There are many good reasons to doubt the future of corn ethanol. (Not necessarily ethanol, but corn ethanol.)
This Washington Post article puts it in perspective.
But because of how corn ethanol currently is made, only about 20 percent of each gallon is “new” energy. That is because it takes a lot of “old” fossil energy [...]
Clemson University will lead a $1.2 million bioethanol research project to find the best way to produce plant-based fuels in South Carolina and the region. The US Department of Energy awarded the grant to Clemson, which will collaborate with DOE’s Savannah River National Laboratory in Aiken.
The purpose of the grant is to assess the potential [...]
Brilliant. Instead of changing infrastructure to accommodate ethanol or bio-diesel, why not change the fuel?
Sapphire Energy plans to use Algae to produce Gasoline.
Simple, and smart. These are the kind of things that could really be game changing.
http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/1687/70/
Earth2tech.com has a good review of cellulosic plants that are being built. I personally hold great hope for cellulosic ethanol as being a very promising technology for the future. Let’s keep out fingers crossed.
This report includes plans, and some interesting notes on where the funding has come from.
http://earth2tech.com/2008/06/03/12-companies-racing-to-build-cellulosic-ethanol-plants-in-the-us/
Since 1981, the top selling car in the US has not been a car, but a truck. The Ford F150 has consistently been the top selling vehicle. In May, in a remarkable change, the Honda Civic has jumped to the top of the list.
Is this a sea change? [...]
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