Article

2007-08-17 -Signs, Portents, and the Weather-

Guardian: Biofuels switch a mistake, say researchers

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Posted by lotp 2007-08-17 00:00|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top

#1 Increasing BioFuel production to limit the impact and funds of Muslim terror supporting nations is a good thing.

Nuf said.

Posted by 3dc 2007-08-17 00:47|| 2007-08-17 00:47|| Front Page Top

#2 3dc, you are correct, no matter the cost

Posted by Pheaper Sinatra3986 2007-08-17 01:39|| 2007-08-17 01:39|| Front Page Top

#3 Increasing BioFuel production to limit the impact and funds of Muslim terror supporting nations is a good thing.

If sufficient biofuels could be produced without significant adverse consequencies it would be a good thing. However, massive adverse consequences have already happened (vast areas of tropical rainforest cleared) and it will only get worse as the demand for biofuels increases.

The promotion of biofuels is set to be the worst ecological disaster of my lifetime. Nothing else compares.

And to think just a few years ago, there were serious proposals to turn all land in the UK above 300 meters into parkland - introduce bear, wolves and other extinct animals - because the land was no longer needed for agriculture.

Posted by phil_b 2007-08-17 08:25|| 2007-08-17 08:25|| Front Page Top

#4 Two words, for the US anyway - Oil. Shale.

Posted by Bobby 2007-08-17 08:34|| 2007-08-17 08:34|| Front Page Top

#5 Always beware of the Law of Unintended Consequence.

Posted by Skunky Glins5285">Skunky Glins5285 2007-08-17 10:25|| http://john-smokegetsinmyeyes.blogspot.com/]">[http://john-smokegetsinmyeyes.blogspot.com/] 2007-08-17 10:25|| Front Page Top

#6 Corn ethanol = Liquid pork

Our milk costs have already gone up 150% because of a lack of corn feed.
Oil shale --- great.
Pig poop methane --- wonderful.
Nuclear power --- fine by me.
Ethanol power --- not worth it.

Posted by DarthVader">DarthVader 2007-08-17 12:34|| 2007-08-17 12:34|| Front Page Top

#7 Ethanol has become about 50% more efficient in just the past 8 years (more corn/acre, more ethanol per bushel, less natural gas per gallon of ethanol, more byproduct per ton of corn).

If you use old data, ethanol looks bad. Five years from now ethanol may look even better than today. Furthermore almost every ethanol plant has space available to add capacity for cellulose/glucose to ethanol operation when that becomes practical and because of the existing plant, adding that capacity will be less expensive and significantly increase the growth rate of cellu + gl 2 ethanol production.

No, Ethanol production isn't perfect but it is improving and has more promise than people give it credit for.

Posted by mhw">mhw 2007-08-17 15:04|| http://hypocrisy-incorporated.blogspot.com/]">[http://hypocrisy-incorporated.blogspot.com/] 2007-08-17 15:04|| Front Page Top

#8 Yes, mhw, but even *with* all those variables, it's still less efficient (in mpg or kpg) than gasoline, requires hundreds of thousands of acres more planted in corn (which, itself is very fertilizer and water intensive to grow), and effect a ton of other markets (beef and pork prices, milk prices, corn/grain to "poor nations" etc.). Finally, I've read stats that even if we (the USA) planted ALL of our current cropland in corn for ethanol, it'd only replace like 12% of gasoline needs.

As a *small* answer in our energy issues? Sure.
As a *single majik bullet answer? Not in a million years!

Posted by BA 2007-08-17 15:16|| 2007-08-17 15:16|| Front Page Top

#9 Ethanol production is not a magic bullet but in the scheme of a larger energy policy it makes sense.The production of ethanol consumes 15% of the corn the other 85% is made into other valuable by-products and feed that can be feed to cattle.So making ethanol out of corn is creating the most effecient use of our corn.When production hits fullstream I suspect that the feed by-products will be in pentiful supply lowering cost to producers and consumers.Ethanol makes good energy sense and good economic sense.

Posted by darrylq 2007-08-17 16:24|| 2007-08-17 16:24|| Front Page Top

#10 Well, if Al Guardian says so...

Posted by gromgoru 2007-08-17 16:40|| 2007-08-17 16:40|| Front Page Top

#11 Cows love the corn mash remaining after distallation. (Don't ask me just how I know this little fact.)

Posted by Redneck Jim 2007-08-17 18:48|| 2007-08-17 18:48|| Front Page Top

#12 LOL, RJ! That (I imagine) is SOOOO true!

How come I now have mental images of Hindus dancing around and worshipping a cow with a bottle of old Jack in her cloven hoof?

Posted by BA 2007-08-17 21:51|| 2007-08-17 21:51|| Front Page Top

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