Sunday, March 05, 2006
The Power of PooOil barons and sheiks everywhere must be trembling in their sandals this week. Maybe Alaskans in their snow boots too.
Scientists at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology in Japan just announced that they have discovered a way to extract gasoline from cattle dung. Their method is to process the cow dung in a pressure cooker at 300C, in the presence of metal catalysts that remain top secret, like the Kentucky Fried Chicken herbs and spices. Perhaps they used the same ingredients for the cow dung that the Colonel used for his chicken -- how do you really know it's not true?
I feel sorry for Mrs. Tanaka when her husband scientist returned the pressure cooker he borrowed one day for some "quick and simple experiment at the lab." No wonder men are always told to stay out of the kitchen. This does remind me though, that the Japanese seem to have a special fascination for cooking poop. I don't know why -- could it be the seaweed and the tofu they eat?
But, I digress. The yield is not bad. They got 1.4 milliliters of gasoline for every 100 grams of cow dung. Now multiply that by the 550,000 tons of poop produced annually by Japanese cattle alone, and plug all of that into a supercomputer to take out the metric nonsense. I came up with over 2 million gallon of premium 89-octane liquid, enough to power all the SUVs in California for a round trip from Los Angeles to Yosemite on Memorial Day weekend, without using dog sleds.
Now I am sure everyone must be wondering about the smell. Not to worry. Another group of Japanese researchers at Sekisui Chemical Co. has successfully extracted an aromatic ingredient of vanilla from cattle dung. Did I mention that these folks are obsessed with poop? Nevertheless, this ingredient, vanillin, can be used as fragrance in shampoo and candles, or to make cow dung gasoline smell like Betty Crocker Rich and CreamyTM chocolate cake. Unless, of course, it already does.
- posted by Woofwoof @ 6:01 AM
Comments:
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I've heard of similar outfit in Missouri that processes chicken parts (or was it turkey parts?) into diesel. I don't know if they have a byproduct stream of gold.
I'm not worried until they figure out how to gather all of the poo.
I'm not worried until they figure out how to gather all of the poo.
Connecticut,
Thanks. That's what I am here for. Make everybody feel pain.
John,
Bird parts can be processed only into aviation fuel, not automobile gasoline.
Miklos,
It usually works out to 2 cows per mile. Much easier to get two dogs to pull you around.
Thanks. That's what I am here for. Make everybody feel pain.
John,
Bird parts can be processed only into aviation fuel, not automobile gasoline.
Miklos,
It usually works out to 2 cows per mile. Much easier to get two dogs to pull you around.
Hey WoofWoof,
Thanks for info. It is an important issue.
I posted a bit on processing dog poop a little while ago. http://deltabunny.blogspot.com/
2006/02/lcnleft-coast-newsdog-and-cat.html
Pretty soon big companies will be fightin' for everydog's/one's poop. That would clean up some of our beaches and waterways. GREAT!!
Now I know why my humans save my poop. Arf! Arf!
I thought chickens were just made into parts and pieces. Hmmm...
Woof!
Freda
Thanks for info. It is an important issue.
I posted a bit on processing dog poop a little while ago. http://deltabunny.blogspot.com/
2006/02/lcnleft-coast-newsdog-and-cat.html
Pretty soon big companies will be fightin' for everydog's/one's poop. That would clean up some of our beaches and waterways. GREAT!!
Now I know why my humans save my poop. Arf! Arf!
I thought chickens were just made into parts and pieces. Hmmm...
Woof!
Freda
Can they make it out of doggies' poop too? Dad would be glad if they could! We would get a clean yard and save some money on gasoline!
Wow. My grandma and grandpa will be RICH, 'cause Amber poops so much you'd think they had a couple of buffalo in the back yard!
Freda,
I saw that article on San Francisco dop poop. There are certainly some sections of San Drancisco where there is quite a bit of animal poop on sidewalks. I was going to do a story on that, but you beat me to it :)
Raisa,
But of course yes. I bet dog poop generate more octane too.
Sam,
Thanks. Woof!
Indy,
They should teach Amber to visit the neighbors more often :)
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I saw that article on San Francisco dop poop. There are certainly some sections of San Drancisco where there is quite a bit of animal poop on sidewalks. I was going to do a story on that, but you beat me to it :)
Raisa,
But of course yes. I bet dog poop generate more octane too.
Sam,
Thanks. Woof!
Indy,
They should teach Amber to visit the neighbors more often :)
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