« Farm Economy Boom Projected To Continue | Home | US Scientists Puncture The Ethanol Biofuel Bubble »
Organic Fuel Alternatives Explored
By Mr Ethanol | February 13, 2008
BCLocalNews:
Not long ago, the question at the pump was always, “regular or unleaded?” Today, leaded gasoline isn’t even an option in most developed countries.
And with the need to drastically reduce our consumption of fossil fuels, the question of the future just might be “switchgrass or algae?”
Of course, I’m being somewhat facetious. In their raw form you couldn’t run your car on either. But both organisms have the potential to be made into biofuels such as ethanol or biodiesel. And that, if done in a careful and sustainable way, could greatly reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming.
In spite of some of the hoopla about biofuels, there are still many obstacles to overcome. Yes, you can already get ethanol mixed with your gasoline or biodiesel mixed with your regular diesel in many North American cities.
In fact, in countries like Brazil, gasoline is always blended with at least 20% ethanol and you can easily get 100 per cent ethanol for your car. So far, so good. But these biofuels have problems too.
As I discussed in a column last fall, a widespread adoption of biofuels, such as biodiesel and ethanol could cause serious damage to the environment and provide few benefits if the crop used to make the fuel isn’t chosen carefully.
Corn, for example, is the largest source of ethanol in the United States, but it is a poor choice for fuel because if you do a life-cycle analysis (looking at all the energy needed to make the stuff), the energy obtained from corn-based ethanol is only marginally better or worse than the energy you put into it. Plus, corn is heavily reliant on fertilizers and pesticides. Read full article.
Topics: Biofuel, Energy, Gas, News, Trends |
Related Posts
- Biodiesel Leftovers Heat Up Race For Alternatives
- Ethanol Alternatives Stuck In Slow Lane
- Cheap Ethanol For $1 A Gallon
- Mandated Ethanol Usage: A Good Idea?
- New Research Seeks To Develop Low-Cost Ethanol From Biomass, Organic Materials
- Big Difference Exists Between Biodiesel, Ethanol
- The New Ethanol Mantra: American As Apple Pie?
- Ethanol’s A Farce And We’re Our Own Worst Enemy When It Comes To Energy Alternatives
- Will Biofriendly Fuel Cells Power Future Cars?
- Ethanol: Inequity For Farmers
New Way Of Making Easy Money Online