Green Gasoline Video Now on ASME Web Site

A video of the recent "Green Gasoline: An Alternative Alternate Fuel" Congressional briefing, which was convened by ASME and several other engineering organizations, is now available to view online at www.asme.org.

The briefing, which was held Oct. 4, was co-sponsored by ASME, the United Engineering Foundation, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers-USA.

The briefing was moderated by Dale Keairns, president-elect of AIChE. Guest speakers included John Regalbuto, director of the National Science Foundation's catalysis and biocatalysts engineering program; Randy Cortwright, co-founder and executive vice president of Virent Energy Systems; and Lisa Myers, director of biofuels research and development at ConocoPhillips.

Regalbuto discussed the growing demand for renewable fuels in the United States and how hydrocarbons could play a substantial role in meeting the latest alternate fuel mandate. Regalbuto then touched upon the chemical processes required to convert cellulosic biomass (wood chips, switch grass, corn stover, etc.) into green gasoline. He also identified some of the benefits of green gasoline, which include low-cost production, high-energy density with no penalty in gas mileage, lower water usage, and the fuel's compliance with existing infrastructure.

Cortright then spoke about developments within Virent Energy Systems, the Wisconsin-based biofuels company that he helped found in 2002, to develop not only green gasoline but other alternative fuels as well. Virent converts sugar-based feedstocks into green gasoline and is beginning work on cellulosic pre-treatment technologies.

According to Cortright, not only is the fuel carbon neutral, but it also requires minimal energy separation, creates water when the oxygen is separated from the sugar streams, and has up to 50 percent higher energy yield than regular ethanol. Since its founding, Virent has collaborated with many large energy companies, such as Shell Hydrogen and Honda.

Myers' presentation described some of the research ConocoPhillips has been conducting to develop viable alternative fuels for introduction into the energy market. Myers stressed how preferential treatment of some technologies over others, demonstrated in the form of incentives or grants, could hinder future progress, unless all new technologies and energy providers were given equal consideration.

To watch this briefing in its entirety, please visit the ASME Energy Grand Challenge Web site at www.asme.org/Communities/Technical/Energy/
Public_Policy.cfm. The video is also available on the main ASME home page at www.asme.org.

While ASME was the lead organizer of this briefing, financial support for the briefing and the video was provided by the United Engineering Foundation.

For more information on the green gasoline briefing, contact Robert Rains, who handles public policy-related energy issues for ASME. He can be reached by e-mail at rainsr@asme.org.

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