Popular Mechanics takes a hard look at alternative fuels
If you’re looking for a readable yet detailed look at the scientific data of green automobile technology, Popular Mechanics is the place to go today. Their cover story called “The Truth About Biofuels” in engaging and straightforward and highly recommended.
The set-up for the piece is a look at popular biofuels, including ethanol, methanol and compressed natural gas. The pros and cons of each fuel are detailed (did you know biodiesel and regular diesel have almost the same BTU content?), and there’s an outlook for how each fuel may play a role in the future. Also, reading the article gives you the sense that the lawmakers are ahead of the curve on biofuels, since a lot of ethanol is currently added to gasoline to meet state or EPA emission limits. [Source: Popular Mechanics via Joel A]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Phil L. 3:10PM (4/28/2006)
A nice, comprehensive overview - for those who don't know much about the issues, and might not be inclined to dig further.
But overall, I'm disappointed in the article. Most of the discussion is too superficial to be useful, with selected statistics that don't allow the reader to make useful comparisons.
In particular, the author annoyingly devotes a single sentence to ethanol's energy equation concerns with the dismissive "cynics claim" intro - and then continues with the DOE's "surplus of energy" claim. No attempt is made to reconcile these two vastly differing views. This is a critical point: Ethanol use on a mass scale (or, for that matter, any other energy source) makes little sense if it ultimately requires developing some other energy source to subsidize its production.
Our national energy dialogue needs clearly-presented, unbiased information that helps us understand and discuss the full energy cycle of all potential solutions. This article might be a step in the right direction, but it could have been so much more.
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okoro_day 12:20PM (8/04/2009)
is good job.
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okoro_day 12:23PM (8/04/2009)
Good job.
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