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Upsetting the applecart #1 - carbon neutral biofuel
thermidorthelobster:
--- Quote from: "Eeyore" ---So, if you're still burning a gallon every, say 28 miles, how does changing to a biofuel reduce your CO2 by 60%, unless there's a doubling of the thermal efficiency in the engine used (which isn't the case)? Burning a kilo of fuel releases X amount of CO2 regardless of how it's burnt. :?
--- End quote ---
Yes, but in an ideal world, GROWING a kilo of biofuel locks away the same amount of CO2, so it's carbon neutral. The point I made originally is that this unfortunately isn't the case, as you have to burn a bunch more fuel (and generate CO2 in the process) to make the kilo of biofuel.
Fossil fuels don't work in the same way, because whilst we can regrow biofuels at the rate we use them (thus locking away CO2 at the same time we're releasing it), we can't do that with fossil fuels, because it takes millions of years to create them.
I think the 60% figure is the net result of the saving made by locking away the CO2 by growing the next batch of biofuel crop, minus the extra CO2 you have to generate to produce it.
Or am I missing the point? :?
Eeyore:
ah, okay yes, see the point now. Thanks.
As regards the exhaust gas temp, I may have got the number wiorng, so I'll go back a review and amend the above post to suit, again, ta to Sptb for pointing it out!
However, just imagine what a better place the world would be if it wasn't for cat convertors!
So, bearing in mind the 'return on investment' for biofuels, in terms of land use, and the actual requirment for fossil fuels, where are we gonna grow all these oil producing plants, becuase looking at the numbers of gallons per acre and what have you, it doesn't add up.
Besides, one good volcano and the arguments nullified anyway! :wink:
Cheers
8)
Eeyore
Wireless:
In terms of CO2 output, annual worldwide volcanic activity is balanced by annual sub-duction of tectonic plate that includes CO2 absorbed into the ocean bed.
So 'one good volcano' is irrelevant in the world, although if you live near it you might think somewhat different.
Eeyore:
As may be so, but the immediate output is a huge imbalance caused by a sudden release of oodles of CO2 and other gaseous contaminents.
Gets back to what I was saying, my fossil fuel is carbon neutral, we're just debating the time-frame of it all. :wink:
But good point, none the less.
cheers
8)
Eeyore
thermidorthelobster:
--- Quote from: "Eeyore" ---where are we gonna grow all these oil producing plants, becuase looking at the numbers of gallons per acre and what have you, it doesn't add up.
--- End quote ---
Therein lies another problem, because in the developing world there's a lot of burning down of nice CO2-sequestering forests to clear land for biofuel agriculture. It's not a panacea; using less fuel in the first place still has to be the ultimate goal. But still, it's better than dino juice.
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