How do you guys feel about sugar-based ethanol?

[Meerkat]

Seems to be working for Brazil, and gasoline engines can be converted really easily. Sounds like a decent quick-fix against muslim nazi oil.

[syyuge]

Sugar-based ethanol should be strongly supported as an alternative to the Arabs.

[Dr. Dan]

Sounds yummy..but I hope it doesn't cause cavities.   

[Zelhar]

It is more economically viable then corn based ethanol, but still it can't and won't replace petroleum, perhaps dilute it to some extent. You just can't produce enough of it at economical prices to match global demand for motor fuel.

I think natgas is a much more suitable replacement for motor fuel. It can be used as compressed natgas to replace both diesel fuel and gasoline, and it can also be converted to methanol quite cheaply to be used as a liquid fuel replacement (or dilution).  Either way to use it doesn't require too much adaptation of infrastructure and engines.

In order to use crops based fuel efficiently there must be a technological breakthrough, one that will allow efficient converting of cellulose to fuel, or an efficient way to grow algae which yields vast quantities of oil.

[TruthSpreader]

Sugar-based ethanol should be strongly supported as an alternative to the Arabs.

Agreed.

[Meerkat]

It is more economically viable then corn based ethanol, but still it can't and won't replace petroleum, perhaps dilute it to some extent. You just can't produce enough of it at economical prices to match global demand for motor fuel.

I think natgas is a much more suitable replacement for motor fuel. It can be used as compressed natgas to replace both diesel fuel and gasoline, and it can also be converted to methanol quite cheaply to be used as a liquid fuel replacement (or dilution).  Either way to use it doesn't require too much adaptation of infrastructure and engines.

In order to use crops based fuel efficiently there must be a technological breakthrough, one that will allow efficient converting of cellulose to fuel, or an efficient way to grow algae which yields vast quantities of oil.

south america isn't the only place to grow the stuff. its also grown in India, China. DR Congo and vicinity has a huge unexploited sugar potential.

even if ethanol can't fully replace petrol, we can pass laws against patent trolling to get electric cars, and then there is Hydrogen (as a medium).

[angryChineseKahanist]

Don't ask us.
Ask obongo. He's the king. He's the one blocking all innovation.
They were able to burn dog krap in California.

[Rubystars]

Sounds yummy..but I hope it doesn't cause cavities.   

Does eating sugar as opposed to other foods actually make people more prone to cavities? I always thought it was more the hygeine than the foods themselves even though I know that bacteria in the mouth can feed on sugar.

[Sveta]

JTF had an article on the old pre-forum website about Brazil and energy independence.

[briann]

It is more economically viable then corn based ethanol, but still it can't and won't replace petroleum, perhaps dilute it to some extent. You just can't produce enough of it at economical prices to match global demand for motor fuel.

I think natgas is a much more suitable replacement for motor fuel. It can be used as compressed natgas to replace both diesel fuel and gasoline, and it can also be converted to methanol quite cheaply to be used as a liquid fuel replacement (or dilution).  Either way to use it doesn't require too much adaptation of infrastructure and engines.

In order to use crops based fuel efficiently there must be a technological breakthrough, one that will allow efficient converting of cellulose to fuel, or an efficient way to grow algae which yields vast quantities of oil.

Wow, exactly what I was gonna say.  My uncle specializes in this area... and he too said the exact same thing... Only natural gas is a viable alternative......

[Nachus]

 


There must be many methods of creating an alternative energy source with abundant resources that can be purified
and refined effectively and safely used in gasoline tanks. After all, what happens when petrol possibly runs low or out? If the oil companies want to patent it fine as long as it is reasonably priced for the consumer and allows them to
continue their profits then everone is happy and it is not at anyone's expense. Just a thought on how to get on the
road to energy independence, hopefully realistic.

[Meerkat]

What are your thoughts on invoking Eminent Domain for the EV battery patents owned by oil companies? Then we can have part of the market go with sugar ethanol and the other with good EVs.

[Zelhar]

What are your thoughts on invoking Eminent Domain for the EV battery patents owned by oil companies? Then we can have part of the market go with sugar ethanol and the other with good EVs.

Do you know for a fact that some old patents held by oil companies are what keeping vehicle batteries so expensive ? I don't know if it is so and I doubt it is. I think that in this case the government should still focus on further R&D and not give anything for mass production, like Obama is doing with dismal consequences. Because what happened is you have companies spending easy government lawns on factories and unnecessary management and lavish headquarters and then they find out that what they are selling just has no demand for in the real market and they go bankrupt, with a Chinese government controlled adversary taking over their intellectual property.

[Nachus]

 


Great question. Not being any absolute authority on this specific issue, I can only conjure up ideas as to how this objective of energy independence can be achieved. To answer this more accurately and directly, I can bottom line it
by saying that all feasible options must be considered.

[Dr. Dan]

Well since there is 41% unemployment, we can employ some people to push our cars for us.

[cjd]

Well since there is 41% unemployment, we can employ some people to push our cars for us.

Don't joke another 4 years of the shvartza President and it might be in the cards... For a while after  the fuel shortage back in the late 70's I remember seeing a few rickshaws  being pulled around midtown Manhattan by some ridiculous looking white men... The pullers were always too skinny and the riders always seemed to be way  too fat... Needless to say the trend did not last very long 

[cjd]

Seems to be working for Brazil, and gasoline engines can be converted really easily. Sounds like a decent quick-fix against muslim nazi oil.

It works for Brazil because they have a sugar crop and it might be cost effective for them to work with that instead of importing outside oil... In our case not only do we have to import the sugar product it has to be converted into fuel... Sounds like a expensive proposition...  We could also use corn sugar as a substitute but as you may have noticed in the food stores the price of foods like beef and corn chips and other corn based foods  has gone through the roof... Another problem is the fact that there is just not enough fresh water around to grow the amount of crop needed to feed the population and produce fuel... Personally I think a more viable route is shale oil, fuel from coal, and natural gas... You would be surprised how nice cars run on natural gas or propane with only a modest amount of modifications.

[briann]

Well since there is 41% unemployment, we can employ some people to push our cars for us.

Or pull them: