Turning corn into ethanol,turning sugar cane into ethanol,.......supplying the energy market is lucrative but the fall out is going to be higher food prices.Growing crops for energy is a waste of land and can never supply the demand.Food is more important....
This is on the BBC website today
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/7284196.stm
U.S. ethanol production UP by about 20 Billion litres in the last 3 years !
QuoteRising oil prices and fears over climate change have seen a massive rise in the use of maize to make bio-fuels, pushing up food prices
Some very scary facts!
I do not know anyone who uses ethanol as a fuel, where does it all go? Who uses 35 Billion litres of ethanol per year?
That's a lot of drag-strip racing!
Quote from: bourne on March 12, 2008, 07:53:33 AM
This is on the BBC website today
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/7284196.stm
U.S. ethanol production UP by about 20 Billion litres in the last 3 years !
QuoteRising oil prices and fears over climate change have seen a massive rise in the use of maize to make bio-fuels, pushing up food prices
Some very scary facts!
I do not know anyone who uses ethanol as a fuel, where does it all go? Who uses 35 Billion litres of ethanol per year?
That's a lot of drag-strip racing!
In the U.S. it is blended (formulated) with gasoline and is the only fuel available in high polution areas. In these areas it is called an oxygenated fuel. Various blends are also available nationwide and used in flex-fuel vehicles. I agree it is a waste of valuable farmland.
RD
Thanks retrod, I didn't know that.
In my opinion single crop farmland is still a waste of farmland what ever is grown
Perma-culture invented by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren in the 70's is the only sustainable way of growing food, with huge abundance!
http://www.permaculture.org.uk/mm.asp?mmfile=whatispermaculture
Like Vicktor Schauberger said "comprehend and copy nature"
Quote
In the U.S. it is blended (formulated) with gasoline and is the only fuel available in high polution areas. In these areas it is called an oxygenated fuel. Various blends are also available nationwide and used in flex-fuel vehicles. I agree it is a waste of valuable farmland.
RD
It is my understanding that the grain used for ethanol is then used as feed for livestock .
gary
Quote from: one on March 12, 2008, 09:57:24 AM
Quote
In the U.S. it is blended (formulated) with gasoline and is the only fuel available in high polution areas. In these areas it is called an oxygenated fuel. Various blends are also available nationwide and used in flex-fuel vehicles. I agree it is a waste of valuable farmland.
RD
It is my understanding that the grain used for ethanol is then used as feed for livestock .
gary
Yes, the grains can be used for feed, however less grain is being planted as farmers plant more corn for ethanol. RD
"Research has shown that distiller's grains can be used for as much as 60 percent of the diet in beef cattle." "We've achieved smaller levels with dairy cattle. It is clear, however, that we can greatly expand the use of distiller's grains in growing and finishing rations for beef cattle."
http://biodiesel.rain-barrel.net/biodiesel-from-algae/ This offers the best alternative to crop production of fuel..diesel is 30% more efficient than petrol .Diesel can also be produced from waste cooking oil and tallow .........Diesel is the fuel of the future and algae biodiesel offers an attainable answer to energy sustainability
sure eatable things are just fine to use as fuel, after we eat it that is! :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waste-to-energy
Quote from: mapsrg on March 12, 2008, 01:26:18 PM
http://biodiesel.rain-barrel.net/biodiesel-from-algae/ This offers the best alternative to crop production of fuel..diesel is 30% more efficient than petrol .Diesel can also be produced from waste cooking oil and tallow .........Diesel is the fuel of the future and algae biodiesel offers an attainable answer to energy sustainability
Lots of possibilities with biodiesel technology, even chicken fat can be converted with new methods.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071220230827.htm
RD
And now we are starting to see the rising food prices associated with cropland being used as supply for biofuels.....and already we have political fallout with food riots in some countries.