In a message dated 4/12/00 1:20:57 PM Central Daylight Time,
vandergraaft@aecl.ca writes:
<<
I have no problems with using alcohol as a fuel. In fact, for about three
years I used "gasohol" in the Olds Custom Cruiser until the carburetor
started to leak as a result (I was told) of the ethanol dissolving the
gaskets.<
When the Dallas area started using unleaded, the fuel delimitated the
dropheads' fuel pump. Just a maintenance problem.
>> Once grain has been produced, the process of destroying it will
generate CO2 and H2O, regardless whether it is eaten directly, indirectly
via livestock, or burned in an internal combustion engine (although the
internal combustion engine will produce Nox). Basically, alcohol-powered
cars are "solar powered."<<
The actual emission from tail pipes is water vapor.
>> And as long as there is no starvation in places
like Sudan, Ethiopia, or Mozambique, go for it.<<
The food problems of these places is of their own political problem. When I
was young it was the poor starving Chinese.
>>Keep in mind, though, that growing grain also takes energy, in the form of
producing the fertilizer,<<
You have perhaps heard of organic farming? The land will grow something no
matter what.
>> gasoline/diesel fuel to plow the field and harvest the corn, etc.<<
The reason farmers were producing fuel alcohol in the first place was for
self sufficiency and to use rotting crops.
>>The second law of thermodynamics is tough to beat! <<
Again the reason this died in '73-74 was due to politics (FDA, BATF, etc.).
Curiously in Brazil even Ford offers a sedan which is alcohol fueled. Volvo
of course ran a test vehicle (very successful) using vegetable oil in a
diesel engine. Technically there is no problem, just politically. The
federal governments can deal with large organizations but not fragmented
ones.
>>As an aside, if we (US/Canada) are really self sufficient in oil and gas,
why would an OPEC decision to cut back on fuels result in an increase in
gasoline prices? Why not start up those pumps in Texas, Alaska, and Alberta
and oil the economy? And, if there is more oil and gas than we can use, why
is the price going up? If I owned an oil company, I'd sell as much as I
could now because who knows if the stuff is worth anything in the future.<<
We are sufficient. Again particularly the Clinton administration is removing
our independents perhaps for more campaign contributions.
Harris
|