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[Don Bowen <don.bowen AT earthlink.net>]

> But any alternative fuel that begins to get wider acceptance changes the
> dynamics like a giant Rubic's Cube and the very thing that made if 
> feasible often
> is moved out of the picture forever.

.... 8< snip .....

Every news discussion of transportation fuel (and that is the big worry of 
car loving Americans) should have the letters "TANFL" plastered all over 
the place.  There Ain't No Free Lunch.

The Department of Agriculture claims that is all the soybean production in 
the US were diverted to motor fuel it would provide no more than 6%.  If 
all the corn production were diverted to motor fuel it would provide no 
more than 24%.  If you assume much of the energy input is from natural gas 
and coal, those figured climb somewhat.

We are lulled into a sense of complacency and high expectations by crude 
oils very high Energy Returned on Energy Invested.  For most oil up to now 
it has been around 100:1.  Modern more expensive fields such as the still 
unproved Jack in the Gulf approach 10:1.  Ethanol is 1.34:1.  TANFL


> Fuel and its price is dynamic.  It's not possible to identify an alternate
> fuel at its present cost and imagine that if everyone used it, the price 
> would
> stay the same.

The amount of motor fuel used every day in the US is huge.  We consumed 
9.4052 million barrels of gasoline per day for the week ending 6/1/07.  We 
produced 9.222.  We are fixated on motor fuel costs because our very lives 
are dependent on a steady supply and it is one place where there is a very 
short feedback look on price fluctuations, sometimes daily.  We dream of 
some magic elixir that will come along and fix everything so we can 
continue to live just as we are.  Hydrogen, bio fuels, something magic 
still in the labs but it is not to be.  For one thing as has been pointed 
out, it will be very expensive.  Your wages will not magically increase to 
make it as cheap as the 100:1 EREI gasoline.  TANFL

The best option I see it to use what we have now to set your self up in a 
position where you do not have to use motor fuel.  How ever that may be, a 
homestead where you can provide for yourself, a city apartment where 
everything is in walking distance.  TANFL

No matter what, everything will change and everything will be more 
expensive.  That city apartment will have to have everything delivered and 
not necessarily by an electric powered train or truck.  That self 
sufficient homestead will still need trips to Home Depot for truck 
delivered plywood.  TANFL.

Don Bowen              Awl Knotted Up                       KI6DIU
http://www.braingarage.com
My travel journal
http://www.braingarage.com/Dons/Travels/journal/Journal.html

I am omnivagant.  
> From lisakvperry AT gmail.com  Wed Jun  6 14:43:06 2007
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On 6/6/07, Don Bowen <don.bowen AT earthlink.net> wrote:
> Every news discussion of transportation fuel (and that is the big worry of
> car loving Americans) should have the letters "TANFL" plastered all over
> the place.  There Ain't No Free Lunch.
My husband and I watched the Democratic candidates Debate the other night.
We thought Mike Gravel was a loose cannon who has a snowflake's chance in
h*ll, but he said one comment that caught my attention regarding high gas
prices. All the candidates were asked the question on what they would do
about high gas prices. Mr. Gravel's comment was that we all need to grow up!
He said our prices have been low for years (especially compared to other
countries), and we need to work on developing other fuels and get used to
high gas prices (or words to that effect).

Lisa