Santo Domingo.- A Birmingham, Alabama company, Masada Resource Group has teamed with RJ
Zapata & Associates S.A. to develop and operate commercial-scale
waste-to-ethanol and electricity production facilities in the Dominican
Republic.
The two companies signed a
long-term joint-venture agreement last month to build facilities in the
Dominican Republic that will produce fuel-grade ethanol and electricity
from ordinary household garbage. Announcement of the deal comes at a
time when the national government of the Dominican Republic is
addressing the country's energy production needs through strong laws
that support this initiative.
"This is a historic moment for the
Dominican Republic," Rafael Zapata, President of RJ Zapata said. "This
partnership allows us to dispose of the City of Santo Domingo East's
municipal solid waste and create up to 30 million gallons of fuel-grade
ethanol annually and substantial electrical power in the process. This
is a win-win situation for everybody involved."
Written by: josean, 15 Dec 2007 10:17 AM
From: United States
With all the hot air and bovine excrement the Criminal President Fernandez produces, they should be able to produce electricity for the next twenty years!
Written by: Mangil, 15 Dec 2007 12:20 PM
From: Canada
Humm... Ethanol from waste... yes, sure.
I wonder why no other country thought about that before... (sarcasm here)
I really doublt that they are there for waste... Dominicans beware, "someone" is looking for your farmlands... all of them.
This is from this interesting article (you should read it if you can) :
http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=19333Just replace Brazil by Dominican Republic...
"Brazil is warm and wet enough to grow rain-fed sugar cane, which currently produces ethanol three times more productively than a cornfield can. The cane yields twice as much, needs only half as much fertilizer, and uses no coal or natural gas for processing."
From: Dominican Republic
It would behoove both "josean" and "Mangil" to investigate further regarding the subject of converting waste dumps to ethanol before making any further comments. "josean" didn't contribute anything but sacastic words in this regard. he seems bent on casting disparagements against the current Administration rather than offering constructive criticism of the proposed venture.
Conversion of waste dump products has gained a lot of support in the USA and has proved to be a financially viable solution to the overall fuel shortages existing there. So, why not import that technology to the DR and benefit from it now that petroleum products are at an all time high? HUH? HUH?
The question is not whether the most reliable or best source is derived from sugar cane or wast, but whether or not the processes are financialy feasible, which both are without a doubt.
And the DR produces a LOT of waste of all sorts. Make use of it!
TB
From: United States
actually Mangil, other countries have thought of converting MSW ( metropolitan solid waste) into biomass for ethanol production since the 1990s. the technology is beginning to mature, but nobody has a commercial operation as of yet, and some prospective manufacturers have actually abandoned the enterprise, for reasons i cannot say. the economic feasibility is yet to be worked out, because things are all in the research stage. one common thread seems to be the application of acid solutions for hydrolysis, and they have to be heated to 200 degrees and 240 degrees centigrade in the process. for the dominican republic, that makes me think immediately about the energy costs to produce the ethanol. if you have to spend 100 pesos of electricity to produce 80 pesos worth of ethanol, there is no point. i think we need to get some answers, and wait to see how this technology shakes out. the canadians are working on a steam explosion centrifuge, which shows promise, but uses a lot of energy.
From: United States
that technology will not be online before 2010 or 2011. the Masada plant will be operational at the end of 2008, but will undoubtedly have many wrinkles to iron out. but the way this article is written makes it seem that all systems are go, and these guys are just going to come and set up shop. i would like to see feasibility studies dedicated to the Dominican Republic, not for Los Angeles! i would like to see collection costs, sorting costs ( yes, you have to get rid of the cans, bottles, chinaware , metals etc), the energy costs, and the economies of scale. i would also like to see the energy content of MSW ethanol; not all ethanols are the same. sugar cane ethanol has 3 times the energy content of corn ethanol. so even though it sounds promising, we should not get too effervescent in our enthusiasm until we get more answers!
