Dersu Uzala <none@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> writes
>How much land, water, and fertilzer is needed to produce how much
alt-fuels?
>
I reviewed this (several years ago) and from memory the overall energy
balance was a very slight gain for bioethanol, but a substantial gain
(about 3.5:1) for bio-rapeoil. Both analyses EXCLUDED the energy content
of the waste meals/straws.
The analysis include terms for cultivations etc and even the energy cost
of making the tractors.
The basic problem with ethanol is the energy cost of fermentaion (its
exothermic) and distillation. Its not a very sensible way to use
biofuels because its overall very inefficient.
The most efficient was burning wheat or maize directly.
There are problems burning grains directly in that they tend to produce
high NOx and Sox in the flue gas. Their big advantage is that they are a
consistent and easily handleable product that flows easily. Note that
this problem does NOT apply to bio-oils or stems/woods which are rather
clean.
--
Oz
This post is worth absolutely nothing and is probably fallacious.
