Coffee as a fuel alternative!

Coffee-Power-x3

There is a renewed vigor at present, for the search for alternative fuel sources.

Of course, it is preferable that these alternative sources are renewable or at least do not have detrimental effects on the environment.

There is a growth of wind farms, research which aims to harness the power of the tides, solar energy the list goes on.

However, there has also been a news story of late which suggests that the humble coffee bean may also contribute to solving part of the dilemma.

Research has indicated that coffee grounds might contain an ingredient which could be converted into an energy source and a cheaper, cleaner one at that.

An environmental engineering student, Yang Liu, tried converting waste coffee grounds into these energy sources he extracted oil, then dried the coffee grounds to filter impurities and burned the remnants ‘as an alternative energy source for electricity.’

The fuel has been described as being similar to biomass.

A research project started three years ago, when coffee waste was stripped of oil and this oil was converted to biodiesel and glycerin.

The coffee grounds were not left to waste: they were used in a purification process for the biodiesel.

This is significant.

There is a considerable quantity of coffee ‘waste’ around the globe.

It would be impressive if these grounds could be used as a purification material.

It has been suggested that commercial purification products are currently slightly more effective than their coffee counterparts, but the cost of the waste is a strong advantage in the coffee camp.

Watch this space, no doubt this research project will continue.