ASsman
02-13-2006, 09:49 AM
First off I don't trust the president, even if he said the sky was blue, I'd question his reason for stating that. Ethananol, who knows anything about this, I sure as hell don't. I know what it is, where it is made (shit I live in Illinois). But why are we going in this direction, Americans are lazy they will hate the lower MPG, having to refill quicker. Not enough diesel american cars? All American car makers have diesel cars sold in Europeans markets, starting production in the US would not be difficult. I might be going off on a limb here but diesel engines are by far the longest lasting, they have thicker chamber walls etc. because they engine is under higher pressure. Where ethanol burns hotter, as far I know that is damaging to the engines life span. In turn auto makers would sell far more cars. In reality I just don't trust Detroit or our President, or anyone that is rich and white for that matter.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol
"Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol, is a flammable, colorless chemical compound, one of the alcohols that is most often found in alcoholic beverages. In common parlance, it is often referred to simply as alcohol. Its chemical formula is C2H5OH, also written as C2H6O.
This article is mostly about ethanol as a chemical compound. For beverages containing ethanol, see alcoholic beverage. For the use of ethanol as a fuel, see alcohol fuel. For its physiological effects, see effects of alcohol on the body."
"Ethanol is produced both as a petrochemical, through the hydration of ethylene, and biologically, by fermenting sugars with yeast."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiesel
"Biodiesel refers to any diesel-equivalent biofuel made from renewable materials such as vegetable oils or animal fats. Several different kinds of fuels are called biodiesel: usually biodiesel refers to an ester, or an oxygenate, made from the oil and methanol, but alkane (non-oxygenate) biodiesel, that is, biomass-to-liquid (BTL) fuel is also available. Sometimes even unrefined vegetable oil is called "biodiesel". Unrefined vegetable oil requires a special engine, and the quality of petrochemical diesel is higher. In contrast, alkane biodiesel is of a higher quality than petrochemical diesel, and is actually added to petro-diesel to improve its quality.
Biodiesels are biodegradable and non-toxic, and have significantly fewer emissions than petroleum-based diesel (petro-diesel) when burned. Biodiesel functions in current diesel engines, and is a possible candidate to replace fossil fuels as the world's primary transport energy source.
With a flash point of 160 °C, biodiesel is classified as a non-flammable liquid by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. This property makes a vehicle fueled by pure biodiesel far safer in an accident than one powered by petroleum diesel or the explosively combustible gasoline. Precautions should be taken in very cold climates, where biodiesel may gel at higher temperatures than petroleum diesel.
Biodiesel can be distributed using today's infrastructure, and its use and production is increasing rapidly (especially in Europe, the United States, and Asia). Fuel stations are beginning to make biodiesel available to consumers, and a growing number of transport fleets use it as an additive in their fuel. Biodiesel is generally more expensive to purchase than petroleum diesel, although this differential may diminish due to economies of scale, the rising cost of petroleum, and government subsidization favoring the use of biodiesel."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol
"Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol, is a flammable, colorless chemical compound, one of the alcohols that is most often found in alcoholic beverages. In common parlance, it is often referred to simply as alcohol. Its chemical formula is C2H5OH, also written as C2H6O.
This article is mostly about ethanol as a chemical compound. For beverages containing ethanol, see alcoholic beverage. For the use of ethanol as a fuel, see alcohol fuel. For its physiological effects, see effects of alcohol on the body."
"Ethanol is produced both as a petrochemical, through the hydration of ethylene, and biologically, by fermenting sugars with yeast."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiesel
"Biodiesel refers to any diesel-equivalent biofuel made from renewable materials such as vegetable oils or animal fats. Several different kinds of fuels are called biodiesel: usually biodiesel refers to an ester, or an oxygenate, made from the oil and methanol, but alkane (non-oxygenate) biodiesel, that is, biomass-to-liquid (BTL) fuel is also available. Sometimes even unrefined vegetable oil is called "biodiesel". Unrefined vegetable oil requires a special engine, and the quality of petrochemical diesel is higher. In contrast, alkane biodiesel is of a higher quality than petrochemical diesel, and is actually added to petro-diesel to improve its quality.
Biodiesels are biodegradable and non-toxic, and have significantly fewer emissions than petroleum-based diesel (petro-diesel) when burned. Biodiesel functions in current diesel engines, and is a possible candidate to replace fossil fuels as the world's primary transport energy source.
With a flash point of 160 °C, biodiesel is classified as a non-flammable liquid by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. This property makes a vehicle fueled by pure biodiesel far safer in an accident than one powered by petroleum diesel or the explosively combustible gasoline. Precautions should be taken in very cold climates, where biodiesel may gel at higher temperatures than petroleum diesel.
Biodiesel can be distributed using today's infrastructure, and its use and production is increasing rapidly (especially in Europe, the United States, and Asia). Fuel stations are beginning to make biodiesel available to consumers, and a growing number of transport fleets use it as an additive in their fuel. Biodiesel is generally more expensive to purchase than petroleum diesel, although this differential may diminish due to economies of scale, the rising cost of petroleum, and government subsidization favoring the use of biodiesel."