Honda to produce E100 cars **Gas Takes Back Seat at Honda**
09-15-2006, 12:30 PM
#1
Team Owner
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Fontana, California
Age: 47
Posts: 30,991
Received 582 Likes
on
346 Posts
Honda to produce E100 cars **Gas Takes Back Seat at Honda**
http://blog.wired.com/cars/index.blog?entry_id=1557160
Friday, 15 September 2006
Gas Takes Back Seat at Honda
Now Playing: The Mosquitos
Honda announced a new process for creating ethanol from cellulosic biomass and said it will start producing cars that can run on 100 percent ethanol.
Honda will produce about 30,000 flex fuel vehicles for the Brazilian market that can run on combinations of gasoline and ethanol, or only E100. Brazil is rich in sugar cane, and because of its heavy reliance on ethanol does not import oil from the Middle East. So that makes four reasons (along with Carnival, the samba, and the beautiful people) for us to envy Brazil.
Honda collaborated with the Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE) to develop a new process for creating ethanol from plant leaves and stalks. According to Honda, the breakthrough includes a new microorganism that increases the ethanol yield by reducing the effect of fermentation inhibitors.
Honda will produce ethanol in a pilot facility with the hopes of mass producing the fuel.
Found via the Green Car Congress.
Gas Takes Back Seat at Honda
Now Playing: The Mosquitos
Honda announced a new process for creating ethanol from cellulosic biomass and said it will start producing cars that can run on 100 percent ethanol.
Honda will produce about 30,000 flex fuel vehicles for the Brazilian market that can run on combinations of gasoline and ethanol, or only E100. Brazil is rich in sugar cane, and because of its heavy reliance on ethanol does not import oil from the Middle East. So that makes four reasons (along with Carnival, the samba, and the beautiful people) for us to envy Brazil.
Honda collaborated with the Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE) to develop a new process for creating ethanol from plant leaves and stalks. According to Honda, the breakthrough includes a new microorganism that increases the ethanol yield by reducing the effect of fermentation inhibitors.
Honda will produce ethanol in a pilot facility with the hopes of mass producing the fuel.
Found via the Green Car Congress.
09-15-2006, 12:32 PM
#2
Team Owner
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Fontana, California
Age: 47
Posts: 30,991
Received 582 Likes
on
346 Posts
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006..._honda_to.html
Report: Honda to Begin Production of E100 Flex-Fuel Cars for Brazil
14 September 2006
The Yomiuri Shimbun reports that Honda will begin producing flex-fuel cars capable of running solely on bioethanol—E100. The report follows Honda’s announcement that it, in partnership with RITE, has developed a process for the production of cellulosic ethanol. (Earlier post.)
Honda had earlier stated in its Annual Report 2006 that it was developing a flex-fuel vehicle for the Brazilian market that operates on any gasoline-ethanol mixture up to E100, and that it expected the vehicle to go on sale this year.
Of the 65,000 or so Civic and Fit models produced in the company’s plant in Brazil, Honda will switch production of about 30,000 to bioethanol cars according to the report.
Honda will become the first Japanese automaker to manufacture an E100 vehicle. Toyota has said that it will introduce E100 flex-fuel vehicles to the Brazilian market in 2007. (Earlier post.)
14 September 2006
The Yomiuri Shimbun reports that Honda will begin producing flex-fuel cars capable of running solely on bioethanol—E100. The report follows Honda’s announcement that it, in partnership with RITE, has developed a process for the production of cellulosic ethanol. (Earlier post.)
Honda had earlier stated in its Annual Report 2006 that it was developing a flex-fuel vehicle for the Brazilian market that operates on any gasoline-ethanol mixture up to E100, and that it expected the vehicle to go on sale this year.
Of the 65,000 or so Civic and Fit models produced in the company’s plant in Brazil, Honda will switch production of about 30,000 to bioethanol cars according to the report.
Honda will become the first Japanese automaker to manufacture an E100 vehicle. Toyota has said that it will introduce E100 flex-fuel vehicles to the Brazilian market in 2007. (Earlier post.)
09-15-2006, 06:34 PM
#3
Safety Car
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: philly
Posts: 4,426
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
WOW, E85 GM? TRY E100 from Honda. Man that is damn sad. Honda has the perfect position to make ads for this product against anyone at this point in the US. Corn, Honda uses 100% of that shiet.
Its really cool that Honda is in this technology cause no one else is breaking any boundaries as far as really getting into this fuel type.
Its really cool that Honda is in this technology cause no one else is breaking any boundaries as far as really getting into this fuel type.
Last edited by heyitsme; 09-15-2006 at 06:36 PM.
09-15-2006, 06:41 PM
#6
09-15-2006, 08:17 PM
#7
She said: it's GINORMOUS!
i love this company, they are into everything and they do that shiet right (most of the time 
).
next year IRL will be on ethanol - what a perfect place to practice in the US.
).next year IRL will be on ethanol - what a perfect place to practice in the US.
Trending Topics
09-16-2006, 08:15 PM
#8
Safety Car
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: philly
Posts: 4,426
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sorry GM, Looks like SAAB had a March 06 E100 announcement. And hybrid E100 which topped Honda.