Written by: Mangil, 15 Dec 2007 5:11 PM
From: Canada
I know that the production of ethanol from waste is an option, we are testing this "concept" here as we speak... I may be wrong but , so far nobody successfully produce ethanol from waste in a commercial and profitable way. Everything is still at the developpement stage.
Written by: Mangil, 15 Dec 2007 5:42 PM
From: Canada
Quote from the DR article:
"...develop and operate commercial-scale waste-to-ethanol and electricity production facilities in the Dominican Republic. "
TexasBill, this is why I made this comment about that project... But this was not the main point of my intervention, my main concern is that it seem's to me that those people are not there for DR waste, they are there for the relatively cheap farmland, low environement regulation (regarding the use of fertilisers)and of course, the sugarcane they want to grow...
From: United States
to Mangil; i believe that is what i was trying to say in my post. i actually mentioned the Canadian steam explosion method, which is years from being perfected. also, the plasma arc method requires temperatures of 20,000 farenheit for gasification. think of the energy input required, for 24 hrs 7 day per week operation.
Written by: Mangil, 15 Dec 2007 6:06 PM
From: Canada
dreadlocks, you are right, we are very far from commercial results... at least, that's what the media and the governement told us here (regarding the canadian projects)
And from what i've read recently, a lot of people in the scientific community are questioning all that "Ethanol project"
From: United States
Mangil, this is either just another election year distraction, or some slick operators from the USA are going to sucker some investor into this project and take him to the cleaners!!
Written by: Escott, 15 Dec 2007 6:48 PM
From: Dominican Republic, Sosua/Cabrera
All closed dumps produce gas and it isn't enough to commercialize so they just burn it off.
Why worry about announcement 8487 when 8486 have been abandoned at sometime after the press release.
Anyone remember the downhill Ski center here in the DR which was announced years ago? Or, blah blah blah...
From: United States
Mangil, this alternative fuel technology thing is something i am trying to learn a little about. my worry about this solid waste method is that even if it is a closed loop system which does not produce polluting atmospheric gases, it produces fly ash. disposal of that ash is a matter of great concern, because if carelessly thrown on the ground, lead, mercury ,zinc and other undesirable metals leach out into the groundwater. please update me on what you know about this subject, if you dont mind.
From: United States
Escott, i am not sure i read you right, but i think you said DOWNHILL SKI SLOPE. please fill me in on that one!!!
Written by: Mangil, 15 Dec 2007 8:41 PM
From: Canada
Dreadlocks, I am not an expert ... but I know that there seems to be divergent opinion between federal and provincials governements here regarding the research about waste produced ethanol (and ethanol in general)... probably again just political crap between two governement level but keep in mind that Canada is now a big player in oil production, do we have real interest in ethanol? I personally doubt but who know...
Did you check the Runge/Senauer article... ? it's a five pages document , worth reading if you want to learn about the ethanol problem...
http://www.foreignaffairs.org/200....ofuels-could-starve-the-poor.htmlFrom: United States
thanks a lot, Mangil. i appreciate the link. there is a lot of enthusiasm in the DR for ethanol production, but this is my take on it. the best sugar cane biomass yield is 6000 barrel equivalents per square mile per year. the land mass of the dr is 18,000 square miles. only 23% ,or approximately 4100 square miles is arable. so even if we plant every square mile of arable land in cane, we get 24 million barrels per year. we use approximately 60 million. so much for those who think we will have enough to export! then we will have to import carrots, fruits, potatoes, oranges; you get the picture! as to the solid waste operation in the dr; i have a problem when i see such a major announcement being made and one of the partners in the venture doesnt even have a website!
From: United States
i read the article, Mangil. thanks a lot. it is very enlightening. maybe if some of the drones in the government here would do some reading and educate themselves on issues such as these ,they would take simple steps to CONSERVE, CONSERVE, CONSERVE!!!! first, an absolute and irrevocable ban on the importation of gas guzzlers. secondly, mandatory vehicle fitness tests annually to ensure that all fossil fuel burning cars are in an optimum state of tune, so they dont waste 30% of the fuel they ingest.
