Questions about biodiesel fuel.

[BrickHouse88]

Well I just found out that USA produces the most soybeans in the world, and the state Illinois grows the most soybeans out of any state in US.

(I just find that interesting cause I’ve lived in Illinois most of my life.)

Anyways, one thing that soybeans are used for besides food is biodiesel fuel. Google says biodiesel fuel has far less carbon emissions than regular diesel fuel but costs like a dollar or $1.50 more per gallon, I think.

Now my questions are: Is biodiesel fuel solely made of soybeans, or are they getting petroleum from the ground and mixing it with the soybeans or what?

Think they’ll ever be able to make fuel for cars or planes with soybeans?

Google says biodiesel fuel causes far less carbon monoxide than regular diesel fuel, but releases more nitric oxide. Can anyone elaborate on that? I thought nitric oxide was a supplement used for working out.

Alright, well if you’ve got anything to say regarding biodiesel fuel, please share/say what you know. I’m sure I’ll be willing to read it.

Thanks.

 

[fncceo]

Here's the thing about bio-fuel.

A certain amount of food crops are grown in this country every year (corn, soy, grain crops, etc).

If you divert those crops from the production of food to the production of fuel, fuel prices might go down, but the subsequent shortage of food crops will cause food prices to rise.

If food prices rise, farmers will naturally sell their food crops to the higher market.

The only way to coerce farmers to sell their food crops for the production of fuel is with farm subsidies, which upset the natural workings of the market.


We experienced this in 2008 and 2009, where global food prices rose as much as 75% because of the diversion of food crops into fuel production. But... we didn't see a reciprocal drop in fuel prices.

 

[BrickHouse88]

Here's the thing about bio-fuel.

A certain amount of food crops are grown in this country every year (corn, soy, grain crops, etc).

If you divert those crops from the production of food to the production of fuel, fuel prices might go down, but the subsequent shortage of food crops will cause food prices to rise.

If food prices rise, farmers will naturally sell their food crops to the higher market.

The only way to coerce farmers to sell their food crops for the production of fuel is with farm subsidies, which upset the natural workings of the market.


We experienced this in 2008 and 2009, where global food prices rose as much as 75% because of the diversion of food crops into fuel production. But... we didn't see a reciprocal drop in fuel prices.

Ok. The government is working on ways to grow food in science labs. Don’t know if they’ll be able to mass produce soy beans anytime soon though.

 

[fncceo]

Ok. The government is working on ways to grow food in science labs. Don’t know if they’ll be able to mass produce soy beans anytime soon though.

Growing food in a lab or growing food in a field doesn't change anything ... basic physics say that if you're going to grow so many tons of a crop, you have to have so much space in which to grow it.

Growing food in a lab will never be able to economically compete with farming.

 

[BULLDOG]

Growing food in a lab or growing food in a field doesn't change anything ... basic physics say that if you're going to grow so many tons of a crop, you have to have so much space in which to grow it.

Growing food in a lab will never be able to economically compete with farming.

There are tons of vegetables grown hydroponically every year. Some say they might not taste quite as good, but they take less space, and less water than growing in soil.

 

[fncceo]

There are tons of vegetables grown hydroponically every year. Some say they might not taste quite as good, but they take less space, and less water than growing in soil.

I grow hydroponic tomatoes alongside container tomatoes. They don't take up any less space, the space between plants has remains the same as in a container or in the soil to give the plant room to grown and germinate. They can be stacked vertically, but they will still take up the same amount of cubic space, and the stacking has to be in such a way that they don't block sunlight to each other.

They certainly don't take less water. They are literally grown in water. The water is constantly recycled but there is still loss to evaporation (it's not a closed system) and that water has to be fed regularly with fertilizer solution.

Commercial tomato growers plant between 2600 to 5800 tomato bushes per acre, depending on the variety. Try to imagine a hydroponic facility capable of 5800 plants.

Hydroponic crops are just vulnerable to disease as soil crops, but, because they use a single, constantly circulating water source, the waterborne pathogens will spread much quicker and more completely than in soil crops.

 

[22lcidw]

There are tons of vegetables grown hydroponically every year. Some say they might not taste quite as good, but they take less space, and less water than growing in soil.

There are older people who will tell you that the flavors of fruits and vegetables from their era are not as good as we compare them too today.

 

[fncceo]

There are older people who will tell you that the flavors of fruits and vegetables from their era are not as good as we compare them too today.

Home grown or local grown vegetables are less flavorful because they can't be picked at peak ripeness. Most of vegetables have to be picked early and allowed to ripen in transit or at the retailer.

Otherwise, there would be a lot more waste on the retail end as people are less likely to buy over-ripened fruits and vegetables.

 

[Grumblenuts]

Now my questions are: Is biodiesel fuel solely made of soybeans, or are they getting petroleum from the ground and mixing it with the soybeans or what?

Neither. Biodiesel (and biogas) can be extracted from lots of things. Algae or food waste, for example.

Think they’ll ever be able to make fuel for cars or planes with soybeans?

They can and do now. Just because one can do something doesn't make it smart.

Google says biodiesel fuel causes far less carbon monoxide than regular diesel fuel, but releases more nitric oxide. Can anyone elaborate on that? I thought nitric oxide was a supplement used for working out.

Just off the top of my head, both carbon monoxide and nitric oxide may be toxic gas products from burning any hydrocarbon based fuel. No, nitric oxide is not really a food supplement. It's a toxic gas. Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) is less so. Nitrate supplements can help your body produce nitrogen compounds as needed.