Possible Solution to the Fuel Crisis

[blut wump]

Japanese scientists have discovered a way to convert vegetable oil into biodiesel with a much less expensive catalyst (between 10 and 50 times cheaper) than what is currently used. From the article: 'Any vegetable oil can become fuel, but not until its fatty acids are converted to chemical compounds known as esters. Currently the acids used to convert the fatty acids are prohibitively expensive. Michikazu Hara, of the Tokyo Institute of Technology in Yokohama, Japan, and his colleagues have used common, inexpensive sugars to form a recyclable solid acid that does the job on the cheap.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/11/1114_051114_biodiesel.html

 

[MILF69]

How about everyone just stay in and fuck and we'll all save money and gas!

 

[jack sparrow]

Japanese scientists have discovered a way to convert vegetable oil into biodiesel with a much less expensive catalyst (between 10 and 50 times cheaper) than what is currently used. From the article: 'Any vegetable oil can become fuel, but not until its fatty acids are converted to chemical compounds known as esters. Currently the acids used to convert the fatty acids are prohibitively expensive. Michikazu Hara, of the Tokyo Institute of Technology in Yokohama, Japan, and his colleagues have used common, inexpensive sugars to form a recyclable solid acid that does the job on the cheap.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/11/1114_051114_biodiesel.html

I read the article....sounds very interesting. I just wonder what politics will become of this.

 

[blut wump]

That was my first thought too. Whether it will see the light of day or be squashed by big money. The good thing is that it's Japanese research so they may keep it going as a bargaining chip against the oil magnates. I can imagine that peanut and other oil farmers will be highly interested in getting into the fuel business.

 

[jack sparrow]

I can imagine that peanut and other oil farmers will be highly interested in getting into the fuel business.

Agreed.

If it DOES happen to see the light of day....this would do wonders for the farming community. Economically speaking, that would add to the mix as well.

I'd like to see it happen.

 

[rsnoble-im-back]

I blew a Moped being driven by q 60yo dude off the road yesterday in my Hemi Charger. By by baby......

 

[jack sparrow]

I blew a Moped being driven by q 60yo dude off the road yesterday in my Hemi Charger. By by baby......

Dude, you RULE.

 

[gjohnson5]

Japanese scientists have discovered a way to convert vegetable oil into biodiesel with a much less expensive catalyst (between 10 and 50 times cheaper) than what is currently used. From the article: 'Any vegetable oil can become fuel, but not until its fatty acids are converted to chemical compounds known as esters. Currently the acids used to convert the fatty acids are prohibitively expensive. Michikazu Hara, of the Tokyo Institute of Technology in Yokohama, Japan, and his colleagues have used common, inexpensive sugars to form a recyclable solid acid that does the job on the cheap.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/11/1114_051114_biodiesel.html

I would ask what fuel crisis?
The petroleum companies have posted record profits during this so called crisis. It's also interesting that after katrina and rita the price of gasoline has actually dropped when refining of oil is low due to offshore rigs being out of commission.

Secondly I used to work for a company that produces ethanol and biodiesel and there is not enough vegetable oil in the world to keep people off the gas pumps. The problem is that yield of ethanol from fermenting corn is not good. We cannot grow enough vegetables to repalce gasoline.

Also ethanol and biodiesel are not new

 

[shamrock11]

Right now desiel car can use grease to run their can with a 400 piece of equipment added on to the motor. The government has the technology right now for car to run off hydrogen they are just not going to do it b/c they are making too much money off the taxes on gas not to mention Bush and his family are in the oil business. Go figure.

 

[gjohnson5]

I would ask what fuel crisis?
The petroleum companies have posted record profits during this so called crisis. It's also interesting that after katrina and rita the price of gasoline has actually dropped when refining of oil is low due to offshore rigs being out of commission.

Secondly I used to work for a company that produces ethanol and biodiesel and there is not enough vegetable oil in the world to keep people off the gas pumps. The problem is that yield of ethanol from fermenting corn is not good. We cannot grow enough vegetables to repalce gasoline.

Also ethanol and biodiesel are not new

Well lemme qualify one thing. The price of gas initialy rose , but after federal review of the situation , the price of gas did infact drop. Now when oil refining is still not at 100% the price of gas here in Atlanta is more then $1 a gallon cheaper then it was 1 month ago.

The other wierd thing I noticed is that at the mouth of the Mississippi in plaquimines parish where every company in the world owns an oil refining facility, the price of gas at the pumps right next to the refineries was actually 50 cents more expensive then it was here in Atlanta. Obviously local laws have a part in this, but AFAIK Louisiana doesn't have any heavy gas taxes...

 

[75th]

Buy a hybrid car. Buy that kit thats available online for $2,000. Install in the trunk of new car. Car now gets 500mpg without a need to charge at night.

 

[gotmilk]

America has alot of fatty acids.

Someone already makes fuel from potatoes. They ran two Los Angeles buses on potato fuel last year as a test.

LL Bean company cars use a mix of gas and corn oil....