From: United States
So many people here just look for the worse in any and every initiative.
Mangil, first of all, you have absolutely no proof that the government is out there to "look for farm land"...what would be the point of this? besides, why would you warn dominicans that use their "farm land" as landfills????? why would you object the government obtaining these lands? even if it's to use it for farming...why not? Do you prefer to have garbage?
From: United States
Mayimbe, click on the link in Mangils post of dec 15th at 8.41pm. it explains some of the economic considerations surrounding the production of ethanol. then you might be able to see through what Mangil is warning against. it is a 5 page article, well worth reading
From: Dominican Republic
I would remind all theposters hereon that Germany, during WWII produced a good grade of fuel for their Wermacht from POTATOS.
The conversion of high sugar/starch veggies to usable fuel for internal combuation engines is a viable product and at current petroleum prices (which will rise even more in the future) is proving more and more to be economically feasable.
The underlying problem is in therhelm of an appropriate distribution between production of foodstuffs for human consumption and for the use of that product for the production of fuel to drive the transportation elements, private and commercial.
That a conundrum exists isevident. Do we fuel our modes of transportation or feed our people? A balance is necessary for the overal success of such ventures with ralation to societyas a whole.
This is something we must not develop "tunnel vision" over.
TB
From: United States
This is just a new method of getting money to steal it in a justifiable way. P-o-l-i-t-i-c-s
From: United States
Why is it they have to go to the worst possible options! Why not solar, wind or under water energy producing projects that are proven... Why go to the newest and less proven technologies! I truly think that what they have is a problem with waste lands and not really interested in producing any fuel.
When I drive around the country, what I see clearly is a WASTE pick up deficiency in a obvious way!
From: United States
well Riverasanchez, one of the reasons why these methods are not encouraged here is the concept of scale. the government does not want guys running out and buying windmills on e-bay. it does not want individuals ordering solar panels over the internet. it wants mega products which can be controlled by government machinations and politicised like the current electricity program in the DR. fuel and electricity are too big, involve too much power and money to be left up to private decision makers. government wants their share of the fun!
From: Dominican Republic
The roll of government in any society dedicated to personal advancement (ie., Capitalism) is not to own the factors of production and thereby exercise absolute control over the attending distributive shares, bu rather to encourage infrastructural investment which will maximize the benefits of that investment to the receiving society.
Anytime Government tries to control these objects in the economic equation, the results have been a complete failure to the detriment of society.
The failure of the communist economic experiment in Russia is a commanding example of what will happen. Such adventures are almost always subverted by the greed for power and wealth at the top. We see this everyday in the DR where the functionaries fail in their responsibilities of good governing because of greediness and power-seeking actions.
TB
From: United States
very true, Texas Bill, but you dont need to look as far as Russia. we cant generate reliable electric power here ,either!
From: United States
Considering the number of investors that have become active in developing and promoting the ethanol production capabilities of the country, why hasn't the DR expressed interest towards developing a infrastructure suitable towards supplying ethanol to the public? It is quite obvious that the rising price of oil would have a lesser effect on the Dominican economy, if there were gas stations that allowed the consumer to purchase gasoline and ethanol.
Additionally, I was wondering where Dreadlocks found the information regarding the DR's annual consumption of ethanol in barrels?
From: United States
actually, Curiouskid, to my knowledge, we do not consume any ethanol.. i stated that we use 165,000 barrels a day of petroleum. that works out to approximately 60 million per year. one square mile of land can produce the ethanol equivalent of 6000 barrels of petroleum per year. those are the figures i am working with.