Originally Posted by lln.com
Saab unveils 9-3 BioPower Concept
mar29_saab_9_3_biopower.jpg
Saab has unveiled another BioPower Concept. Making its world premiere at the Stockholm Motor Show today, the ground-breaking Saab 9-3 BioPower Hybrid Concept, which delivers zero fossil CO2 emissions, enhanced performance and a range of energy-saving features by combining the use of pure bioethanol fuel and electric power generation for the first time. As the world's first fossil-free hybrid vehicle, the Saab 9-3 Convertible show car also becomes the world's first hybrid soft-top.
Packing formidable pulling power from its 260 bhp (191 kW) 2.0-litre turbo BioPower engine and 53 kW electric motors, the BioPower Hybrid Concept in the Saab 9-3 range of cars can briefly generate torque values three times greater than its petrol-only equivalent. It is a sporty combination that makes for improved performance, as you would expect from Saab, as well as greater fuel economy and an extended driving range.
Saab's modular hybrid system features a maintenance-free, 300-volt battery bank designed to last the lifetime of the vehicle, a 38 kW rear-mounted electric motor, a 15 kW integrated starter generator and all-wheel-drive with electric power transmission to the rear wheels. The entire system has been packaged without sacrificing cabin accommodation or trunk space, as demonstrated by its unveiling in the Saab 9-3 Convertible.
The all-aluminum 2.0-litre BioPower engine is modified to run on pure E100 bioethanol fuel, giving zero fossil CO2 exhaust emissions, and operates in tandem with the electrical power system. This offers fuel-saving stop/start functionality, torque boosting electric power assistance on demand, an electric-only 'Zero Mode' for city driving and regenerative braking.
The BioPower Hybrid Concept prototype car, a 9-3 Convertible with automatic transmission, is expected to achieve zero to 100 km/h acceleration in just 6.9 seconds, a substantial improvement against 8.8 seconds for the equivalent petrol model. Even more impressive is 80 to 120 km/h acceleration on 'kick-down' in only 5.5 seconds.
"Hybrids are certainly interesting for Saab in the future and this project allows us to evaluate and explore the potential of hybrid technology in combination with our existing and already-proven BioPower technology," says Jan Ĺke Jonsson, Saab Automobile's Managing Director. "Although the exact hybrid application shown in this concept does not currently figure in our production plans, the project has been extremely valuable in helping us further our expertise. It shows how we could develop the sporty performance associated with Saab while using only renewable resources and saving energy overall."
The Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept is the first project to be announced under a joint investment programme between General Motors R&D (Research and Development) and the Swedish Government. This has seen the establishment of a research and development office in Trollhättan, Sweden, focusing on vehicle safety, engine emissions and advanced manufacturing in collaboration with Swedish universities, research laboratories and suppliers.
Saab is a 100 percent subsidiary of General Motors which is committed to reducing vehicle emission and improving fuel economy through the implementation of a three-tiered, advanced propulsion technology strategy. The ultimate goal is the introduction of hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles that emit only water and remove the vehicle from the environmental debate.
In the near to mid-term, hybrid propulsion will bridge the gap between today’s technology and tomorrow’s hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles. GM is also focused on introducing alternative fuels and new technologies to improve the efficiency of internal combustion engines and transmissions, further reducing vehicle emissions and increasing fuel economy.
BioPower propulsion
The Saab 9-5 2.0t BioPower is already an outstanding sales success in Sweden, where it is currently the best selling environmentally-friendly vehicle on the market and able to exploit a fast-developing network of filling stations selling E85 (85% bioethanol/15% petrol) fuel.
The Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept now goes a step further by using an engine fuelled by pure E100 bioethanol. This is a BioPower evolution of the current all-aluminium, 16-valve 2.0-litre turbo engine in the Saab 9-3 range. It now develops 260 bhp and an impressive 375 Nm maximum torque, 24 per cent and 25 per cent more respectively than on petrol. The engine incorporates an integrated starter generator (ISG) and also charges a 300-volt battery bank, mounted under the floor of the boot.
The Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept retains a flex-fuel capability and features a Spark Ignited Direct Injection (SIDI) system for optimum combustion with E100; ensuring the same cold starting performance as a normal petrol engine. Variable inlet and exhaust cam phasing is used for optimum breathing and more durable valves and valve seats are fitted, together with bioethanol-compatible materials for the fuel system.
The compact 42-volt ISG, built into the flywheel between the engine and transmission, is the power behind the Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept's fuel-saving, stop/start functionality. It serves a multi-functional role as a starter motor, alternator and 15 kW engine power booster, while also helping to iron out residual crankshaft vibrations.
For the Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept application, a series of further steps are taken to optimise the engine's fuel saving capacity. Auxiliary functions, such as the water pump, air conditioning and power steering systems, are now removed from the engine's belt drive and electrically powered instead, through the hybrid system.
The five-speed automatic transmission, with Saab Sentronic sequential selection, includes an all-wheel drive capability by the simultaneous addition of electrically powered drive to the rear wheels.
Hybrid booster
A parallel hybrid system has been adopted, where the control strategy is based on efficient 'energy management' – recovering, storing and feeding back energy that is otherwise lost in a vehicle powered only by an internal combustion engine. The engineering team have utilised General Motors' hybrid experience in the development of stop/start engine functionality, electric rear-wheel drive systems and regenerative braking. Apart from converters to manage AC/DC and 12, 42 and 300-volt interfaces, the system consists of just three core components: two electric motors and a battery bank.
