CORNWALL, Ontario – Gabriel Valin, a Grade 10 student at Ecole secondaire L’Heritage in Cornwall, has made a scientific discovery that is turning heads on an industry level.
Valin has found a way to convert the cellulose found in weeds like cattail into a viable form of ethanol fuel.
The results of a United Counties Science Fair project that began last year are still bearing fruit in 2016, as his results continue to show improvement and point to a way to avoid using corn to produce ethanol fuel – saving a valuable food source.
“This year we’re using beer yeast to make the cellulose into ethanol,” said Valin, who is being helped by mentors Jean Trottier and Carole Seguin, a pair of teachers at L’Heritage. “I’v e gone about as far as I can with this project. It was a great experience.”
Trottier agrees.
“He’s (achieving) the same level as industry processes,” said Trottier.
Valin was able, through a partnership with the St. Lawrence River Institute of Environmental Sciences, to procure special bacteria that can breakdown the cellulose in the plants and produce the ethanol.
Valin’s project and a handful of others will have their projects on display at the Cornwall Square Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
This year marks the 41st anniversary of the United Counties Science Fair which is a non-profit charitable organization run by a team of volunteer teachers and parents.
The organization’s goals are to encourage students to explore some of the many fields of science and to help students develop creative critical thinking and deductive reasoning skills.
