Ditch the whole plan it stinks 
Alternative fuel source?
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Senior User
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From: eastern nc
Alternative fuel source?
I read an article brought in by one of my employees and thought I would share. http://www.valcent.net/i/pdf/2008-04-01_CNN.pdf This is the link.
If this has already made its rounds, my apologies for re-running.
ck
If this has already made its rounds, my apologies for re-running.
ck
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Charlotte, NC
Good article. And good idea.
Don't worry....It might have been posted within one of our many energy threads, but it's good to remind people of stuff like this.
What should be the most glaring asset is the yield per acre.....What did the article say? 100,000 gallons of 'fuel' per acre for the algae?......(vs 30-gallons of ethanol per acre of corn; and 50-gallons of biodiesel per acre of soybeans).....That is AWESOME! And algae isn't competing with feedstocks and the human food supply either, unlike ethanol (and to a much lesser extent, biodiesel from soybeans....which also utilizes WASTE oil)....
Also consider, the algae is producing biodiesel, which is just as efficient as dino-diesel (and some say, has even more benefits.....like much less of a pollutant factor, and more lubricity)......So the efficiency of diesel itself isn't degraded. Contrast this with ethanol (from corn), which is less efficient than regular gasoline---which in turn is less efficient than diesel!
I just don't see the price of algae tortillas rising because of the increased use of algae for diesel (haha)
Don't worry....It might have been posted within one of our many energy threads, but it's good to remind people of stuff like this.
What should be the most glaring asset is the yield per acre.....What did the article say? 100,000 gallons of 'fuel' per acre for the algae?......(vs 30-gallons of ethanol per acre of corn; and 50-gallons of biodiesel per acre of soybeans).....That is AWESOME! And algae isn't competing with feedstocks and the human food supply either, unlike ethanol (and to a much lesser extent, biodiesel from soybeans....which also utilizes WASTE oil)....
Also consider, the algae is producing biodiesel, which is just as efficient as dino-diesel (and some say, has even more benefits.....like much less of a pollutant factor, and more lubricity)......So the efficiency of diesel itself isn't degraded. Contrast this with ethanol (from corn), which is less efficient than regular gasoline---which in turn is less efficient than diesel!
I just don't see the price of algae tortillas rising because of the increased use of algae for diesel (haha)
Gone but not forgotten.
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Government Teat-sucker
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Virginia Beach
Follow the money and you'll figure out why it will be a long time for it to get off the ground. How do you expect the politicians to stop collecting on their ethanol bids? They would have to give up too much for that to happen. What they don't realize is that the one that gets this technology going and into production is going to be every one's hero.
Post Fiend
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From: Paradise Found!
We have discussed this before in the bio forum. What most people don't realize is the effect it will have on CO2 emissions. The US has the biggest coal reserves on the planet, but burning coal is "dirty". BUT.......the biggest pollutant they produce is CO2!!!! Guess what Bio-algae thrives on......YEP CO2!!! MIT has had a pilot plant quietly running for 2 years on the CO2 from a coal fired plant, and making biodiesel with it. The biggest challenge right now is coming up with strains of algae that produce the most oil. When this new technology goes "mainstream" the US will be able to burn coal for electricity, and make BILLIONS of gallons of fuel each year.
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Post Fiend
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From: Enjoying the real world.
This faces huge hurdles, such as the amount of space needed to produce it, prevention of mutation which can devastate yield, and major problems with economical and large scale extraction. This company has been producing "advertorial" content for tv, newspaper and magazines for a few years, hyping while attempting to discount the hurdles it faces.
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From: eastern nc
As an update, I viewed some of a story on the Weather Channel pertaining to Earth Day. They made a comment about a number of alternative fuels including Algae, they said it would be within the next decade before they have it under large scale production. They are trying to deal with carbon dioxide in the air not being pure enough for sustained production but, what comes out of the coal fired power plants seems to be pretty good and may be the answer. Build the Algae farm beside the coal fired power plant and pipe the emissions to the farm & help clean the them up.
I didn't see the whole clip and there could have been more to it than what I heard.
ck
I didn't see the whole clip and there could have been more to it than what I heard.
ck
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Charlotte, NC
Hey, CK.....You and your algae scheme (haha) got honorably-mentioned in my 'ethanol: needed or needless' thread. Come on over and join if you with....We're arguing abount ANWR right now......
Posting Guru
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From: Wendover, NV.
If they can get it working, great. One error I noticed in the article. An acre of corn produces more than just 30 gallons of ethanol. According to one source an acre of corn will produce about 150 gallons of ethanol but if you take that same acre and grow sugar beets or sugar cane and you can produce about 500 gallons of ethanol.
The source is the book Back to Basics and I was using my own terminology not a quote.
The source is the book Back to Basics and I was using my own terminology not a quote.
Post Fiend
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From: Charlotte, NC
For some reason, jarod17....I believe your numbers more....
Just to keep the information highway moving on this thread, can you post the link?.....Or the source?.....
We're all about accuracy here!....
p.s. You're brand new here......WELCOME TO FTE! (in case no one welcomed you).
Steve
Just to keep the information highway moving on this thread, can you post the link?.....Or the source?.....
We're all about accuracy here!....
p.s. You're brand new here......WELCOME TO FTE! (in case no one welcomed you).
Steve
Posting Guru
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From: Wendover, NV.
Thank you for the welcome.
The book is called "Back To Basics how to learn and enjoy traditional American skills" it is published by readers digest. My copy has a copyright from 1981. As the title suggests, it is not a book about bio-fuel but there is a section in it on alternative fuels and energy for your house and your vehicles. Pg's 76 to 123 are about alternative energy. Here is a quote from pg. 123:
"Different crops will produce different yields of ethanol. An acre of sugarcane or sugar beets will yield about 500 gallons of alcohol; the same acreage of potatoes about 250 gallons; corn about 150 gallons; and wheat about 75 gallons."
The book is called "Back To Basics how to learn and enjoy traditional American skills" it is published by readers digest. My copy has a copyright from 1981. As the title suggests, it is not a book about bio-fuel but there is a section in it on alternative fuels and energy for your house and your vehicles. Pg's 76 to 123 are about alternative energy. Here is a quote from pg. 123:
"Different crops will produce different yields of ethanol. An acre of sugarcane or sugar beets will yield about 500 gallons of alcohol; the same acreage of potatoes about 250 gallons; corn about 150 gallons; and wheat about 75 gallons."
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