More Bio-fuels Thoughts

Yesterday afternoon, i was entertained by a well-attende Global Warming Commission exercise on bio-fuels. The speakers in order were a county commissioner, an Oregon State University Agriculture Professor, a Oregon Economic dept. expert, a Lane Community College science teacher, the spokesperson for our local Umpqua Bio-Alternative Co-operative, a representative of the Bio-fuel distribution industry and then another Oregon economist. Each one convinced that using this state provided mecanism, we can all hold hands and do our part to sing kumbaya and stop global warming.

The gang just promoted a few things that are on-the-way and not here yet. I did not see where the average person in attendence would be able to do anything more upon leaving than they were able to do upon arriving, except perhaps to join the cooperative and help make local fuel. This industry is driven from top-down so completely, that the LCC dude said the only way to make this work is the big gang approach. Uh-oh.

The plan of attack is to use bio-fuel to supplant petroleum based products. As a chemist, i understand that the production of carbon dioxide is independent of source - a carbon fuel makes carbon dioxide as an end product - so carbon savings is not the issue. Perhaps peak oil and foreign oil dependence is the driving issue. But if that were the case, they would promote all energy alternatives rather than have an Ag expert selling canola seed crops as a low-profit, cover-a-lot-of-ground replacement for the wood and weed sources that already grow here abundantly. Cellulosic Ethanol plants are coming, but that again is the big guy approach. Corn ethanol was a good way to keep midwest corn from spoiling once Katrina removed barges as a shipping option. National energy policy should be based on building a reliable, functional electric grid that can absorb and distribute all types of energy waves, not just changing the source.

Added 3 p.m. Not just my opinion, i see.