From: United States
to Curiouskid; i am aware of the temptation among many to see ethanol as the solution to the great petroleum problem. Brazil has shown the way with sugar cane ethanol, with good success. the major difference is that Brazil has unlimited landspace to commit to sugar cane monoculture. small sugar cane farms extend farther than the eye can see in brazil. i have not got the detailed information on the mix of soil types in the DR to make a definitive assessment as to whether or not we can do ethanol here; maybe we can, maybe we cannot( economically) . not all arable land is suitable for sugar production. crop substitution will mean taking other foods out of the equation. i am not saying it cant be done; i am saying that a serious cost -benefit analysis should be done before we resort to type and run off half- cocked!! for me, personally, i hope it is feasible; we need all the help we can get.
Written by: DaniDr, 16 Dec 2007 9:52 PM
From: Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo
Since the government is trying to get their hands on the refinery, I doubt very much that we will see any significant progress in alternative energy. And that is plain sad, because I think that everything it takes is a bit of determination, just look at Brazil, we can also grow sugar cain here!
From: United States
Very interesting dreadlocks I am glad you cleared that up. In terms of the actual Ethanol production capabilities of the DR, it is most deinitely feasible. I am able to determine this because of the investment and capital that a private equity firm called Kidd & company has expended on the isle. Furthermore, Kidd & company has been able to buy out over 60 mills in Brazil and make substantial profits after their acquistions. It would be logical to assume that a firm with over 25 years of expertise in the priviate equity field, would not venture into the DR unless they saw the opportunity for growth and profitability.
Therefore, I would like to state that the DR should begin to consider the possibility of using ethanol as an alternative fuel source to gasoline. Although, the DR may not have enough land to sustain itself solely on ethanol, it may be able to purchase ethanol from Brazil, reducing its reliance on foreign oil imports.
From: United States
This allows sugar cane ethanol production plants to achieve more than three to six times the efficiency of corn ethanol mills. Additionally, well run mills have been known to operate at 30-40% Ebitda margins, which would inevitably benefit the dominican economy. Honestly, I see a market for ethanol consumption and supply in the DR. I do not really understand the political situation in DR. Can anyone tell me why they would oppose this idea from a political or economic perspective.
From: United States
By using ethanol I am not saying that they should stop importing petroleum, I am just saying that they should use a combination in order to conserve money as well as reduce CO2 emissions. Dreadlocks it was interesting when you talked about the amount of energy needed to produce an ethanol by product that was worth less than its cost of production; however, I am not sure that it would relate to sugar cane. Specifically, the hard exterior of the sugar cane referred to as bagasse is used as the primary fuel source in the ethanol production process.
From: United States
firstly, Curiouskid, when i spoke to the question of cost of production in relation to final product value, i was speaking about MSW ethanol. we all know that producing sugar cane ethanol is by far the most cost effective to date. MSW is a completely different animal. i am aware that bagasse is used to fire the furnaces. i am curious to clarify the identity of Kidd and company. i am only aware of a William Kidd, who formed a company called Infinity Bio Energy , registered in Hamilton ,Bermuda ,to produce ethanol in brazil. they bought out several sugar mills, and last year had revenues of 35 million dollars, gross profits of 500,000 dollars and net losses of 2.5 million. i hope those arent the guys coming here!!
From: United States
Well, I am glad to see someone reading my posts and actually implementing them. I have been talking about this window of opportunity for years. Using trash & other ingredients to produce electricity like that done in Kentucky since the 1970's. Also, sugar cane does yield 300% more E-85 gas for cars/trucks. Congrats!
Now, just get a national rails system to connect northern ports (POP) to southern ports (SDQ, Boca Chica, LRM etc.) People & freight throughout the country can be trasnported efficently @ lower costs. Lower transport costs & more DR-CAFTA free trade should lower costs & inflation leaving Dominicans with more free income. to buy lower priced food, clothes etc.
Also leverage natural gas & oil offshore exploration to lower dependence. Nationalized Shell and buy for pennies on the dollar at depreciated book value not FMV (fair market).
From: United States
JD, please direct me to a publication or article which refers to the use of MSW for electricity production in the usa. i believe that the preponderant portion of energy recovered from msw to date has been used for direct heating of buildings, rather than electricity production. in switzerland, all 28 incinerators combined produce electricity for 250,000 people. i would like to look at the numbers to see if it is feasible economically.
