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Is semen a viable alternative to fossil fuels?

Are biofuels a better alternative to fossil fuels?

  • Are biofuels a better alternative to fossil fuels? Should their use be encouraged by government regulations and subsidy?

  • Answer:

    They could be, but I don't think they are right now. I'm not sure what the stigma against non-renewable energy sources is. Fossil fuels are really just biofuels that mother nature has processed for us already. The only problem with them is you don't want to become too dependent on them because then when they run out you're screwed (which is kinda sorta the beginnings of what is happening now). But as far as the environment is concerned, I don't see why burning biofuels is much different than burning fossil fuels. I've heard they can be slightly more efficient. Whoop-de-doo. Hardly the savior we need. and no I don't think their use should be encouraged by government regulations and subsidies. The day that biofuels become a better alternative than fossil fuels will be the day that they become more profitable and the free market begins to favor them without gov't intervention. Environmentally slanted people roll their eyes when they hear the word "profits", but money represents resources, and the fact that fossil fuels are more profitable than biofuels simply means that it takes less resources to find, extract and refine fossil fuels than it does to grow and process biofuels. That's the theory, anyway. You could say that there are environmental costs involved with fossil fuels that aren't factored in by the free market, and you could say that oil companies are manipulating the market to favor their product (though I've yet to hear a decent argument for that). Things like government funded research for biofuels makes sense. The government directly screwing with the free market through subsidies doesn't. They did this already, and it was a mistake. It's part of the reason the price of food has gone up so much.

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Yes, they're a better alternative to fossil fuels. Sure some people say that going this route would cause too much food to be wasted for fuel instead of feeding starving people in fail nations. But biofuels aren't only from corn and such, they're from lots of things. You can get methane from land fills, you can use animal fats, alcohol, algae, already burned and used vegetable oil (i go around and get used oil for free!), dried manure, wood, etc. And all of them are renewable, some easier to renew than others. Who seriously eats corn anyway? lewl.

batzmaru

No. This field should be abandoned in favor of hydrogen. Biofouls use too much land for food peoduction and the actual food itself.

Edg1

At this stage in the game, the answer is definitely "no," but the reasons are rather roundabout and should improve themselves as time goes on. The primary reason is that in the production and transporting process of the raw materials, far too much fuel has to be used. Transporting the necessary bulk of corn, for instance, will require a mindboggling amount of trucks and so forth. As I said though, in theory if the trucks used biofuel, it may even itself out eventually, but this would take years. Below are two really good links about the pros and cons. Either way, it's going to take a lot of time and a LOT of money. 93, --DH

Daniel Huth

EVERYTHING is a good alternative, especially something that's renewable such as biofuels. There's no reason for the government to get involved though. Disclosure - I own some fertilizer stock and some energy stocks.

water_skipper

"Better" is pretty vague. There are some advantages, mostly economic, to substituting biofuels for petroleum products. Mainly, we need to get away from burning stuff. Government investment should be in solar, wind, wave, and geothermal power, as well as electrical storage. McCain's "better battery" prize actually makes sense, too bad it was just a throwaway campaign stunt instead of part of a real energy plan.

djnightgaunt

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