On Thursday, Jan. 12, the Red Mountain Ranch Social Club was privileged to feature a speaker from our own community.
David Bransby, a retired emeritus professor from Auburn University, specializing in the field of bioenergy, spoke to our group regarding renewable energy sources so important to our world’s vast needs.
In the United States, we have long been dependent on fossil fuels, such as oil, coal and natural gas, to supply our energy needs. These sources are finite and cannot be replaced. Some oil must be imported, and costs can be both in dollars and lives. Sources, such as wind, solar, hydro, biomass and geothermal, are renewable and can produce electricity, but only biomass can produce liquid transportation fuels, such as gasoline, diesel and aviation fuels.
For more than 29 years, Professor Bransby’s research has contributed in showing that cellulosic biomass from sources, such as wood, grasses, crop residue, algae and industrial wastes, can be converted to enough liquid transportation fuels to replace all the oil imported from OPEC.
Gasification and gas-to-liquid conversion is one approach to production of hydrocarbon fuels from cellulosic biomass. These gases can be burned to power an internal combustion engine, which could drive an electric power generator, or can be reconstituted into hydrocarbon fuels.
The current cost of defending our oil interests in the Middle East in terms of lives and dollars is huge and contributes to a massive U.S. negative balance of trade, a serious national concern.
Wouldn’t it be encouraging if we no longer had to depend on foreign sources to supply our energy needs?
David Bransby continues to consult with government and commercial entities toward bringing these opportunities and operations to a reality.
If you are interested in hearing informational speakers, such as Professor Bransby, come to one of the Red Mountain Ranch Social Club meetings on the second Thursday of each month, at 9:30 a.m., at the Country Club, located just off Redmont Drive.