BIOFUELS - Consider the Source

[rucky]

Most people think of corn and soy when they think of biofuels, and for that reason it doesn't seem like a viable alternative - all the energy going into maintaing crops for a few gallons of oil. This is a giant strawman in standing in a field of corn. The fact is that there are several other crops we could farm for biofuel that gives you a MUCH greater bang for your buck.

Corn is at the butt bottom of the list. But I'm sure it's the "only option" being pushed by Monsanto, ADM, etc.

Check out the yield of corn and soy vs. Palm, Jatropha, and ALGAE...

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Alternative-Energy/2006-02-01/Biodiesel-Homegrown-Oil.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiesel#Yields_of_common...

Listed by yield in gallons per acre:

Algae
5000 gallons

Oil Palm
635 gallons

Coconut
287 gallons

Jatropha
202 gallons

Rapeseed (canola)
127 gallons

Peanut
113 gallons

Sunflower
102 gallons

Safflower
83 gallons

Mustard
61 gallons

Soybean
48 gallons

Corn
18 gallons

[LWolf]

1. Interesting.

Some forms of algae are also viable food crops. I guess we ought to be nurturing algae habitat!

What about waste products? Are they considered "biofuel?"

Sewage? Livestock manure? Other that I may not be thinking of right now?

[rucky]

4. Yes, but a different extraction process is involved...

and I'm not sure how efficient it is.

The article linked focuses on the oil-extracted renewables, and even tells you how to set up your own distiller.

There's a guy in vermont who's been growing Jatropha (which can grow in nearly any climate zone) and running his VW off of it for about 20 years. I actually did an article on him about 10 years ago, and my editor called him a kook and killed the story.

Who's the kook now?

[Proud_American67]

2. just putting it out there,

but ethanol is probably the worst fuel for our economy. It has raised meat/dairy prices, other crops, and beer prices. whatever jackass said we should use E85 deserves to have the firing squad. Holy shit.

[Richard Steele]

3. Hi, ProudAmerican! Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[VTMechEngr]

5. Welcome to DU.

:hi:

And I agree, beer has been getting more expensive :beer:

[rucky]

6. *Kick* for the dayside crowd.