Okay all, I was hoping one of you out there would be able to direct me to a comprehensive source comparing E100 (ethanol) to B100 (biodiesel). I've been on a biodiesel kick since about 1998, but I'm now thinking I don't know which would be better: ethanol or biodiesel. Biodiesel will always be the best option for buses and heavy marine engines already in existence, but I'm thinking more along the lines of, if the slate were clean, which one is king?

My biggest concern would be with which is the dirtier fuel, followed by which can be produced with the least amount of waste.

Anyone out there have the answers? Some people I've spoken with from time to time have said that diesel engines aren't particularly well suited to a hybrid system because of the delayed start/shut down endemic to diesel engines. Maybe ethanol hybrids would be better than biodiesel.

Or maybe this entire discussion will be moot because by the time we move in either direction we'll have fuel cells, or be wiped off the face of the earth by global climate change.

We already have a thread on this topic at: http://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/e...esel.3676.html



I'm not a believer in the hydrogen economy. Hydrogen is not energy dense and must be stored at very high pressure.

It takes a lot of energy to compress H2 so efficiency is lost.

Ever see the Hindenburg?

Sorry to miss the original post! But it doesn't look like my ethanol vs. biodiesel for hybrid purposes question is any where near answered.

As for the hydrogen economy, I think it will come, but not in the form of compressed H2. Something more along the lines of:

H2 Fueling Standards Goal

Before hydrogen-fueled vehicles can be mass-produced, standards must be agreed upon so that the vehicles are compatible with hydrogen filling stations around the world. With this in mind, BMW, General Motors, and Honda are working together on a project that aims to develop tank couplings for filling vehicles with liquid hydrogen fuel. The project will focus on developing and standardizing the nozzles, filler necks, and the associated technologies required to safely supply low-temperature liquid hydrogen to vehicles.



The three companies are looking to joint research and development as a way of speeding up the establishment of a hydrogen infrastructure, as well as reducing costs. The task of standardizing hydrogen fueling equipment rightfully should extend beyond the scope of a single company, so collaborations of this type make sense. The international makeup of this particular group – with representation from Europe, Asia, and the U.S. – adds additional credibility to any developments that come from this collaboration.

OR, EVEN FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD:

Microbial Reactor Produces H2


Two researchers from Penn State and a scientist from Ion Power have developed a process that enables bacteria to extract four times as much hydrogen directly from biomass than can be generated typically by fermentation alone. The process uses an electrically-assisted microbial fuel cell (MFC) that does not require oxygen to operate.



In typical fermentation, bacteria produce a limited amount of hydrogen as well as a mixture of useless acetic and butyric acids. The new process gives the bacteria an electric “boost” – approximately 0.25 volts – that allows them to convert acetic acid into carbon dioxide and hydrogen. Researchers call the hydrogen-producing MFC a BioElectrochemically-Assisted Microbial Reactor, or BEAMR. While producing hydrogen, the BEAMR cleans the wastewater used as its feedstock. It uses about one-tenth of the voltage needed for electrolysis, the hydrogen-producing process that uses electricity to break down water into hydrogen and oxygen.

(from www.greencar.com)

There's a fuel called Butanol that can be produced by fermenting the same feedstocks used to produce ethanol in about the same volume, except it's energy content is much closer to gasoline and you can get away with using it (Bu100) in a normal gasoline burning engine. Not much research has been done in the past because ways were found to manufacture it from petroleum, so that took it out of the market as any sort of bio-fuel until now, when we're looking for the best solution to our liquid fuel addicted lifestyle... Some infos:

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2005...ng_biomas.html

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