There is a question, though, about what kind of biological material is used
to make the fuel.  I don't know how auto fuel is made, but with power plants
that burn biological material, it's not clear that they are that much better
than petroleum.  They put out GHG emissions, and if the fuel isn't grown
organically, its cultivation generates a lot of water pollution from ag
runoff.  Is the biological matter used to make biodiesel the waste from some
other ag process or grown specifically for fuel?  In the former case, what
is now done with that waste.  If it's excess nutrients that we've found a
new use for, great.  But if it was returned to the soil to enrich it for
future agriculture, then we'll have to replace it.  If it was grown just for
making fuel, then how?  Growing biofuels organically is pretty expensive.

All of which isn't to say that they aren't a good idea, just that they may
not be financially viable, and they also may not be environmentally
preferable to the alternatives.

Joy

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf Of
Steven Dodson
Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2004 7:23 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Diesels on NPR this morning

If you look at the latest emission controls on Renault, VW, Audi and others,
you'll find that the new Oxi-cats and soot filters go a long way to reduce
the NOX and soot. Burn B100 bio-diesel with these same emission controls and
the NOX and soot are  hardly detectable (cleaner than the air in LA anyway).
Not perfect but certainly better than cracking petroleum to get hydrogen for
fuel cells. I think it's a good start but certainly not the final answer.
The thing I like best about bio-diesel, is not funding OPEC or Texas oil
tycoons.

-Steven Dodson
Kneeland, CA
"Inga" the 87 Syncro

----- Original Message -----
Date:    Tue, 11 May 2004 15:22:46 -0500
From:    "Donald Baxter / Iowa City, Iowa" <onanov@MINDSPRING.COM>
Subject: Re: Diesels on NPR this morning

Yep, I did.  Wasn't lost on me that Diesels are probably not a very good
ultimate environmental solution to our transportation needs.  Soot and NOX
can't be ignored.

DB