Ethanol as fuel?

General motorcycle conversation

Moderators: Volker_P, tidd650

User avatar
Vatch
Posts: 232
Joined: Sun Mar 05, 2006 10:26 am
Location: West Virginia, USA

Ethanol as fuel?

Postby Vatch » Fri May 11, 2007 11:28 am

Might as well start a new thread. I'm not convinced ethanol is a solution to anything. What are the total costs for a liter of ethanol compared to gasoline? How about the farming costs (i.e. fertilizer, machinery, fuel for said machinery) and distillation costs (i.e. heat to cause the evaporation of ethanol)? I have yet to see the number presented.

[quote="Chris"]
On a side note, I have a link here somewhere with instructions and blueprints for building your very own ethanol still. It even has a Q&A with instructions for obtaining a federal license to operate said contraption.
[quote]

Stills are relatively simple devices. Details in the plans depend on the volume of “product” you want. Federal license? Nobody around here (Appalachia) worries about that.
'99 1500 Drifter

User avatar
Chris
Posts: 407
Joined: Thu May 04, 2006 12:51 am
Location: New York, USA

Postby Chris » Fri May 11, 2007 11:40 am

LOL @ Appalachia!

Yes, supposedly it takes too much energy to produce and lately some studies have been in the news to show increased health risks for the general public. And they're already crying about a corn shortage, leading to rising prices for corn and corn-related products... go figure. It's exactly like I posted in the other thread today, if people want it, producers will find a way to milk us for every last cent.

Basically, if it's not 'cheap' and it's not 'green' then the only thing it has left going for it is that it could free us from relying on 'Big Oil'. But even that won't be easy to accomplish unless you can make it yourself in your own backyard :wink:

Also, it takes a higher fuel to air ratio to run which translates to higher fuel consumption.
Last edited by Chris on Mon May 14, 2007 1:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
1980 CB650c

User avatar
Volker_P
Posts: 5508
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2006 1:53 am
Location: southern Germany

Re: Ethanol as fuel?

Postby Volker_P » Mon May 14, 2007 1:04 am

Some people might really like that as they could share a drink with their bike then. :lol:

cb650
Posts: 2959
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:20 am
Location: Denver CO USA
Contact:

Postby cb650 » Wed Jun 20, 2007 6:57 am

when enough people start using it the price/taxes on it will go up. Remember diesel was half the price of gas untill it became popular.





Terry


Return to “General Discussion”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 27 guests