Posted on 07/05/2006 5:58:20 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
The effort to make cellulosic ethanol into a full-blown power source to run America's cars is embryonic, and its outcome uncertain. But the fuel has two big things going for it: High oil prices and backing from the Bush administration, which sees it as a potentially important part of future energy supplies and is putting up money to help launch the first "biorefineries" to make it. Adherents think it could reduce U.S. dependence on imported oil, cut emissions that cause global warming and shore up the nation's rural economy. Already, the race is attracting big names, with the likes of Archer-Daniels-Midland Co., Royal Dutch Shell Group and Goldman Sachs Group Inc., investing time and seed money.
In the U.S., ethanol for fuel is typically made from corn. But growing corn gobbles up a lot of power in the form of everything from fertilizer to pesticides. The economics of cellulosic ethanol, made essentially from waste, could be different. With the booming economies of China and India helping increase the world's appetite for petroleum faster than new sources of fossil fuel can be found, economists figure there will be a need for tens of billions of gallons of alternative fuels within just a few decades.
"Suddenly, there is a race out there to develop a new source of energy," says Thomas Connelly, DuPont's chief innovation officer.
Until recently, the idea of squeezing ethanol from farm waste and other sources was barely clinging to life in the recesses of university campuses and federal labs. Few in the private sector seriously pursued the idea for the simple reason that it's far easier to make ethanol from corn. The microorganisms good at making ethanol prefer eating the sugar in corn kernels.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Good. The sooner I can abandon natural gas and gasoline, the better. I'm tired of sending them my money.
bump!
Just think, then the muslim world will blame us for starving them back to pre WWII population levels.
The middle east wants us out. OK. Let's make our own fuel and cut the price of oil in half by doing it.
Does this mean Iowa is our saudi arabia?
Free link here:
http://www.moneyweb.co.za/shares/international_news/641640.htm
Like Mad max rocketing down the road on pig poop.
I like it.
Gore in my gas tank? Eyyyyyyyyyyyye dunno..............
Along with Indiana, my state. We need to make enough ethanol to be the new Middle East.
No, cause anybody can grow crops....sorry Iowa.
The alcohol in ethanol comes from the sugars in corn. Beets and other sugar containing veggies are other feedstocks. Using corn, beets, etc. doesn't really make a lot of fiscal sense since they are no where near as energy output efficient as oil or natural gas but if they decrease our dependence on the raghead crazies, why not?
OTOH, if we put a hose up to Algore's mouth, just consider the energy potential of that huge outpouring of hot air.
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