ecoangel
Well-Known Member
OK this is the thread for dicussing the ethical issues of using Bio Fuels whether Ethanol based (for petrol cars eg: E85) or Biodiesel for TDI motors (eg: B20 / B100). Not forgetting WVO (Waste Veggie Oil from takeaway outlets) and SVO = new cooking oil.
Let us be very clear on the differences between fuels and their sources. And also the changes from GEN1 to GEN2 fuels.
GEN1 : fuel made directly from plants like Corn, Rapeseed, Palm Oil, Nuts,
eg: For starters Ethanol: can be made from sugar cane (Brazil have done this for decades) or more controversially from corn - hence the fuel v food debate.
GEN2: Fuel made from any organic waste product or chemically engineered such as Synthetic fuels eg: Butanol from sawdust/wood chippings.
Plus Crops that do not reduce the planet's capacity for food production or forrest acreage.
eg: Jatropha trees planted in Arid and Semi Arid condictions that actually encourages the soil to retain water and assits in growing food crops in parallel.
The Well to Wheel debate:
Let's also think about how efficient the cars that consume bio fuels are. If your Chevy pickup does 16mpg on petrol how much ethanol made from corn would it use? Most likely 30% worse: ie: 11.2 mpg
Is that an efficient use of all that farmland?
On the other hand is Jeep right to say their vehicles use less energy than a Prius over the lifetime of the car including manufacture, delivery accross the globe, useage and final disposal / recycling?
enough from me for now.....over to you........
Let us be very clear on the differences between fuels and their sources. And also the changes from GEN1 to GEN2 fuels.
GEN1 : fuel made directly from plants like Corn, Rapeseed, Palm Oil, Nuts,
eg: For starters Ethanol: can be made from sugar cane (Brazil have done this for decades) or more controversially from corn - hence the fuel v food debate.
GEN2: Fuel made from any organic waste product or chemically engineered such as Synthetic fuels eg: Butanol from sawdust/wood chippings.
Plus Crops that do not reduce the planet's capacity for food production or forrest acreage.
eg: Jatropha trees planted in Arid and Semi Arid condictions that actually encourages the soil to retain water and assits in growing food crops in parallel.
The Well to Wheel debate:
Let's also think about how efficient the cars that consume bio fuels are. If your Chevy pickup does 16mpg on petrol how much ethanol made from corn would it use? Most likely 30% worse: ie: 11.2 mpg
Is that an efficient use of all that farmland?
On the other hand is Jeep right to say their vehicles use less energy than a Prius over the lifetime of the car including manufacture, delivery accross the globe, useage and final disposal / recycling?
enough from me for now.....over to you........