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Your Personal Source of Information for and about Energy Independence |
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2006 Annual Energy Outlook, with Projections to 2030. Courtesy:Pioneer Hi-Bred Ethanol From Wikipedia
Currently the main feedstock in the United States for the production of ethanol is corn, but trials of a new crop, switchgrass, are showing much greater yields. The dominant ethanol feedstock in warmer regions is sugarcane. In some parts of Europe, particularly France and Italy, wine is used as a feedstock due to massive oversupply. The largest single use of ethanol is as a motor fuel and fuel additive. The largest national fuel ethanol industries exist in Brazil. The Brazilian ethanol industry is based on sugarcane; as of 2004, Brazil produces 14 billion liters annually, enough to replace about 40% of its gasoline demand. Also as a result, they announced their independence from Middle East oil in April 2006. Most new cars sold in Brazil are flexible-fuel vehicles that can run on ethanol, gasoline, or any blend of the two. In addition, all fuel sold in Brazil contains at least 25% ethanol. The products of the combustion of pure ethanol and pure oxygen (under ideal conditions) are water and carbon dioxide. The chemical combustion reaction of pure ethanol with pure oxygen is: C2H6O + 3 O2 → 2 CO2 + 3 H2O. However, the general reaction with stoichiometric air (normal atmospheric air) will produce a combination of water, carbon dioxide and an oxide of nitrogen. Nitrogen monoxide and nitrogen dioxide are possible products depending on combustion temperatures and reaction conditions. The United States fuel ethanol industry is based largely on corn. As of 2005, its capacity is 15 billion liters annually. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 requires U.S. fuel ethanol production to increase to 28 billion liters (7.5 billion gallons) by 2012. In the United States, ethanol is most commonly blended with gasoline as a blend of up to 10% ethanol, known as E10 and nicknamed "gasohol". This blend is widely sold throughout the U.S. Midwest, which contains the nation's chief corn-growing centers. In 2005, the Indy Racing League announced its cars will run on a 10% ethanol - 90% methanol blend fuel, and in 2007, the cars will race on 100% ethanol.
USA Energy Independence Thailand, India, China and Japan have now launched their national gasohol policies. Thailand started blending 10% ethanol for its ULG95 in 1985; now there are more than 4000 stations serving E10. The blending of 10% ethanol into 95 RON gasoline will be mandated by the end of 2006 and into 91 RON gasoline by the end of 2010. It is expected that once the production of ethanol from cassava and sugar cane molasses can be ramped up, a higher blending ratio like E20 or E85 or even Flexible Fuel Vehicles will be introduced to Thailand. Ethanol with a water content of 2% or less can be used as the alcohol in the production of biodiesel, replacing methanol, which is quite dangerous to work with. General Motors of Canada are preparing the launch of E85 flex-fuel vehicles, and will be sold at the same price as their gasoline-only versions. Most of these new vehicles are being produced in Oshawa, Ontario. General Motors in the United States states they have over 2 million vehicles on the road in all 50 states that are capable of running under a 85% ethanol-15% gasoline blend known as E85. In 2006, GM will produce more than 400,000 flexible fuel vehicles annually -- vehicles that can also operate on gasoline or E85 ethanol without any modifications or special switches. Unfortunately, ethanol cannot be transported by pipeline due to its chemical volatility. It currently is transported by railways and barges. Also some of the problems experienced with ethanol include:
Ethanol has only 66% of the energy content of gasoline (in terms of lower heating value with units of "BTU/US gallons"). Some believe butanol fuel is a better option since it can be made from the same corn and other natural products. It works in all existing cars not just flex fuel ones. It gets better gas-mileage than gasoline or ethanol and provides better octane levels. It also pollutes less than ethanol or gasoline per mile.
