the false promise of biofuels
- Lots of energy is required to distill ethanol from the soup of water and yeast in which it has been fermented, energy typically supplied by burning fossil fuels.
- Even if a super enzyme is found, it will inevitably be slow to break down cellulose because the reactions require time to work, making volume production difficult.
- Biological architects do not know which genes are needed to make a synthetic microorganism hardy, cheap to keep alive and able to produce oil in abundance.
- “We can all live with different kinds of transportation,” says ecologist G. David Tilman of the University of Minnesota. “We can’t live without food.”
- The breakthroughs needed to replace oil with plant-based fuels are proving difficult to achieve.
- Mitch Mandich attracted millions of dollars in private money plus commitments for up to $156 million in grants and loans from the U.S. government.
- 1,000 tons of wood chips and waste from Georgia’s vast pulp and paper industry into 274,000 gallons of ethanol.
- Burning bio- fuels in vehicles would in theory slow the buildup of greenhouse gases, compared with burning fossil fuels.
- Ethanol yields little if any net savings in carbon dioxide emissions.
Lots of energy is required to distill ethanol from the soup of water and yeast in which it has been fermented, energy typically supplied by burning fossil fuels. Even if a super enzyme is found, it will inevitably be slow to break down cellulose because the reactions require time to work, making volume production difficult. Biological architects do not know which genes are needed to make a synthetic microorganism hardy, cheap to keep alive and able to produce oil in abundance.
Many common crops could economically produce biofuel in certain parts of the world. But in other regions, the same plants would be impossible or extremely costly to grow. Likewise, the fertilizer, water and land required to produce enough biofuel to reduce fossil fuel consumption significantly can create other problems, ranging from increased pollution to decreased access to food. Biofuels are not as good as i thought.
PROS
So what?
- bio-fuels as harmful as fossil fuel. Make a good decision on the type of fuel
What if?
- we all using biofuels?
Says who?
- David Biello
What does this remind me of?
- This reminds me of
- Even if a super enzyme is found, it will inevitably be slow to break down cellulose because the reactions require time to work, making volume production difficult.
- Biological architects do not know which genes are needed to make a synthetic microorganism hardy, cheap to keep alive and able to produce oil in abundance.
- “We can all live with different kinds of transportation,” says ecologist G. David Tilman of the University of Minnesota. “We can’t live without food.”
- The breakthroughs needed to replace oil with plant-based fuels are proving difficult to achieve.
- Mitch Mandich attracted millions of dollars in private money plus commitments for up to $156 million in grants and loans from the U.S. government.
- 1,000 tons of wood chips and waste from Georgia’s vast pulp and paper industry into 274,000 gallons of ethanol.
- Burning bio- fuels in vehicles would in theory slow the buildup of greenhouse gases, compared with burning fossil fuels.
- Ethanol yields little if any net savings in carbon dioxide emissions.
Lots of energy is required to distill ethanol from the soup of water and yeast in which it has been fermented, energy typically supplied by burning fossil fuels. Even if a super enzyme is found, it will inevitably be slow to break down cellulose because the reactions require time to work, making volume production difficult. Biological architects do not know which genes are needed to make a synthetic microorganism hardy, cheap to keep alive and able to produce oil in abundance.
Many common crops could economically produce biofuel in certain parts of the world. But in other regions, the same plants would be impossible or extremely costly to grow. Likewise, the fertilizer, water and land required to produce enough biofuel to reduce fossil fuel consumption significantly can create other problems, ranging from increased pollution to decreased access to food. Biofuels are not as good as i thought.
PROS
- Can be used wherever diesel fuel is utilized: vehicles, electricity generators, marine vessels, and oil-fired heating systems.
- The soybean-oil portion is biodegradable, nontoxic, odorless, and essentially free of sulfur and aromatics.
- Reduces problems associated with cold weather, stability, material compatibility, and storage-tank cleanliness.
- Provides increased lubricity.
- Can reduce carbon-dioxide greenhouse emissions that may contribute to global warming, as well as other harmful emissions including sulfur oxides and possibly nitrogen oxides.
- Cleaner-burning properties enable cleaner heat exchangers in boilers and warm-air furnaces, theoretically reducing cost of annual cleaning and tune-up.
- Costs as much as 20 cents a gallon more than diesel fuel.
- Possible two percent increase in nitrogen-oxide emissions.
- Limited emission benefits compared to new, low emission engines or after-market add-ons such as PM traps.
- Cold-flow management costs.
- Lack of American Society for Testing and Materials standards.
- Biofuel produced from feedstocks with high levels of saturated fatty acids (tallow, lard, some yellow grease) has a risk of freezing in tanks and forming crystals that plug fuel filters.
So what?
- bio-fuels as harmful as fossil fuel. Make a good decision on the type of fuel
What if?
- we all using biofuels?
Says who?
- David Biello
What does this remind me of?
- This reminds me of