http://img115.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img115&image=texas1.jpg


This is one of the many energy rich areas in our country. It has a steady wind off of the gulf, it has low elevation fertile farm lands, and it is less than 30 miles to the ocean. From the Kerry/Edwards forums discussions I've tried to put together a Bio energy system that works with the environment that it inhabits.
Switch grass is grown locally and is processed into ethanol. The CO2 emissions from the distillation process are feed directly to greenhouses for "hot house" food production and also to micro algae ponds. Mash is combined with the algae and processed with a heat/pressure oil press unit. Oil from the "press" is combined with Ethyl esters to make high grade BioDiesel. Water and minerals from the "press" are cycled back into the ponds and fields. Ethanol is used for gasohol to lessen emissions. And a network of wind generators are tied into the local grid to further increase the net energy of that area.

The main export is high grade, efficient, environmentally safe BioDiesel.


Freedom4all has outlined another energy rich area in California, the Salton Sea basin. ........


Links:


http://www.americanenergyindependence.com/zif.html

http://www.biodiesel.org/resources/biodies...cs/default.shtm

http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_make2.html#ethylester

http://www.unh.edu/p2/biodiesel/pdf/algae_salton_sea.pdf

One mans garbage is another mans treasure? A national treasure? Brian Appel's {Changing World Technologies} Thermal Conversion Process (TCP) is our quickest way to energy independance with a couple of extra perks! Recyle garbage/waste, pays for itself!

http://www.changingworldtech.com/home.html


Here's some post I made at the BioDieselNow Forums http://forums.biodieselnow.com/default.asp

Read this thread:
http://forums.biodieselnow.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=829





News links:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/08/19/...ain569133.shtml

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,93417,00.html

The zif.htm link will take you to a web page that talks about how the United States can finance Energy Independence without creating interest bearing debt that future generations of Americans have to pay for.

The national debt is now more than Seven Trillion dollars (that is seven thousand billion, which is seven million million dollars - twelve zeros following the seven). And, because the national debt is interest-bearing, every year, the American People pay over 300 billion dollars in interest payments on the debt - not principle - interest only! The yearly interest payments are almost as much as the yearly national defense budget!

Think of it this way: This year alone, The American people will pay almost twice as much as the cost of the Iraqi war, for the privilege of borrowing money from "private investors".

Common Sense - Common Dream: Why are "we the people" allowing this to happen? There is a better way: Zero Interest Financing - Finance American energy independence with interest-free loans.

About the Salton Sea basin... See:
http://www.americanenergyindependence.com/waterforall.html

Also see: Biodiesel and Sugar

Energy Independence is a choice - a political choice.

We cannot wait for the free market to choose for us... Energy Independence is a choice like public education, public highways and the public justice system. We the people must make it happen - the "Market" will not, because the initial stages will not be profitable.

See: Energy Independence and National Security

Hello Freedom4all,




In most cases the monies created are like a hole that needs to be refilled. But in the case of monies for a domestic renewable fuel source it is an exchange for import/export imbalance. Does this not make the hole self leveling? Interest free or very low interest loans are not "gifts" but are a small investment for a sure capitol gain.

The trash recycling benifits of the TCP componds with it's astounding efficiency, wouldn't it be a good first step in this infant industry? This can set the stage for many energy investments in the future.

After listening and reading a lot of info by Dr. Smalley it appears his main focus is on the $0.05 tax for energy research. I'm for it, but think we need to look seriously at the TCP plants, I beleave they can be optimized by injecting materials at various stages and mixing feedstock. It is not a complete solution, but it'll bridge us a little farther to independence.

Here is a real sobering point for CWT's TCP:

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/and...22-kantor_x.htm

We need this technology for to many reasons!

What it all comes down to it the Engineering, the cost, and if it counterbalances the reasons not to do it.

The initial plant will cost a certain amount to build dollar wise, but it will also require the ongoing cost energywise for moving the feedstock to the plant. Will we get a suitable return energywise for the amount we put in?

Each truch or train that hauls the carbon based matterials to the refinery will be expending energy to do so. What is the percentage return for each load?
It is like alcohal rerefineing for biomass it takes energy to create the alcohal to create more energy.

How much gain do we get and much in the wa of polution expended to create more hydrocarbon feedstock. I am assuming theis can be used to make other things besides fuel. It may be used to create, lubricants, plastics or other chemical products.

What is the cost to produce it?

A lot of people are watching the TCP plant to see if it meets expected costs, etc. I don't think there will be any shortage of investment capital for it, if it lives up to the claims.

As for Dr. Smalley's 5 cents and the Zero Interest Financing - these are things that should be done at the national level to help both short-term and long-term goals of energy independence.

It's not an all or nothing issue - it is not an either/or thing.

Dr. Smalley points out that if we used all energy resources that we know of now, it still won't be enough for a modern world of 7-10 billion consumers in the year 2050 and beyond. The increase in energy demand will be ten-fold before the end of this century.

I have a 3 year old grandson who will have a family of his own by 2050.

Dr. Smalley and others are warning us that it will take 20 years + of development to solve this energy problem. Let's not wait. we need thousands of new scientists and engineers working on this problem - the 5 cents will fund their research.

skywatcher,
An easy way to equate this is; compare it to petroleum.

You don't have to drill or buy the turkey guts.
You don't have to ship the turkey guts around the world.
You don't need a harbor or fancy offloading equipment.
The machinery needed to refine the oil should be less then petroleum because of this new process, less dangerous chemicals, and more heat/pressure.
The process when it’s de-bugged will be cheaper because there will not be the need for as many pollution control devices.
The TCP plant runs off of the gas it harvest from the turkey guts.
From start to finish the process employs Americans on American soil.
If the turkey guts are buried into the ground they give off carbon into the air, that's a waste of good carbon, it's also a pollutant.
When the oil comes out of the process it's close to where it is needed, no long haul pipelines.
etc. etc. etc.