Electric energy storage is provided by a 42-cell, 300-volt lithium-ion battery bank, designed to be entirely maintenance-free throughout the lifetime of the vehicle. Its performance is carefully monitored and governed by an electronic control unit, through which electric current from the engine is fed.
This power pack is accommodated under the floor of the trunk, without taking up any stowage space, as demonstrated in the Stockholm show car.
The battery supplies a compact 38 kW electric motor located between the rear wheels which powers a transmission differential and drive shafts. At low speeds, this Rear Drive Unit (RDU) is able to briefly generate 666 Nm of additional torque.
In reverse operation, the motor acts as a generator to provide 'regenerative braking'. It automatically recovers kinetic energy otherwise lost during braking and converts this into additional battery charging. It also performs the same function whenever the driver lifts off the throttle, harnessing the energy in the rotating drive shafts. This is achieved without any perceptible change in the rate of deceleration.
The second electric motor is the integrated starter generator (ISG) located within the flywheel between the engine and main transmission. On demand, it contributes 15 kW of additional power and 120 Nm of extra torque to the output of the engine through the front wheels.
Driving Benefits
The sophisticated electronic control of the hybrid componentry is matched to the operating parameters of the BioPower engine to provide seamless power assistance and power saving functionality.
Under transient driving conditions, both electric motors are activated to augment the power of the engine, increasing standing start acceleration and in-gear performance for safe overtaking. This briefly raises total power by as much as 28 per cent – without raising fuel consumption.
At take off, the Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept also exploits the instant torque generation of its electric motors, smoothly adding strong, accelerative power during the engine's pick-up, from tick-over to about 1,500 rpm. It is during this phase that the available pulling power, or torque, is more than tripled.
An estimated fuel saving of 5-7% is provided by the automatic engine stop/start function. Whenever the vehicle is stationary, the engine is immediately shut-off to save fuel. As soon as the brake is released, it is automatically started again by the powerful ISG. The operation is carried out seamlessly and requires no input from the driver.
In congested driving conditions, fuel saving is taken a step further by the Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept's 'Zero Mode' operation – giving zero fuel consumption, and, of course, zero emissions – which can be selected by the driver via a button in the central console. At speeds below 50 km/h, 'Zero Mode' will shut off the engine and again switch the car over to electric power only through the RDU. In this mode, the battery bank provides a range of between 10 and 20 kilometres. The engine is smoothly re-engaged whenever the battery status approaches a low charge level or the electronic throttle opening requires acceleration beyond the 50 km/h operating limit.
Whenever the engine is shut down, all auxiliary functions, such as the power steering, air conditioning and lighting, remain unaffected because they are now permanently electrically-powered through the battery. The removal of unnecessary loadings on the engine further contributes to fuel economy and in mixed driving the estimated range of Saab 9-3 BioPower Hybrid Concept test vehicles, with a standard 62 litre tank, is a competitive 800 kms.
Finally, in low grip road conditions, traction can be optimised by the addition of rear-wheel drive for improved handling and safety. For example, when the electronic traction control system (TCS) is activated at the front wheels, the car can be balanced by the application of rear drive.
Driver instrumentation for the Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept is as discreet as the installation of its hybrid engineering. In the main instrument cluster, icons are illuminated to indicate when the car is running on engine and/or electric power. An additional gauge is also fitted to show the power status of the battery bank. Under electric power, the needle will steadily fall and then rise again when the engine provides charging. The turbo boost gauge is calibrated by tree icons, a playful reminder of the car's renewable energy source.
In overall operation, the Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept is designed to deliver enhanced performance and valuable energy savings. The concept can enrich driving appeal while also moving further towards the goal of sustainable mobility.
mar29_saab_9_3_biopower.jpg
Saab has unveiled another BioPower Concept. Making its world premiere at the Stockholm Motor Show today, the ground-breaking Saab 9-3 BioPower Hybrid Concept, which delivers zero fossil CO2 emissions, enhanced performance and a range of energy-saving features by combining the use of pure bioethanol fuel and electric power generation for the first time. As the world's first fossil-free hybrid vehicle, the Saab 9-3 Convertible show car also becomes the world's first hybrid soft-top.
Packing formidable pulling power from its 260 bhp (191 kW) 2.0-litre turbo BioPower engine and 53 kW electric motors, the BioPower Hybrid Concept in the Saab 9-3 range of cars can briefly generate torque values three times greater than its petrol-only equivalent. It is a sporty combination that makes for improved performance, as you would expect from Saab, as well as greater fuel economy and an extended driving range.
Saab's modular hybrid system features a maintenance-free, 300-volt battery bank designed to last the lifetime of the vehicle, a 38 kW rear-mounted electric motor, a 15 kW integrated starter generator and all-wheel-drive with electric power transmission to the rear wheels. The entire system has been packaged without sacrificing cabin accommodation or trunk space, as demonstrated by its unveiling in the Saab 9-3 Convertible.
The all-aluminum 2.0-litre BioPower engine is modified to run on pure E100 bioethanol fuel, giving zero fossil CO2 exhaust emissions, and operates in tandem with the electrical power system. This offers fuel-saving stop/start functionality, torque boosting electric power assistance on demand, an electric-only 'Zero Mode' for city driving and regenerative braking.
