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Researcher: Discovery could end energy crisis
Tifton (GA) Gazette ^ | 3/15/2008 | Jana Cone

Posted on 03/20/2008 3:35:26 AM PDT by Neville72

A Tifton agricultural researcher says he has found the solution to the world’s energy crisis through genetic modification and cloning of bacterial organisms that can convert bio-mass into hydrocarbons on a grand scale. The local researcher believes his groundbreaking discovery could result in the production of 500 to 1,000 barrels of hydrocarbon fuel per day from the initial production facility. The hydrocarbon fuel — commonly known as oil or fossil fuel when drilled — will require no modification to automobiles, oil pipelines or refineries as they exist today and could forever end the United States’ dependence on foreign oil, he said.

J.C. Bell, who brought the world powdered peanut butter, has spent the last four years, identifying the bacteria that produces hydrocarbon and then finding a way to genetically alter it so that it could produce hydrocarbon in greater volume.

Bell cited a USDA study that projected it was possible to produce two billion tons of bio-mass that could be converted to hydrocarbon with some modification to agriculture and forestry practices.

Pamela Serino, Chief of the Department of Defense Energy Support Center at Fort Belvoir, Va., said she was very excited about Bell’s technology. “The DOD Energy Support Center is the energy purchasing arm of the defense logistics agency,” Serino said. She said she became acquainted with Bell when he met with a senator about his hydrocarbon research. “We give support to the Hill,” she said. “When he was briefing the senator, we were there to see if his technology was viable.” Serino said her job was to question the science behind the technology. “It looks good to me,” she said.

Serino said she envisions a near future where “we have multiple regional energy sources.” She said the growth in China and India makes the work in bio-energy more critical.

Now that his discoveries have been patented, his corporation formed — Bell Bio-Energy, Inc. — and his government communications established, Bell announced his discoveries to the local press on Friday morning.

“I have received a tremendous amount of support from the state and federal government,” Bell said. “I could not have gotten this far without the help of (U.S. Sen.) Saxby Chambliss, (U.S. Sen.) Johnny Isakson, (Rep.) Jim Marshall, (Rep.) Jack Kingston and Floyd Gabler, the deputy undersecretary of the USDA.” He said, “They have opened doors for me at the Department of Defense and the EPA and EPD.”

Bell said he never considered ethanol for his research. “He who burns his food goes hungry,” Bell said. “That’s an old Chinese proverb.” Instead he concentrated on bio-mass and hydrocarbons. “If it grows it’s bio-mass,” Bell said. Bio-mass is any living or recently dead biological material. Hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Decomposed organic matter provides an abundance of carbon and hydrogen and is naturally occurring in crude oil.

Sources for bio-mass to be converted to hydrocarbon fuel are the forestry industry, pulp plants, agriculture and waste derived from the construction and demolition industry.

“This is the ultimate recycling,” Bell said. “Environmentalists should rejoice. We are only using waste products.” Bell said his company would take all of the waste of the plants: The tree limbs and tree tops, husks and cob of the corn, wheat stubble and corn stover.

Bell said that with ethanol, “The United Stated would have to totally rebuild our infrastructure.” He said, “We wanted to make hydrocarbon that could immediately be pumped.”

Bell said the original idea came from observing cows expel gas. “That is natural gas,” Bell said. “Cows release methane gas.” He said the gas is created by bacteria in the cow’s rumen or stomach. “These bacterial organisms are responsible for biological conversion of bio-mass into hydrocarbons,” he said.

With his research complete, Bell is in the process of building his pilot plants and production facilities. At the pilot plants, the bio-mass will be tested to select bacterial strains, bacterial genetic modification will be tested, revision of production protocols will be established, and a determination will be made of the best method of bio-mass conversion.

“We are exploring several locations for our pilot plants and production facilities,” Bell said. “We have the opportunity to put our plants in several locations.”

He estimated the budget for the research facility to be at $60 million annually and the production facilities at $250 to $300 million a year. He anticipates being in full scale production by October 1, 2009.

“Wherever this is located, the community will reap tremendous economic benefit,” he said.

Bell cites a number of benefits of bio-mass conversion: The energy shortage issue can be effectively addressed, it is a totally renewable energy source, it calms global warming fears, utilizes industrial waste and supports the agriculture industry.

“We can reduce the waste stream by 70 percent,” he said.

For more information e-mail questions to marketing@bellplantation.com.

To contact reporter Jana Cone, call 382-4321, ext. 208.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: energy
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1 posted on 03/20/2008 3:35:27 AM PDT by Neville72
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To: Neville72; Red Badger

Bump!


2 posted on 03/20/2008 3:45:59 AM PDT by roaddog727 (BS does not get bridges built - the funk you see is the funk you do)
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To: Neville72

" Dainbramage said recycling My dead body would power a aircraft carrier for 10 years"


3 posted on 03/20/2008 3:54:35 AM PDT by DainBramage
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To: Neville72

“Bell said the original idea came from observing cows expel gas.”

Not quite as romantic as Newton watching an apple fall. Unfortunately, I predict that this won’t be as far-reaching either. I’m sure Bell is not the only one who’s thought of modifying bacteria so that they can produce a fuel. Whether it works is the key. I’ll reserve my judgment until I see the product.


