Drill here, drill now. To hell with renewables.
Butanol certainly makes more sense as a gasoline alternative
than ethanol does, put the price is currently prohibitive.
The issue with all renewables - with just about anything for that matter is - how does its value stack up vs the next-best alternative? If it takes government subsidies, upsets other industries and prices, or has other unintended consequences, biobutanol will be a non-starter. Or should be, if the government lets the market decide.
Rather, they note that producers of all biofuels share the same goals,
Sucking up tax dollars for bad ideas?
Does anyone know where one can actually buy some biobutanol to try it out? How much per gallon?
We know that forests in the west have been left unmanaged and are greatly overstocked with huge fuel loads. This is creating conditions that have seen larger, more intense fires. These fires pour pollution into the air and post fire conditions load sediment into the streams. The frequency of re-burn combined with changed cyclical climate conditions is permanently converting forest to brushland in many areas.
A very expensive investment in fuel reduction is necessary to restore balance to the forests so that they can safely carry low intensity fire in a manner that these forests could hundreds of years ago. It is hoped that cellulosic ethanol, or pyrolisis once perfected, could provide a cost offset by providing a market for sub-merchantable fuels cleaned out of the forest. Biomass/Cogeneration with the wood products industry will also provide a market. Otherwise, the typical cleanup is stack and burn in slash piles on the forest floor.
It may require a subsidy, but it would be cheaper than simply paying for stack and burn, provide more jobs and serve as an additional source of power.