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dpurdy

HowStuffWorks "How Fuel Cells Work" - 1 views

  • The fuel cell will compete with many other energy­ conversion devices, including the gas turbine in your city's power plant, the gasoline engine in your car and the battery in your laptop. Combustion engines like the turbine and the gasoline engine burn fuels and use the pressure created by the expansion of the gases to do mechanical work. Batteries convert chemical energy back into electrical energy when needed. Fuel cells should do both tasks more efficiently.
  • Sir William Grove invented the first fuel cell in 1839. Grove knew that water could be split into hydrogen and oxygen by sending an electric current through it (a process called electrolysis). He hypothesized that by reversing the procedure you could produce electricity and water. He created a primitive fuel cell and called it a gas voltaic battery. After experimenting with his new invention, Grove proved his hypothesis. Fifty years later, scientists Ludwig Mond and Charles Langer coined the term fuel cell while attempting to build a practical model to produce electricity.
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    " Combustion engines like the turbine and the gasoline engine burn fuels and use the pressure created by the expansion of the gases to do mechanical work. Batteries convert chemical energy back into electrical energy when needed. Fuel cells should do both tasks more efficiently."
hollale00

reich-chemistry - Donovan.Norberg.Fall.2010 - 0 views

  • Biodiesel is a type of bio-fuel which is used to fuel cars and other vehicles. Biodiesel is used as alternative petroleum oil. Biodiesel is special because it is a clean resource and is safe to use in our environment, compared to other fuels that pollute the planet. Biodiesel is made from renewable resources which make it easier to produce. Biodiesel also lubricates car engines, which decreases engine wear, making the engine last longer. Speaking of engines, biodiesel is compatible with most car engines that run on diesel. According to researchers, biodiesel can reduce the risk of cancer, which the emitting of petroleum oil have been known to cause.
boothreb99

Group items matching "fuel cell" in title, tags, annotations or url - qmstech2 | Diigo ... - 1 views

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    "The fuel cell is being considered as an eventual replacement for the internal combustion engine for cars, trucks and buses. Major car manufacturers have teamed up with fuel cell research centers or are doing their own development. There are plans for mass-producing cars running on fuel cells. Because of the low operating cost of the combustion engine, and some unresolved technical challenges of the fuel cell, however, experts predict that a large scale implementation of the fuel cell to power cars will not occur before 2015, or even 2020."
dpurdy

http://ec.europa.eu/research/energy/pdf/hlg_vision_report_en.pdf - 1 views

    • slentzkel99
       
      Report on hydrogen economy potential 
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    Challenges Producing hydrogen in the large quantities necessary for the transport and stationary power markets could become a barrier to progress beyond the initial demonstration phase.  Uses: Fuel cells will be used in a wide range of products, ranging from very small fuel cells in portable devices such as mobile phones and laptops, through mobile applications like cars, delivery vehicles, buses and ships, to heat and power generators in stationary applications in the domestic and industrial sector. Future energy systems will also include improved conventional energy converters running on hydrogen (e.g. internal combustion engines, Stirling engines, and turbines) as well as other energy carriers (e.g. direct heat and electricity from renewable energy, and bio-fuels for transport). 
dpurdy

The Fuel Cell: Is it Ready? - 0 views

  • The fuel cell is being considered as an eventual replacement for the internal combustion engine for cars, trucks and buses. Major car manufacturers have teamed up with fuel cell research centers or are doing their own development. There are plans for mass-producing cars running on fuel cells. Because of the low operating cost of the combustion engine, and some unresolved technical challenges of the fuel cell, however, experts predict that a large scale implementation of the fuel cell to power cars will not occur before 2015, or even 2020.
  • Most fuel cells are still handmade and are used for experimental purposes. Fuel cell promoters remind the public that the cost will come down once the cells are mass-produced and lower cost material are found. While an internal combustion engine requires an investment of $35 to $50 to produce one kilowatt (kW) of power, the equivalent cost in a fuel cells is still a whopping $3,000 to $7,500. The goal is a fuel cell that would cost equal or less than diesel engines.
labrumbra99