BioDiesel From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Biodiesel Feedstock
A variety of oils can be used to produce biodiesel. These include:
Worldwide production of vegetable oil and animal fat is not yet sufficient to replace liquid fossil fuel use. Furthermore, some environmental groups object to the vast amount of farming and the resulting over-fertilization, pesticide use, and land use conversion that would be needed to produce the additional vegetable oil. Many advocates suggest that waste vegetable oil is the best source of oil to produce biodiesel. However, the available supply is drastically less than the amount of petroleum-based fuel that is burned for transportation and home heating in the world. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), restaurants in the US produce about 300 million US gallons (1,000,000 m³) of waste cooking oil annually.[1] Although it is economically profitable to use WVO to produce biodiesel, it is even more profitable to convert WVO into other products such as soap. Hence, most WVO that is not dumped into landfills is used for these other purposes. Animal fats are similarly limited in supply, and it would not be efficient to raise animals simply for their fat. However, producing biodiesel with animal fat that would have otherwise been discarded could replace a small percentage of petroleum diesel usage. The estimated transportation fuel and home heating oil used in the United States is about 230,000 million US gallons (870 million m³) (Briggs, 2004). Waste vegetable oil and animal fats would not be enough to meet this demand. In the United States, estimated production of vegetable oil for all uses is about 23,600 million pounds (10,700,000 t) or 3,000 million US gallons (11,000,000 m³)), and estimated production of animal fat is 11,638 million pounds (5,279,000 t). (Van Gerpen, 2004) Biodiesel feedstock plants utilize photosynthesis to convert solar energy into chemical energy. The stored chemical energy is released when it is burned, therefore plants can offer a sustainable oil source for biodiesel production. Most of the carbon dioxide emitted when burning biodiesel is simply recycling that which was absorbed during plant growth, so the net production of greenhouse gasses is small. Feedstock yield efficiency per acre affects the feasibility of ramping up production to the huge industrial levels required to power a signifcant percentage of national or world vehicles. The highest yield feedstock for biodiesel is hydroponic algae, which can produce 250 times the amount per acre as soybeans. [1]
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Clean coal 'both green and competitive CANADIAN MINING PERSPECTIVES: VIEWPOINT - West Hawk tests coal-to ... Coal creates burning dilemma Coal exports tipped to jump Anglo Coal Clean coal technology Coal Supplier Tender for Power Plant Completed BPE Dangles Mineral Titles and Coal Blocs Specifications changed after receiving coal PGN to produce coal bed methane in cooperation with three foreign ...
Long-term energy woes will drive up gas prices again Turner blasts Tory ‘establishment' Oil sands needs high prices: Nexen CEO
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President George W. Bush addressed the Renewable Energy Conference in St. Louis, Mo., Thursday, Oct. 12, 2006. The President discussed the development of new energy sources that reduce America's consumption of oil, such as hydrogen. "Ultimately, in my judgment, one of the ways to make sure that we become fully less dependent on oil is through hydrogen. And we're spending $1.2 billion to encourage hydrogen fuel cells. It's coming, it's coming," said the President. "It's an interesting industry evolution, to think about your automobiles being powered by hydrogen, and the only emission is water vapor." Photo
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Find an e85 Station BIOFUELS/BIODIESEL Biodiesel trial in buses a wise fiscal decision Oahu station will pump biodiesel Guidelines to the proper handling of biodiesel fuel Southeast Asia's Clean Air Conundrum Biodiesel To Contribute Significantly To GHope's Future Profits Wednesday roundup: Cantwell and biodiesel, a new VP at Zillow, etc ... GHope expansion moves in full swing Texas distributor investing in biodiesel Coastal Sweeping & Maintenance now using biodiesel State and county officials meet to discuss biodiesel future alternative fuels Governor campaigns in California for alternative fuels GMAC team on a roll BRIAN VICKERS The State - Columbia, SC, USA ...Fuel cells convert hydrogen and oxygen into energy while emitting water vapor. Hydrogen has been touted as a replacement for oil and other fossil fuels. ... Opposition rejects far north Qld nuclear power plant idea RoK shares experience on nuclear power development Seminar on nuclear power held in capital German Nuclear Power Plant Taken Offline for Repairs Hu may sign N-power accord with Musharraf Parties call for end to nuclear power Townsville Enterprise plays down nuclear power debate
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To plan or not to plan for USA Energy Independence
DRAGLINE - Anglo Coal Australia chooses Bucyrus
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Talking to attendees, seeing the exciting products, processes and technologies that exhibitors were showcasing, and listening to the speakers who are some of the brightest and most influential men and women in this country soon made me realize that there is reason for optimism about renewable energy and USA Energy Independence. 
