Alternative Fuel and Tennessee (Oak Ridge: how much, to buy, construction)

[LauraC]

Not too long ago we were talking here about the tobacco cash crop and Tennessee farmers and there was some discussion on alternative fuel as a possible replacement crop for tobacco. In the "Super Oak Ridge" thread I recently mention that the Oak Ridge National Lab had identified switch grass (sorry, I don't know what switch grass is) as a good source of alternative fuel.

Well, today's Oak Ridger newspaper is reporting that yesterday, Governor Bredesen proposed spending $73 million to make Tennessee a national leader in the development of alternative fuels. He says Tennessee efforts will focus on the development of cellulosic ethanol using fuel made from crops like switchgrass because corn based ethanol alone won't change our driving habits. He says in order for it to work it has to be profitable for farmers to grow it and profitable ways to turn it into fuel (hence the research).

Anyway, to make a long story short what he's proposing is a $40 million dollar pilot plant for making the ethanol from switchgrass which he says could eventually generate 4,000 new rural jobs and $100 million in farm revenue. His plan includes $8 million in incentives for state farmers to grow the crops needed to make the ethanol, $13 million for research and $12 million in existing funding for the construction of a Joint Institute for Biological Sciences at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory...which is why I believe the Oak Ridger newspaper has a keen interest in the Governor's proposal.

If the pilot works, plants would be located all over the state but predominantly in the western part of the state as the plants would need to be near the crops, according to the article.

I think this is a very exciting cutting-edge proposal for Tennessee. Imagine if our state (I say "our" because I hope to be there by then) becomes the US leader for alternative fuel production lead by UT and ORNL research?

Of course, the legislature still has to approve it but the Governor is doing a good thing, in my opinion.

If you want to read the whole story (more detail), it's on the Oak Ridger newspaper website. Click on the Local link on the website. The article title is "ORNL part of Bredesen’s $73M ethanol initiative."

[hiknapster]

I was initially very excited about ethanol back when it started getting a lot of publicity last year. After doing further research I came to the conclusion that it may be more expensive and as polluting as gasoline.

Your thoughts?

[Bear Creek]

Our family runs a farm. We're ready. Let's do it.

[mbmouse]

I hope it works! That sounds like a fantastic idea! But I agree with Hiknapster here......would it be cheaper and cleaner than gas?

[JMT]

Originally Posted by mbmouse

I hope it works! That sounds like a fantastic idea! But I agree with Hiknapster here......would it be cheaper and cleaner than gas?

Yeah I'm not sure that ethanol is any cheaper or cleaner than gasoline. I think the attraction is we wouldn't have to import any more oil from the Middle East, in theory.

[LauraC]

I found a pretty easy article to understand on switchgrass (actually I was looking for photos of it) as a source of alternative fuel. It's an Oak Ridge National Lab paper and it's a dot gov link so I can post it:

http://bioenergy.ornl.gov/papers/misc/switgrs.html (broken link)

What's interesting to me is how much fuel an acre of it can make but I was expecting something that actually looked like grass. I would never guess switchgrass is grass from the photos.

But I'm thinking if this goes through and it works and the US adopts it, land that can grow the stuff in Tennessee is going to become extremely valuable.

[Tek_Freek]

An Iowa point of view.

Switchgrass an interesting plant. It burns very hot and has been tested in pilot programs in conjunction with "dirty" coal. Because it burns as hot as it does it reduces the amount of pollution released when this coal is burned with it.

It grows in areas that are marginal for other cash crops like corn, soybeans, and wheat.

A concern is that these areas that are set aside will be put into cultivation and not left for wildlife as they are now. There is also a concern that the profits for creating Ethanol will outstrip food profits. Iowa land is going to be very expensive in the future.

A side-effect of Ethanol production: Train car production is up. A lot! The tankers needed to carry the Ethanol to markets outside Iowa are being built as fast as the manufacturers can and they are still concerned about having enough.

Des Moines is building an Ethanol plant on the SE side. (BOOM!)

Ethanol is not as polluting as gasoline when burned in an engine. The process for making it is polluting (as is the process for creating gasoline, but that's not done around here so we aren't as concerned - not our back yard).

Here is one man's solution:

http://tinyurl.com/2ylvaf (broken link)

It is more expensive to buy Ethanol for now. In Iowa we get a subsidy that keeps it reasonable. I used it for a while and stopped when I figured out it was still costing me more to use it even though it cost less per gallon because the MPG is lower. I paid 90% of the cost for 85% of the mileage.

So, from the standpoint of an Iowan (maybe soon to be a Tennessean) the ideas presented by the Governor are good ones. I hope the state follows through on them.

[happyappy]

Thanks LauraC for posting this!

It's so very exciting that we are FINALLY making progress in allowing the market that DOES NOT BELONG TO BIG OIL AND THE GOVERNMENT to begin solving our energy problems in ways that won't destroy the planet and will be incredibly profitable as well.

Of course, the more profitable something is, the more involved special interests and government cronyism will try to control it, but then it's up to us to derail that train.

Yes, there are problems with production of some of the alternatives to the non-renewable resource known as fossil fuel, but they will be solved by American ingenuity. The problems have not previously been solved because government/corporate interests have been directing the economy and potential new industries have been held back as much as possible.

But this ball is now rolling and gaining size and momentum and it won't be stopped. This is great news for Tennessee!