Sierra Club Green Home » Blog Archive Fuel Cells: Environmental Benefits » Si... - 0 views

  • The use of fuel cells can significantly diminish our dependency on foreign oil. Since fuel cells make energy electrochemically and do not burn fuel like conventional combustion systems, they are much more efficient. Admittedly, some fuel cells need fossil fuels to start their functions; most residential systems run partially off of natural gas. If just 20% of the cars in America used fuel cells, we could cut oil imports by 1.5 million barrels per day. This is $44 billion per year that could remain in the country!
  • The use of fuel cells can significantly diminish our dependency on foreign oil. Since fuel cells make energy electrochemically and do not burn fuel like conventional combustion systems, they are much more efficient. Admittedly, some fuel cells need fossil fuels to start their functions; most residential systems run partially off of natural gas. If just 20% of the cars in America used fuel cells, we could cut oil imports by 1.5 million barrels per day. This is $44 billion per year that could remain in the country!
  • The use of fuel cells can significantly diminish our dependency on foreign oil. Since fuel cells make energy electrochemically and do not burn fuel like conventional combustion systems, they are much more efficient. Admittedly, some fuel cells need fossil fuels to start their functions; most residential systems run partially off of natural gas. If just 20% of the cars in America used fuel cells, we could cut oil imports by 1.5 million barrels per day. This is $44 billion per year that could remain in the country!
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  • fuel cells
  • metimes produce a by-product of water or heat, though hydrogen fuel cells are considered more difficult to work with because of transportation and storage. More user friendly fuel cells which use natural gas with emissions that are much lower than those produced by conventional engines or energy sources and can reduce your carbon footprint by around 40%. Additionally, there are only negligible levels of NOx, SOx, Volatile organic compounds and particulates, which is a drastic improvement over traditional means of grid power production. Besides the decreased CO2 emissions and high efficiency rates, fuel c
  • The use of fuel cells can significantly diminish our dependency on foreign oil. Since fuel cells make energy electrochemically and do not burn fuel like conventional combustion systems, they are much more efficient. Admittedly, some fuel cells need fossil fuels to start their functions; most residential systems run partially off of natural gas. If just 20% of the cars in America used fuel cells, we could cut oil imports by 1.5 million barrels per day. This is $44 billion per year that could remain in the country!
  • The use of fuel cells can significantly diminish our dependency on foreign oil. Since fuel cells make energy electrochemically and do not burn fuel like conventional combustion systems, they are much more efficient. Admittedly, some fuel cells need fossil fuels to start their functions; most residential systems run partially off of natural gas. If just 20% of the cars in America used fuel cells, we could cut oil imports by 1.5 million barrels per day. This is $44 billion per year that could remain in the country!
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    " The environmental impact of fuel cells depends on the type of cell and the fuel being used. Fuel cells can run on a variety of sources, from natural gas to hydrogen to ethanol to biogas. Those that run on hydrogen can sometimes produce a by-product of water or heat, though hydrogen fuel cells are considered more difficult to work with because of transportation and storage. More user friendly fuel cells which use natural gas with emissions that are much lower than those produced by conventional engines or energy sources and can reduce your carbon footprint by around 40%. Additionally, there are only negligible levels of NOx, SOx, Volatile organic compounds and particulates, which is a drastic improvement over traditional means of grid power production. Besides the decreased CO2 emissions and high efficiency rates, fuel cells offer plenty of positive environmental impacts that should be considered by investors and consumers as solutions for cleaner energy are being further researched. 1. Fuel Conservation The use of fuel cells can significantly diminish our dependency on foreign oil. Since fuel cells make energy electrochemically and do not burn fuel like conventional combustion systems, they are much more efficient. Admittedly, some fuel cells need fossil fuels to start their functions; most residential systems run partially off of natural gas. If just 20% of the cars in America used fuel cells, we could cut oil imports by 1.5 million barrels per day. This is $44 billion per year that could remain in the country! 2. Combined Heat and Power The greatest benefit from high powered, well designed fuel cells is the heat and power produced. This means that a property can reduce additional investments to heat their indoor areas or water. In this case, less is more. Since the heat can be redirected to heat water, the environmental benefit from this is the ability to heat the hot water supply without a need for a separate system as is the case with home solar."
stockmanchl99

