Fuel Price Protests

[LLB]

I see it more as a valuable experiment on the path to an inevitable change in powered personal transport.

This is by the same people who brought us the Lexus RX400h ?. This car represents the next step in the evolution of the hybrid car by Toyota

 

[GrahamG]

I only bought it because my 4x12 Marshall speaker cab would only just go in my 2CV.

I'm sticking with my Clio - anything bigger and I couldn't fit 5 bikes in the garage with it!

Besides, with the seat down I can get my 6x10 speaker cab in, + Ampeg valve head and a couple of basses stacked on top

 

[mrben]

The Prius is, I am led to believe, more expensive (environmentally) to build than a Hummer....

Personally, I reckon that biodiesel is a better bet than electric/hybrid cars, at least until they start using greener methods to produce electricity in the UK. Either than or the hydrogen cars that Honda are trying.

FWIW I just bought a Mazda6 Estate Diesel with biodiesel in mind.

 

[User482]

The Prius is, I am led to believe, more expensive (environmentally) to build than a Hummer....

Personally, I reckon that biodiesel is a better bet than electric/hybrid cars, at least until they start using greener methods to produce electricity in the UK. Either than or the hydrogen cars that Honda are trying.

FWIW I just bought a Mazda6 Estate Diesel with biodiesel in mind.

The report about the hummer and the prius was utter crap - do a google search. Biodiesel is a disaster too - think of all the energy input and land area required for the crops. Algae could be an option but that's still experimental. Recycled cooking oil seems very sensible but will only ever be a niche.

 

[mrben]

The report about the hummer and the prius was utter crap - do a google search.

Ah - ok.

Biodiesel is a disaster too - think of all the energy input and land area required for the crops.

I'm not sure I regard that as a problem, or is farming regarded as an "ungreen" occupation now?

Recycled cooking oil seems very sensible but will only ever be a niche.

It's niche at the moment, but then - so is anything other than petrol. Doesn't mean it couldn't be a viable commercial and/or environmental option.

 

[User482]

Ah - ok.



I'm not sure I regard that as a problem, or is farming regarded as an "ungreen" occupation now?



It's niche at the moment, but then - so is anything other than petrol. Doesn't mean it couldn't be a viable commercial and/or environmental option.

The chemicals and energy required to generate biodiesel can lead to more CO2 being emitted than from refining mineral oil. Plus there's the not insignificant problem of who's going to starve due to the displacement of food crops, which is what would happen if biofuel was done on a larger scale. Unless we're going to create more farmland by clearing forest...

Waste cooking oil will only ever be a niche as there's simply not that much of it produced.

 

[LLB]

The chemicals and energy required to generate biodiesel can lead to more CO2 being emitted than from refining mineral oil. Plus there's the not insignificant problem of who's going to starve due to the displacement of food crops, which is what would happen if biofuel was done on a larger scale. Unless we're going to create more farmland by clearing forest...

Waste cooking oil will only ever be a niche as there's simply not that much of it produced.

What chemicals and energy is needed for biodiesel ?

 

[andygates]

What chemicals and energy is needed for biodiesel ?

The usual fertilisers and weedkillers (and toxic runoff and watercourse eutrophication) that regular oilseed cultivation uses. Plus fuel for agricultural vehicles.

 

[LLB]

The usual fertilisers and weedkillers (and toxic runoff and watercourse eutrophication) that regular oilseed cultivation uses. Plus fuel for agricultural vehicles.

You imply that farm vehicles cannot run off biofuel ?, or that fertilisers could be derived from them either ??

Come on, you are supposed to be the eggheads with all the answers. Biofuel is for the foreseeable future going to be the best way of a vehicle transporting its energy requirements around from a carbon neutral source !

 

[Rhythm Thief]

What chemicals and energy is needed for biodiesel ?

The usual fertilisers and weedkillers (and toxic runoff and watercourse eutrophication) that regular oilseed cultivation uses. Plus fuel for agricultural vehicles.

Don't forget the loss of biodiversity caused by farmers being pressured to devote more land to oilseed rape crops, rather than leaving it fallow under Set Aside policies.

 

[bonj2]

Squashing energy.

You can't 'squash' energy because it doesn't have any defined size.

 

[LLB]

Don't forget the loss of biodiversity caused by farmers being pressured to devote more land to oilseed rape crops, rather than leaving it fallow under Set Aside policies.

I think that for 3rd word countries who need hard currency, Biodiversity could take a back seat and these valuable crops could help all involved in their production.

The oil industry is a well paid one because there is a such a demand for the product.

Not everyone wants to be a lentil farmer. Support your family in a good manner, or grow lentils, Its a no brainer really !

 

[User482]

I think that for 3rd word countries who need hard currency, Biodiversity could take a back seat and these valuable crops could help all involved in their production.

The oil industry is a well paid one because there is a such a demand for the product.

Not everyone wants to be a lentil farmer. Support your family in a good manner, or grow lentils, Its a no brainer really !

But that would assume that there's enough land under cultivation to both provide food and produce biofuel. There isn't.

 

[LLB]

But that would assume that there's enough land under cultivation to both provide food and produce biofuel. There isn't.

Erm, no, my thoughts were that it could be grown in areas which have the bodies to work the business who need the work, but lack the funding to irrigate it properly, then using modern farming techniques (crop rotation), they could use some of the land for food crops !

 

[User482]

Erm, no, my thoughts were that it could be grown in areas which have the bodies to work the business who need the work, but lack the funding to irrigate it properly, then using modern farming techniques (crop rotation), they could use some of the land for food crops !

You've lost me!