Grad Student Believes Wood May Replace Oil

A University of Idaho graduate student believes the answer to the world’s crude oil crisis grows on trees. Juan Andres Soria says he has developed a process that turns wood into bio-oil, a substance similar to crude oil.

The process – in which sawdust and methanol are heated to 900 degrees Fahrenheit to create the bio-oil – is already drawing some interest from energy and wood product companies, Soria said.

“But because it’s quite novel, there’s a bit of reserve,” he said.

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Still, he said, the bio-oil isn’t likely to be an immediate competitor to crude oil. Crude oil currently costs about $60 a barrel, and bio-oil will only be competitive when the cost of crude oil reaches $80 a barrel, Soria said.

Washington Post