Re: BRAZIL'S ALCOHOL-POWERED CAR

North wrote: 
Stuart Grey <stuart.grey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:5KOdnaV3LqkNM0beRVn-pA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

§§§ Raven §§§ wrote:

North wrote:


From Mother Earth News: Issue #66 - November/December 1980 

ANd now in 2006 we know that it would take more oil to
grow enough corn to service all our automobile fuel needs
than we are currently using in gasolene......


Yes... and no. Of course, you don't need to use oil or alcohol to fire
the still. You can use coal, sugar cane husks or anything else that
burns. The idea is to make a liquid fuel that can be used in cars. You
can use low entropy fuels to do that.

The Brazilians use the sugar cane husks as fuel for their stills.

You get about 150 gallons (of gasoline equivelent) per acre using the
Brazilian method. To replace the US gasoline supply would require about
1/3 of the US land area be dedicated to alcohol farms. The cost would be
incredible; consider that at current prices of gasoline is around
$2.30/gal, then you're talking about a profit much lower than $345/acre.
I can grow a lot of things for better money than that - Sugar, for
example! And this land has to have a lot of water available, and be of a
southern latitude. Alaska and the Western US is not an option.



Look, the idea is 'not' to 'replace' gasoline with alcohol, but to give me
the 'option' or ' choice' to burn it.

Look, if it doesn't make sense on the large scale, it doesn't make sense on the small scale.

When you go to costco and find the 50 lb bags of sugar cheap enough for you to refine into alcohol that is CHEAPER than gasoline, then it's time to consider small scale production. Until then, it's just stupid.

My 1980 datsun truck is dual fuel. I can run run either gasoline or alcohol.

BFD. My Ford Ranger can run on gasoline or alcohol, too. The difference between us is that this fact doesn't lead me to irrational conclusions.

As it stands now, there's no 'alcohol' pump at the fueling station. I'd like
that choice. The idea is to reduce demand on gasoline, thus 'conserving'
supplys.

You'd like that choice? Sorry, but to few people are willing to pay $10/gal for alcohol, when gas is still $2.30/gal. You eco-socialist would love to dictate to the companies that they had to give you that "choice", but that's just not freedom or liberty.

The fueling station of the future will offer : Gasoline, Alcohol, Gas-o-hal,
diesel, pure bio-diesel, and Hydrogen.

Not likely. Too expensive to offer so many alternatives. There is cost savings in standardization. That's why so many people like you use Microsoft Windows.

Give the consumer the choice. Give the consumer more fuel options. This will
reduce over all demand on crude for gasoline, and thats the whole idea.


It's not about choice, it's about supply and demand.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: BRAZILS ALCOHOL-POWERED CAR
    ... The idea is to make a liquid fuel that can be used in cars. ... To replace the US gasoline supply would require about 1/3 of the US land area be dedicated to alcohol farms. ... consider that at current prices of gasoline is around $2.30/gal, then you're talking about a profit much lower than $345/acre. ... I can grow a lot of things for better money than that - Sugar, ...
    (misc.survivalism)
  • Re: Brazils Alcohol-Powered Car
    ... The idea is to make a liquid fuel that can be used in cars. ... To replace the US gasoline supply would require about 1/3 of the US land area be dedicated to alcohol farms. ... consider that at current prices of gasoline is around $2.30/gal, then you're talking about a profit much lower than $345/acre. ... I can grow a lot of things for better money than that - Sugar, ...
    (misc.survivalism)
  • Re: BRAZILS ALCOHOL-POWERED CAR
    ... Mixtures with gasoline and adding costly fuel heating and conditioning can allievate some of that. ... Try starting that alcohol engine in Fairbanks some January morning. ... in the last five or so years that the energy budget for ethanol production has passed break-even but it stands, depending on who's numbers you buy, at up to plus 35% for EtOH. ...
    (misc.survivalism)
  • Re: Mixing alcohol with gasoline
    ... Alcohol has a lower BTU value than gasoline. ... they are adding to your fuel, you are going to be seeing less power. ...
    (rec.aviation.homebuilt)
  • Re: Mixing alcohol with gasoline
    ... Alcohol has a lower BTU value than gasoline. ... they are adding to your fuel, you are going to be seeing less power. ... Depending on the type of alcohol being used to adulterate your fuel ...
    (rec.aviation.homebuilt)