Nuclear generated electricity is practically carbon free but what is the end result of this type of production? The reality, exchanging carbon free air now for an expired nuclear reactor (life span 25-30 years ) which has to be decommissioned and cocooned away from the public for at least a hundred years, plus its bundles of radioactive fuel rods will need to be entombed for even longer in underground concrete facilities somewhere within our borders. who is going to be around then to find out if these sites are actually safe. Also decommissioning costs can far exceed the construction cost of a nuclear facility adding billions to the cost of the electricity produced.
Hydrogen fuel cars, one of the major problems involved with this fuel is its distribution and storage because it is either liquid or pressurized. This system loses out to electric cars as all you require to keep an electric car running is an extension lead to charge up overnight ( when economy rates apply) but having said that you are then back to square one - having to produce more electricity. There is also an overhanging safety problem with this method.
Hybrid (electric and petroleum) cars, are on the road at present and there is some good press written about them; however very little is said about the dangers built into these cars.Take the battery for starters (sorry!), most hybrid cars have new type batteries made of nickel and lithium.ion, both components are regarded as more environmentally friendly than the traditional lead based type, which constitute the majority of car batteries today. Although nickel and lithium.ion batteries are accepted as less toxic than the traditional lead ones they are known carcinogens and can lead to an array of other health problems.
Not a great deal of testing has been done on the human body but possible side effects include xencephaly, everted viscera, short and twisted neck, short and twisted limbs, microphthalmia, haaemorage and reduced body size. ( Source:- Teratogenicity and Embryotoxicity of nickel cadmium in Syrian hamsters, William F. Sunderma. Univ. of Connecticut ).
A further overhanging problem for the hybrid car is in the manufacture of their advanced electric motors. The rare earth element dysposuim is required in their production, the problem is that nearly all this rare earth element comes from China and Chinese home consumption is expected to take up the whole supply by 2012. There are only two other known sites where this rare earth element can be found, in Canada and Australia, but whether production in these countries will be sufficient and online by 2012 is questionable. A study by one of the green lobbies also contends that hybrids are not as fuel efficient as the latest diesels.
To sum up the above from the point of view of claiming to supplying environmentally friendly fuels we have:- a).. Nuclear which admittedly is very near carbon free but the nuclear, potentially dangerous, footprint from each power station will be around for hundreds of years.(If any one of you has ever had the experience of living near a decommissioning nuclear facility as I have you will know this is fact.) b)..Hydrogen at the present time our technology is not sufficient to make this a safe viable option, and should therefore be ruled out. c)..Hybrid here we have serious problems with the supply of scarce materials for the production of vital components and also medical dangers which could result in serious deformities of the human body following the use of certain raw materials.
We already have the answer to our vehicles providing a much cleaner carbon free environment via lower carbon gas emissions at the same time saving money with much improved m.p.g. in the low cost water to fuel conversion systems now on the market.
Let's start by taking a look at where ethanol comes from, how it is produced, and why it is being touted as an energy efficient environmentally friendly biofuel.
Ethanol can be produced as a petrochemical via the hydration of ethylene, and biologically, by fermenting sugars with yeast. In this paper we will leave aside the ethanol produced petrochemically and digest some facts relating to the field crops required to produce ethanol.
In the U.S.A ethanol as a fuel is derived mainly from maize (corn). According to the "Renewable Fuel Association, in October '07, there were 131 grain ethanol bio-refineries in the U.S.A. with a further 72 refineries under construction. So lets ask how much maize will these refineries consume just to produce a biofuel?. Well America alone produces 270 million metric tons annually which is almost half the worlds harvest.
It has been calculated that 500lbs of maize is required to provide one full tank for the average american car; simple arithmetic will show that equates to approximately 12 tons of maize for 1 car for 1 year. If America is producing 270 million tons p.a., which is the approximate amount required to keep 20 million cars on the U.S roads for one year then ALL of America's maize production is used on the production of fuel and there is none left to use as FOOD.
Brazil now has a policy of supporting ethanol as a car fuel which is provided from domestically grown sugar cane, which not only has a greater concentration of sucrose than corn (approx. 30% better) but is also much easier to extract.
The policies of both the Brazilian and the U.S.A. governments who supply 69% of the worlds ethanol- regarding the production of ethanol biofuels is directly at the expense of the food supply chain. Both sugar products and corn have soared up in price as a direct result of these policies and the huge subsidies paid to farmers and industrial conglomerates. In fact the Asian Development Bank stated on Monday the 21st April this year "that developed nations should stop paying agricultural subsidies to encourage biofuel production because those payments are making staple foods more expensive."
Sweden does not help this situation either as its said that 13% of new cars sold there now run on biofuel and practically every other car maker in the world is trying to make their own version of a biofuel car.
In following their policy to produce ethanol biofuel systems they have turned their backs to the fact that this policy has a negative effect on the environment by removing crops (food) from the food chain and where it is the case (Brazil,S America) where tropical forests are being demolished to plant biofuel producing crops, they are removing those vital trees from from the land which themselves can literally absorb a ton of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in their lifetime.
Finally, a recent article in Science magazine states: "the use of US croplands for biofuels causes increased greenhouse gas emissions through emissions from land use change".
Having read the above it is incredible how anyone could perceive ethanol to be an ethical alternative fuel.
There is an ethical, environmentally friendly system available NOW, but nobody in government nor anyone in the oil industry supports it. WHY, - simply because they have a vested interest in the status quo.The big conglomerates with government officials aiding them have invested BILLIONS in the aforementioned so called alternative fuels and they have made huge mistakes, but their shortsightedness in trying to protect their bad investments at all costs, is at a cost to the world's precious delicate environment.
As mentioned we do have an alternative system that is eco-friendly and it is available NOW; it is the water to fuel conversion system which for a very small fee is yours to benefit from immediately.
What are the immediate benefits of installing a water to fuel conversion system? a)..Your vehicle will dramatically produce significantly cleaner gas emissions thus reducing the amount of carbon dioxide discharged into the air. b)..You will reduce the amount of land required for crops to convert to biofuel which can then be re-utilized for growing vital food crops. c)..Reduced petrol/diesel consumption via improved m.p.g. d)..Both a & b help to provide a better, healthier environment, and incidentally and very happily with c) you will find you have more cash left in your pocket.
Bill Williams has sinced written about articles on various topics from Baby Shower, Cars and The Ocean Beach. Bill is now retired but as a keen motorist has driven on most continents of the world and has a keen interest in environmental issues, these account for only a couple of his many varied interests. For further info on the Water4gas fuel conversion system p. Bill Williams's top article generates over 1600 views. Bookmark Bill Williams to your Favourites.