History of BioFuel | www.stillisstillmoving.com - 0 views

  • Fueling up with ethanol and vegetable oils  was common long before the development of the internal combustion engine. Vegetable and animal oil lamps have been used since the dawn of civilization. Increasingly efficient heaters and lamps meant that higher quality fuels were developed.  For example, small alcohol stoves (also called “spirit lamps”) were commonly used by travelers in the 17th century to warm food and themselves. One of Ben Franklin’s spirit lamps is on display in a Philadelphia exhibit.
  • Fueling up with ethanol and vegetable oils  was common long before the development of the internal combustion engine. Vegetable and animal oil lamps have been used since the dawn of civilization. Increasingly efficient heaters and lamps meant that higher quality fuels were developed.  For example, small alcohol stoves (also called “spirit lamps”) were commonly used by travelers in the 17th century to warm food and themselves. One of Ben Franklin’s spirit lamps is on display in a Philadelphia exhibit.
  • At the end of WWI, gasoline quality was declining, and Detroit dropped the standard compression ratio to 3.8 to one. According to Scientific American in 1919, there were to options. One, lower the compression ratio even further, sacrificing efficiency but allowing the continued use of low-grade petroleum.  Or two, use more ethanol in the fuel mix in order to conserve petroleum and allow the creation of more efficient, higher compression engines.  The choice was further skewed in the direction of ethanol when the US Geological Survey announced, in 1920, that oil was running out.[20]
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    "Around the 1850s, lamp fuels in the US and Europe were usually made from animal and vegetable oils, often combined with alcohol.  "Camphene" (a camphor oil scented blend of turpentine and ethanol) was by far the leading fuel in the US with at least 90 million gallons sold per year.[14] But a tax on all alcohol in the US, including industrial alcohol for lamps, meant that other sources of illuminants were needed.  The kerosene industry arose as a direct result of this tax on its competitor - and not because whales were running out, as the "whale oil" myth would have it. "Kerosene" was named as the solar (keros) fuel in imitation of  "camphene." The highly volatile byproduct, called "gasoline" in the hope it would be used in municipal gas light systems, was usually blended unsafely into lamp fuels, or just poured into streams or burned off."
glinbizzivic98

Pros and Cons of Geothermal Energy - 0 views

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    "You can drill a hole just about anywhere to get this abundant, high temperature geothermal energy, but the hole would be miles deep, and dry. It is possible to use that heat resource, but terribly expensive, and drilling is just the beginning of the expensive engineering problems of utilizing extremely deep geothermal energy resources."
greenhan99

How is Biofuel Made - 0 views

  • Where does the first phase for biofuel production begin? The sun takes credit for the very first step in this process. The sun helps to grow crops and plants, which are then eventually used to produce biofuel. Biofuel is actually derived from biomass, which can come from gas, solid and liquid states.
  • These crops that are specifically grown to be used to produce biofuels are referred to as feedstocks. These feedstocks are the raw and unprocessed form that the bio fuel is derived from. Among the more common types of feedstocks and crops that are used for the production of biofuels are corn, sugar crops, and forests. In addition, even some of the byproducts of materials such as those that come from wood can be used in this process. These special byproducts are often converted to the liquid forms of biofuels, which include methanol and ethanol. With the ability to use these byproducts, production methods have gotten a lot less expensive since there is much less waste involved.
  • In addition, there are also certain natural oils that are also used to help produce this special type of fuel. For example, oil palm, soybean and algae are surprisingly capable of being burned directly in certain types of furnaces and engines and can also be blended with certain types of fuels or petroleum based fuels for a more powerful blended mixture.
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  • Where does the first phase for biofuel production begin? The sun takes credit for the very first step in this process. The sun helps to grow crops and plants, which are then eventually used to produce biofuel. Biofuel is actually derived from biomass, which can come from gas, solid and liquid states.
  • Another means of producing biofuel that has proven to be especially efficient and cost effective is the conversion of vegetable oil to a burnable fuel that can be used with most types of engines.
mannixjul00