We invite you over the next few weeks to read the comments made by some of the speakers at the Advancing Alternative Energy Conference right here at | Wouldn't it be great if we could all have water powered cars? | |
Internal Combustion: How Corporations and Governments Addicted the World to Oil and Derailed the Alternatives
by Edwin Black
Gingrich outlines plan for "Sustainable Energy Independence"
The American Eleven: A Values-Led Plan for Victory in November by Newt Gingrich
7. Achieve Sustainable Energy Independence. The country is eager for a straightforward new energy strategy for national security, environmental and economic reasons. The combination of $3 gasoline, watching Iran, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia and Russia get more of our money, and concerns about the environment come together to require real change. The House should meet that need. Starting with Rep. Jim Nussle's (R-Iowa) bill on renewable fuels, adding to it clean nuclear power using new technologies that are safe and produce little waste, developing more clean coal solutions, investing in a conversion to a hydrogen economy, incentivizing conservation, providing tax credits so the auto industry can invest in the new technology and new manufacturing equipment needed to produce revolutionary new vehicles, creating the tax incentives to build the distribution system for biofuels, hybrids, and hydrogen, providing deeper tax incentives for radically better cars (imagine a substantial tax credit for cars exceeding 200 miles to the gallon of petroleum through a combination of E-85 or biodiesel, hybrid use of electricity and hydrogen), and a bill to create state flexibility in exploring off shore with a 50% split in revenue so state legislatures and governors would have an incentive to develop environmentally sound methods of exploration and production.
BMW to roll out hydrogen-powered 7 Series MUNICH (Reuters) - BMW will roll out the world's first hydrogen-burning car in serial production early next year, the German premium automaker said on Tuesday, eager to put its stamp on cars with green credentials.
Homeowner’s Guide to Energy Independence Seminar
YourHub.com - Denver, CO, USA
... 18 where author Christine Woodside will discuss her new book The Homeowner's Guide to Energy Independence. The Homeowner's Guide ...
Oil crunch: US Energy Department study concludes crude production ...
Houston Chronicle - United States
... led by Robert Hirsch, warned that the world should be spending $1 trillion per year developing alternative energy sources — including tarsands, oil shale ...
PRESIDENT’S INTERACTION WITH THE SCIENTISTS OF KUDANKULAM ...
Press Information Bureau (press release) - New Delhi, India
... Hence, I have selected the topic "energyindependence". ... There, I mentioned that EnergyIndependence has to be our nation’s highest priority. ...
Sen. Obama Calls for EnergyIndependence
Georgetown University News, Calendars & Events - Washington,DC,USA
... days after September 11th, Americans were waiting to be called to something bigger than themselves” and said the "battle around energyindependence is our ...
Nokia claims fuelcells for mobiles still 'years away'
Fuel Cell Today (press release) - UK
Mobile phone manufacturing giant Nokia has said that fuelcells used to power mobile phones are still "years away" from becoming commercially available ...
Smart Energy Use
Every year a huge amount of energy is wasted. You can help save energy by doing simple things like turning off the lights when you leave a room, powering off your video games when you're done playing, and keeping the windows and doors closed when the air conditioner is running.
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EPAct Anniversary The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct) provides a long-term strategy to confront our energy challenges in a balanced, comprehensive and environmentally sensitive way.
PSO buying into idea of wind power
KOTV - Tulsa, OK, USA
TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- Public Service Company of Oklahoma is announcing plans to buy all the wind-generated electricity produced by a wind farm that will be ...
Siemens Wind Power secures order for the largest European wind...
PressZoom (press release) - Amsterdam, Netherlands
... In fall 2005, Siemens PG’s wind power division signed an agreement for Burbo Banks, its first offshore project in the United Kingdom. ...
Iberdrola Buys Two US Wind-Power Developers for $38 Million
Bloomberg - USA
... Group Inc. as the world's largest wind-power generator. Galan has pledged to spend about 3 billion euros through 2009 on wind power. ...
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