Per unit energy, that is not true.

E100 has 34% less energy in it than gasoline, per unit volume. Current ethanol vehicles suffer even more than that due to the timing and compression compromises to make them gasoline compatible.

The fact is that if we the United States were to suddenly, magically replace gasoline with E100, we would need at least 34% more E100 than gasoline (by volume) to continue consuming energy at our current rate.

Disclaimer: I am using Wikipedia for a source again, and I'm not 100% sure of the accuracy of the 34% figure. It is close. In particular, the article makes it unclear whether a gallon of ethanol has 34% less energy than a gallon of gasoline, or whether a gallon of gasoline has 34% more energy than a gallon of ethanol. Nonetheless, it's widely known that ethanol has significantly less energy per unit volume than gasoline.

 

That would be wrong as well.

It really depends on the price they could get per ton. if switchgrass yields more profit, more farmers will do it instead of grains, IE leaving you right where we are today with corn and wheat with low consumer supply because they are growing corn for ethanol for the better pay price. Which makes feeds go up, which makes meats go up.... No matter what is grown it will effect the grains. it is that simple. The only way to get around that is to have a product for ethanol that can be grown in areas that previously were not farmable. Or to have multiple crop types. Switch grass is better and cheaper than corn ethanol all the way around. However, I think Sugar cane (what brazil uses) would be viable as well in the southern states where there is not alot of grain farming going on.

 

No matter what happens with Ethanol we as a nation are going to have to cut back by about 50% on liquid fuel consumption over the next decade. We just won't have enough to go around at current rates.

 

Nope.

The entire plant is not harvested, that's the beauty of it (and an advantage over corn).

Combine this source with the trash to energy and other sources and we can have a real impact in the near future.

 

Another advantage of switchgrass (and grasses in general) is that they can be grown in marginal soil not suitable for food crops.

We are talking weeds here.

You are right about sugarcane though.

 

The grass is better most definitely in that way. do it in southern warm climate states and you have a year round source, rather than the seasonal of the corn and soybean crops used for ethanol and biodesiel right now. Not only that, but it probably grows much faster. So instead of harvesting once a year, maybe 4 times a year.

i still like the sugar cane idea though lol.. it's proven to work well.

 

I was thinking I saw a study that said that the only state in the union that could possibly grow sugar cane was Hawaii.

 

I said AS much. It will still have an effect, but if we can swap big rigs over to this stuff too, then there is a whole new level of savings...

 

I mentioned the first study in several threads a few months ago and it didn't elicit much response. Is it the $103/barrel oil now that has everyone talking about the switchgrass?

 

Yes, you are right. Probably once a month I would imagine, maybe once every other month at the most.

I still think we should go to like an E50. Why do we have to go to 85%?

 

Why not just go e100. Point is to reduce the fuel consumption as much as possible.

As for trucks running ethanol. I don't know. The run biodesiel, which is soybean based... at least those that are set up for it. however, if they get less fuel mileage with ethanol.. it would really be crappy, like talking 3mpg... they are only averaging 5.8-6.5mpg now.... I think the biggest reason that trucks run on deseil is simply the torque they can produce and the lifespan of the engines (when you can turn 120,000 to 240,000 miles a year on a single truck, that is something that they look for)

 

Richard Branson (virgin dude) was like, crying for some reason over investing in ethanol, corn based, when he "knew" or soemthign that switchgrass is better.

However, if it is such an easy plant to (let) grow, wouldn't it be cool if large cities had it growing on rooftops? cut down on co2 and make some money for yourself.

by the way, where can i get info for growing switchgrass?>

 

Cool idea.

Do a search, and you should find lots of information on the topic. Grasses are generally very easy to grow and don't require much care. I'd love to have a huge piece of ground to use as a wind farm with swtchgrass growing under the windmills.

 

I would think once transportation costs and taxes are figured in; those numbers (price/gal) will go up substancially.

 

Taxes will be there without a doubt, but transportation should be less of an issue as plants producing ethanol from a variety of sources can and should be very local.