By Jens Dana
Money may not grow on trees, but Larry Baxter, BYU professor of chemical engineering, said there is a substance in trees that can supplement the United States? dependence on foreign petroleum.
For the past ten years, Baxter has focused his research on biomass combustion, which attempts to maximize the energy potential in material, which is usually discarded. One possible source of energy, Baxter said, is a liquid called black liquor.
?Imagine a tree,? he said. ?Trees get made into paper, among other things, and so if you consider the part of the tree that doesn?t get made into paper, that?s the black liquor.?
Although researchers are still in the process of finding an efficient way to utilize black liquor, Baxter said the liquid has the potential to replace about 11 percent of the United State?s imported petroleum. In addition, there are other benefits to considering black liquor as a fuel option.
?It?s a renewable fuel,? he said. ?That?s an important distinction. Petroleum is not renewable, so we pay a little bit more for a fuel that is indefinitely sustainable.?
Dale Tree, professor of mechanical engineering, said most of the drawbacks of black liquor are economical, but society needs to decide which is more important ? cheap fuel, or a fuel that is renewable.
?There?s no free lunch in energy that we know of,? Tree said. ?That?s what people need to understand. We could easily reduce energy consumption in our country, but it would require lifestyle changes. You can buy a car that will get you higher gas mileage, but it will cost $3,000 more. There is always a trade off between cost and energy use.?
Brad Damstedt, a 25-year-old student majoring in chemical engineering, said he thinks society should start exploring alternatives to petroleum-based fuels.
?It?s time to start the transition from fossil fuels to renewable fuels,? Damstedt said. ?And black liquor already plays a part in the renewable energy scheme. Black liquor is stinky, nasty stuff but can be used cleanly if done properly.?