[Diy_efi] Is E85 worth it?

[Mike]

afaik the production of ethanol is not that efficient and it takes
lots of petro energy to even harvest it, so ethanol production is
equivalent to sizable petroleum loss :(

Of course we could use solar panels to drive the tractors and
hydrogen to heat the still, but then wouldnt that be the height
of thermodynamic absurdity if we didnt understand economics...

<sigh>

Mike


At 02:26 AM 8/26/06, you wrote:
>This "pipeline" factor is new to me. Why can't ethanol be piped?  
>Could it be if pre-mixed with petro?
>
>I don't see much mention in this thread of the geo-political  
>ramifications of using greater and greater amounts of ethanol. For  
>me, on balance, the upside is that less and less $ goes to petro  
>producing countries that turn around and funnel some of that wealth  
>into Islamic extremist organizations. Saudi Arabia and Iran are prime  
>examples.
>
>Fred
>
>
>On Aug 25, 2006, at 7:28 AM, Steve Ravet wrote
>>Farming is petroleum intensive work, with diesel fuel for equipment,
>>petroleum based fertilizers and pesticides.  Then add the fact that
>>ethanol can't go in a pipeline and has to be hauled everywhere by  
>>truck.
>>If you have to burn a gallon of diesel to make and transport a  
>>gallon of
>>ethanol then it's not very "hydrocarbon effective" either.  E85 is  
>>about
>>corporate welfare, and farming welfare queens.
>>
>>--steve
>
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Regards from


Mike
Perth, Western Australia
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