Ford turns paint fumes into fuel

While BMW is powering its Spartanburg S.C. paint shop with recycled methane gas, Ford Motor Co. has developed a fumes-to-fuel system which allows conversion of the volatile organic compounds (VOC's) given off by paint fumes into fuel that generates power, according to a Detroit Free Press article. Paint shops around the world produce nearly 70 million pounds of paint fumes, which are collected and burned in incinerators, a process which requires a fair amount of energy. The Rouge Center in Dearborn was the first to test the system back in 2004. Now, Ford is finishing a second pilot program at its Michigan Truck Plant in Wayne, demonstrating how the concept works in day-to-day plant life, allowing engineers to work out any problems. Ford plans to roll out the system to other plants, as equipment is updated, with the Oakville, Ontario plant expected to receive the fumes-to-fuel system early next year.
[Source: Detroit Free Press]