http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/earth/4237539.html?series=46
The idea is so appealing: We can reduce our dependence on oil—stop sending U.S. dollars to corrupt petro-dictators, stop spewing megatons of carbon into the atmos¬phere—by replacing it with clean, home-grown, all-American corn. It sounds too good to be true.
Sadly, it is.
Click the link to read the full article.
Aside from the monetary issues and distribution issues, it causes greater aldehyde (think formaldehyde…not nice stuff) emissions when burned as compared to gas.
That’s what burns your eyes and lungs when you’re standing next to an E85 car.
So aside from the two major down sides, here’s a third.
So glad the government has jumped completely on the ethanol bandwagon. :picard:
There is nothing wrong with Ethanol, you have to differentiate CORN ethanol from ethanol made from other sources. The current administration in their infinite ignorance is backing corn ethanol, hopefully that will change with the next administration (unless it’s republican, then it’s ignorance as usual).
Meanwhile, there are many people dedicated to producing ethanol from more sustainable sources, and remember, ethanol is not the future of energy, it’s only a stopgap. Fusion is the future, it can completely replace fossil fuels, and create ethanol for things that can’t run on electricity (like planes). There has already been a breakthrough in battery technology that will allow 10 times the energy density in lithium ion batteries, so in a few years when they come to market, electric cars with over 1000 miles of range are possible.
That is easily removed using catalytic converters optimized for the fuel.
Exactly. But the problem is, there isn’t a way to efficiently break down the switchgrass into fermentable material, that’s what some people are working on right now.
I just learned that the Ford Model T ran on ethanol.
Now you can tell your friends and sound smart.
I cant believe some people are thinking this new form of engine fuel is going to make cars slow. Its just like the old timers with there dislike for F.I. cars just because they dont understand it. As long as there’s people like us out there, we’ll always find a way to go fast on ~something~. Hell, I’d love it if they could find a way to make fuel from piss.
Just wanted to share.
yes the diesel engine ran on peanut oil…
hydrogen is probably going to be where it is at.
but who know by the time the technology is feasible we could have a fresh water shortage
A lot of the grain farmers jumped on the band wagon. They began growing corn. This decreased soy, wheat, etc. The price of soy for dairy farmers is outrageous now. The dairy industry suffers enough as it is. This only makes matters worse for them.
I don’t think hydrogen is where it’s at either, I think it goes something like this, most common technology listed first…
Present:
Gas, diesel, some ethanol, some hybrid, a few electric
2010-2020
Gas, diesel, hybrid, ethanol, fuel cell electric, battery electric
ethanol production is perfected and infrastructure rapidly expands, last years battery breakthrough starts to show up in limited numbers, plug-in hybrids become all the rage
Link:http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2008/january9/nanowire-010908.html
2020-2030
hybrid, ethanol, diesel, gas, battery electric, fuel cell electric
Ethanol production hits it peak, battery production rapidly accelerates, oil prices double current prices, true battery powered cars are the new hot ticket, many ricers get burned when they attempt to mod their electric Civics and the batteries explode
2030-2040
Battery electric, hybrid battery/fuel cell electric (larger vehicles), hybrid (very large vehicles, commercial trucks), diesel, gas
By this time battery power rapidly overtakes all others because oil is starting to get scarce, and battery’s are cheap, range no longer an issue.
2040-2050
Pretty much all passenger cars are battery electric, and larger commercial vehicles are battery/fuel cell hybrids. Gas and diesel vehicles are rare (mostly relegated to the developing world, and us racers). Air travel is almost entirely powered by alcohol in the developed world.
2050 and on
Fusion power plants quickly replace all non-renewable power plants, electricity powers pretty much everything that isn’t flying (and many small planes an helicopters are battery powered)
This is all speculation, my best guess based on a lifetime of technology obsession.