Purdue Biomass Refineries in Iraq

According to the Associated Press, the United States Army is preparing to deploy to Iraq two four-ton biomass refineries designed to turn piles of trash into electricity. Each can run for 20 hours on a ton of trash, producing enough power to light a small village.

The novel machines were built by defense contractors and Purdue University scientists, the AP reports, as part of the Army's push to reduce troops' diesel fuel use in Iraq.