Bill: from what I understand sugar has an even greater gain! Brazil has been
using sugar cane since the embargo of the ' 70's, are almost completely ethanol
fueled, and have $1.50 per gallon gas. Cuba, who shut down their cane fields
after Russia pulled their support, is now ramping up again to become a major
player in the cane market. Could Fidel have the last laugh before he meets Marx
and Lenin in the great commune in the sky? - Ed
Bill Babcock <BillB@bnj.com> wrote: Actually, regarding the net energy
production of Biofuels I appear to
be very wrong. I asked an energy economist friend of mine for recent
numbers and he said I was all wet to begin with. The study I am most
familar with by a guy named Pimental and a Berkley economist named
Paztek (as I recall) have been supplanted by newer data. Of course
most of the new data comes from somewhat suspect sources, but so was
Pimental, and the new data looks fairly convincing. Ethanol may
deliver as much as a 34 percent gain on the fuel used to make it.
Biodiesel is about the same currently, but could achieve higher
efficiencies and the byproducts have value and represent energy. As
usual there is a lot of variation in available data, but I just spent
an enjoyable morning reading some of the papers. I forsee a sea of
waving soy all across Kansas (does soy wave?).
Thirty four percent ain't bad, especially since most of the energy
expended (about 60 percent) is non-liquid fuel. My friend tells me we
are also the Saudi Arabia of Corn. We don't currently have enough
production to come close to meeting demand, but that will probably
change.
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