If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.
Biodiesel isn't great because as mentioned, it takes a gallon of oil to produce enough crop to create a gallon of biodiesel.
I believe everyone is trying too hard to find the one silver bullet that replaces oil. Biodiesel works best in places like Ohio where there's excess crop that gets destroyed anyway. Hydrogen fuel cells make sense in dense urban centers and in places with natural free energy (hydro, some nuclear). Solar power is ok in New Mexico or Nevada, but not so useful in Alberta.
Need to force companies to make 30-40 mpg vehicles the norm, and make ineffient ones less practical to purchase. In the US there's huge tax breaks for a realtor to buy a hummer instead of a prius due to outdated farm equipment tax breaks. Need to abolish all those loopholes as well.
Biodiesel isn't great because as mentioned, it takes a gallon of oil to produce enough crop to create a gallon of biodiesel.
I believe everyone is trying too hard to find the one silver bullet that replaces oil. Biodiesel works best in places like Ohio where there's excess crop that gets destroyed anyway. Hydrogen fuel cells make sense in dense urban centers and in places with natural free energy (hydro, some nuclear). Solar power is ok in New Mexico or Nevada, but not so useful in Alberta.
Need to force companies to make 30-40 mpg vehicles the norm, and make ineffient ones less practical to purchase. In the US there's huge tax breaks for a realtor to buy a hummer instead of a prius due to outdated farm equipment tax breaks. Need to abolish all those loopholes as well.
That is assuming that you use fresh oil to make the bio-diesel.
I make all of my biodiesel out of waste oil which, of course, utilizes a product that people pay to bury, decompose, or somehow destroy by other methods. The process I use does introduce net new carbon in to the environment as the methanol used in the process is derived from oil, however through good filtering techniques one can run filtered waste oils from deep fryers, grills, etc.
The bio-diesel does require anti-gelling agents, or an in-tank heater when used in climates below -10. The least expensive method is to run 20-40% regular diesel in the tank during those times.
My refinery is well on it's way to being a zero grid process. The entire system will run on car batteries charged with a combination of solar panels and alternator energy.
Once I unload one of my revenue properties I'm beginning the transition to a zero natural gas house. It's not that I really care about the environment (frankly, I don't give a crap one teeny bit), I just hate atco that much.
Solar electric might not be super duper in Alberta (mine works pretty darn good), but solar-hydronic works just great! Also, Alberta is one of the better places in the world for wind power.
well yes and no i expense gas in my car for driving to work, etc and i get a very very high rate so in the end for my 2-3 fillups a month it gets covered so
The only problem with the fuel cells and hybrid cars is the embodied energy in the cars I have found that it takes immense amounts of energy to produce the initial setups, which are expensive to maintain, and need replacing often. The other problem is the production of hydrogen, the only reasonable (in my mind) way to do it is a byproduct of hydroelectricity. But it takes alot more energy. Although the process itself if very clean, most of the time making the components needed is an equally dirty process. The embodied energy in a car, is one of the most significant factors, think about all the coal that was burned to actually make the body of the car. Thats why its typically better for the environment to continue to use your old car until it needs replacing, rather than replacing it all the time with the latest fuel efficient car.
Nick
There are only two infinites, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.
--Albert Einstein
Comment