The BioPower Hybrid Concept prototype car, a 9-3 Convertible with automatic transmission, is expected to achieve zero to 100 km/h acceleration in just 6.9 seconds, a substantial improvement against 8.8 seconds for the equivalent petrol model. Even more impressive is 80 to 120 km/h acceleration on 'kick-down' in only 5.5 seconds.
"Hybrids are certainly interesting for Saab in the future and this project allows us to evaluate and explore the potential of hybrid technology in combination with our existing and already-proven BioPower technology," says Jan Ĺke Jonsson, Saab Automobile's Managing Director. "Although the exact hybrid application shown in this concept does not currently figure in our production plans, the project has been extremely valuable in helping us further our expertise. It shows how we could develop the sporty performance associated with Saab while using only renewable resources and saving energy overall."
The Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept is the first project to be announced under a joint investment programme between General Motors R&D (Research and Development) and the Swedish Government. This has seen the establishment of a research and development office in Trollhättan, Sweden, focusing on vehicle safety, engine emissions and advanced manufacturing in collaboration with Swedish universities, research laboratories and suppliers.
Saab is a 100 percent subsidiary of General Motors which is committed to reducing vehicle emission and improving fuel economy through the implementation of a three-tiered, advanced propulsion technology strategy. The ultimate goal is the introduction of hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles that emit only water and remove the vehicle from the environmental debate.
In the near to mid-term, hybrid propulsion will bridge the gap between today’s technology and tomorrow’s hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles. GM is also focused on introducing alternative fuels and new technologies to improve the efficiency of internal combustion engines and transmissions, further reducing vehicle emissions and increasing fuel economy.
BioPower propulsion
The Saab 9-5 2.0t BioPower is already an outstanding sales success in Sweden, where it is currently the best selling environmentally-friendly vehicle on the market and able to exploit a fast-developing network of filling stations selling E85 (85% bioethanol/15% petrol) fuel.
The Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept now goes a step further by using an engine fuelled by pure E100 bioethanol. This is a BioPower evolution of the current all-aluminium, 16-valve 2.0-litre turbo engine in the Saab 9-3 range. It now develops 260 bhp and an impressive 375 Nm maximum torque, 24 per cent and 25 per cent more respectively than on petrol. The engine incorporates an integrated starter generator (ISG) and also charges a 300-volt battery bank, mounted under the floor of the boot.
The Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept retains a flex-fuel capability and features a Spark Ignited Direct Injection (SIDI) system for optimum combustion with E100; ensuring the same cold starting performance as a normal petrol engine. Variable inlet and exhaust cam phasing is used for optimum breathing and more durable valves and valve seats are fitted, together with bioethanol-compatible materials for the fuel system.
The compact 42-volt ISG, built into the flywheel between the engine and transmission, is the power behind the Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept's fuel-saving, stop/start functionality. It serves a multi-functional role as a starter motor, alternator and 15 kW engine power booster, while also helping to iron out residual crankshaft vibrations.
For the Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept application, a series of further steps are taken to optimise the engine's fuel saving capacity. Auxiliary functions, such as the water pump, air conditioning and power steering systems, are now removed from the engine's belt drive and electrically powered instead, through the hybrid system.
The five-speed automatic transmission, with Saab Sentronic sequential selection, includes an all-wheel drive capability by the simultaneous addition of electrically powered drive to the rear wheels.
Hybrid booster
A parallel hybrid system has been adopted, where the control strategy is based on efficient 'energy management' – recovering, storing and feeding back energy that is otherwise lost in a vehicle powered only by an internal combustion engine. The engineering team have utilised General Motors' hybrid experience in the development of stop/start engine functionality, electric rear-wheel drive systems and regenerative braking. Apart from converters to manage AC/DC and 12, 42 and 300-volt interfaces, the system consists of just three core components: two electric motors and a battery bank.
Electric energy storage is provided by a 42-cell, 300-volt lithium-ion battery bank, designed to be entirely maintenance-free throughout the lifetime of the vehicle. Its performance is carefully monitored and governed by an electronic control unit, through which electric current from the engine is fed.
This power pack is accommodated under the floor of the trunk, without taking up any stowage space, as demonstrated in the Stockholm show car.
The battery supplies a compact 38 kW electric motor located between the rear wheels which powers a transmission differential and drive shafts. At low speeds, this Rear Drive Unit (RDU) is able to briefly generate 666 Nm of additional torque.
In reverse operation, the motor acts as a generator to provide 'regenerative braking'. It automatically recovers kinetic energy otherwise lost during braking and converts this into additional battery charging. It also performs the same function whenever the driver lifts off the throttle, harnessing the energy in the rotating drive shafts. This is achieved without any perceptible change in the rate of deceleration.
The second electric motor is the integrated starter generator (ISG) located within the flywheel between the engine and main transmission. On demand, it contributes 15 kW of additional power and 120 Nm of extra torque to the output of the engine through the front wheels.
Driving Benefits
The sophisticated electronic control of the hybrid componentry is matched to the operating parameters of the BioPower engine to provide seamless power assistance and power saving functionality.
Under transient driving conditions, both electric motors are activated to augment the power of the engine, increasing standing start acceleration and in-gear performance for safe overtaking. This briefly raises total power by as much as 28 per cent – without raising fuel consumption.
At take off, the Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept also exploits the instant torque generation of its electric motors, smoothly adding strong, accelerative power during the engine's pick-up, from tick-over to about 1,500 rpm. It is during this phase that the available pulling power, or torque, is more than tripled.
