I hate to break it to ya: Mainstream biodiesel is a scam, a red herring. I think it's great that people can independently make their own fuel for small scale agriculture purposes and light transportation, but there is simply no way that biodiesel can take over as a mainstream fuel. Biodiesel might prevent the oil crash from impacting for a few more months or years (at best), but it's not even close to a viable solution for the problems we face.
Biodiesel advocates like to ignore these questions:
Question: Where does the fertilizer come from to grow the soybeans?
Answer: Natural gas, supplies of which are dwindling.
Question: Assuming there was fertilizer to grow the soybeans, how much land would be required for a largescale shift to biodiesel?
Answer: An area roughly the size of 10 Iowas, just for biofuels. Growing food? Well, that's a different matter.
Question: Assuming enough biodiesel could be produced, what happens when your car needs new tires, hoses, and everything else made out of petroleum products?
Answer: Scratch head and then try to suck a little more oil out of the ground...
Never mind all of that. Enjoy your free-love, granola and biodiesel while you can:
Farmers in the heartland are trying to cash in on America's growing infatuation with biodiesel, the replacement for petroleum diesel that can be made from vegetable and animal oils and fats.
The farmers, soybean growers from Midwestern states, are enlisting the help of environmentalists and celebrities, to give them the hip, eco-friendly image they need to reach young adults and baby boomers.
posted by Kevin at 1:34 PM