AI-Jane Forums

[John L]

[Palladin]

John,

I'm not either,but I never find anyone else to vote for. Maybe I'll start voting for the constitution party,but not this time.

[John L]

Getting back to Switchgrass, here is a nice article about it, from ORNL, no less. Patrick, are you up to speed on your employer working on this product?

Biofuels from Switchgrass: Greener Energy Pastures

I think that what we need is a thread or section on alternate energy sources. I have been watching the Science and History Channels, and doing some serious reading about alternate energy. And some of them are quite promising.

Believe it or not, wind power has gotten much better than I had originally thought. The key to this has been "gearing", in which the blades have an automatic-like transmission, slowing down the blade to generate the maximum generator output. This also makes it far more difficult for birds to be killed, unless they are so dumb they can't avoid a slow moving object.

I'm really jazzed up on this switchgrass idea, not because Tennessee is in the lead, but because it is such a great idea.
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The Political Spectrum Explained

Nothing is so galling to a people not broken in from the birth as a paternal, or, in other words, a meddling government, a government which tells them what to read, and say, and eat, and drink and wear. - Thomas B. Macaulay

[John L]

Here are some videos on Switchgrass.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0muh76a6rrc

Virginia Farm Bureau - Switchgrass and Alternative Fuels

Here is the History Channel's Modern Marvels clip on Switchgrass. The one part left out was the little section of unknown facts at the end of the presentation. In it, it states that switchgrass even outperforms sugarcane on an acre to acre basis, and runs rings around corn.

And the most exciting thing is that it is possible to get more than one crop annually, whereas sugarcane and corn are not so good at this. And the grass lasts for years, coming back year, after year,............. Very cost effective.
_________________
The Political Spectrum Explained

Nothing is so galling to a people not broken in from the birth as a paternal, or, in other words, a meddling government, a government which tells them what to read, and say, and eat, and drink and wear. - Thomas B. Macaulay

[Palladin]

Yea,the state is building a pilot plant in Vonore to be operated by ORNL. I'm trying to get assigned to start it up,I've been responsible for starting up 1 treatment plant at ORNL in 1991 already.

My problem is in 2000,they split us up into several primary contractor groups and I'm under Bechtel and the facility is a UT/Battelle operation,but I'm trying to switch companies.

[John L]

Patrick have you heard about The Helix Wind Turbine? This may be the way wind turbins are going to go in the future. They look like they will work nicely in an individual mode, instead of a large corporate one. You could also place a bunch of these on top of buildings and generate a sizable amount of the building's electrical bill. Plus they are safer for people and birds, and they take up less space.
_________________
The Political Spectrum Explained

Nothing is so galling to a people not broken in from the birth as a paternal, or, in other words, a meddling government, a government which tells them what to read, and say, and eat, and drink and wear. - Thomas B. Macaulay

[jt]

Slick. But the estimate that one could replace half the power used from the electric company can only be true for the Amish. I'd like to see how that turbine slowed up when I turned on my electric drier.

They have also been designed for extraction of energy from water flows (rivers, tides, e.g.).
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Jefferson: I place economy among the first and important virtues, and public debt as the greatest of dangers. To preserve our independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our choice between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude. If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of caring for them, they will be happy.

[John L]

[jt]

Every little bit helps. And these micro sources, if enough were in production of energy, could be a substantial help.

Just imagine that all the wind energy could be sucked out of a blizzard at the Canadian border. What peaceful winters we would have in the northern US. Chicago would no longer be called the Windy City.
_________________
Jefferson: I place economy among the first and important virtues, and public debt as the greatest of dangers. To preserve our independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our choice between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude. If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of caring for them, they will be happy.

[John L]

[jt]

It's an unbelievably clever design. I imagine it is going to be revolutionary. There seems to be no end to human ingenuity.
_________________
Jefferson: I place economy among the first and important virtues, and public debt as the greatest of dangers. To preserve our independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our choice between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude. If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of caring for them, they will be happy.

[John L]

[Palladin]

No,never heard of it,John. The switchgrass thing is big news around here,only reason I know of it.

[John L]

Looks like Switchgrass is going to have some competition. Between the two, looks like there is a good future for alternative fuels, without having to resort to corn, and hurt the world market.

Jatropha is 10x More Efficient at Making Biofuel Than Corn in Florida

Jatropha tree could be a biodiesel boon for Florida farmers, UF researcher says

Oil-yielding tree gains attention in Florida
_________________
The Political Spectrum Explained

Nothing is so galling to a people not broken in from the birth as a paternal, or, in other words, a meddling government, a government which tells them what to read, and say, and eat, and drink and wear. - Thomas B. Macaulay

[jt]

Jatropha looks good to me, since it replaces ethanol. Now all those Carolina bootleggers can stay in business and the Iowans (when they dry out) can go back to feeding the Mexicans and Darfur with their various subsidies.

How far north can it grow?
_________________
Jefferson: I place economy among the first and important virtues, and public debt as the greatest of dangers. To preserve our independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our choice between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude. If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of caring for them, they will be happy.

[JohnWho]

I'm likin' this -

moreover, the part of the nut that can't be used for diesel biofuel could be turned over the the bugs in the other thread so they can use it to poop oil.

Is this a good pair of ideas, or what?
_________________
I know you think you understand what you thought I said,
but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant!

[John L]

[JohnWho]

Well, the obvious -

everything would become oily and very slippery, I'd imagine.
_________________
I know you think you understand what you thought I said,
but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant!

[JohnWho]

[John L]