An estimated fuel saving of 5-7% is provided by the automatic engine stop/start function. Whenever the vehicle is stationary, the engine is immediately shut-off to save fuel. As soon as the brake is released, it is automatically started again by the powerful ISG. The operation is carried out seamlessly and requires no input from the driver.
In congested driving conditions, fuel saving is taken a step further by the Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept's 'Zero Mode' operation – giving zero fuel consumption, and, of course, zero emissions – which can be selected by the driver via a button in the central console. At speeds below 50 km/h, 'Zero Mode' will shut off the engine and again switch the car over to electric power only through the RDU. In this mode, the battery bank provides a range of between 10 and 20 kilometres. The engine is smoothly re-engaged whenever the battery status approaches a low charge level or the electronic throttle opening requires acceleration beyond the 50 km/h operating limit.
Whenever the engine is shut down, all auxiliary functions, such as the power steering, air conditioning and lighting, remain unaffected because they are now permanently electrically-powered through the battery. The removal of unnecessary loadings on the engine further contributes to fuel economy and in mixed driving the estimated range of Saab 9-3 BioPower Hybrid Concept test vehicles, with a standard 62 litre tank, is a competitive 800 kms.
Finally, in low grip road conditions, traction can be optimised by the addition of rear-wheel drive for improved handling and safety. For example, when the electronic traction control system (TCS) is activated at the front wheels, the car can be balanced by the application of rear drive.
Driver instrumentation for the Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept is as discreet as the installation of its hybrid engineering. In the main instrument cluster, icons are illuminated to indicate when the car is running on engine and/or electric power. An additional gauge is also fitted to show the power status of the battery bank. Under electric power, the needle will steadily fall and then rise again when the engine provides charging. The turbo boost gauge is calibrated by tree icons, a playful reminder of the car's renewable energy source.
In overall operation, the Saab BioPower Hybrid Concept is designed to deliver enhanced performance and valuable energy savings. The concept can enrich driving appeal while also moving further towards the goal of sustainable mobility.
09-17-2006, 10:22 AM
#12
Senior Moderator
Yeah, there isn't enough production of ethanol in the US yet... I think the only E85 stations are in the midwest...
Now before you all get into a pissing match about who had flexifuel vehicles first on the market, remember the Ford Model T was designed to run on ethanol back in the 1920's...
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E85 :
From http://www.ford.com/en/vehicles/spec...al/ethanol.htm :
Ford probably has the most FFV (flexifuel vehicles) available in the USA:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E85#USA
Now before you all get into a pissing match about who had flexifuel vehicles first on the market, remember the Ford Model T was designed to run on ethanol back in the 1920's...
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E85 :
Historically, the first widely-sold flexible-fuel vehicle in the United States was a variant of Henry Ford's Model T intended for use by self-reliant farmers who could make their own ethanol. Surprisingly, it is capable even to this day of running on E85, or gasoline, as it was designed to operate on either ethanol or gasoline, at the user's choice. Henry Ford's subsequent 1927 Model A likewise was an early flex fuel vehicle. It, however, eased the driver's method of accommodating various blends of ethanol and gasoline through a driver's control on the dash with a knob that was turned to control air fuel mixture and pulled to choke the single-barrel Zenith carburetor. This dash-mounted control provided easy control of all the major adjustments required for easily burning ethanol and gasoline in varying proportions, including enough range for burning today's E85 blend of ethanol and gasoline.
Ford planned to use ethanol as the primary fuel for his Model T, however, the less expensive gasoline emerged as the dominant fuel.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E85#USA
09-18-2006, 11:48 AM
#13
The sizzle in the Steak
ethanol...meh
...Honda bring on the Fuel Cell.
...Honda bring on the Fuel Cell.
09-18-2006, 03:13 PM
#14
Smitty's Moral Police
I'm sure Ford probably had some of the first ethanol cars, and I'm sure the idea's been toyed with by most of the manufacturers. But seriously, wikipedia is about as credible a reference as Jesse Jackson. Didn't Al Gore invent the wikipedia?
09-18-2006, 03:55 PM
#15
So what's the bottom line? Ethanol > gas?
09-18-2006, 05:14 PM
#16
The sizzle in the Steak
Fuel Cell > *
09-19-2006, 12:04 AM
#18
Burning Brakes
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,067
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ethanol is a joke...poor efficinecy in terms of energy input and power output
doesnt do the environment any good, worse for the environment than regular gasoline in terms of total environmental impact and CO2 emissions.
only benifits from ethanol is helping sustain inefficient corn farmers in the states.
its quite sad to see such misinformed people being affected by the US gov't's ethanol propaganda. bad for environment, bad for economics, bad for consumers, good for corn farmers.
doesnt do the environment any good, worse for the environment than regular gasoline in terms of total environmental impact and CO2 emissions.
only benifits from ethanol is helping sustain inefficient corn farmers in the states.
its quite sad to see such misinformed people being affected by the US gov't's ethanol propaganda. bad for environment, bad for economics, bad for consumers, good for corn farmers.
09-19-2006, 01:03 PM
#20
Team Owner
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Fontana, California
Age: 47
Posts: 30,991
Received 582 Likes
on
346 Posts
Farmers' Hopes Sprout as Brazil Bets on Biodiesel
In related news:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-f...ck=1&cset=true
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-f...ck=1&cset=true
Farmers' Hopes Sprout as Brazil Bets on Biodiesel
The country mandates use of the renewable fuel, with an eye toward helping small growers.
