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frenchX
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May 27th, 2010, 12:36 pm

A little topic raised by a remark of Traden.Do the raise of biofuel limit the food production?And more important : are these fuels so clean ? :)
Last edited by frenchX on June 10th, 2015, 10:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 
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rmax
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May 27th, 2010, 1:33 pm

Compare the number of barrel of oil that we use today versus the capacity for biofuel. It does not make sense. What I think will happen is that in 100k years time we will use BioFuels to supplement the rare fossil fuels for powered flight. Everyone else will be using horse and cart / electric motors charged up at their local nuclear power station.Assuming of course N and S Korea have not blown us all up by then.
 
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ppauper
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May 28th, 2010, 8:35 am

used to take mrs dash to task for this.There was a massive spike in the cost of grains a couple of years back when production was shifted to corn for ethanol for biofuel.The cost of flour in my local supermarket trebled.
 
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Traden4Alpha
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May 28th, 2010, 11:14 am

I agree with rmax. There's not enough arable land to feed both people and power. Current global levels of oil consumption represent the equivalent calories needed to feed about 50-60 billion people.The problem is that biofuel technology now exists and unless it is outlawed, it will be used. If/when oil becomes more expensive, people will convert farm lands from food production to fuel production. Food prices will track oil prices.
 
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zeta
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May 28th, 2010, 11:40 am

kelp seems like a more logical/sustainable source of biomass/fuel
 
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Cuchulainn
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May 28th, 2010, 11:46 am

QuoteOriginally posted by: zetakelp seems like a more logical/sustainable source of biomass/fuelThis will drive up the price of Laphroaig!
 
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zeta
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May 28th, 2010, 12:12 pm

lol; you'll have to switch to bourbon
 
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Traden4Alpha
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May 28th, 2010, 12:18 pm

QuoteOriginally posted by: zetakelp seems like a more logical/sustainable source of biomass/fuelHmmm.. Is there enough of it? I thought kelp only grew near shorelines in the shallows.
 
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zeta
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May 28th, 2010, 12:41 pm

I think it can be grown anywhere, you just need a weight/float and string bwtn
 
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Traden4Alpha
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May 29th, 2010, 12:37 am

QuoteOriginally posted by: zetaI think it can be grown anywhere, you just need a weight/float and string bwtnNice! I'd imagine that one could build solar-thermal dehydrators to remove the excess water, too.
 
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ppauper
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November 22nd, 2010, 3:11 pm

U.S. corn ethanol "was not a good policy"- algore
 
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farmer
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November 22nd, 2010, 5:47 pm

You don't care about the hard-working, virtuous American farmer? You want to take away what he does? His life is in your hands and he is waiting. He is like a little furry pet and you have the power. Give, don't take.
 
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ppauper
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April 21st, 2014, 3:56 pm

Fuels from corn waste not better than gas
 
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tags
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April 21st, 2014, 4:10 pm

QuoteOriginally posted by: ppauperFuels from corn waste not better than gasThe EPA are (still) defining the US RFS for 2014. Supporters from every part (pros/cons biofuels, certain types of biofuels) bring their own arguments.
 
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tags
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April 23rd, 2014, 7:34 pm

U.S. EPA cuts 2013 target for cellulosic biofuelYes 2013 cellulosic mandate. And yes, that's insane.
Last edited by tags on April 22nd, 2014, 10:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.