I am skeptical but of course I support their efforts and wish them the best fortune. I am skeptical because I sense some unstated tradeoffs or drawbacks. One expert indicated that the process may just be substituting one bottleneck (distilling diesel from foodstock or biomass) for another bottleneck (separation of diesel from water). I cannot evaluate this potential tradeoff but I feel confident that this process is not a free lunch.
My other concern involves biodiesel subsidies and mandates. The 2007 energy bill has enormous mandates for biofuels. I am concerned that this technology will be brought to market to satisfy the mandate regardless of its viability.
Yeah, I read those comments by the "expert" and wonder what his actual technical background is. As a chemist with decades of experience in the petrochem industry, I have a pretty good idea of the various separation techniques, and the separation doesn't appear to me to be all that difficult. Either simple density/solubility differences should do it, but if not, continuous solvent extraction with a volatile hydrocarbon like pentane should work.
Didn't some actor come up with a mo'chine to do just that?