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Money Still Doesn't Grow on Trees, But Soon Diesel Might

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Old Aug 4, 2008 | 08:10 PM
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Default Money Still Doesn't Grow on Trees, But Soon Diesel Might

Ok so it already kinda does, but a professor at UNC is trying to clone the properties of the copaiba tree to help mother nature help us.

From the Greeleytribune.com

If, say five years from now, you’re filling your car’s tank with low-cost fuel made from grass, algae or another non-food plant, you might have a University of Northern Colorado professor to thank.

Chhandak Basu, an assistant professor of biological sciences, is researching whether a gene from a tropical “diesel tree” can be cloned into other plants for mass production of biofuel.
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Old Aug 6, 2008 | 07:11 PM
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anyone know where i can buy one of these trees ?
 
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Old Aug 6, 2008 | 07:28 PM
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one i want a few acres of em
 
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Old Aug 7, 2008 | 06:14 AM
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I'm with BUSTA on this one!!!
 
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Old Aug 7, 2008 | 07:58 AM
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You'd probably need a whole section of land to get 18 gallons
 
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Old Aug 7, 2008 | 10:27 AM
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Well, you figure Canola can give you well over 100 gallons per acre of SVO per year, where as Soy is only about 35. I think the real answer is Algae, up to 20,000 gallons per year, and you can make either Biodiesel or Ethanol from the stuff. If the stupid government would have invested in this instead of Ethanol we'd be much better off right now, but if you follow the money trail, Ethanol was bound to win out from the start. Many politicians invested in venture capitalist companies, who in turn started investing in Ethanol production and plants, so when the bill came in to subsidize Ethanol and its research/production, the politicians were real happy, it was guaranteed profit to them, pieces of $hit.

Hey what happens to a politician when he takes a Viagra? Anyone? He gets taller. Same goes for lawyers...
 
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Old Aug 7, 2008 | 10:46 AM
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Diesel has come way down at some stations, but staying up at others ?!?!?

I see these cars and trucks running around here with the Flex Fuel decal on them... but, I don't know that I know where anyone can buy the E85... otherwise, why are people spending the extra money on a flex-fuel vehicle?

Is it around, but I just am not seeing it?
 
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Old Aug 7, 2008 | 10:49 AM
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I seen Kentucky Gas stations had a higher % of E85 then ohio stations , like 2 times as much
 
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Old Aug 7, 2008 | 11:27 AM
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Originally Posted by DieselMinded
I seen Kentucky Gas stations had a higher % of E85 then ohio stations , like 2 times as much
I thought that E85 was 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline.

When I went to Houston recently, I noticed the pumps there say something about containing a certain percentage of methanol... but I don't see those stickers on the pumps here in San Antonio.
 
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Old Aug 7, 2008 | 11:37 AM
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Its ethanol, most pumps have it in 10% mixes to gasoline, because its cheaper. E85 is just that 85% ethanol. If there wasn't gas in it you could drink the stuff, its that pure. Most vehicles that are flex fuel capable aren't optioned that way, its just how its setup from the factory we don't have but one or 2 ethanol stations in all of western New York.

As far as diesel prices go, some stations go down faster than others because they move a lot of fuel, others have to finish paying off last truckload, which was more expensive. The smaller stations are just slower to respond to the market, when prices went up, they were probably a few cents cheaper for a while.
 
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