Actually, regarding the net energy production of Biofuels I appear to
be very wrong. I asked an energy economist friend of mine for recent
numbers and he said I was all wet to begin with. The study I am most
familar with by a guy named Pimental and a Berkley economist named
Paztek (as I recall) have been supplanted by newer data. Of course
most of the new data comes from somewhat suspect sources, but so was
Pimental, and the new data looks fairly convincing. Ethanol may
deliver as much as a 34 percent gain on the fuel used to make it.
Biodiesel is about the same currently, but could achieve higher
efficiencies and the byproducts have value and represent energy. As
usual there is a lot of variation in available data, but I just spent
an enjoyable morning reading some of the papers. I forsee a sea of
waving soy all across Kansas (does soy wave?).
Thirty four percent ain't bad, especially since most of the energy
expended (about 60 percent) is non-liquid fuel. My friend tells me we
are also the Saudi Arabia of Corn. We don't currently have enough
production to come close to meeting demand, but that will probably
change.
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