Comments on: Green Gasoline http://www.sciencentral.com/video/2008/09/19/green-gasoline/ Making Sense of Science Tue, 6 Jan 2009 13:33:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Joyce_Gramza http://www.sciencentral.com/video/2008/09/19/green-gasoline/#comment-921 Joyce_Gramza Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:03:13 +0000 http://www.sciencentral.com/video/?p=231#comment-921 Thanks for the questions Mike! I asked Jim Dumesic & here's his reply complete with a link:<br> "The Department of Energy has estimated that the U.S. can produce on a<br>sustainable basis 1 billion tons of biomass per year, without affecting the<br>ability of the U.S. to continue to produce food for people and animals.<br>This vision is presented in the document at the following web-site:<br><a href="http://www.ecs.umass.edu/biofuels/roadmap.htm">http://www.ecs.umass.edu/biofuels/roadmap.htm</a><br><br>This amount of biomass is not sufficient to replace all of the petroleum<br>that we currently use. For example, it might be possible to supply about 50%<br>of the fuel that we use in the transportation sector. Importantly, we will<br>definitely have to combine the production of biofuels with improvements in<br>fuel economy, for example by employing more fuel efficient hybrid vehicles.<br>In this respect, each liter of liquid fuel that we produce must be utilized<br>in the most efficient manner." Thanks for the questions Mike! I asked Jim Dumesic & here's his reply complete with a link:
“The Department of Energy has estimated that the U.S. can produce on a
sustainable basis 1 billion tons of biomass per year, without affecting the
ability of the U.S. to continue to produce food for people and animals.
This vision is presented in the document at the following web-site:
http://www.ecs.umass.edu/biofuels/roadmap.htm

This amount of biomass is not sufficient to replace all of the petroleum
that we currently use. For example, it might be possible to supply about 50%
of the fuel that we use in the transportation sector. Importantly, we will
definitely have to combine the production of biofuels with improvements in
fuel economy, for example by employing more fuel efficient hybrid vehicles.
In this respect, each liter of liquid fuel that we produce must be utilized
in the most efficient manner.”

]]> By: Tom_Fishman http://www.sciencentral.com/video/2008/09/19/green-gasoline/#comment-920 Tom_Fishman Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:15:26 +0000 http://www.sciencentral.com/video/?p=231#comment-920 Good points Mike. I'm going to try to get some answers. Good points Mike. I'm going to try to get some answers.

]]> By: Tom_Fishman http://www.sciencentral.com/video/2008/09/19/green-gasoline/#comment-919 Tom_Fishman Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:14:44 +0000 http://www.sciencentral.com/video/?p=231#comment-919 Good points Mike. I'm going to try to get some answers. Good points Mike. I'm going to try to get some answers.

]]> By: Mike http://www.sciencentral.com/video/2008/09/19/green-gasoline/#comment-917 Mike Wed, 24 Sep 2008 08:12:30 +0000 http://www.sciencentral.com/video/?p=231#comment-917 So how much forest will need to cleared to grow this green fuel? How much water will it take? How many gallons of green fuel will one acre produce? Renewable? How long is the growing season? Is this a year round crop? What happens when a drought occurs? Will this crop be grown in the US or will we import it from a country wiling to clear forest to make green fuel? Is this a viable solution to our energy needs? The US alone uses 375 million gallons of gasoline a day. At the most there may be 1 billion square acres of usable land to grow this green fuel, At that rate we would have fuel for three days...then what? I know, I know. other forms green energy will need to be in place. But we need to think these thing through. We can't rush out and proclaim a fuel miracle only to find out later is won't work. So how much forest will need to cleared to grow this green fuel? How much water will it take? How many gallons of green fuel will one acre produce? Renewable? How long is the growing season? Is this a year round crop? What happens when a drought occurs? Will this crop be grown in the US or will we import it from a country wiling to clear forest to make green fuel? Is this a viable solution to our energy needs? The US alone uses 375 million gallons of gasoline a day. At the most there may be 1 billion square acres of usable land to grow this green fuel, At that rate we would have fuel for three days…then what? I know, I know. other forms green energy will need to be in place. But we need to think these thing through. We can't rush out and proclaim a fuel miracle only to find out later is won't work.

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