Watermelon producers have a new form of renewable energy on their hands- watermelons.
A recent study conducted by the Biotechnology for Bio-fuels found that watermelon juice can be used to produce the bio-fuel ethanol.
Every year 20 percent of the watermelon crops cannot be sold because they have bad spots, weird shapes or other imperfections. Generally these bad melons are dug back into the ground. However, the juice can be fermented and used directly as fuel or as a “diluent, supplemental feedstock and nitrogen supplement” alongside other bio-fuel crops.
“Bad” watermelons can also be used to produce neutraceuticals lycopene (important to prostrate health) and L-arginine (an amino acid needed to produce nitric oxide). After producing these, the juice can be used for ethanol production.
The report said: “The results of this investigation indicate that watermelon juice as a source of readily fermentable sugars represents a heretofore untapped feedstock for ethanol bio-fuel production. The 8.4 t/ha of unmarketable watermelons left in the field at harvest would produce about 220 L/ha of ethanol for on-farm use or as an additional revenue stream for the grower.”
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