By Marla Dickerson, Times Staff Writer
September 19, 2006
PORTO NACIONAL, Brazil — For the better part of his 64 years, Sebastian Luis de Sousa has scratched out a meager living in the paprika-red soil of central Brazil.
So when offered a chance to grow castor beans to produce an alternative fuel called biodiesel, the rawboned father of nine reckoned he had nothing to lose. The $200 he earned this summer from his tiny harvest wasn't much. But rising demand for renewable fuels has De Sousa wanting to expand his 7 1/2 -acre farm.
"I want to buy more land," he said, rolling a prickly castor bean seedpod in his calloused palm. "This is an important thing that Brazil is doing."
Already the world's largest producer of ethanol, Brazil is now betting on biodiesel, with an eye to helping small farmers like De Sousa capitalize on what some see as the next big thing in green energy. Derived from animal fats or vegetable oils, this substitute for petroleum diesel is generating ten of millions of dollars from investors.
Major companies, including U.S. agribusiness behemoth Archer Daniels Midland Co., are building production plants, encouraged by a federal mandate requiring every liter of diesel fuel sold in Brazil to contain 2% biodiesel by 2008, rising to 5% by 2013.
Brazil's state-owned petroleum giant, Petrobras, is already selling a fuel blend with 2% biodiesel at hundreds of its retail gas stations. The company is investing in manufacturing facilities. It is also patenting a fuel known as H-Bio that it says will save millions of barrels of oil by using vegetable oil in the refining process to create a low-polluting petroleum diesel.
Even McDonald's Corp. has collaborated with Brazilian researchers looking to power vehicles with recycled French fry grease from its restaurants.
The involvement of big players is crucial if Brazil hopes to reach its goal of embracing biodiesel on a massive scale. Current production is modest but is projected to jump to 840 million liters by 2008, which would put Brazil among the world's large producers. Still, officials aim to involve more subsistence farmers such as De Sousa, who have yet to profit from the nation's biofuel bonanza. No country has been more successful at displacing fossil fuels with green energy than Brazil. Hammered by the oil shocks of the 1970s, the nation committed itself to developing a domestic ethanol industry to reduce its dependence on imported petroleum.
Today, 40% of the fuel that powers passenger cars here is made from homegrown sugar cane. That's been a boon for Brazilian agriculture. But the economic fruits have been reaped by a small number of large farmers growing a single crop.
With biodiesel, officials see a chance to spread the wealth from a fast-growing fuel whose demand in Brazil could top that of ethanol.
At present, petroleum diesel accounts for more than half of all the vehicle fuel consumed in Brazil, about 42 billion liters a year, thanks to the country's heavy dependence on truck and bus transport.
By promoting a cleaner-burning alternative made from Brazilian-grown castor beans, soybeans, palm oil and other crops, the government hopes to slash diesel imports and improve air quality in its cities, as well as generate rural income and employment.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is running for reelection, has touted biodiesel production as a way to spark development in some of the poorest regions of the country, particularly the rural northeast.
Biodiesel producers who want to qualify for hefty tax breaks must purchase 10% to 50% of their raw materials from small growers, depending on the region.
That requirement is how farmer De Sousa got connected with a firm called Brasil Ecodiesel, which provided him with seed and technical advice in addition to purchasing his crop of castor beans.
Rodrigo Augusto Rodrigues, the government's biodiesel coordinator, said the effort could eventually involve 360,000 family farms nationwide, up from about 2,500 at present. He said the varied crops provided by small growers would keep the farmers on the land and provide them a reliable stream of income.
"We don't want to repeat the same mistakes we made with ethanol," Rodrigues said. "The social aspect is critical."
But some energy experts are dubious that peasant farmers toiling on tiny plots will be more than bit players. Large-scale cultivation and ruthless efficiency were crucial to the nation's success with ethanol. Mass-produced soybeans, though not the most efficient raw material, are fast emerging as the crop with the greatest potential to help producers achieve economies of scale.
"There is a lack of focus in this biodiesel program," said Luiz Augusto Horta Nogueira, former director of Brazil's National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels. "One group of stakeholders is looking to substitute large amounts of diesel. Others want rural development…. It's a real problem."
Some observers doubt that the fuel can be cost competitive without fat government subsidies such as those that propped up Brazil's ethanol market for years. Others say the environmental benefits may be overblown.
Biofuels emit fewer greenhouse gases than fossil fuels when burned in combustion engines. But other factors must be considered in making the comparison, such as how much petroleum was needed to plant, harvest, produce and transport the fuels and how many native trees and plants were plowed under in the process.
Soybean farming has destroyed large swaths of Brazil's Amazon forest. The long-standing agricultural practice of burning sugar-cane fields before harvest is a major pollutant.
Renewable fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel are "not as green as we like to think they are," said Joe Ryan, who manages air-quality projects in Brazil for the Menlo Park, Calif.-based William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
Still, with the government projecting more than three dozen manufacturing plants to be on line by 2008 with a capacity of 1.7 billion liters, producers here, and across the globe, are bullish on biodiesel.
Worldwide production is surging, led by the European Union, which has adopted a goal of substituting 5.75% of petroleum diesel with biodiesel by 2010 as part of its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The world's top producer is Germany, where biodiesel made from rapeseed is widely available in gas stations.
