Energy Department to aid biofuels creation

by **Tumbleweed** on Tue Aug 28, 2007 7:32 pm

It looks like the government plans more funding for developing biofuels.

WASHINGTON (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Energy says it will allocate up to $33.8 million to support commercial production of cellulosic biofuels.

The funding, officials said, will support development of enzymes -- a key step to enabling bio-based production of clean, renewable biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol.

The funding, part of President Bush's Twenty in Ten Plan, seeks to displace 20 percent of U.S. gasoline usage by 2017 through diversification of clean energy sources and increased vehicle efficiency.

"These enzyme projects will serve as catalysts to the commercial-scale viability of cellulosic ethanol, a clean source of energy to help meet President Bush's goal of reducing our reliance on oil," said Energy Department Assistant Secretary Andy Karsner.

"Ethanol from new feed stocks will not only give America more efficient fuel options to help transform our transportation sector, but increasing its use will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions," said Karsner.

The funding, with a minimum 50 percent industry cost-share, will total nearly $68 million to further enzyme commercialization efforts, officials said.

Source

by **CHUQ** on Wed Aug 29, 2007 4:07 am

HA! I love this statement.

The funding, with a minimum 50 percent industry cost-share, will total nearly $68 million to further enzyme commercialization efforts, officials said.

And the industry will get a massive tax break for their effort. Of course they are on board with the Presa plan, one--it will be an additive, two--a tax break, what part of this is really making industry do their part?

by **Tumbleweed** on Wed Aug 29, 2007 10:08 am

I didn't see anything about giving back 50% of the profits. :lol:

by **CHUQ** on Thu Aug 30, 2007 5:00 am

And under this system, you never will. lol

by **Tumbleweed** on Thu Aug 30, 2007 11:53 am

I'm not a fan of subsidizing these companies. If there isn't enough money to make a profit, the tax payers shouldn't have to foot the bill. IMO.

by **CHUQ** on Fri Nov 23, 2007 5:58 am

Concern is rising.

When Democrats rose to power, environmentalists cheered that Congress would finally get serious about curbing global warming and Americans’ oil addiction.

But now, as they stand on the brink of their first major victory, some are worried that a proposed mandate for a dramatic expansion of the use of alternative fuels is too ambitious and could wind up hurting the environment rather than helping it.

LINK

by **Tumbleweed** on Fri Nov 23, 2007 8:35 am

I don't have much faith in the alternative fuels saving us. We need to cut back our use of fuel, not find other sources so we end up using the same amount without a conservation plan.

by **CHUQ** on Sat Nov 24, 2007 4:19 am

I totally agree, but untrotunately we may be very alone in this thinking. No one wants to have to do anything, they want someone else to sacrifice.

by **EvilPopTarts** on Sat Jun 21, 2008 11:13 am

How about water + gas biofuel. Hydrogen produced by the car off of plain tap water mixed with gasoline. Their doing this already but the government probably won't support it because it actually would save us money. There are companies right now that are offering kits to convert cars over. Honda is releasing a numbered amount of hydrogen cars in California for testing. The problem is that the cars don't produce the hydrogen. It has to come from a pumping station and purchased. I read an article the other day and I will look for it. It said that a company in Japan had created a car that will run off any kind of water including salt water. Just poor it in and it converts the water to hydrogen. The government wants us to have cheaper fuel but they want us to pay for it.

by **Coyote** on Sat Jun 21, 2008 1:00 pm

EvilPopTarts wrote:How about water + gas biofuel. Hydrogen produced by the car off of plain tap water mixed with gasoline. Their doing this already but the government probably won't support it because it actually would save us money. There are companies right now that are offering kits to convert cars over. Honda is releasing a numbered amount of hydrogen cars in California for testing. The problem is that the cars don't produce the hydrogen. It has to come from a pumping station and purchased. I read an article the other day and I will look for it. It said that a company in Japan had created a car that will run off any kind of water including salt water. Just poor it in and it converts the water to hydrogen. The government wants us to have cheaper fuel but they want us to pay for it.

I'd be interested in how the Japanese car breaks down the water into hydrogen and oxygen. That requires quite a bit of energy. When you find the article, please post it for us.

by **EvilPopTarts** on Sun Jun 22, 2008 10:43 am

I think I originally heard about it on one of the news channels. I did find this on it.

http://www.environmentalleader.com/2008 ... -in-japan/

I havn't had the time to view the video yet but I am thinking it may be the same one I saw on TV.

Energy Department to aid biofuels creation

Energy Department to aid biofuels creation

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