Tidal Energy | Marine Current Turbines - 0 views

  • idal turbines are very much like an underwater windmill where the blades are driven by consistent, fast-moving currents.  The submerged rotors harness the power of the tidal streams to drive generators, which in turn produce electricity. Water is 832 times denser than air so consequently tidal turbine rotors can be are much smaller than wind turbine rotors generate equivalent  amounts of electricity, and they can be deployed much closer together. Devices that harness tidal stream energy present a unique set of engineering challenges in terms of design, installation and maintenance. During operation, the force of the tidal flow in Strangford Lough is equivalent to a 345 mph wind generating a 100 tonnes of thrust on the rotors. The unique SeaGen design allows capture of the maximum amount of tidal energy whilst keeping maintenance and connectivity costs low.
  • Tidal turbines are very much like an underwater windmill where the blades are driven by consistent, fast-moving currents.  The submerged rotors harness the power of the tidal streams to drive generators, which in turn produce electricity. Water is 832 times denser than air so consequently tidal turbine rotors are much smaller than wind turbine rotors generate equivalent  amounts of electricity, and they can be deployed much closer together. Devices that harness tidal stream energy present a unique set of engineering challenges in terms of design, installation and maintenance. During operation, the force of the tidal flow in Strangford Lough is equivalent to a 345 mph wind generating a 100 tonnes of thrust on the rotors.
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    How it works.
dpurdy

Wind turbine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 1 views

  • A wind turbine
  • converts kinetic energy from the wind
  • into mechanical energy
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  • The first electricity-generating wind turbine was a battery charging machine installed in July 1887 by Scottish academic James Blyth to light his holiday home in Marykirk, Scotland.
dpurdy

Wind turbine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 0 views

  • The first electricity-generating wind turbine was a battery charging machine installed in July 1887 by Scottish academic James Blyth to light his holiday home in Marykirk, Scotland.[7
pettitmat99

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Biodiesel Production and Distribution - 0 views

    • pettitmat99
       
      great photo on the production of biodeisels
  • he production process converts oils and fats into chemicals called long-chain mono alkyl esters, or biodiesel. These chemicals are also referred to as fatty acid methyl esters, and t
  • Biodiesel is produced from vegetable oils, yellow grease, and tallow.
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  • Raw or refined plant oil, or recycled greases that have not been processed into biodiesel, are not biodiesel and should be avoided
  • Fats and oils (triglycerides) are much more viscous than biodiesel, and low-level vegetable oil blends can cause long-term engine deposits, ring sticking, lube-oil gelling, and other maintenance problems that can reduce engine life
  • Biodiesel is distributed from the point of production to retail fueling stations by truck, train, or barge.
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    good website to find most information on biofuels
stamperdyl98

Environment « myFC - 0 views

  • Through the use of hydrogen together with fuel cell technology it is possible to achieve a radical decrease in local pollution of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particles from the transportation sector. Although the production of hydrogen from fossil fuels affects the environment it is an advantage that the carbon dioxide emissions can be separated already on the production site. This becomes evident when hydrogen is used as vehicle fuel, avoiding pollution from every individual vehicle.The only emission from a fuel cell reacting with hydrogen is pure water. The environmental gains are high, provided that pollution in the hydrogen production process is kept low. A fuel cell is approximately twice as energy efficient as a combustion engine if used in a regular car. The effect is that, using the same amount of energy, a fuel cell car can drive twice as far as a car with a combustion engine can.
dpurdy

History of Biofuels - BioFuel Information - 1 views

  • Biofuels in the solid form has been in use ever since man discovered fire.
  • Wood was the first form of biofuel that was used even by the ancient people for cooking and heating
  • This form of fuel was discovered even before the discovery of the fossil fuels, but with the exploration of the fossil fuel like gas, coal, and oil the production and use of biofuel suffered a severe impact.
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  • One of the first inventors to convince the people of the use of ethanol was a German named Nikolaus August Otto. Rudolf Diesel is the German inventor of the diesel engine. He designed his diesel engine to run in peanut oil and later Henry Ford designed the Model T car which was produced from 1903 to 1926. This car was completely designed to use hemp derived biofuel as fuel
  • n the period of World War II, the high demand of biofuels was due to the increased use as an alternative for imported fuel. In this period, Germany was one of the countries that underwent a serious shortage of fuel. It was during this period that various other inventions took place like the use of gasoline along with alcohol that was derived from potatoes. Britain was the second country which came up with the concept of grain alcohol mixed with petrol
dpurdy

