Just read this article online and wondering if there is some truth to it. With big oil companies out there, it's possible. Also added E85 myths.
"US Senators want to know if oil companies are blocking ethanol"
http://green.autoblog.com/2014/07/14...usaolp00000588
If you would like to know more about E85:
http://www.change2e85.com/servlet/Page?template=Myths
Happy reading!
I think I remember reading something like this on evom. Definitely an interesting read. Like I said before. Oil companies(aka energy companies) will always have a stronghold on whatever the human race decides to utilize as a source of energy. Those decisions are primarily made by governments and why do you think they lobby so much in Washington? As of right now, that main source is oil. Once we figure out a more viable option they will then shift the stronghold onto that source as well. IMHO the source we should be seeking is the sun. You have several billion yrs worth of life left. Something like for every 1 second worth of the suns energy you could power the entire earth at max capacity for the next 100 billion yrs. That is pretty astonishing. Once we have the technology to be able to harness and utilize that energy in all of everyday life we will never have to worry about energy until the sun dies which I think it is like 7billion yrs. Hopefully by then the human race has developed the technology to move to other solar systems that can sustain life. However, in about 200,000 yrs a star that is relatively close to us will be going supernova and if that gamma ray burst heads in our direction we will be decimated. But again 200k yrs is a long time away. Hopefully by then we will be able to mitigate such measures.
well if you really think about it, all the energy we have here is from the sun. I remember watching a documentary on the science channel that even oil is energy harnessed from the sun - just in a changed state.
the scientist explained that solar energy was absorbed by the plant material that was later consumed by an animal, that eventually died and fossilized. depending where that fossilization occurred, it was broken down into what eventually became crude oil which we now refine and burn as fuel. so the solar energy was converted into molecular energy by the plant, which was consumed as food (sugar) which sustained (powered) the animal until its death. that energy simply changed form and eventually became oil.
so in essence, oil, and ethanol are nothing more than reconstituted solar energy. we all eat foods that are somehow *powered* by the sun. without the sun, we wont be here.
it was an interesting documentary to say the least.
Sportback Evolution MR
Well if you speak in those terms then actually the entire world we see is actually from a star. We are left overs from a star that went supernova. The rare elements that we value like gold, copper, silver, platinum etc etc are actually created from a star as well. It is amazing to think that all around us without exploding stars none of our world would be possible. Which is why I have been saying, the sun is our biggest battery of energy. We have already started to harness its energy with excellent results. It would be interesting to see the world 1000yrs from now and the technology we have. Technology is actually exponentially progressing. Imagine 10yrs ago how far we have come. Can you imagine the next 10yrs. How about 100?
I would love to be able to harness and capture a neutron star. Because it is rumored to be comprised of pure diamond at the center. Imagine a diamond the size of LA lol.
totally. its all relative - as far as the energy source. energy should be cheap. but alas, its the world we live in.
Sportback Evolution MR
I am still waiting for governments to tax the air we breathe lmao.Originally Posted by Macky
Space Balls. Air in a can! Buy it now! Can't live without it!
But to bring this back on topic. I can understand why E85 is not so prevalent here in California. Logistically it's the same price to ship E85 as it is 87-93 octane liquified-processed dinosaur. The demand in California (ie. the majority of the vehicles) are 87-91 compliant so that's what they truck in. Whereas in Ohio (I use this because I'm from there and have experience there), it is MUCH cheaper to get E85 to the tanks because the ethenol is already there in the state and doesn't have to be moved far (logistics and economics rule the domain). So it makes sense for them to take the ethenol already there, mix in 15% of fuel and get 85% more fuel for what they had to truck in from out of state.
TL;DR. Cali: truck in one fuel truck worth of 91 (or even 93), cut it down with addatives to your 87-91 breakout products and you get about the same amount of product you trucked in. Ohio: Truck in one fuel truck of 93 and use that to cut down the ethenol already in the state and you get about 5 trucks worth of fuel.
(Now I understand that fuel is trucked, tankered, and piped in to different places, but you get the idea. Cut overhead and increase revenue by using what is locally available.)
'03 BBY VIII GSR (The Blue Bomber) Corn Fed + some
'10 WW X MR (Her car) "RRE Super Stock"
I see what you are saying, however, CA does produce ethanol. I do not think it is at the rate Ohio does but CA does produce it here in state. So that logic would not make sense in this case. Unless we do not produce what we are consuming. I think as of last year we produced around 150million gal of ethanol. I do not know how much we consume as of right now though.
I understand that "California" does produce agriculture, but the size of the state is misleading in that statement. The Central Valley does most of the bulk production within the state, ranging from above Sacramento down to Fresno. Sacramento to LA is a 5.5hr drive. This is the equivalent of Springfield, IL to Columbus, OH. You've just crossed the equivalent 2 entire states.
Also, I don't think you grasp the quantities that are grown and used in these volumes. 150million gal sounds like a lot, but 4 counties in Ohio combined produce almost as much as California does as a state. Reference: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...n_belt.svg.png
Last edited by M4Lki3r; 07-16-2014 at 11:22 AM.
'03 BBY VIII GSR (The Blue Bomber) Corn Fed + some
'10 WW X MR (Her car) "RRE Super Stock"
Well another thing to grasp is the fact that CA has over 40million people. We are the most populated state as well as have some of the most densely populated areas in this country. That means more consumers per sq mile in these areas. So yes the haul may be a but longer but the reward is there. Otherwise e85 would not exist at all if it wasn't profitable. I don't think that has to do with it at all to be honest with you. If there is a demand for it then energy companies will provide that demand. I think it has a lot to do with this state and its regulations and taxes. It just makes it much more difficult to do business here in CA than in many other states. I remember a campaign a few yrs ago where people were lobbying against the state government subsidizing and taxing e85 production. The added tax would be something like 35 cents a gal which would end up transcending to the consumer.
I just want E85 near my city. Is that too much to ask for?
Good read but I think the replies were better.
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