Doug, I forwarded your message to Dan Dolata, previously a university chem prof and lead chemist on our project. The two of you may be able to bat the ball around a bit.
Am a bit surprised to see www.HempCar.org make California press, as they haven't even left DC yet. Could you relay the context and the origin of the piece so they might map some of the responses they are receiving? The energy piece on their site, written by Lynn Osburn, was written circa 1988. At that time little contemporary work had been conducted or renewed on transesterification. I believe it was inserted in part due to its economy of scale perspective. > So, the goal is to allow farmers to make biodiesel for their own needs ...that > is neat. But, if this catches on 20 years from now, won't it eventually go the > way of mass production with huge processing facilities (like > gasoline)...obviating the need for and the practicality of the little farm-based > facilities ? With some certainty, but not at all entirely. Some of the manufacture is destined in this direction. However, once all the waste oil feedstocks from restaurants, food processing plants, grease traps, etc. are exhausted, there will remain nothing but oilseed crops and virgin oils processed from them. These feedstocks come from but one source - farms. Most people don't consider the fact that oil is more or less a byproduct of feedmeal production. It has high value and there is great demand. However, the primary product must be dispersed as well, the primary consumer being the livestock industry. At present, most livestock producers are purchasing their feed under the mega-corp scenario you mention, from Cargill, ADM or larger Coops like Landmark (Land 'o Lakes). The oilseed is transported to central plants, processed, and the "value added" products trucked right back out to where they originated from. This not only wastes human time, fuel and revenues, but adds to final costs of intermediate and end consumers. The construction of micro-mills involves little cost in comparison to the larger, solvent extraction mills and results in a quick payback. The savings and profits stay central to the facility, rather than being exported half a state or country away. As well, farmers need to fuel equipment and furnaces, and might as well be first in line to buy at cost, rather than paying $1.25 - $1.35 (US) a gallon for "untaxed" fossil. As farmers are looking for anything that will increase dollar yields per bushel, there is every reason to believe that they would opt en masse for a scenario that would for most reduce grain transport costs (time, fuel & capital machinery), reduce feed meal costs and reduce fuel costs. Not mentioned are the manufacturing fuel feedstocks that already exist on most farms; natural gas and biomass for boilers and gensets, as well as potential for ethanol use and the manufacture of ethyl esters, rather than methyl esters. As for growth into the road taxable fuel sector, this endeavor would still need to fall under the umbrella of a mega-corp or mega-coop, as state and federal fuel regs make individual efforts cost prohibitive. Under a mega-coop umbrella, there would be but one bonded licensee, yet each plant could dispense road taxable fuel at will as a "subsidiary" of the umbrella coop. The real gremlin in the wings is the overproduction of feedmeal. At some point in time biodiesel manufacture will create this glut, forcing a drop in grain prices, in turn wiping out much of the previous gains. If biodiesel manufacture is placed in the hands of the mega corps, this will become a near certainty and the small farm community will finally be pressed into extinction. The primary recourse to this scenario will be the self regulation of feedmeals by farmers to control inventories. Some oilseeds produce high oil yields and poor feedmeals relative to nutritional content. These crops should be destined for solvent extraction for maximum efficiency, with their respective "feed" meals destined for biomass steam and electricity production. Other oilseeds produce high oil and low feedmeal ratios. One such crop is seed hemp (sorry, it has to be said). If one really wants to look down the pike, there are trees such as pecan which yield three times more oil per acre than soybean (~120 gallons/~45 gallons). Not only does the concept of carbon sequestering receive advancement when cultivating "orchards," but other product availabilities are broadened, such as "scarce" hardwoods, pellet fuels, etc. In a nutshell :-), Doug, this project needs a few good professional men and women with the desire to step out of the corporate mindset - that and an enthusiastic bank. Food for thought. Todd Swearingen Appal Energy [EMAIL PROTECTED] Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
