| Jan 14 @ 6:21 PM |
Biofuels to be made from garbage!
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eastham
Posts: 6,317
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Killing two birds with one stone, GM is now underwriting a new process to manufacture fuel from old tires, plant waste and other garbage. The Argonne Laboratory reports that the new fuel is cheaper to manufacture than typical ethanol, produces 84% fewer emissions, and uses less water in its manufacturing process.
Here's a link to the story.
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| Jan 14 @ 6:27 PM |
Biofuels to be made from garbage! |
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MusicMonster
Posts: 2,954
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But man, it sure is smelly stuff!!  Phew!
-MM 
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| Jan 14 @ 6:32 PM |
Biofuels to be made from garbage!
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Nightowl001
Posts: 4,087
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East, did you see this link Lacy first posted?
http://www.unh.edu/p2/biodiesel/article_alge.html
Maybe a combination of both projects would be a good idea. Use up waste and find alternative sources.
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| Jan 14 @ 6:39 PM |
Biofuels to be made from garbage! |
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iam7545
Posts: 4,151
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well fancy that - a corporate monster coming up with a solution without government intervention. Very Republican stuff!! 
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| Jan 14 @ 6:51 PM |
Biofuels to be made from garbage!
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Gallows_Humor
Posts: 7,784
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hey Iam.... is there any truth to the rumor that toyota is going to buy into GM... ??
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| Jan 14 @ 7:09 PM |
Biofuels to be made from garbage! |
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eastham
Posts: 6,317
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Gee, Iam...I guess you missed the role of the Argonne Laboratory in all of this. Argonne is a government lab, funded by the Department of Energy and located in Illinois. Secondly, the attached article clearly states that the recent changes in federal law, providing tax credits for research and production in this area, propelled GM's interest.
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| Jan 14 @ 7:11 PM |
Biofuels to be made from garbage!
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lefthandedluckie
Posts: 5,023
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eastham....You are asking "iam" to think....you know he can't do that!
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| Jan 14 @ 7:26 PM |
Biofuels to be made from garbage! |
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iam7545
Posts: 4,151
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hey Iam.... is there any truth to the rumor that toyota is going to buy into GM... ??
No Eye Dear -
Eastham - GM has many vehicles that run on biofuels! Of course they take advantage of tax credits and are working in partnership with companies that are producing alternative fuels. When companies like GM invest hundreds of millions in new fuel vehicles and then show a huge profit when their research pans out you and your socialist minions go crying the "corporate monster" crap all day long!
Funny thing is that GM has the best line of vehicles using alternate fuels and hybrid engines. I drive a GMC Sonoma!
See - we Republicans know that when there is a need the entrepreneurial spirit will seize the opportunity.
Lets face it, since the gas lines in the 70's people have not exactly changed their driving habits. If anything the advent of the SUV proved that US Citizens could care less about the environment and our dependency on foreign fuel.
Ask any farmer about the demand for bio fuel - they are laughing all the way to the bank farming corn this year. Unfortunately many will suffer as they will no longer be farming feed and food sources.
I invested in a company that has technology to make lithium ion batteries in any shape or form. They can fill car door panels with the material to provide energy for autos. They have been waiting for an Automaker to work with them - then recently another company developed a car using their technology. They vehicle will be rolled out soon.
SO the race is now on!
I have yet to drive anything with more than 6 cyl. I ride my bicycle whenever and wherever I can.
Maybe now people here are ready and companies like GM will continue to invest in these new technologies!
Supply and Demand - Econ 101!
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| Jan 14 @ 7:57 PM |
Biofuels to be made from garbage!
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Nightowl001
Posts: 4,087
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Lets face it, since the gas lines in the 70's people have not exactly changed their driving habits. If anything the advent of the SUV proved that US Citizens could care less about the environment and our dependency on foreign fuel.
What driving habits would you have some people change, Iam? Urban sprawl and an active family may require two drivers each day driving more than 60 miles each to commute to school, work, sports, other lessons, etc. Many, many Americans would purchase more energy-friendly vehicles if they were dependable and provided adequate power for what they want to do. Energy efficient autos offered to date have usually been unable to carry a soccer team, travel more than 60 miles or so without recharging or have the space for you and one person, and if you have kids you have to stick them out the window. The problem has been that manufacturers haven't developed vehicles that will do what the consumers want a vehicle to do that doesn't run on old-line fuels. I've mentioned several times, that what few alternative fuels might have any impact at all do not have the distribution system in place. I won't convert a car to run on CNG, because I can't get CNG anywhere close by, and no one is gearing up to carry CNG because there is no market for it. It's a vicious circle. Look for lithium polymer or lithium ion technology for batteries to be pretty limited. Not to mention expensive. And the average lithium ion cell technology so far yields a battery that after a limited number of recharges has to be replaced (last I checked, about 400 cycles). And they require time. You can't pull over on a road trip and charge the battery in 6 minutes. It takes hours. Great for commuter vehicles that move twice a day and can sit overnight to recharge. But for an all-day vehicle? pffft! They're an improvement over nickel-cadmium or nickel-metal hydride batteries, but they still exhibit limitations that most drivers have not shown an inclination to want to deal with as long as there are fuel sources not subject to those limitations. Cleaner-burning fuels or other generation and storage methods are needed. There is not yet nor on the horizon any battery technology that will meet the needs of drivers in this country.
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| Jan 14 @ 8:06 PM |
Biofuels to be made from garbage! |
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iam7545
Posts: 4,151
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NO - Non sense - If people cared they would not be buying Hummers and 8 cyl Vehicles that get 15 MPG or less!
I could never understand it! Yet vehicles kept getting bigger and bigger. I was in Santa Barbara CA once and asked a friend why they needed a 8 cyl monster 4wd - after all it never snows there! The answer? DUH DUH DUH 
The automakers sell what people buy. You can see that since 9-11 people are more aware.
Lets hope it sticks this time.
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| Jan 14 @ 8:31 PM |
Biofuels to be made from garbage!
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kjac
Posts: 5,484
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True nonsense would be trying to politicize science. More pathetic political grandstanding. 
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