Posted on 02/20/2006 8:32:49 PM PST by kellynla
(FORTUNE Magazine) - You probably don't know it, but the answer to America's gasoline addiction could be under the hood of your car. More than five million Tauruses, Explorers, Stratuses, Suburbans, and other vehicles are already equipped with engines that can run on an energy source that costs less than gasoline, produces almost none of the emissions that cause global warming, and comes from the Midwest, not the Middle East.
These lucky drivers need never pay for gasoline again--if only they could find this elusive fuel, called ethanol. Chemically, ethanol is identical to the grain alcohol you may have spiked the punch with in college. It also went into gasohol, that 1970s concoction that brings back memories of Jimmy Carter in a cardigan and outrageous subsidies from Washington. But while the chemistry is the same, the economics, technology, and politics of ethanol are profoundly different.
(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...
Louisiana once grew lots of sugar cane. They may still do so, and if not, maybe there is a new opportunity for that state, and it badly needs it.
"Read further into the article; "
But, but, but, that could destroy a thesis.
The most creative minds in the world are working on this, improving engines etc.
Shhh!!! You're messing with the age old dream that everyone has, even the good people of this forum, of something for nothing.
The army has had multi fuel vehicles for decades.I think the reason us regular folks don't get them has something to do with the EPA.It could be difficult to control emissions if you can't control what you're burning.Just a thought.
Isn't Ethanol much more expensive. I know here in Illinois we got tougher EPA rules, and in the summer we gotta run a Ethanol mixed gas.
How about we solve these problems for good and build a nationwide system of breeder nuclear reactors. Have a bid, best bid, builds hundreds of identicle reactors (to keep cost low), and start driving electrical. Thats definatly they way we are going. Or we'll wait til fusion reactors come online, then those will replace all the power plants in the nation.
If our legislators really wanted to see this take-off E-85 would be completely tax free for a minimum of 10 to 15 years.
He has an 18 wheeler that rolls one load to the ethanol plant EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR. 365 Truckloads is a lot of corn. Nice 'vette too.
If you're going to race with it, you may want to install a larger tank, as you will get lower mileage with it.
Hauling around more fuel may be a disadvantage.
Try redoing the math.
There's a petition in my state to have the state invest resources (money) into "biomass" research. And guess which plant, according to them, is highest in "biomass"? Of course--marijuana!
See # 29
Here is an article from the American Enterprise magazine on biofuels.
http://www.theamericanenterprise.org/issues/articleID.18976/article_detail.asp
Everyone should read this.
My calculations say you get 3.5 gals of 62.5 % alcohol, and 37.5 % water.
It's not funny, if you have to explain it.
Lower mileage? I could buy a GTO with 400hp and get around 18 or I can go with turbo vehicle, up the boost in a lighter car to get around 250hp-300hp (or more depending on how insane I want to go) and go with the ethanol for the higher octane. And still get 25mpg.
And if I'm going for horsepower, why would I care about mileage?
3.5galx 0.625= 2.187gal, not 1.
...of course, Everclear goes for over $120 a gallon. Cheers!
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