[Dane]

It really makes no difference if you are using non edible crops or parts of crops because you are either using land that would have been used for food crops or are depleting the soil by not plowing under the cellulose.

That's why I asked the question. I know this may sound ridiculous, but wouldn't a weed like kudzu have plant sugars?

Georgia is the Saudi Arabia of kudzu. That's why when I see these pat answers by people(easter candy going to $500 a lb., etc. etc.), it can get irritating, but I guess it's the same mentality of saying the light bulb would never take off.

[stylin_geek]

http://susanrules.squarespace.com/journal/2-dimensional-thinking-vs-3-dimensional-thinking.html

I think this article explains one problem with trying to grow fuel, any type of fuel. There just isn’t enough land available to grow fuel crops.

[umgud]

For the sake of argument, let’s say hydrogen can be be made efficiently and economically.

I still question its practicality as a motor vehicle fuel. Without regard to distribution and storage systems, one of hydrogen’s big problems has been in-vehicle storage. It seems you have to liquify it, pressurize it or generate it on-board so to speak.

[Pontiac]

Sure. Every plant has sugar.

When it comes down to it, it is a thermodynamic calculation.

The question is will any given plant have enough energy in it to make harvesting and processing economical.

Kudzu may have a chance because it would not (as far as I know) need fertilizer. But on the other hand harvesting may be a problem.

In most cases when compared to oil based fuels the answer is no.

IMO most plant based fuels are not economically viable because they require more energy to produce (from planting to putting in your gas tank) than they yield.

I don’t include biodiesel in this if it is produced from waste cooking oil. But that is truly a nitch fuel and constitutes less than 1% of the market.

[Albion Wilde]

Georgia is the Saudi Arabia of kudzu.

ROFLMAO!!! Would make a great tagline!!