Fuel crops potential supported by Teagasc

Victor

I think this has some potential, especially in providing a replacement use for the land supporting our 6,000,000 methane producing cattle (which contribute hugely to our greenhouse gases).

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Fuel crops potential supported by Teagasc
From:ireland.com
Thursday, 30th January, 2003

Ireland could supply all its energy requirements from fuel crops if all energy supplies to the country were cut off, the Teagasc National Tillage Conference was told yesterday.

Teagasc researcher Mr Bernard Rice told the conference it was time Ireland made a serious attempt to develop a number of bio-fuel industries.

Apart from the problems in cutting back on greenhouse gas emissions and the need to improve our fuel supply security, a start should be made on developing the systems which would be needed in the future.

"In view of the problems currently facing both farming and the national economy at the moment, a more serious look at the potential of fuel crops is warranted," he said. "Unlike other neighbouring countries, Irish land could supply a significant part of our energy needs. At the extreme, the total farmed area could produce our total national energy requirement."

Mr Rice added that a 10 per cent substitution of our fossil fuel energy could be achieved with only a slight decrease in arable and livestock enterprises. The most likely energy substitute products would be rape-seed oil as a diesel substitute, ethanol from beet as a petrol substitute and a large range of crops for combustion to produce heat and electricity.

A major step to allow a beginning to be made would be a Government reduction or remission of road excise on bio-fuels and an increased price for electricity being produced from biomass.

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Full story:

http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/topstories/226864?view=Eircomnet

Sesshoumaru

Has anyone here tried brewing biodiesel at home for use in their diesel car? I certainly plan on using it once I can produce enough of the stuff

It would be nice to think that ireland could be completely self sufficient in energy if we used a combination of renewable energy sources. Wind, solar and crops powering our country ah if only we had a forward looking progressive government that could get things done.....

jd

Originally posted by Sesshoumaru
Has anyone here tried brewing biodiesel at home for use in their diesel car? I certainly plan on using it once I can produce enough of the stuff

you may still be liable for excise, I believe:mad:
jd