Asia is fast becoming a major player, with the cultivation of palm oil for use in biodiesel growing rapidly in Malaysia and Indonesia. In the United States, where soybeans are the primary raw material, production is projected to more than triple this year to about 250 million gallons, or almost 950 million liters. The U.S. boasts 86 biodiesel plants, with 62 more under construction, according to the National Biodiesel Board.
The American-made product has gotten a boost from country singer Willie Nelson, a longtime advocate of family farmers. Nelson is a partner in a biodiesel company, marketing his own BioWillie brand to the nation's truckers.
Just as in the U.S. Midwest, soybeans are the principal feedstock for biodiesel refineries in Brazil's heartland. On a recent afternoon near the city of Anapolis, about two hours southwest of Brasilia, the nation's capital, workers with hard hats and torches welded seams on the gleaming steel storage tanks of a $20-million biodiesel plant rising from the crimson dust.
The plant, which will produce as many as 100 million liters of biodiesel annually, is one of three production facilities that Brazilian soybean processor Granol plans to have running by next year. Company executives see biodiesel as a lucrative new outlet for its soybeans, with domestic sales of its cooking oil and animal feed stagnating and exports hurt by Brazil's strong currency.
"Renewable fuels are the future," said manager Paulo Donato, explaining his employer's $45-million bet on biodiesel.
Hours to the north in Porto Nacional, farmer De Sousa said he hoped that future would include small farmers like him.
"I'm just one man," he said, poking at the soil with his flip-flop. "But I'm proud to play a part in this."
The country mandates use of the renewable fuel, with an eye toward helping small growers.
By Marla Dickerson, Times Staff Writer
September 19, 2006
PORTO NACIONAL, Brazil — For the better part of his 64 years, Sebastian Luis de Sousa has scratched out a meager living in the paprika-red soil of central Brazil.
So when offered a chance to grow castor beans to produce an alternative fuel called biodiesel, the rawboned father of nine reckoned he had nothing to lose. The $200 he earned this summer from his tiny harvest wasn't much. But rising demand for renewable fuels has De Sousa wanting to expand his 7 1/2 -acre farm.
"I want to buy more land," he said, rolling a prickly castor bean seedpod in his calloused palm. "This is an important thing that Brazil is doing."
Already the world's largest producer of ethanol, Brazil is now betting on biodiesel, with an eye to helping small farmers like De Sousa capitalize on what some see as the next big thing in green energy. Derived from animal fats or vegetable oils, this substitute for petroleum diesel is generating ten of millions of dollars from investors.
Major companies, including U.S. agribusiness behemoth Archer Daniels Midland Co., are building production plants, encouraged by a federal mandate requiring every liter of diesel fuel sold in Brazil to contain 2% biodiesel by 2008, rising to 5% by 2013.
Brazil's state-owned petroleum giant, Petrobras, is already selling a fuel blend with 2% biodiesel at hundreds of its retail gas stations. The company is investing in manufacturing facilities. It is also patenting a fuel known as H-Bio that it says will save millions of barrels of oil by using vegetable oil in the refining process to create a low-polluting petroleum diesel.
Even McDonald's Corp. has collaborated with Brazilian researchers looking to power vehicles with recycled French fry grease from its restaurants.
The involvement of big players is crucial if Brazil hopes to reach its goal of embracing biodiesel on a massive scale. Current production is modest but is projected to jump to 840 million liters by 2008, which would put Brazil among the world's large producers. Still, officials aim to involve more subsistence farmers such as De Sousa, who have yet to profit from the nation's biofuel bonanza. No country has been more successful at displacing fossil fuels with green energy than Brazil. Hammered by the oil shocks of the 1970s, the nation committed itself to developing a domestic ethanol industry to reduce its dependence on imported petroleum.
Today, 40% of the fuel that powers passenger cars here is made from homegrown sugar cane. That's been a boon for Brazilian agriculture. But the economic fruits have been reaped by a small number of large farmers growing a single crop.
With biodiesel, officials see a chance to spread the wealth from a fast-growing fuel whose demand in Brazil could top that of ethanol.
At present, petroleum diesel accounts for more than half of all the vehicle fuel consumed in Brazil, about 42 billion liters a year, thanks to the country's heavy dependence on truck and bus transport.
By promoting a cleaner-burning alternative made from Brazilian-grown castor beans, soybeans, palm oil and other crops, the government hopes to slash diesel imports and improve air quality in its cities, as well as generate rural income and employment.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is running for reelection, has touted biodiesel production as a way to spark development in some of the poorest regions of the country, particularly the rural northeast.
Biodiesel producers who want to qualify for hefty tax breaks must purchase 10% to 50% of their raw materials from small growers, depending on the region.
That requirement is how farmer De Sousa got connected with a firm called Brasil Ecodiesel, which provided him with seed and technical advice in addition to purchasing his crop of castor beans.
Rodrigo Augusto Rodrigues, the government's biodiesel coordinator, said the effort could eventually involve 360,000 family farms nationwide, up from about 2,500 at present. He said the varied crops provided by small growers would keep the farmers on the land and provide them a reliable stream of income.
"We don't want to repeat the same mistakes we made with ethanol," Rodrigues said. "The social aspect is critical."