Converting Coal into Electricity ~ All About Coal ~ American Coal Foundation - 1 views

  • The coal powder mixes with hot air, which helps the coal burn more efficiently, and the mixture moves to the furnace. The burning coal heats water in a boiler, creating steam. Steam released from the boiler powers an engine called a turbine, transforming heat energy from burning coal into mechanical energy that spins the turbine engine. The spinning turbine is used to power a generator, a machine that turns mechanical energy into electric energy. This happens when magnets inside a copper coil in the generator spin.
  • Electricity-generating plants send out electricity using a transformer, which increases the voltage of the electricity based on the amount required and the distance it must travel. Voltages are often as high as 500,000 volts at this point.  Electricity flows along transmission lines to substation transformers. These transformers reduce the voltage for use in the local areas to be served.  From the substation transformers, electricity travels along distribution lines, which can be either above or below the ground, to cities and towns. Transformers once again reduce the voltage—this time to about 120 to 140 volts—for safe use inside homes and businesses. The delivery process is instantaneous. By the time you have flipped a switch to turn on a light, electricity has been delivered.
    • dpurdy
       
      This previous paragraph is about how electricity gets to your home.
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    today hindi news,today news talmi,hindi news www.killdo.de.gg
filionmar99

EIA Energy Kids - Biofuels - 0 views

  • "Biofuels" are transportation fuels like ethanol and biodiesel that are made from biomass materials.
  • Ethanol and biodiesel are usually more expensive than the fossil fuels that they replace, but they are also cleaner-burning fuels, producing fewer air pollutants.
  • What Is Ethanol? Ethanol is an alcohol fuel made from the sugars found in grains, such as:
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  • Most of the ethanol used in the United States today is distilled from corn
  • As a transportation fuel, ethanol can be used as a total or partial replacement for gasoline
  • Unlike gasoline, pure ethanol is nontoxic and biodegradable; it quickly breaks down into harmless substances if spilled.
  • Ethanol and ethanol-gasoline mixtures burn cleaner and have higher octane than pure gasoline, but have higher "evaporative emissions" from fuel tanks and dispensing equipment. These evaporative emissions contribute to the formation of harmful, ground-level ozone and smog.
  • Ethanol may be considered to be carbon-neutral because the plants that are used to make fuel ethanol (such as corn and sugarcane) absorb CO2 as they grow and may offset the CO2 produced when ethanol is made and burned.
  • However, in some parts of the world, large areas of natural vegetation and forests have been cleared and burned to grow soybeans and palm oil trees to make biodiesel
  • Fueling engines with biodiesel has just started to catch on, but it isn't a new idea. Before petroleum diesel fuel became popular, Rudolf Diesel, the inventor of the diesel engine in 1897, experimented with using vegetable oil (biodiesel) as fuel.
  • Biodiesel as a Transportation Fuel A Bus Powered by Soybean Oil Source: Stock photography (copyrighted) Most trucks, buses, and tractors in the United States use diesel fuel.
  • Using a gallon of biodiesel produced in the United States avoids the CO2 emissions that result from burning about a gallon of petroleum diesel. Biodiesel may be considered to be carbon-neutral because the plants that are used to make it, such as soy beans and palm oil trees, absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) as they grow and may offset the CO2 produced when biodiesel is made and burned.
  • Biodiesel is a renewable fuel that can be used instead of diesel fuel, which is made from petroleum. Biodiesel can be made from vegetable oils, animal fats, or greases. Most biodiesel today is made from soybean oil. About half of biodiesel producers are able to make biodiesel from used oils or fats, including recycled restaurant grease.
  • early all gasoline so
  • Nearly all gasoline sold now in the U.S. contains some ethanol.
  • About 99% of the fuel ethanol consumed in the U.S. is added to gasoline in mixtures of up to 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline.
  • he U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ruled in October 2010, that cars and light trucks of model year 2007 and newer can use E15
crandallchr98

