A light at the end on the tunnel?

[smolkin]

(I know there's a biofuel forum and this thread can get moved if necessary but this is where the traffic is)

I heard about this story http://www.npr.org/2011/09/26/140702387/air-force-and-navy-turn-to-bio-fuels and I have to say that amidst all the stories of failing economies and gloom it's the best news I've heard recently. At least it's a start in the right direction...and as the military goes, so eventually does private enterprise, as long as it becomes economically viable. Any of you military people have more info on this?

(also I meant 'end of the tunnel" sorry)

 

[subway]

i will have to do some asking next time i am in, on a side note the plane and cockpit shown are the models i work on and fix good old C-130J

 

[OLDBULL8]

(I know there's a biofuel forum and this thread can get moved if necessary but this is where the traffic is)

I heard about this story http://www.npr.org/2011/09/26/140702387/air-force-and-navy-turn-to-bio-fuels and I have to say that amidst all the stories of failing economies and gloom it's the best news I've heard recently. At least it's a start in the right direction...and as the military goes, so eventually does private enterprise, as long as it becomes economically viable. Any of you military people have more info on this?

(also I meant 'end of the tunnel" sorry)

This thread should be in the Lounge forum. It's going to get real controversial. When the story say's it takes hundred's and hundred's of millions to build a Bio-fuel plant, it sure is not going to come from the private sector. We are subsidizing the bio-fuel industry now to the tune of Billions of Dollars. There is a Bio-fuel plant in Lima OH that never really produced any to amount to anything. Built 7-8 yrs ago, it has gone bankrupt four times now. Now it sets there rusting. If you like to get TAXED AND TAXED more and more, go for it. It sure is not the best news I've heard.

 

[smolkin]

This thread should be in the Lounge forum. It's going to get real controversial. When the story say's it takes hundred's and hundred's of millions to build a Bio-fuel plant, it sure is not going to come from the private sector. We are subsidizing the bio-fuel industry now to the tune of Billions of Dollars. There is a Bio-fuel plant in Lima OH that never really produced any to amount to anything. Built 7-8 yrs ago, it has gone bankrupt four times now. Now it sets there rusting. If you like to get TAXED AND TAXED more and more, go for it. It sure is not the best news I've heard.

You are right on all points. But what's different this time is it's the military that's behind it. Like the article says, if the military wants/needs it, the infrastructure will be built. It won't happen tomorrow. I am not trying to start a controversy with this thread, I just thought that it was important for folks to know that this is actually happening. I won't even voice a further opinion on the subject here for fear that my somewhat liberal views will rub some the wrong way. But whatever your views, this is a game-changer in the making.

 

[smolkin]

Welp, the thread got moved here where I suppose it should have been posted in the first place. I just wanted to clarify that I was simply bringing an interesting news item to OB's attention. That was why I put it in the IDI forum, where it would be seen by a larger number of people.

[soapbox]

But since we're here now, I really do believe that this is the beginning of sustainable large-scale biofuel production in our country. It will take years, maybe a decade, but as the price of a gal of diesel approaches that of bio more people will open their minds to avoid having to open their wallets so much. Think of all the other world-changing technologies that have come out of the military- interstates, cell phones, and the internet are just a few. Not to mention that it is better for the environment. I can't help but feel that I am being written off as just another silly hippie because I strongly believe this is our future- and I actually feel good about it for once. And to those who say that biofuel isn't sustainable or financial viable- petroleum-based fuels are by definition neither, and will only become increasingly so. I challenge anyone to refute that. Our government goes to great lengths to keep our petroleum artificially cheap. Why not put that money and manpower into domestically-produced biofuels?

[/soapbox]