But some energy experts are dubious that peasant farmers toiling on tiny plots will be more than bit players. Large-scale cultivation and ruthless efficiency were crucial to the nation's success with ethanol. Mass-produced soybeans, though not the most efficient raw material, are fast emerging as the crop with the greatest potential to help producers achieve economies of scale.
"There is a lack of focus in this biodiesel program," said Luiz Augusto Horta Nogueira, former director of Brazil's National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels. "One group of stakeholders is looking to substitute large amounts of diesel. Others want rural development…. It's a real problem."
Some observers doubt that the fuel can be cost competitive without fat government subsidies such as those that propped up Brazil's ethanol market for years. Others say the environmental benefits may be overblown.
Biofuels emit fewer greenhouse gases than fossil fuels when burned in combustion engines. But other factors must be considered in making the comparison, such as how much petroleum was needed to plant, harvest, produce and transport the fuels and how many native trees and plants were plowed under in the process.
Soybean farming has destroyed large swaths of Brazil's Amazon forest. The long-standing agricultural practice of burning sugar-cane fields before harvest is a major pollutant.
Renewable fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel are "not as green as we like to think they are," said Joe Ryan, who manages air-quality projects in Brazil for the Menlo Park, Calif.-based William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
Still, with the government projecting more than three dozen manufacturing plants to be on line by 2008 with a capacity of 1.7 billion liters, producers here, and across the globe, are bullish on biodiesel.
Worldwide production is surging, led by the European Union, which has adopted a goal of substituting 5.75% of petroleum diesel with biodiesel by 2010 as part of its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The world's top producer is Germany, where biodiesel made from rapeseed is widely available in gas stations.
Asia is fast becoming a major player, with the cultivation of palm oil for use in biodiesel growing rapidly in Malaysia and Indonesia. In the United States, where soybeans are the primary raw material, production is projected to more than triple this year to about 250 million gallons, or almost 950 million liters. The U.S. boasts 86 biodiesel plants, with 62 more under construction, according to the National Biodiesel Board.
The American-made product has gotten a boost from country singer Willie Nelson, a longtime advocate of family farmers. Nelson is a partner in a biodiesel company, marketing his own BioWillie brand to the nation's truckers.
Just as in the U.S. Midwest, soybeans are the principal feedstock for biodiesel refineries in Brazil's heartland. On a recent afternoon near the city of Anapolis, about two hours southwest of Brasilia, the nation's capital, workers with hard hats and torches welded seams on the gleaming steel storage tanks of a $20-million biodiesel plant rising from the crimson dust.
The plant, which will produce as many as 100 million liters of biodiesel annually, is one of three production facilities that Brazilian soybean processor Granol plans to have running by next year. Company executives see biodiesel as a lucrative new outlet for its soybeans, with domestic sales of its cooking oil and animal feed stagnating and exports hurt by Brazil's strong currency.
"Renewable fuels are the future," said manager Paulo Donato, explaining his employer's $45-million bet on biodiesel.
Hours to the north in Porto Nacional, farmer De Sousa said he hoped that future would include small farmers like him.
"I'm just one man," he said, poking at the soil with his flip-flop. "But I'm proud to play a part in this."
09-19-2006, 05:56 PM
#21
The sizzle in the Steak
Originally Posted by Sly Raskal
^^ links to studies or proof would be appreciated. I wouldn't mind hearing both sides.
09-19-2006, 08:34 PM
#22
Safety Car
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: philly
Posts: 4,426
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I love the idea, but with this "Soybean farming has destroyed large swaths of Brazil's Amazon forest. The long-standing agricultural practice of burning sugar-cane fields before harvest is a major pollutant." we still are going to end up hurtin. Trees are just as valuable- much more valuable than oil in the long run.
Last edited by heyitsme; 09-19-2006 at 08:37 PM.
09-21-2006, 12:46 AM
#23
I'm the Firestarter
Originally Posted by Sly Raskal
^^ links to studies or proof would be appreciated. I wouldn't mind hearing both sides.
Basically, there's a difference between the Brazillian model and what is going on in the US. In Brazil, they make Ethanol out of sugar cane, which is faily efficient. That's why Brazil doesn't have to import much oil (on the other hand, they're in trouble if they ever have a bad crop seaons for sugar cane).
In the US, corn is used for everything: sugar, cattle feed, all kinds of stuff. Corn can also be used for making Ethanol. However, making ethanol out of corn is not nearly as efficient as using sugar cane, so much energy is wasted in producing the corn and turning it into ethanol that it's probably not worth it, not to mention that you can't transport ethanol in pipelines all over the country you have to use... diesel trucks.
So why the big push for Ethanol? Two things:
- Because use of Ethanol will be mandated by the government, this is GUARANTEED money for farmers and thus guaranteed votes to the politicians who force everyone else to use ethanol - and guaranteed pork to their states (guess what color these states are?)
- The government gets to pretend like it's doing something about oil dependency and the environment. According to Car & Driver (and I'm just quoting these figures from the top of my head) when this US ethanol initiative is full scale in several years, it will reduce the US dependence on foreign oil by about 1.3% (when you factor in all the other uses for oil where ethanol is not even an option).
So basically, next time you hear a politician say "we have a plan to fix American's dependence on forein oil, and it's ethanol", know that they're lying to you.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Soul_Deamon
Audio, Video, Electronics & Navigation
7
11-13-2018 04:44 PM
