"Nanodiesel" technology invalid due to human background, tech difference?
John Gartner of Autopia questions the validity of technology that generates oil from trash found in landfills. His concern is the company Green Power, Inc., and company CEO Michael Spitzauer. Inventor Christian Koch of Green Power states to have developed the technology. He, with Spitzauer, demonstrated it recently in Washington. The process, a variation of thermal depolymerization, takes organic wastes and converts it into the oil. Green Power is looking to open 1500 plants by decade's end. State Spitzauer, "The big oil companies in Europe and this country have made threats to us, but even if they would do something to our lives, this company will go on. Our plant works, and we will make diesel for the people."
Gartner wonders, though, if Spitzauer is trying to pull the wool over "gullible" Americans' eyes. Apparently Spitzauer has an unsavory past, having been convicted of fraud in Austria as well as misstating his criminal past on his U.S. immigration form. Then he wonders about the process itself based on one scientist's concern that oil was used for the demo but the documentation states no such oil will be used in the full-sized plant.
Our take? Leave Spitzauer's past to the government to deal with and just do more testing on the technology.
[Source: Associated Press via Billings Gazette and Seattle Times via Autopia]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Robert Andrews 7:39PM (7/29/2006)
They are all trying to pull the wool over out eyes. These cars do not get good milage. The government regulations, big oil & auto companies ruined it all.
Back in 1988 I bought a new stripped ford Escort that got 42 mpg. They aded a lot to the cars to make them cost more and the mpg went down, we should be getting a lot better that the 42 mpg I got in 1988
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Howard Lee Harkness 2:06PM (7/30/2006)
When I first saw the posting about this, my reaction was, "I believe when I see it." Heating garbage means energy *in*, and I didn't see any indication that such a process would have a positive energy balance. I'm a definite bidiesel supporter (makes a lot more sense than ethanol or hydrogen), but seeing the background of Michael Spitzauer (gotta wonder about Mr. Koch now) leads me to conclude that there is a very high probability that there is less to his 'research' than meets the eye.
Never underestimate the profit potential of a "politically correct" scam (ADM knows this one very well, having successfully made millions on their government-subsidized MTBE scam, and now is doing the same with ethanol). To avoid getting sucked into scams like this, it is necessary to be attentive and critical of any scheme that appeals to your own beliefs, which is not something that people find easy to do.
I think that biodiesel is the second best of the current alternatives to dinofuel, the first being SVO (even though SVO use requires some engine mods). Ethanol has problems with economics, toxcity, and pollution. Hydrogen is way beyond stupid. Electrics have some potential, but they aren't ready for prime time (safety problems, economics, and pollution in the form of coal-fired electricity generation and hazardous materials requiring special handling for recycling). Hybrids, especially diesel-electric, might be the way to go, if something like the Aptera actually becomes real. I was impressed by the Tesla, but I'm still waiting for the real electric (or hybrid) that I can actually afford, preferably as a small pickup truck.
The main thing to concentrate on with regard to any form of energy is how to use less of it. For instance, due to short-sighted government-enforced restrictions on using rail transportation (due to rail company lobbying) to haul OTR trucks. Did you realize that it is ILLEGAL in the US for a rail service to haul a complete OTR rig? That's also way beyond stupid. If I was an OTR driver, I'd be tickled pink to drive my rig onto a flatcar, and sit in a passenger car reading, napping, watching a movie, or listening to music while crossing the country in a train -- for less than the cost of driving the rig on the same trip. And allowing that would be a big win-win-win.
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