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Re: [RC] OT - MSN article on biofuels with link to UN report - Truman Prevatt

My cousin, sister and I have the old family farm now. My cousin runs it for us. He called me in March to talk about what to plant. We could plant corn or soy beans. It seems that so many people are converting from beans to corn - with the promise of big pay offs - that some people are concerned about a shortage of beans. So what are we going to plant. Normally we plant about 1/2 corn and 1/2 beans. This year it is 1/3 corn and 2/3 beans since it is expected the price of beans will go through the roof.

There is no such thing as a free lunch.

There are a few downsides to ethanol. It is about 80% the energy content per gram as gas. So you will have to burn more of it to get the same energy and it takes energy to move weight down the road. It takes the same energy independent if is being powered by ethanol or gas. So in reality I suspect the estimates on reduction of C02 are over rated.

The second issues is in 5 years when a lot of people have put a lot of money into the refining of ethanol, OPEC could slash it's prices and drive them out of business.

Truman

Karen Franklin wrote:

U.N.: Not so fast with ethanol, other biofuels
Biofuels like ethanol can help reduce global warming and create jobs for the rural poor, but the benefits may be offset by serious environmental problems and increased food prices for the hungry, the United Nations concluded Tuesday in its first major report on bioenergy.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18551000/from/ET/

Though I like the idea of using a renewable energy source, this just shows that there is not going to be an easy, single solution to the energy problem.

Karen, Fort Worth



--

“It doesn't matter how beautiful your theory is, it doesn't matter how smart you are. If it doesn't agree with experiment, it's wrong” Richard Feynman, Nobel Laureate in Physics


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Replies
[RC] OT - MSN article on biofuels with link to UN report, Karen Franklin