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Situation Report | Energy Solutions | Talking Points

TALKING POINTS:

  

1.  The U.S. needs to establish an alternative to petroleum derived fuels.  However, many alternatives now being proposed by our national and industrial leaders are incapable of remedying the nation's energy shortcomings.  Corn based ethanol is a poster child for these ineffective alternatives, as it consumes almost as much energy in its creation as it will return as a fuel.  This fact is acknowledged by the USDA in the following study:  http://web.archive.org/web/20060613040347/http://www.bioproducts-bioenergy.gov/pdfpresentations/Net%20Energy%20Balance%20of%20Corn%20Ethanol_Shapouri.ppt

 

The link above is no longer working:  On Monday (March 27, 2006) Nicholas Tastad, Director of the 2020 Institute attended the DOE's Annual Energy Conference in D.C.  Dr. Hosein Shapouri, our USDA's Senior Agricultural Economist and author of the above mentioned study was also a panelist at the 2006 Energy Conference.  He was there to advocate increasing our reliance on ethanol.  While questioning Dr. Shapouri over the prudence of his ethanol advocacy given the very marginal energy benefits cited in his own study, Nicholas mentioned that this study was linked to his institutes website.  For whatever reason, and we make no allegations, convenient viewing of this study from this weblink was terminated shortly after the conference. As of April 22, 2006, we've found a new non-government source, please refer to page 13, table 6: http://web.archive.org/web/20060613040347/http://www.heartland.org/pdf/16324.pdf

 

During our search for a replacement 2002 study link, we've featured another report heavily referencing the 2002 Shapouri study.  This report is so impressive it will stay up on our website.  The following link is to a report drafted by Mr. Tad W. Patzek, a collegiate of civil & environmental engineering at UC Berkley.  Special thanks to Mr. Patzek for an extremely impressive report: http://web.archive.org/web/20060613040347/http://petroleum.berkeley.edu/papers/patzek/CRPS416-Patzek-Web.pdf

 

For the record:  The Patzek report uses considerable scientific research to suggest the Shapouri study is actually overly optimistic with its estimates of ethanol's energy benefit.  Secondly, since late 2006, numerous congressional officials as well as officials of the RNC have been aware of our institute citing this study, which was still accessable on the night of Mar 26, 2006.  In other words, we do not suggest the removal of this website was in any way politically motivated.

 

2.  Future production increases of oil are stop-gap measures at best.  Many of the worlds oil producing nations are now at or soon will be at peak production.  While this institute advocates an immediate increase in domestic oil -production, we recognize the fact that such production will never constitute a solution to the approaching crisis.  http://www.peakoil.net/    also graphic visualization at www.oilposter.org

 

3.  Given the vacuum of effective leadership in developing practical energy solutions, it is possible to be distracted by opportunists calling for restrictions on SUV sales or for energy rationing, or calls to increase spending on low-income energy programs masqueraded as "vehicles" to solve the energy crisis.  Such inefficient non-market methods have never and will never constitute the best way forward.  The power of the free market offers the best chance for a practical and an affordable means to resolve our dangerous and soon to be untenable dependence on foreign energy.  U.S. Government energy leadership sites may be found at: http://web.archive.org/web/20060613040347/http://energycommerce.house.gov/, http://web.archive.org/web/20060613040347/http://energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Home.Home, http://web.archive.org/web/20060613040347/http://www.energy.gov/engine/content.do?BT_CODE=AD_L.

 

4.  Though the U.S. must produce more domestic energy, enhancing our energy efficiencies will also be a critical component of achieving energy independence.  Higher efficiencies without sacrificing intended benefits will ultimately account for a large percentage of the "new" energy that the U.S. requires.  An exciting example of one such efficiency gain is well demonstrated by the "tri-generation" Pure Comfort line from UTC Power which boasts significantly higher electrical, heating, and cooling efficiencies in excess of 80%: http://web.archive.org/web/20060613040347/http://www.utcpower.com/fs/com/bin/fs_com_Page/0,5433,03200,00.html High-efficiency residential hot water: http://web.archive.org/web/20060613040347/http://www.plumbingsupply.com/index-tanklesswaterheaters.html

http://www.cechot.com/index.html  

LEDs are another example of a tremendous efficiency gain now approaching technical feasiblity for all lighting purposes.  LED lights are several times more efficient than regular incandescent light bulbs: http://web.archive.org/web/20060613040347/http://www.dialight.com/, http://web.archive.org/web/20060613040347/http://www.lumileds.com/, http://web.archive.org/web/20060613040347/http://www.lumileds.com/pdfs/AB17.PDF

 

 

5.  The electrolyzing of water into hydrogen will be key to implementing the methanol transformation.  Currently electrolysis is efficient, but plans are in the works to make it even more efficient.  An excellent website on electrolysis is at: http://web.archive.org/web/20060613040347/http://www.stardrivedevice.com/electrolysis.html. (All of the 2020 Institutes calculations' are based on a Swiss firm's pressurized electrolyzer: http://www.accagen.com/age-family.htm). The ultimate electrolysis device will likely employ steam electrolysis, which may be read about at these following excellent webpages: http://web.archive.org/web/20060613040347/http://www.ne.doe.gov/hydrogen/HTE.pdf, http://web.archive.org/web/20060613040347/http://www.risoe.dk/konferencer/energyconf/presentations/hoejgaard.pdf,

http://web.archive.org/web/20060613040347/http://www.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells/pdfs/28890y.pdf.   

(On a side note, industrial synergies will likely arise between the electrolysis/gasification process: IE waste heat from gasification reducing energy requirements for steam electrolysis, electrolyzers then feed by-product oxygen back into the gasifier.)

 

6.  Even though methanol is a stable liquid at room temperature, many people may have doubts about it given its slight technical challenges.  Challenges include the fact that it can be corrosive to engine parts that are not made of stainless steel.  The high compression ratios require very durable engine components.  Methanol may need slight pre-heating to fire in a cold engine on a cold morning.  Prolonged exposure to methanol does have negative health consequences.  Such complications may be mitigated by: a) Anti-corrosive high-endurance stainless steel or ceramic auto components b) Pre-heating the fuel both via a small electric heater and later via engine heat. c) Understanding methanol exposure can be dangerous and is to be avoided.  Exposure to gasoline fumes is also dangerous, try to avoid exposure to either fuel.  The following site describes steps, readily adaptable to methanol, designed to mitigate alcohol fuel challenges:  http://web.archive.org/web/20060613040347/http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/ethanol_motherearth/me2.html

 

7.  To be sure, obtaining sufficient biomass for the methanol transformation will be a challenge.  One wonders if WPA style work camps might be established for the purpose of brush clearing and forest thinning.  The USA has approximately 200,000 homeless vets: http://www.nchv.org/background.cfm.  (This institute has nothing but the highest regard and deepest respect for all those who have honorably worn the nation's uniform, and especially for those who've served in a combat zone.)  Would it be possible to establish a voluntary work program to allow these vets to receive some form of shelter, food and a small stipend while gaining work experience in a trade?  It may also serve as a useful staging ground for vets to make the leap out of homelessness.  Would it not also be feasible for even a small fraction of our "non-violent" prisoner population to be fitted with some kind of locating device and used to clear brush and thin forests?  http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/prisons.htm.  At an absolute minimum, something needs to be done to mitigate the growing forest fire problem in America.  Synergies between preventing costly forest fires and supplying adequate biomass for methanol should be intensively developed.  See the following for more information: http://forestfire.nau.edu/statistics.htm,  http://www.healthyforests.gov.