Written by: Rafael, 10 Feb 2008 4:40 PM
From: United States
THIS IS ALL BULL! the capitalist of this world are taking DR and everyone they can for a LONGGGG ride. Trying to sell very old technology to uneducated, not in the know, easy to corrupt people. this could be just an excuse to turn DR into another Long Island (NYC dump site).
In Italy there are more than 200 scientist harnessing the power of the Sun right NOW. One single machine can produce power for over 250,000 people for 30 years with a single glass of water (maybe hard-water or so).
Nothing is more flexible and more cost effective than solar power in the form of electricity.
I saw a DR family living in a shack with day around electrical power with just a single solar cell hanging from a steel pipe lol. As for Ethanol, Monsanto Co. (look into it) is quickly dominating the and owning the seeds of almost every plant there is right now. It means that if you want to grown corn or sugar cane, you will buy the seeds from Monsanto Co. every year (the seeds are one time
From: Dominican Republic
Rafael;
The plant-seed you are reaferring to isthe Corn, maybe. monsanto has developed Engineered seed whose fruit/veggie product don't re-produce. In thecase of sugar cane/sorghum, you take a section andplant that and it frows, just like bamboo does. No seed involved so get your facts straight before you go blabbering about something you obviously don't know about.
Also I disagree with you about the cost effectiveness of the existing solar panels andusing them in the mass production of electrical energy for commercial uses since these panels produce a Direct Current which must be Converted (at a loss) to Alternating Current for commercial and household use. I used sucha system for years on my yacht an it proved to be minimaly effective in other than lighting and driving the GPS and computer which I used for navigation. The major producer of electrical current was my Wind generator and engine alternator.
From: Dominican Republic
Currently, the average solor panel produces some 3-5 amps at 12 volts, while an average wind generator produces a max of 20-24 amps at 12 volts. You do the math to equate the necessary production to run the average 1st world household, if all electricaly operated units are of the12 volt variety. Also do thesame if converting the residual power stored to a 110 volt/30 amp circuitry. You will need about 10 solar panels and 2 wind generators to do the job, providing you have the wind velocity of 15-20 kph and a good 8 hrs of direct sunlight. All this goes down the drain on a cloudy day with no wind so it all depends on a constant supply of both to make the combined systems work efficiently, or at all.
While I'm not denegrating the use of such systems, it must be borne in mind that not all geographical areas lend themselves to making use of such power production, either singly or in combination.
From: Dominican Republic
The areas capable of a constant (or, 85+%) supply of wind for such generators are on the mountain tops along the North Coast where the Easterly winds are fairly constant. Likewise the Northwest quadrant where there is plenty of daily sunshine for Solar production.
Then there is always the problem of securing the entire system against those who believe they are entitled to the electrical conduiting which can be removed and sold. After all, the government can easily replace the conduiting andthey need the money themselves.
Then there is theproblem of system maintenance. if such works as it has in thepast, the system will go down within a short period of time andstay ineffective while thegovernment makes up its mind to repair it. That could take days, or months, if past examples are any indication.
I'm not real sure if all these "ifs ands and buts" have been addressed aequately andsuffuciently or not, but they must be or the systems will end up being of no use.
TB
From: United States
Facts;
As 2 + 2 = 4, To produce One US Gal. of Ethanol = One US Gal. (Fossil Fuel). burned.
“Here, there and anywhere“.
I’m learning this at Kinder garden.
Note: For those who don't understand my humor, In order to produce 1 US Gl. of Ethanol of any~~~ source~~~, Its necessary to burn 1 US Gl. of fossil fuel, if don't believe it, review the facts through the "CO2 production Circle"
From: United States
what the heck are you talking about, Perception? THERE ARE SEVERAL SOURCES AND TYPES OF BIOMASS; when you speak of producing ethanol, from which source are you speaking? the processes are all different, based on the mass used. if you are going to imply that the equations are simple, then simplify them by being more specific!
