Tag Archives : biofuels

The current mantra is to ‘reduce greenhouse gas emissions more than 25 percent by 2020 — and more than 80 percent by 2050.’ While these attempts will curb our dependence on fossil fuels, doing ‘everything possible to promote alternative energy’ may also entail ‘financial, political, and technical pressures as well as time constraints [...]

According to recent calculated predictions, there will be ‘a sharp drop in projected future world oil output,’ alarmingly revising former calculations. This means that there is today a shrinking world supply of oil. Also projected is an attendant ‘increase in reliance on what are called “unconventional fuels” — oil sands, ultra-deep [...]

The US biofuels industry is expensive. Making corn fuel is costly. The industry currently enjoys a ‘45 cent tax credit for every gallon of ethanol produced.’ That’s $3 billion in tax credits in a year. Import tariffs on sugar-based ethanol from Brazil and the Caribbean, logically higher so as to eliminate competition for the domestically manufactured [...]

Industrial agriculture is the result of the desire to get more food at the soonest possible time. Ultimately, it is caused by man’s habit of over-consumption. The practice of industrial agriculture, exacerbated by contamination with pesticides, leads to the destruction of soil, global warming, lack of improvement and agricultural marketing in developing [...]

Contrary to popular thought, biofuels are not new scientific and technological innovations. They were around since the discovery of the automobile. Henry Ford’s Model Ts were planned to run on ethanol. This was as early as the beginning of the 20th century. The first diesel engines were said to be fueled on peanut oil. Gasoline and diesel, both ancient [...]

Don’t fret too much about those pesky bacteria that spoil your food and can send you to the hospital on a 50-50 chance of survival. Escherichia coli bacteria or E. coli can now be modified to synthesize biofuel. Lo and behold! True to bacteria’s reputation to multiply exponentially at a very rapid rate, E. coli can also lead to the mass production [...]

Obama’s energy plan costs $150 billion for clean technologies. This funding will be spread over a period of 10 years. The keywords are energy efficiency, low-carbon fuels, renewable energies, and dramatic reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. His administration will initially tackle smaller measures since the energy legislation will take some time [...]