PowerSwitch

[raspberry-blower]

[kenneal - lagger]

Surprise! Surprise! The only people shocked by this will be the EU who stupidly mandated it.
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BLOG

It is very, very, very serious indeed. This is the big one!" Professor Tim Lang, APPGOPO, 25/03/08. And he was talking about food, not oil or the economy!

[dig]

Why such an opposition to biofuels- especially for the more advanced?
Bioenergy is probably the most advantageous renewable source and its global potential is great.
i.e. http://www.biomassenergy.gr/en/articles/news/228-world-bioenergy-2x-larger-than-world-nuclear

[kenneal - lagger]

Because they are taking food out of the mouths of the poor. Globalisation has destroyed local food production in poorer parts of the world so that the American corn belt can export its subsidised grain across the world and now that food is being used for fuel. With the world population increasing and increasingly turning to a diet with a larger meat content we will need all the grain, and all the land to grow it on, to feed that growing population.

In countries like the UK we can only just feed ourselves as the moment. With world food shortages looming and consequently prices rising, we will need all the land we have to grow food. We won't be able to compete with China to purchase any shortfall we have on the world market. Relying on an increasing acreage turned over to fuel growing at such a time is plain stupid especially as the EROEI is very close to 1 in our northern latitudes. Tropical countries like Brazil may be able to grow sugar cane and get ethanol at a reasonable EROEI, but we aren't Brazil.

If Greece isn't self sufficient in food, with your money problems, you won't be able to buy it abroad either. Food is more important than driving cars.
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BLOG

It is very, very, very serious indeed. This is the big one!" Professor Tim Lang, APPGOPO, 25/03/08. And he was talking about food, not oil or the economy!

[dig]

I totally agree with your last words. But it' s not only a matter of driving cars but also of generating extra income - especially for the least wealthy nations. Now, if they don't get paid the required money for the feedstock they produce, the policies are to be blamed and not the fuels.
Let me mention also that biofuels are not only corn bioethanol or palm oil biodiesel; what about biogas from manure or organic effluents or food waste, syngas from agri-residues, pyrolysis oil from wood waste, algae biofuels, waste-to-energy technologies? The global bioenergy potential is great and seems to be the only viable way of producing alternative energy with multiple benefits (base load power plants, rural development, carbon capture for algae etc.)

[kenneal - lagger]

[dig]

Of course material recycling should be on the forefront but also energy recovery from waste is really significant. On the other hand, typical aerobic digestion plants consume large amounts of energy and in case that no biogas is exploited so as to minimize net power consumption (unfortunately the usual case in Greece) their environmental benefit is rather overestimated.

[emordnilap]

'Energy recovery from waste'.

No thanks; incineration is the absolute last resort, so last it should not exist.
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The human appears to have no idea what its ideal diet should be; has self-inflicted diet-related diseases; causes extensive environmental destruction through basic food production & creates pathogenic infestations that widely infect its food supply.

[emordnilap]

[RenewableCandy]

[adam2]

[robinjack007]

I definitely identify with your last circumstances. But it' s not only a issue of developing vehicles but also of developing more money - especially for the least rich countries.

[mobbsey]

Anyone who thinks that biofuels -- of any description -- are a solution to the woes of industrial society needs to drink two pints of olive oil and then vigorously pogo for ten minutes.