The previous essay on methanol versus ethanol resulted in a number of interesting comments. It was one of the best discussions we have had around here in a long time. Many issues were raised in […]
Methanol versus Ethanol: Technical Merits and Political Favoritism
The previous essay sparked a lively discussion about the potential of methanol as a fuel, so I decided to write an essay particularly devoted to methanol. I was especially motivated to write this because of […]
Book Review: Julian Comstock
When I was a kid, “USA” was forever. I couldn’t imagine it any other way. I am sure kids growing up in the USSR in the 1970’s probably felt the same way about their country. […]
Annual Energy Outlook 2010
The Energy Information Administration just released their Annual Energy Outlook for 2010: Annual Energy Outlook 2010 It is about 220 pages long, and therefore I haven’t had a chance to read it thoroughly. But in […]
Some Random Notes of Algal Fuels
The first draft of my book chapter on jatropha and algae as fuel sources has been submitted. My posting frequency here will now go back to normal. Those book chapters are a lot of work, […]
Is Camelina the Next Jatropha?
We do love our wonder-crops. We want plants that yield large amounts of biofuel, and can do it on marginal soil. We want them to be drought resistant and require little fertilizer. And when one […]
The Wake Up Call on the BP Drilling Disaster
I have a few stories in the pipeline, but none seem particularly important with this BP disaster continuing to play out in the Gulf of Mexico. Following my previous story – in which I warned […]
The Demise of BP?
It was about six weeks ago that the man I work for walked into my office and asked what was happening in the world of energy. “This oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico”, I […]
BP’s Oil Rig Disaster May Bring an End to Support for New Offshore Exploration
Under normal circumstances, I would be all over the story of last week’s BP oil rig disaster. By now, you all know that BP suffered an explosion and a fire in the Gulf of Mexico […]
Ethanol Lobby Concerned Over Misinformation
Last week the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) issued a press release in which they complained of “exaggerations” and “false information” related to claims by Brazil’s ethanol industry: “Fuzzy Math” and Brazilian Ethanol: The Numbers Don’t […]