[davep]

David Blume of 'Alcohol can be a Gas' fame on Roadtrip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TshLDrREHk8

It gets interesting about half way through, but it is is just for the layman. It leaves many questions unanswered (that are actually answered in his book).

[JRP3]

Not so sure about this. How much energy is wasted collecting the donuts and other waste, and how much is wasted creating the ethanol? How many vehicles will the local donut shop support? How many homeless no longer get old donuts to eat? Lot of holes in the equation.

[davep]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('JRP3', 'N')ot so sure about this. How much energy is wasted collecting the donuts and other waste, and how much is wasted creating the ethanol? How many vehicles will the local donut shop support? How many homeless no longer get old donuts to eat? Lot of holes in the equation.

[JRP3]

Big problem with ethanol is it still relies on inefficient ICE technology. I've read studies that show you get more energy if whatever biomass would be used for fuel is instead burned to generate electricity and used in EV's. I like the home cottage industry aspect of his plan but I don't see it as a large scale replacement fuel. I don't think any ICE technology is viable in the long term because of inherent efficiency problems that have not been overcome in 100 years of development. Plus all those moving parts, it's so 19th century.

[davep]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('JRP3', 'B')ig problem with ethanol is it still relies on inefficient ICE technology. I've read studies that show you get more energy if whatever biomass would be used for fuel is instead burned to generate electricity and used in EV's. I like the home cottage industry aspect of his plan but I don't see it as a large scale replacement fuel. I don't think any ICE technology is viable in the long term because of inherent efficiency problems that have not been overcome in 100 years of development. Plus all those moving parts, it's so 19th century.

[JRP3]

I'd think that with any limited resource efficiency is important. A tractor will take X amount of energy to move regardless of the source. Using an ICE that wastes 80% of energy in the tank, (real world ICE), not to mention the energy used to make the fuel, might not be a good use of resources. If that's the only choice then that's what you do, but there may be better ways of using the biomass.

[davep]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('JRP3', 'I')'d think that with any limited resource efficiency is important. A tractor will take X amount of energy to move regardless of the source. Using an ICE that wastes 80% of energy in the tank, (real world ICE), not to mention the energy used to make the fuel, might not be a good use of resources. If that's the only choice then that's what you do, but there may be better ways of using the biomass.

[JRP3]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('davep', '
')I don't necessarily agree about that, as a liquid fuel that can fuel a tractor is far more useful than the same amount of energy stored in plants, for example.