Alternative Fuels
May 2009 - In our brave new world we are faced with so many challenges and we need the facts. We hear about flex fuel and alternative fuels but exactly what are they and how do the work? Below is a brief description of many alternative fuels and how they are impacting our world.
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Biodiesel |
One of the first things that your will hear the
critics say is that biodiesel will cause food cost to go up.
U.S. biodiesel has a very small impact on food costs. In the past year, food prices have risen 5.1 percent. Only an estimated 0.2 - 0.6 percent of that total increase has been contributed to biofuels (biodiesel, ethanol, Cellulosic ethanol) production.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) the leading factor to higher food costs is the rising cost of crude oil, which over a four-year period, more than tripled from $40 a barrel to nearly $150 in July of 2008. Food often travels through multiple states, making it highly susceptible to fuel costs.
Sustainability can be defined as doing things efficiently to preserve resources and minimize environmental impacts, which describes biodiesel produced in the U.S.
Biodiesel has a significant positive energy balance. A 2007 update to the
USDA/DOE study found that for every unit of fossil energy it takes to make biodiesel, 3.5 units of energy are gained.
In the United States, more than 80% of estimated 2007 biodiesel production came from domestic soybean oil. A growing amount of biodiesel produced in the U.S. is also being made from other feedstocks such as recycled cooking oil, fats, and vegetable oils from other oilseed crops.
The USDA reports that U.S. acreage for crop production has not increased since 1959.
Major land use changes in the United States that would endanger environmentally sensitive lands are not expected due to biofuels. In fact, there are very solid federal and state laws in place to help ensure these lands remain undisturbed.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has calculated that of the land that could be used for agriculture today, only 3.7 billion acres of the 10.4 billion acres are used, and of that, only 1% of that area is used for biofuels, which includes ethanol.
According to U.S. Census data, the country currently has the equivalent of more than 400 million gallons of soybean oil sitting in inventory. The 2009 RFS goal is the use of 500 million gallons of biomass‐based diesel, which includes biodiesel. Soybean oil only represents half of the domestic raw materials available for biodiesel production in the United States.
Ethanol
Ethanol (sometimes called grain alcohol) is generally made in the United States from corn (a grain). It can also be made from biomass (a fancy name for organic materials), which includes agricultural crops and waste (like rice straw, switch grass and sugar beets), plant material left from logging, and trash including cellulose (paper). Brazil, which is by far the largest producer in the world, makes ethanol from sugar cane. Projects are now underway in California to convert some of the state's agricultural waste, like rice straw that is now burned in fields, into ethanol.
The alcohol found in alcoholic beverages is ethanol. Never swallow any type of motor fuel weather it is store-bought or homemade (the ethanol used for motor fuel is denatured , which means poison has been added so people can't drink it and ethanol made at home is way too strong for consumption)!
Methanol
Methanol (sometimes called wood alcohol) can be made from various biomass resources like wood), as well as from coal. However, today nearly all methanol fuels are made from natural gas, because it is cheaper.
Methanol is also very poisonous and very harmful if swallowed. Methanol must not be confused with ethanol. As with gasoline, it is also wise to avoid skin contact with methanol, as it can pass through the skin.
New Legislation Proposed For A Per Mile That You Drive
(Not Making This UP!)
What To Do About Gas Tax??
The price of gas has hurt everyone's pocket books. But Its not all going to the gas companies. The state and federal tax system is getting (maybe more) than their share. How much of that $3+ gas is going to your state and federal tax burden? What is it being used for??? So, if you are wondering how much these taxes are....
CLICK HERE
