Pooh Bear <rabbitsfriendsandrelations@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> writes:
> EatMe wrote:
>
> > With all due respect I would like to know where the fertilizer comes
> > from that grows the corn? Isn't it a petrochemical based product?
>
> Are you suggesting that *fertiliser* is what the plant actually consumes
> to grow ?
> I suggest you learn something about how plants grow. They existed before
> fertiliser you know !
>
> > Isn't there a net energy loss in the production of ethanol as an
> > alternative fuel, i.e., planting, fertilizing, growing and harvesting
> > require more than a gallon of oil to produce a gallon of ethanol?
>
> Not sure offhand but no different for gasoline if so. In fact, I looked
> at some of those kind of figures a while back and gasoline fared very
> badly.
>
> Viewing production of a fuel in terms relative to the fuel's energy
> content is 'poor science' anyway. At least until someone invents an
> engine that runs on 'pure energy' there will have to be a fuel used !
FWIW: Until about 1950, a sugar cane refinery on the
island of Maui produced enough energy from the cane to
operate the plant and provide all the electricity for
the island. Fermentation doesn't require much if any
energy. So there'd have to be a substantial net energy
loss from distillation to result in an overall loss in
producing ethanol as the Brazilians are doing.
