Quote:
Originally Posted by sammyg2
Did you know that it takes 1.1 BTUs of energy to derive 1 BTU from corn ethanol?
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That's the first thing we learn in thermo here. However the trick isn't in the type of fuel, it's where it's extracted from and the refining that's killing us. Corn is a terrible way to make ethanol. Switch grass or some of the other experimental plants should yield better results it's only a matter of time. Hell Brazil already does it better than we do using sugar cane to make ethanol. What would be nice is to start using biodiesel more. I tried some B20 in my old TDI for awhile while working in Albuquerque last year and the stuff was great. Engine immediately got quite (higher cetane rating), exhaust smelled nice for once, and from what i read it is a natural detergent.
EDIT: If i remember correctly, the numbers we ran making the calculation for corn derived ethanol is actually worse than that.