On 5/18/05 11:14 AM, "Alan Sinclair" <alan@DETERMINISTICNETWORKS.COM> wrote:

>> Right on!!  But remember, when you make ethanol from corn oil, or diesel
>> from soy, that it uses a rough equivalency of fossil fuel to plant, grow
> 
> In my college classes last year we did the calculations on this, and
> you're propagating a myth.  There is (obviously) an energy input to
> produce the crop, but the energy balance is positive, and not just by
> a small percentage but by a decent multiple.  I'll dig out the figures
> and references later, but please hold off repeating the oil companies'
> anti-environmental propaganda until then :-)
> 
> Biofuels ARE an effective solution and make up one of the "wedges"
> needed in kicking the fossil fuel habit (there are about ten others
> -- solar, wind, etc.)
> 
> Iirc ADM are actually doing some good stuff (for all they are not nice)
> in the biofuel line, getting multiple uses from the biomass: alcohol plus
> using the CO2, plus other things (in my notes, not my forgettory)
> 
> (Sorry this discussion is OT for Vanagon, but it's useful)
> 
> Alan

The makers of the negative comments usually completely miss that the much of
the bio fuel side is primarily from waste product or second generation
products which in turn have waste products with value as feed or other.

As for the oil companies being against it,  better check who is financing
some of the biggest plants that are actually in operation. Several major oil
refiners are in major research for diversification.

Also on fuel shortages,  a major BP refinery in Texas just had an explosion
and lost a stack.  Estimated 2 percent loss of total BP output.  Didn�t say
what that related to in North American output.

jimt