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[Tvoivozhd <tvoivozd AT infionline.net>]

Dear Renewable Energy enthusiasts and Concerned Citizens:

In 1973 at MIT I began using 10% methanol gasoline blends (M10) in my car and discovered that I achieved considerably better mileage and lower emissions than with gasoline.  Same for 9 other cars selected at random.  Methanol and mixed alcohols are the most likely renewable liquid fuels for spark ignited cars - all very high octane and clean burning.  They can be made from natural gas, coal, wood or municipal waste. 

A retired oil man sent me and MIT a check for $100,000 to pursue this.  It was administered through the new "MIT ENERGY LAB".  We set up tests for MIT students and faculty to begin using this blend and report performance and any problems. 

Three months later oil and motor interests donated $1,000,000 to the MIT Energy Lab.  I was told that the tests had to be cancelled because "the oil and motor companies" are experts in the field and would know if was practical.  Money was taken from my account and the project closed down.   

Read all about it at  http://www.woodgas.com/methanol.htm.  
                                                                               ~~~~~~~~~
If we had begun using coal/gas/biomass to make synthetic fuels at that time we would have had a lever to control the cost of oil.  We would not have sent the petrodollars to the Near East to fund the Iran-Iraq War, Dessert Storm, 9-11 and the current Iraq war.  

In 1974 we imported 14% of our oil.  In 2001 we imported 57% of our oil.  Big 
bucks for petro dollars.

"Of all sad words of tongue or pen
The Saddest are these - "It might have been".   (James Whitcomb Riley)

However, it isn't too late to develop a serious alternate to our dependence on oil and to funding terrorism in the U.S.  

Suggestions?

TOM REED          The Biomass Energy Foundation
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