4 posted on 03/20/2008 3:55:09 AM PDT by Brilliant
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To: Neville72

Excellent! I will keep my big bore V-8 Tundra!


5 posted on 03/20/2008 3:57:05 AM PDT by mosaicwolf (Strength and Honor)
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To: Neville72

bring it on - it will be immense fun wtching those russian thugs devolve back into the third world status they deserve.


6 posted on 03/20/2008 4:01:02 AM PDT by spanalot
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To: Neville72

Dang is Tifton great or what? First, heat resistant bentgrass greens and now this!

I hope it is true. I would love to see the Arabs cutoff at the knees.


7 posted on 03/20/2008 4:01:09 AM PDT by doodad
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To: Brilliant; neverdem; Congressman Billybob; patton; theDentist

Then again, I’m waiting for an enviro-eco-freak to claim that “If this is released it will get out of control and consume ALL living matter in an uncontrollable exponential growth and the world will end as an oil-filled swamp ...


8 posted on 03/20/2008 4:02:36 AM PDT by Robert A Cook PE (I can only donate monthly, but Hillary's ABBCNNBCBS continue to lie every day!)
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To: doodad

No doubt Exxon Mobile will be at his door step today with a buy out to bury this program


9 posted on 03/20/2008 4:03:29 AM PDT by BubbaJunebug
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To: Neville72
I'm in.


Certainly would be nice to get oil self dependent, and out of the Mid-East Hell hole.

10 posted on 03/20/2008 4:05:50 AM PDT by G.Mason (Duty, Honor, Country)
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To: spanalot

Please, God, before the ME takes over the globe.


11 posted on 03/20/2008 4:09:42 AM PDT by txhurl
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To: Robert A. Cook, PE

The final product is a gas, so our vehicles would all run on a propane-like gas?

Cows also leave a certain amount of physical residue after they process their bio-mass. What happens to the residue? Is it all consumed by bacteria?


12 posted on 03/20/2008 4:15:51 AM PDT by Rennes Templar ( Never underestimate the difficulty of changing false beliefs by facts.)
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To: Neville72

Not this BS again. There was a thread on this topic yesterday that was joined by JC Bell (mentioned in the article). After a few technical questions Mr Bell fled the field.


13 posted on 03/20/2008 4:16:30 AM PDT by Hacklehead (Crush the liberals, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentation of the hippies.)
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To: Neville72

This is almost as Martians pissing gasoline. ain’t it?


14 posted on 03/20/2008 4:17:56 AM PDT by Waco
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To: Neville72
... can convert bio-mass into hydrocarbons on a grand scale. The local researcher believes his groundbreaking discovery could result in the production of 500 to 1,000 barrels of hydrocarbon fuel per day from the initial production facility.

If that,s real, big oil will make shure this thing will never see light of the day, you can bet your house on it.

Look at the hybrid cars scam, it takes very little to upgrade a hybrid car to a PHEV (plug in hybrid) which is basically an electric car with combustion engine back-up, yet no car manufacturer dares to produce one (you can buy a conversion kit though making your hybrid into a PHEV).

No car manufacturer dares to produce a PHEV cause they all are all in bed with oil companies.

After being patriotic (and stupid) for 30 years driving American cars I finally woke up like millions of Americans and now I am driving a Toyota.

GM, Ford and Chrysler will go bankrupt soon anyway.

15 posted on 03/20/2008 4:25:02 AM PDT by Anticommie
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To: Neville72

Oil company sharpshooters have already been deployed.


16 posted on 03/20/2008 4:25:28 AM PDT by PBRSTREETGANG
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To: Neville72

Seems to me that what is described here is theoretically possible. What remains to be seen of course is if this is the real thing.

As someone else pointed out, were it to be accurate, the enviro-tards will most surely attempt to derail it.


17 posted on 03/20/2008 4:28:16 AM PDT by ChildOfThe60s (If you can remember the 60s........you weren't really there)
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To: PBRSTREETGANG

Don’t be so sure. If this produces oil, it will have to be produced, refined and distributed to the existing gas stations. This will fall to the existing refineries, distribution systems, and retail outlets. The oil companies would be the natural choice to get into this business, and they could make the same profits without having to deal with the dictators and OPEC members to do it. I think they would love to see this work.


18 posted on 03/20/2008 4:30:51 AM PDT by deaconjim (Because He lives...)
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To: Neville72
Well Hot Dang!

This is from the Agriculture station that is right next to Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, aka ABAC.

Gee, Haw, Whoa, Back.
Give 'em Hell ABAC!

19 posted on 03/20/2008 4:35:59 AM PDT by N. Theknow (Kennedys: Can't drive, can't fly, can't ski, can't skipper a boat; but they know what's best for us)
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To: Rennes Templar
Cows also leave a certain amount of physical residue after they process their bio-mass. What happens to the residue? Is it all consumed by bacteria?

The Democrat National Committee gathers it and dispenses it to their members for use in their speeches.

20 posted on 03/20/2008 4:37:59 AM PDT by N. Theknow (Kennedys: Can't drive, can't fly, can't ski, can't skipper a boat; but they know what's best for us)
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