http://www.gizmag.com/orange-peel-ethanol-biogas-recycling/13521/

Four ways to turn an orange peel green

By Jenna Meade
16:47 December 6, 2009 PST


Daniel Yar Hamidi CEO of Inicia, left, and professor Mohammad Taherzadeh with samples of their 'green' product.

While studying the possibilities of waste recycling, researchers at a Swedish university have come up with an unlikely suspect for an alternative fuel source - the orange.

Mohammad Taherzadeh and his research team at the School of Engineering at the University of Borås in Sweden have previously succeeded in producing ethanol and biogas from different kinds of waste and have now focused on citrus waste in particular.

Citrus waste is usually a complete write-off in the compost game because it contains an antibacterial substance which slows its breakdown, but the research team has discovered that these acidic skins have more uses than they receive credit for.

The researchers have developed a method of producing four products from the citrus waste: limon, an antibacterial agent, pectin, a gelling agent used in foods such as jams and jellies, biogas, a gas that can be compressed and used to power motor vehicles, and ethanol, a liquid that has a long history as a fuel for heat and light.

Both Mohammad Taherzadeh and Daniel Yar Hamidi are convinced that facilities converting citrus waste into these products would be successful, especially in countries with a warm climate and citrus cultivation.

“In such places there is an even greater need for this type of facility. In Borås we have about 10,000 tones of citrus waste per year,” Mr Taherzadeh said.

“We need to be even better than we are today in Sweden. If we do it in the right way, we can sell our knowledge as an export and at the same time improve the global environment.”

A patent application for the process has recently been submitted to the Swedish Patent and Registration Office.

The FPL Energy ethanol plant in Florida is also developing plans to build a commercial plant that will convert orange and grapefruit waste into ethanol that will be sold to Florida motorists at gasoline pumps.

The FPL plant is expected to produce about 4 million gallons of ethanol a year to be sold as a gasoline additive in Florida.

Via University of Borås / The Chief Engineer.

I wonder what exactly they are patenting since, as the article states, ethanol is being produced here in Florida; we've been extracting d-limonene (I presume that's what they mean the antibacterial agent is) for many years, and citrus peel is the #1 source of pectin for making jellies in the USA for at least the last 50 years. So other than the compressible fuel gas (methane?), I see nothing new here. Or is this some new method of getting those old products? It would be interesting to know more.

All I've been able to find so far is just variations of the story I posted above. This one at least has contact info if anyone wants to go so far.

http://www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/life_sciences/green_light_green_patent_144847.html

Green light for green patent...

03.12.2009

Orange peels lie behind the first patent application from the University of Borås in Sweden. It was recently submitted via Inicia AB to the Swedish Patent and Registration Office. Now Professor Mohammad Taherzadeh is hoping for a green light for a patent to cover part of his research.

Mohammad Taherzadeh and his research team at the School of Engineering have attracted considerable attention in recent years for having succeeded in producing ethanol and biogas from different kinds of waste.

"Many different materials have been used in the process, but we have chosen to focus on a small segment of the field, specifically citrus waste," explains Daniel Yar Hamidi, CEO of Inicia, as the university calls its holding company.

Inicia's goal is to support entrepreneurship and the commercialization of the university's research findings. Mohammad Taherzadeh's research findings are the first to result in a patent application.

The objective is to be able to commercialize the method of producing four products out of citrus waste: limon (an antibacterial agent), pectin, biogas, and ethanol. Citrus waste is not suitable for burning since it contains too much moisture. Nor is it good for putrefaction or composting due to the antibacterial substance.

"We want to protect our knowledge under a patent, but at the same time we also hope we will be able to share our know-how via sales of facilities or licensing the process," says Mohammad Taherzadeh.

Since 2005 he has been working with orange peels as a raw material. The project has been funded by the Föreningssparbanken Sjuhärad Foundation, the Swedish Industrial Design Foundation in Sjuhärad, and Brämhults Juice AB, making it possible for four doctoral candidates and a number of master's theses to develop the process.

Both Mohammad Taherzadeh and Daniel Yar Hamidi are convinced that it will be possible to sell this type of knowledge abroad, especially in countries with a warm climate and citrus cultivation.

"In such places there is an even greater need for this type of facility. In Borås we have about 10,000 tones of citrus waste per year," says Mohammad Taherzadeh. He adds that much work remains to be done when it comes to managing waste.

"We need to be even better than we are today in Sweden. If we do it in the right way, we can sell our knowledge as an export and at the same time improve the global environment," he continues.

Contact:
Daniel Yar Hamidi, VD Inicia AB, e-mail: daniel.yar@hb.se, phone: +46 (0)33-435 59 83 or mobile: +46 (0)733-613253
Mohammad Taherzadeh, professor, School of Engineering, University of Borås, e-mail: mohammad.taherzadeh@hb.se , phone: +46 (0)33-435 59 08 or mobile: +46 (0)707-1710 32

Pressofficer Annie Andréasson;ann-christine.andreasson@hb.se;+46-708 174122