From: Dominican Republic
From the way I read the article, the company proposes to produce ethanol excluseively from GARBAGE WASTE. There is NO MENTION of making use of Corn nor Sugarcane. Making tehassumption that this isthe case, all the talk about this company "stealing" the poorfarmers land for sugarcane or corn production is moot andwithout foundation.
In addition, I would remind some of you, prhaps all, that present day motor vehicles cannot use PURE ETHANOL as a fuel. It must be mixed with gasolene at a rate near 15% ethanol and the remainder gasolene. Based on that formula we can expect only about a 10% reduction in petroleum usage as a result.
Seems to me we're "getting the horse before the cart" again with all this talk.
It is a good platform for blasting the Capitalist world and the Dominican Government though, isn't it???
Better to blast our own politicians and their lack of foresight, methinks.
TB
From: United States
To Perception: stop drinking Red Bull, is burning your HYPOTHALAMUS.................
From: United States
So, how many ethanol plants are openning at DR ?
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I wonder why no other country thought about that before... (sarcasm here)
I really doublt that they are there for waste... Dominicans beware, "someone" is looking for your farmlands... all of them.
This is from this interesting article (you should read it if you can) : http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=19333
Just replace Brazil by Dominican Republic...
"Brazil is warm and wet enough to grow rain-fed sugar cane, which currently produces ethanol three times more productively than a cornfield can. The cane yields twice as much, needs only half as much fertilizer, and uses no coal or natural gas for processing."
Conversion of waste dump products has gained a lot of support in the USA and has proved to be a financially viable solution to the overall fuel shortages existing there. So, why not import that technology to the DR and benefit from it now that petroleum products are at an all time high? HUH? HUH?
The question is not whether the most reliable or best source is derived from sugar cane or wast, but whether or not the processes are financialy feasible, which both are without a doubt.
And the DR produces a LOT of waste of all sorts. Make use of it!
TB
Quote from the DR article:
"...develop and operate commercial-scale waste-to-ethanol and electricity production facilities in the Dominican Republic. "
TexasBill, this is why I made this comment about that project... But this was not the main point of my intervention, my main concern is that it seem's to me that those people are not there for DR waste, they are there for the relatively cheap farmland, low environement regulation (regarding the use of fertilisers)and of course, the sugarcane they want to grow...
And from what i've read recently, a lot of people in the scientific community are questioning all that "Ethanol project"
Why worry about announcement 8487 when 8486 have been abandoned at sometime after the press release.
Anyone remember the downhill Ski center here in the DR which was announced years ago? Or, blah blah blah...
Did you check the Runge/Senauer article... ? it's a five pages document , worth reading if you want to learn about the ethanol problem...
http://www.foreignaffairs.org/200....ofuels-could-starve-the-poor.html
Mangil, first of all, you have absolutely no proof that the government is out there to "look for farm land"...what would be the point of this? besides, why would you warn dominicans that use their "farm land" as landfills????? why would you object the government obtaining these lands? even if it's to use it for farming...why not? Do you prefer to have garbage?
The conversion of high sugar/starch veggies to usable fuel for internal combuation engines is a viable product and at current petroleum prices (which will rise even more in the future) is proving more and more to be economically feasable.
The underlying problem is in therhelm of an appropriate distribution between production of foodstuffs for human consumption and for the use of that product for the production of fuel to drive the transportation elements, private and commercial.
That a conundrum exists isevident. Do we fuel our modes of transportation or feed our people? A balance is necessary for the overal success of such ventures with ralation to societyas a whole.
This is something we must not develop "tunnel vision" over.
TB
When I drive around the country, what I see clearly is a WASTE pick up deficiency in a obvious way!
Anytime Government tries to control these objects in the economic equation, the results have been a complete failure to the detriment of society.
