Alt fuels was Re: [AT] Gasoline $

[Al Walker]

charlie hill wrote:

> What does E85 sell for?
>
This thread has progressed quite a bit since I forgot to check prices 
yesterday. Interesting to say the least.  Well, this morning E-10 was 
selling for 2.379, E-85 was 2.069.  On road diesel was at 2.499 and Off 
road diesel at the pump was 2.169.  On the way home from work, I noticed 
that E-10 was up to 2.449.

This thread has discussed differences between petroleum fuels that we 
have to buy from overseas and alternative fuels that we can produce 
here.  We have invested decades engineering engines and engineering the 
production of fuels from petroleum.  How much effort have we put into 
the engineering of ethanols and biodiesels.  How much effort have we 
expended on fine tuning our engines and fuel systems to use a different 
fuel.  Various crops have been discussed relating to their oil content 
etc. How much research have we done to find crops that produce even more 
oil. Have we used our ability to genetically manipulate plants to 
achieve such "new" varieties.  I think work is definitely in progress, 
but we have a ways to go. Perhaps there might still be a future for 
small family farms again. Perhaps that Allis-Chalmers fuel-cell powered 
tractor might become feasible after all.  Can we do it?  Yes, we can !
Al in NW Minnesota