Ethanol E-85 verses Hybrids

[legion]

Originally posted by RickM
Why do these crops have to be grown exclusvely in the US? A good portion of our cheap produce doesn't.

That would "Increase our dependence on foreign pot."

[kach22i]

Originally posted by legion
That would "Increase our dependence on foreign pot."

Native American Nations could grow hemp in lieu of running gambling casinos. They could process it on site and export bio-diesel...........................all without changing current laws on hemp crops.

[Ed Bighi]

Originally posted by RickM
Perhaps this IS where crop genetic engineering is appropriate. Develop a high yield plant for the purpose fuel production. Utilizing a few technologies instead of looking for one magic bullet is the way to go.

This is why I mentioned Borlaug's work on wheat grain. They had no choice but to increase wheat crop yields in order to keep the world from mass starvation. If the world does the right thing and get on a proven renewable fuel like ethanol, I am sure that crop yields for whatever damn plant used could be increased.

I kind of laugh when I see how the US reacts towards ethanol. Americans love complexity way too much. If Americans could find a more expensive or complex way to jerk off, they would do it. But here is a situation where simple is the right solution. It not only works, but works well and could become even cheaper or cleaner if we throw at it only a fraction of the stupid money we throw into fuel cell or battery research. We can grow more of whatever crop is used here in the americas, in europe and asia instead of the middle east. So there would be far less expense in shipping the fuel to the end user. One must also take into the account the lack of spill risk. Then you have the benefit of farmers having a bigger demand for their product. There are also the other pluses I mentioned before like being able to retrofit whatever you are driving to run on it. So again, why waste time deciding if it's the way to go? Of ******* course it is. At least for now it is. Maybe even later as well if we can find ways to improve cleanliness and efficiency like we did with gasoline and diesel.

But can Americans grasp something that is cheap and non-complex? Get off this damn corn fetish and use sugar cane or even hemp as well? Can the US accept a technology whose use was perfected and put to use en-masse by another country thereby making the US a follower? I hope so because our cars cannot run on pride. Besides, I am biased and love the sound of internal combustion.

[kach22i]

Originally posted by Ed Bighi
I hope so because our cars cannot run on pride. Besides, I am biased and love the sound of internal combustion.

A fitting end to this thread.