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.

the memories

[caffeinemessiah]

secretes ethanol as a waste product.

aaah...reminds me of college.

Mr Fusion?

[Anonymous Coward]

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

Whoo hoo!

[biased_estimator]

Moonshine all around, its on me tonight!

Only one problem

[Anonymous Coward]

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

Great, but

[Hellad]

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.

Startup hits "paydirt"

[smittyoneeach]

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."

Good ol' boys in Appalachia do this all the time

[Derling Whirvish]

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.

Re:Drop the dumb tags already

[glwtta]

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

Re:Better idea

[daeg]

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.

Re:Better idea

[rrkap]

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

Re:Good ol' boys in Appalachia do this all the tim

[shiftless]

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.

Re:Better idea

[edittard]

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

Has anything really changed?

[gsgriffin]

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.

Re:the memories

[edittard]

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?

Re:the memories

[maxume]

aaah...reminds me of college.

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

Re:What! GM backing cheap fuel!

[Anonymous Coward]

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!!

Re:logic

[adonoman]

It is editable.

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