Trees as a fuel source


An e-mail from Mike Smith about research he did on the web that shows that trees can be used to create oil.

Rich: I've exchanged some mail with Gary about trees as a fuel source,
mostly Cottonwood or Eucalyptus.

Gary: This one is more interesting in that it grows in hot places
(Arizona, Texas, Florida) and makes a latex / sap that can be easily
used for "oil" production (or making plastics)...

I find the price estimates startling (about $10 / bbl of "crude") and
can only presume they are talking about using Brazilian land and labor
rates... Though the reference to an area the size of Arizona providing
enough for all the U.S. Gasoline needs is "impressive"...Considering
that most of West Texas is "underused" at present, and far larger than
Arizona, this is an interesting point...

from

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/Euphorbia_tirucalli.html

we have:

Euphorbia tirucalli L.

Euphorbiaceae
Petroleum plant, Aveloz, Milk bush

Source: James A. Duke. 1983. Handbook of Energy Crops. unpublished.
...
Probably most familiar as a subtropical and tropical ornamental, aveloz has recently made popular headlines as a potential "cancer cure" and more important, as an energy source. Growing in rather arid zones as well as more mesophytic zones, the species makes a good living fence post. A large shrub, Euphorbia tirucalli, is used as a hedge in Brazil. According to Calvin, these plants grow well in dry regions or land that is not suitable for growing food. He estimates that the plants might be capable of producing between 10 and 50 barrels of oil per acre. Cut near the ground, they would be run through a mill like a cane crushing mill, while the plants would regrow from the stumps. Crude obtained from these plants would run $3.00 to $10.00 per barrel. Calvin discussed this concept with Petrobas, the Brazilian national petroleum company, which is investigating. Calvin's most exciting statement, if
true, would be a boon to Brazil and the United States. "He estimates, assuming a yield of 40 barrels per acre (100 barrels per hectare) that an area the size of Arizona would be necessary to meet current requirements for gasoline" (in the U.S.). (Science 194: 46, 1976). The latex is toxic to fish and rats. Africans regard the tree as a mosquito repellent. In Ganjium, rice boiled with the latex is used as an
avicide. Aqueous wood extracts are antibiotic against Staphylococcus aureus. The wood, weighing 34 pounds per cu. ft., is used for rafters, toys, and veneer. The charcoal derived there from can be used in gun powder. Since the latex contains rubber, whole plant harvesting seems most advisable from an energy point-of-view (if the tree coppices well) with rubber, petroleum, alcohol as energy products, and resins, which may find use in the linoleum, oil skin, and leather
industries. In Brazil, Euphorbia gymnoclada, very similar to tirucalli (both are called aveloz), is much used for firewood. One cu. m. of wood yields 2 kg latex with the fibrous residue usable for paper pulp.

Posted: Tue - December 13, 2005 at 12:57 AM      

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