MU research farm, local business testing biomass compressor

Missourian
Monday, July 5, 2010 7:30 p.m. CDT; updated 9:32 p.m. CDT, Monday, July 5, 2010

COLUMBIA — MU's Bradford Research and Extension Center farm and a local business have built a machine that can compact corncobs, switchgrass and other biomass so four times as much material can fit in the same amount of space.

Instead of needing an 18-wheeler truck to move biomass to burn as fuel for electricity and ethanol, the same amount could be transported in a dump truck.

"We're able to repackage it into a size that's usable rather than bulk material," said Jesse VanEngelenhoven, research director of the Columbia firm Ecologic Tech.

Read more