From: Patrick Jankowiak (recycler@swbell.net)
Date: Sun Apr 30 2006 - 17:27:11 PDT
My uncle the farmer told me that suger cane would grow just fine in central
some notes from the CIA world factbook:
Now look upon God's bounty by which we have too much food to eat, most of
But to discuss the statements below:
So instead of 70%, only 9.625% of the farmland would have to be converted
PJ
MV wrote:
> Sorry Sonny,
Texas, but for the increased water requirement. That makes it uneconomical
in many cases. -and in his case as he's growing sorghum and maize, perhaps
they pay better. He has cattle so that is part of it too.
USA arable land: 18% area
USA permanent crops 0.21% area
it coming from that and much of the arable land is used somewhat
inefficiently for beef production. Ok corn won't cut it, but cane would, if
we have the water resources.
I believe that corn gives you an output of 1.1 to 1 versus input, and sugar
cane gives more like 8 to 1. more labor intensive to harvest. (examine Brazil)
if cane were grown. Oh, and the illegal alien 'jobs' issue solved -let them
stay to do the work, who knows, maybe one of them will invent a machine to
do it better. So much for political correctness, and no I have no proof
about cane's yield, heard it from an 'expert' on a talk show as well.
>
> I was listening to the radio yesterday while driving and they had a guy
> on who has done a lot of analysis of Alcohol as a motor fuel also. He
> basically said that Alcohol really isn't a solution either. The energy
> balance equation just doesn't work - ie amount of energy to produce
> alcohol vs the amount of energy obtained from alcohol doesn't work.
>
> He also said that if we decided to go all alcohol - and skip petro (if
> this was in fact possible) we would have to convert 70% all of the
> farmland in the US to raising corn. And then we would have to import
> corn to feed us. His solution was to forget about Alcohol other than as
> an additive to get rid of that MTBE stuff that used to be added as an
> anti-knock agent, but is now being phased out.
>
> So Sonny, I'm sorry to tell you that you are simply more screwed than
> you first thought. (:-<)
>
> Unfortunately, you are not alone.
>
> Dave
>
>
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> Sonny Heath wrote:
>
>> Leave my hero alone, will ya?
>>
>> Sonny
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "MV" <MV@dc9.tzo.com>
>> To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
>> Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2006 12:56 PM
>> Subject: Re: [MV] Gas Prices/Alcohol as a solution
>>
>>
>>>
>>> The idea of using ethanol as a substitute for oil should be looked at
>>> carefully. I have heard many times that the amount of energy
>>> necessary to produce alcohol exceeded the energy value obtained from
>>> the same amount of alcohol. I do a lot of work with a major
>>> distillery and they go through a tremendous amount of coal to produce
>>> ethanol for beverages. And that is after the corn and grain has been
>>> planted, fertilized, harvested, and then transported to the
>>> distillery - all of which consume plain diesel fuel (tractor and
>>> truck fuel) and natural gas (fertilizer). They really don't care
>>> though (to some extent) since coal is fairly cheap and they get big
>>> bucks for a gallon of beverage alcohol. The quality standards are a
>>> lot higher than vehicle alcohol.
>>>
>>> Take a look at this:
>>>
>>> http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/03/050329132436.htm
>>>
>>> Several different people have come to similar conclusions. Do a web
>>> search - this is nothing new.
>>>
>>> Indiana is pushing biofuels really hard right now. I have heard that
>>> the break-even price for making ethanol from corn is $2.90/gallon
>>> with government subsidies. Gee, what is gas going for now?? But
>>> Indiana also grows a lot of corn and soybeans - so you should not be
>>> surprised that governor Mitch (got a highway to sell) Daniels is
>>> pushing that.
>>>
>>> We have a huge amount of coal in this country - 250 years worth the
>>> last I heard. I think it is time we start using some of those
>>> resources to produce petro products.
>>>
>>> Of course if we start doing that I'm sure that George got-gas? Bush,
>>> and Dick - I got a gun - Cheney will put Exxon on the job so they
>>> can make sure that we pay the proper price. Perhaps Haliburton can
>>> help also?
>>>
>>> Sooner or later we are going to have to electn some politicians that
>>> do what is good for the people - not what is good for big oil, corn
>>> growers, auto companies, Saudi Arabia, Casino operators, etc. Until
>>> then - we are our own worst enemy.
>>>
>>> We are operating under the golden rule now- those that have the gold,
>>> rule.
>>>
>>> Dave
>>> With a thirsty M-51 gasser with empty tanks. (:-<)
>>>
>>>
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>>>
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>>>
>>
>>
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>>
>
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>
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