appalachia do this all the time by Derling+Whirvish · · Score: 3, Funny

    I know some good ol' boys in Eastern Tennessee who make ethanol from corn mash for less than $1 a gallon. Been doin' it for decades.

  8. Re:Drop the dumb tags already by glwtta · · Score: 4, Funny

    Oh man, Story Tag Nazi has got to be the most thankless job ever.

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    sic transit gloria mundi
  9. Re:Better idea by daeg · · Score: 3, Funny

    Actually, yes. With a generic biomass to fuel process, nearly any biomass could be used, including human corpses.

    With the rising cost of funerals and cremation services, maybe the burial method of choice in the future will be in the gas tank of your grandchildren.

  10. Re:Better idea by rrkap · · Score: 5, Funny

    Soylent Gas is people!!!!! Farewell Karma!

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    I like my beverages with warning labels!
  11. Re:Good ol' boys in Appalachia do this all the tim by shiftless · · Score: 2, Funny

    Once two strangers climbed ole Rocky Top,
    Lookin' for a moon-shine still.
    Strangers ain't come down from Rocky Top,
    Reckon they never will.

    Corn won't grow at all on Rocky Top,
    Dirt's too rocky by far.
    That's why all the folks on Rocky Top
    Get their corn from a jar.

  12. Re:Better idea by edittard · · Score: 5, Funny

    His diesel has returned to the tribe. Hail the Muad'Dib!

    --
    At the bottom of the /. main page it says 'Yesterday's News'. Well they got that right.
  13. Has anything really changed? by gsgriffin · · Score: 3, Funny

    So what we are all excited about is that we might be able to run our country on crap coming from single-cell, brainless, parasitic, life-forms... Isn't that by exactly how we have been running this country for 200 years. It's not called Ethanol. Its called Congress.

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  14. Re:What! GM backing cheap fuel! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    DECS,
    You've nailed it dude. You know that Bush/Saudi/GM/BigCorn/BigElectric gots ALL THE BASES COVERED! Friggin' ELECTORAL COLLEGE is in on it too! No matter WHAT happens, they stik it to workin' man!!

  15. Re:logic by adonoman · · Score: 2, Funny

    It is editable. I do love being able to spell-check my plants.