Re: What is the technical name for this kind of energy?

AKA Gray Asphalt wrote:

I meant to say ... that if there is enough crop to produce ethanol then how come there isn't enough crop to produce corn oil to use directly as a fuel? Diesel engines ran on corn oil before diesel as they were developed for farm work. Not sure about the last but very sure about the fact they ran on vegetable oil before petroleum.



Hi Gray,
I don't know if you are just trolling, or just not listening...

Ethanol from corn is a vote buying scheme to purchase the votes of millions of farmers and those in farming communities. It takes an energy intensive biomass source - corn - and creates a fuel from it, with typical losses of 5-15%, i.e. you input a gallon of diesel fuel energy, and get .9 gallons worth of energy out. It makes econonic sense only because the government is subsidizing the process.

While corn oil is probably better in energy efficiency, it still isn't very good. Corn is a foodstuff, not an energy feedstock. If you are truly trying to produce biodiesel, you pick the source with the greatest abount of oil production, not that tastes good.

Charlie
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Civic Hybrid -- gas/electric usage
    ... A buddy of mine, on a complete lark, went and bought a used Beetle diesel. ... 47K miles on it. ... since that recent octane thread we had, i've been doing a little more reading around on the subject of calorific content for gasoline, and there really is a /huge/ reluctance by anyone to quote figures for the energy content of their fuel. ...
    (rec.autos.makers.honda)
  • Re: Hydrogen boosted diesel engine
    ... This supposedly increases both power and fuel mileage. ... just diesel, it uses electricity from the alternator to generate ... hydrogen gas from the water. ... free energy scam. ...
    (rec.outdoors.rv-travel)
  • Re: Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel
    ... There may also be a minor decrease in the energy content, ... To achieve the sulfur requirements for the new fuel standards, diesel manufacturers include an additive to keep the fuel flowing smoothly, and to prevent engine damage. ... No biodiesel station around? ...
    (misc.transport.trucking)
  • Re: Diesel for Diamond DA40?
    ... Diesel fuel has a higher energy ... You burn less fuel per HP produced. ... actually the energy density by weight is about the same. ... extend your range through better efficiency AND the higher energy content ...
    (rec.aviation.piloting)
  • Re: Woohoo...petrol down again.
    ... wastes more of the energy as heat so you use less diesel to go the ... The fuel economy of the vehicle is a separate issue to the carbon ...
    (uk.transport)
Quantcast