Fuel Cell Markets - Advantages & Benefits of Fuel Cell & Hydrogen Technologies - 2 views

  • Advantages by Application Telecoms CHP Fuel Cell Generators Electric Vehicles - APU's and Range Extenders Fuel Cell Forklifts Marine Power Portable Power
  • Low Emissions – Using hydrogen, PEM fuel cells only emit water at the point of use. Even when using hydrocarbon fuels, fuel cells emit considerably less emissions than other combustion based technologies, this is for two reasons. Firstly their higher efficiency means they require less fuel to generate the same energy and secondly because there is no combustion, there are negligible NOx or SOx emissions and no particulate emissions.
  • Reliability & Maintenance – The only moving parts in fuel cells are involved with water, heat and air management (pumps, blowers, compressors). When compared to internal combustion engines, there are considerably less moving parts and these require less maintenance (no oil changes every 150 hours). Less maintenance means less site visits or trips to the garage and reduced operating costs. Fuel cells can be monitored remotely and any problems dealt with quickly.
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  • Few moving parts means all you will ever hear of a fuel cell is either a compressor, blower or pump
  • Hydrogen is the lightest of all gases and disperses very quickly, it is also non-polluting and hazardous to the surrounding environment (unlike gasoline a spillage / leak will not cause an environmental disaster). Hydrogen, like natural gas and petrol, is a fuel and will burn when ignited. Hydrogen is only explosive when it is able to build up in a enclosed space, which is very difficult as it has a habit of escaping (hydrogen is the smallest of all elements). As long as appropriate safety procedures are followed, as they should with any fuel, hydrogen is a safe fuel.
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    Advantages & Benefits of Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies High Efficiency - Like generators and other engines, fuel cells are energy conversion devices - they convert stored energy within a fuel into usable energy. A fuel cell uses an electrochemical reaction to extract energy directly in the form of heat and electricity, both of which can be utilised at the point of generation.
dpurdy

Enhanced geothermal energy - 0 views

  • Enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), also sometimes called engineered geothermal systems, offer great potential for more than 100 GW of geothermal power which 40 times more than present geothermal power.
  • ultimately geothermal global resources amount to 50,000 times the energy of all oil and gas resources in the world.
  • Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) – Often categorized under the antiquated term‘Hot Dry Rock,’ EGS is thought by several experts to refer to any resource that requires artificial stimulation. This includes resources that have to be fully engineered, or ones that produce hydrothermal fluid, but sub-commercially. Regarding the latter, one expert states that, ‘As we go further, there might be projects that require more and more stimulation.’ Although EGS technology is still young and many aspects remain unproven, several projects are currently underway. If EGS technology proves commercially successful, it is expected to allow significantly increased extension of and production from existing fields, as well as utilization of geothermal energy in previously implausible locations.
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    today hindi news,today news talmi,hindi news www.killdo.de.gg
hollale00

Biofuels - National Geographic Magazine - 0 views

  • A century ago, Henry Ford’s first car ran on alcohol, while Rudolf Diesel fired his namesake engine with peanut oil. But both inventors soon discovered that “rock oil,” when slightly refined, held far more bang per gallon than plant fuel, and was cheap to boot. Oil soon left plant fuels in the dust. Only in periods of scarcity—like the OPEC oil embargo of 1973—did the U.S. and other countries turn back to ethanol, mixing it into gasoline to stretch supplies.
  • A century ago, Henry Ford’s first car ran on alcohol, while Rudolf Diesel fired his namesake engine with peanut oil. But both inventors soon discovered that “rock oil,” when slightly refined, held far more bang per gallon than plant fuel, and was cheap to boot. Oil soon left plant fuels in the dust. Only in periods of scarcity—like the OPEC oil embargo of 1973—did the U.S. and other countries turn back to ethanol, mixing it into gasoline to stretch supplies.
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