The failure of the communist economic experiment in Russia is a commanding example of what will happen. Such adventures are almost always subverted by the greed for power and wealth at the top. We see this everyday in the DR where the functionaries fail in their responsibilities of good governing because of greediness and power-seeking actions.
TB
Additionally, I was wondering where Dreadlocks found the information regarding the DR's annual consumption of ethanol in barrels?
Therefore, I would like to state that the DR should begin to consider the possibility of using ethanol as an alternative fuel source to gasoline. Although, the DR may not have enough land to sustain itself solely on ethanol, it may be able to purchase ethanol from Brazil, reducing its reliance on foreign oil imports.
Now, just get a national rails system to connect northern ports (POP) to southern ports (SDQ, Boca Chica, LRM etc.) People & freight throughout the country can be trasnported efficently @ lower costs. Lower transport costs & more DR-CAFTA free trade should lower costs & inflation leaving Dominicans with more free income. to buy lower priced food, clothes etc.
Also leverage natural gas & oil offshore exploration to lower dependence. Nationalized Shell and buy for pennies on the dollar at depreciated book value not FMV (fair market).
In Italy there are more than 200 scientist harnessing the power of the Sun right NOW. One single machine can produce power for over 250,000 people for 30 years with a single glass of water (maybe hard-water or so).
Nothing is more flexible and more cost effective than solar power in the form of electricity.
I saw a DR family living in a shack with day around electrical power with just a single solar cell hanging from a steel pipe lol. As for Ethanol, Monsanto Co. (look into it) is quickly dominating the and owning the seeds of almost every plant there is right now. It means that if you want to grown corn or sugar cane, you will buy the seeds from Monsanto Co. every year (the seeds are one time
The plant-seed you are reaferring to isthe Corn, maybe. monsanto has developed Engineered seed whose fruit/veggie product don't re-produce. In thecase of sugar cane/sorghum, you take a section andplant that and it frows, just like bamboo does. No seed involved so get your facts straight before you go blabbering about something you obviously don't know about.
Also I disagree with you about the cost effectiveness of the existing solar panels andusing them in the mass production of electrical energy for commercial uses since these panels produce a Direct Current which must be Converted (at a loss) to Alternating Current for commercial and household use. I used sucha system for years on my yacht an it proved to be minimaly effective in other than lighting and driving the GPS and computer which I used for navigation. The major producer of electrical current was my Wind generator and engine alternator.
While I'm not denegrating the use of such systems, it must be borne in mind that not all geographical areas lend themselves to making use of such power production, either singly or in combination.
Then there is always the problem of securing the entire system against those who believe they are entitled to the electrical conduiting which can be removed and sold. After all, the government can easily replace the conduiting andthey need the money themselves.
Then there is theproblem of system maintenance. if such works as it has in thepast, the system will go down within a short period of time andstay ineffective while thegovernment makes up its mind to repair it. That could take days, or months, if past examples are any indication.
I'm not real sure if all these "ifs ands and buts" have been addressed aequately andsuffuciently or not, but they must be or the systems will end up being of no use.
TB
As 2 + 2 = 4, To produce One US Gal. of Ethanol = One US Gal. (Fossil Fuel). burned.
“Here, there and anywhere“.
I’m learning this at Kinder garden.
Note: For those who don't understand my humor, In order to produce 1 US Gl. of Ethanol of any~~~ source~~~, Its necessary to burn 1 US Gl. of fossil fuel, if don't believe it, review the facts through the "CO2 production Circle"
In addition, I would remind some of you, prhaps all, that present day motor vehicles cannot use PURE ETHANOL as a fuel. It must be mixed with gasolene at a rate near 15% ethanol and the remainder gasolene. Based on that formula we can expect only about a 10% reduction in petroleum usage as a result.
Seems to me we're "getting the horse before the cart" again with all this talk.
It is a good platform for blasting the Capitalist world and the Dominican Government though, isn't it???
Better to blast our own politicians and their lack of foresight, methinks.
TB