cellustic wave of the future

bkwillia · Tar Sands Joined: Aug 20, 2007 Posts: 60

Cellulosic ethanol has all the same problems as corn ethanol. It depletes the soil of nutrients, it takes money and energy to transport the feed stock, and then dispose of the solid waste. The only advantage of cellulose over corn is that it can be grown on marginal land where erosion would normally be a problem.

Most cellulosic tech tries to make sugar from cellulose, and then ethanol from the sugar. This take a whole extra step, and the by product has no value as animal feed. This whole setup will misguided, like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

Low temperature pyrolysis with catalytic upgrading has much more potential since it is a waterless process which produces a charcoal fertilizer/soil conditioner needing no energy intensive drying process. Biofuels need low cost fertilizer, and soil carbon conservation more than anything else. Until we solve these problems, all ethanol is just another non renewable fossile fuel mined from the earth.

HappyFace · Tar Sands Joined: Jun 23, 2008 Posts: 26

"I think our way of life is about to change."

"What do you mean?"

"We can't keep on using things up."

"Oh? That's not true because we are no using things up. We are adding value to the earth."

"How can you add value to all that is there?"

"We give inanimate objects meaning. We create civilization where there was nothing. That is progress."

"Is it progress to destroy the oceans? Kill species?"

"No. of course not. But that death comes from laziness, ignorance, political corruption. When all are educated and act well then our technology will flow like a river. Technology solves everything."

"Not too many humans."

"You hate yourself."

"No. I don't. Just you."
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This is not me