LONDON - Belarus, a country affected much by the fallout of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986, is planning to grow biofuels to make its soil fit to grow food again within decades rather than hundreds of years.
The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear reactor accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union.
It is considered to be the worst nuclear power plant disaster in history, resulting in a severe release of radioactivity following a massive power excursion that destroyed the reactor.
A 40,000 square kilometre area of south-east Belarus is so stuffed with radioactive isotopes that rained down from the nearby Chernobyl nuclear power station in 1986 that it won’t be fit for growing food for hundreds of years, as the isotopes won’t have decayed sufficiently.
But now, according to a report in New Scientist, Belarus is planning to use the crops to suck up the radioactive strontium and caesium and make the soil fit to grow food again within decades.
This week, a team of Irish biofuels technologists is in the capital, Minsk, hoping to do a deal with state agencies to buy radioactive sugar beet and other crops grown on the contaminated land to make biofuels for sale across Europe.
The company, Greenfield Project Management, insists no radioactive material will get into the biofuel as only ethanol is distilled out.
“In distillation, only the most volatile compounds rise up the tube. Everything else is left behind,” said Basil Miller of Greenfield.
The heavy radioactive residues will be burned in a power station, producing a concentrated “radioactive ash”.
“This can be disposed of at existing treatment works for nuclear waste,” said Miller.
The Belarus government hopes that by growing biofuels and using the whole plant, it can cleanse the soil.
“Instead of centuries of natural decay (of the radionuclides), this process will cut the time to 20 to 40 years,” said Andrei Savinkh, Belarus representative at the UN in Geneva.
Greenfield plans to build the first biofuels distillery next year at Mozyr, close to one of the most contaminated areas.
The 500 million Euros plant will turn half a million cubic metres of crops a year into 700 million litres of biofuels, starting in 2011.
As many as 10 more plants will follow provided funding can be raised, according to Miller. (ANI)
Related News
Scientists using algae to generate energyOctober 11th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists at Sandia National Laboratories are cultivating green algae that might help produce biofuel. From the beginning of 1950s, the Department of Energy recognized algae as a potential feedstock for energy and biofuels.
Nanotechnology makes biofuel development a cost-effective and 'green' processOctober 9th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Researchers at Louisiana Tech University in the US have come out with nanotechnology processes that can make the development of biofuels cost-effective and also easy on the environment. Biofuels will play an important part in sustainable fuel and energy production solutions for the future.
Strategy outlined for growing bioenergy while protecting wildlifeOctober 1st, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new study has suggested that careful planning, together with the use of feedstocks from perennial-dominated prairie, could minimize the adverse effects of expanding bioenergy use on wildlife. The study, described in the October issue of BioScience identifies diverse native prairie as holding promise for yielding bioenergy feedstocks while minimizing harm to wildlife.
Converting trash into biofuel may cut CO2 emissions by 80 percentSeptember 30th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists in Singapore and Switzerland have suggested that converting the trash that fills the world's landfills into biofuel could cut global carbon emissions by 80 percent. Biofuels produced from crops have proven controversial because they require an increase in crop production that has its own severe environmental costs.
Rare Badlands dinosaur skeleton makes trip to Japan _ a mammoth taskSeptember 11th, 2009 Rare Badlands dino makes voyage to JapanBISMARCK, N.D. — Dakota the duckbilled dinosaur is a hit in Japan after making its biggest trip ever.
Biofuels to have greatest impact on land use and habitatAugust 26th, 2009 LONDON - A new study has determined that biomass production for fuel or electricity generation will have the biggest impact on landscape and habitats. According to a report in Nature News, the broad analysis of potential US energy and climate-mitigation scenarios compared the land and habitat impacts of various energy mixes - from nuclear power to biofuels - resulting from an array of policy options.
New energy-efficient method could revolutionize production of biofuelsAugust 4th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A team of scientists has developed a more energy-efficient method of chemical separations that could revolutionize processes in the petrochemical and biofuels industries. The method has been developed by a team of researchers, led by chemical engineering and materials science professor Michael Tsapatsis in the University of Minnesota's Institute of Technology.
Important to stabilize Pakistan for a peaceful Afghanistan : MilibandJuly 29th, 2009 LONDON - British Foreign Secretary David Miliband has commended efforts of the Obama administration to re-balance the relationship between the United States and Pakistan saying it is very important to stabilize Pakistan in order to maintain peace in Afghanistan. "We need a more stable Pakistan to get a more stable Afghanistan.
New technologies essential to make conversion of biomass to biofuels more cost-effectiveJuly 17th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new study has determined that new technologies are essential to make the conversion of biomass to biofuels more cost-effective. The study was conducted by Dr.
Forest fire prevention efforts can add to greenhouse warmingJuly 9th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Forestry researchers at Oregon State University (OSU) have said in a new report that widely sought efforts to reduce fuels that increase catastrophic fire in Pacific Northwest forests will be counterproductive to another important societal goal of sequestering carbon to help offset global warming. The study showed that even if the biofuels were used in an optimal manner to produce electricity or make cellulosic ethanol, there would still be a net loss of carbon sequestration in forests of the Coast Range and the west side of the Cascade Mountains for at least 100 years - and probably much longer.
Agriculture on the way 'up' for next 10 yearsJune 25th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new research has indicated that despite certain uncertainties, 'up' is precisely the direction an Iowa State researcher believes agriculture is headed for at least the next 10 years. Wally Huffman, professor in agricultural economics and Charles F.
Developing biofuels as alternative to imported oil may damage water resourcesJune 16th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists at Rice University have warned that the US must be careful that the new emphasis on developing biofuels as an alternative to imported oil takes into account potential damage to the nation's water resources. "The ongoing, rapid growth in biofuels production could have far-reaching environmental and economic repercussions, and it will likely highlight the interdependence and growing tension between energy and water security," according to a report titled "The Water Footprint of Biofuels: A Drink or Drive Issue?"
The report, written by Pedro Alvarez, the George R.
Automatic Dog-o-Matic promises to clean, dry dirty pooches in 30 mins!May 27th, 2009 NEW YORK - A French tycoon has come up with an automatic dog-washing machine that promises to clean and dry filthy pooches in 30 minutes or less. Romain Jarry, 31 has invented Dog-o-Matic, which has proved a huge success in his hometown of St Max, near Nancy.
My son has a cleaning fetish: Christina AguileraMay 12th, 2009 LONDON - Pop singer Christina Aguilera says her 16-month-old son, Max Liron, is a cleanliness freak. 'He has a cleaning fetish and he loves to run around with a rag and dust and clean, and he loves to clean his high chair after he has done eating.
Scientists observe insect decline in Chernobyl two decades after nuclear meltdownMarch 18th, 2009 LONDON - New research by scientists has determined that two decades after the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, radiation is still causing a reduction in the numbers of insects and spiders. According to a report by BBC News, researchers working in the exclusion zone surrounding Chernobyl have said that there is a "strong signal of decline associated with the contamination".
Loading ...