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Counting the energy that goes into the production and transportation of 
fertilizer required to grow the beans? Fertilizer is very energy 
intensive to produce. I suspect it will be a long time before we have a 
complete picture of the cost.

Truman

April Allison wrote:

> Lots of numbers are already in. And they are in favor of Biodiesel.
> Thousands of acers in the midwest are lying fallow. There would be no
> problem with keeping up with production. I may live in MS now, but I grew up
> in IL practically in the department of agriculture offices.
> April
> Byhalia
>
>
> The National Renewable Energy Laboratory found that B-100 has a net energy
> gain of 220% over inputs.  Petroleum diesel (similar to #2 heating oil), has
> a net energy loss of 17%.  Therefore, a B-20 blend has net energy ratio of
> 2%.*  Another study by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance found that the
> ratio for B-100 can be as high as 251%.**  A study by the United States
> Departments of Energy and Agriculture found a 3.2 to 1 positive life cycle
> energy balance, beginning with bare ground and counting all inputs for
> growing, harvesting, processing and transportation.
>
>
> *"An overview of Biodiesel and Petroleum Diesel Life Cycles," NREL, May
> 1998**"How Much Energy Does It Take to Make a Gallon of Soydiesel", by I.
> Ahmed, J. Decker, D. Morris.  Institute of Local-Self Reliance, Washington
> DC, January 1994.
>
>  
>
> > >      
> > I don't think the environment impact of commercial biodiesel has been
> > fully analyzed. For to plant enough beans to make much a dent in would
> > require a large amount of fuel to plant and harvest. If the energy
> > required to plant, fertilize, spray for bugs, etc. and then harvest and
> > process the beans into biodiesel is less than is available in the fuel
> > then there is a net gain to the environment. Factored into that has to
> > be the impact of weather on crop yield a bad year it will take a lot
> > more gallons of fuel to produce a gallon of biodiesel than a good year.
> > If it takes more energy to produce biodiesel then the environmental
> > impact (at least for greenhouse gases) would be a negative.
> >
> > At some point we will see the numbers - all the numbers but as of yet
> > I've not seen anyplace that where the full analysis has been done.
> >
> > Truman
> >
> >    
> >
> > >      
> > --
> >
> > "Mathematics may be defined as the subject in which we never know what
> > we are talking about, nor whether what we are saying is true."  -
> > Bertrand Russell
> >
> >
> >
> >
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--

"Mathematics may be defined as the subject in which we never know what 
we are talking about, nor whether what we are saying is true."  - 
Bertrand Russell




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