[Vwdiesel] Biodiesel from algae

[pmdolan at sasktel.net]

This extends well beyond the great unwashed.  Even supposedly educated people never seem to give a second's thought to how and where the electricty for hydrogen fuel production or electric battery charging is produced and transported.  For instance, a current diesel is about 30% energy efficient, but the electricity obtained from natural-gas fired generators on the grid is about 10 - 15% net efficiency once it is delivered - and you must multiply THAT by the efficiency of the hydrogen conversion and THEN to losses of the vehicle prime mover.  So-called ZEVs are usually 1/4 or less of the fuel efficiency of a diesel, not to mention MUCH more polluting.  

Pat

----- Original Message -----
From: James Hansen <jhsg at sasktel.net>
Date: Thursday, January 12, 2006 10:55 pm
Subject: RE: [Vwdiesel] Biodiesel from algae

> No kidding.  I was just in a big alternative fuels/ hybrid vehicles/
> hydrogen debate today at a store.
> It's amazing how under-informed the public are.  They were all 
> shocked when
> I had the audacity to speak out against hydrogen as a fuel.
> I'm not sure I got my point across, when they still insisted it is far
> better and we just need time to develop some better more efficient 
> way to
> produce hydrogen.
> I never realized just how little the general public knows about 
> how fuel is
> made.  THere needs ot be an AWFUL lot of public education in this 
> avenue.Efficiecy losses in energy production are one big thing 
> nobody seems to
> understand.  One guy was referring to a hydrogen generator that 
> came out in
> fall that can generate hydrogen on demand to run a motor.   I 
> guess I'm just
> naively sceptical, but perpetual motion just can't happen in my little
> world.
> -James
> 
> -James
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com [vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com]On
> Behalf Of pmdolan at sasktel.net
> Sent: Thursday, January 12, 2006 10:12 AM
> To: Andrew Buc
> Cc: vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] Biodiesel from algae
> 
> 
> Andrew:
> 
> Thanks for that.  IMHO, this is the kind of intelligent use of 
> biotech that
> will shape the future of alternative fuels.  It makes me feel so 
> good to see
> ANYONE not running around like a chicken with their freakin' head 
> cut off
> looking for some dumba$$ hybrid or fuel cell junk.
> 
> You may find this one interesting as well:
> http://www.unh.edu/p2/biodiesel/article_alge.html
> 
> Pat
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Andrew Buc <AndrewBuc at staxman.net>
> Date: Thursday, January 12, 2006 1:03 am
> Subject: [Vwdiesel] Biodiesel from algae
> 
> > Saw this on Yahoogroups Audi-VW-diesels:
> >
> > Here's an interesting article about a techology that uses algae to
> > remove CO2 and NOx from flue gases in coal-burning power plants,
> > and
> > produces biodiesel as a byproduct:
> >
> > http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0111/p01s03-sten.html
> >
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> >
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