Biodiesel byproduct glycerine makes excellent chicken food
Quicknote bioenergy byproducts
Earlier we reported about how the ethanol boom implies a boost for beef production because the residues from ethanol production make a prime cattle fodder. A similar development can be seen with glycerine, the main byproduct of biodiesel production.
U.S. poultry scientists have found that glycerine can be used as a dietary supplement for broiler chickens. Glycerine - a sweet, syrupy trihydroxy molecule - is the byproduct that emerges when vegetable oils or animal fats are transesterified by methanol (or ethanol). Since the growing production of biodiesel both in Europe, the US and Asia will soon overwhelm traditional uses for the byproduct, researchers are exploring using it as an energy source in broiler diets.
In a short-term preliminary study, the scientists from the University of Arkansas found they could feed up to 10 percent glycerine to chicks up to 16 days of age without impairing performance. Diets with 5 percent glycerine supported good performance, with the feed flow rate slightly reduced at 10 percent. Neither glycerine level produced adverse effects on meat quality.
Traditionally, glycerine is used in many household and cosmetics products, most notably soap. As has often been noted, when biodiesel is produced in the developing world, local soap production from glycerine may indeed offer an interesting side-market. But it will take more novel uses for the vast excess amount of glycerine that will soon hit the market. One of those might be in the production of biodegradable plastics.
More importantly, several bio-hydrogen production processes are being developed that may use biodiesel derived glycerine as a feedstock. (Most notably the production of H2 from glycerol via a process known as Aqueous-Phase Reforming. See this *.ppt presentation.)
It is crucial to find and develop viable markets for bioenergy byproducts, in order to generate extra revenues with which to make green energy more competitive.
[Entry ends here.]
ethanol :: biodiesel :: biobutanol :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: Africa ::
Earlier we reported about how the ethanol boom implies a boost for beef production because the residues from ethanol production make a prime cattle fodder. A similar development can be seen with glycerine, the main byproduct of biodiesel production.
U.S. poultry scientists have found that glycerine can be used as a dietary supplement for broiler chickens. Glycerine - a sweet, syrupy trihydroxy molecule - is the byproduct that emerges when vegetable oils or animal fats are transesterified by methanol (or ethanol). Since the growing production of biodiesel both in Europe, the US and Asia will soon overwhelm traditional uses for the byproduct, researchers are exploring using it as an energy source in broiler diets.
In a short-term preliminary study, the scientists from the University of Arkansas found they could feed up to 10 percent glycerine to chicks up to 16 days of age without impairing performance. Diets with 5 percent glycerine supported good performance, with the feed flow rate slightly reduced at 10 percent. Neither glycerine level produced adverse effects on meat quality.
Traditionally, glycerine is used in many household and cosmetics products, most notably soap. As has often been noted, when biodiesel is produced in the developing world, local soap production from glycerine may indeed offer an interesting side-market. But it will take more novel uses for the vast excess amount of glycerine that will soon hit the market. One of those might be in the production of biodegradable plastics.
More importantly, several bio-hydrogen production processes are being developed that may use biodiesel derived glycerine as a feedstock. (Most notably the production of H2 from glycerol via a process known as Aqueous-Phase Reforming. See this *.ppt presentation.)
It is crucial to find and develop viable markets for bioenergy byproducts, in order to generate extra revenues with which to make green energy more competitive.
[Entry ends here.]
ethanol :: biodiesel :: biobutanol :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: Africa ::
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