| tion_start --> | | | | heating, and the good news is that it takes very |
| Lots of tax dollars and nervous energy are being | | | | little energy to produce compared with ethanol. In |
| expended on the latest glitzy ideas for creating | | | | fact, once the grass is planted you don't need to |
| alternate fuels to put in your car's gas tank. | | | | till the soil again, just cut the grass and it grows |
| Ethanol is the darling of the renewable energy | | | | again. At best, it amounts to a 14:1 ratio, energy |
| club. | | | | out to energy in. That's good, for you non-ratio |
| But have you taken a close look at the amount | | | | people. |
| of energy it takes to produce a gallon of ethanol? | | | | And you don't need to transport the grass fuel |
| We don't need to look at statistics, just consider | | | | far either. It could be consumed right in the |
| the simple facts about corn, which is used to | | | | neighborhoods where it is produced. |
| make ethanol. | | | | The amazing thing is that grass can be burned, |
| To produce ethanol from corn you must: till the | | | | using the right equipment, with far less carbon |
| soil, plant the seed in neat rows, fertilize, irrigate, | | | | dioxide emission than practically any other form |
| harvest the corn kernels, transport them, process | | | | of heating fuel, especially ethanol. |
| the kernels into ethanol, and transport the ethanol | | | | So why isn't the grass pellet industry taking off |
| to the final user. Then you must drive your | | | | like wildfire? Because it doesn't show up on your |
| vehicle to the nearest station and pump it into | | | | congress person's radar screen. They are too |
| your ethanol tank. At best, it amounts to a 2:1 | | | | focused on the corn market that is heavily |
| ratio, energy out to energy in. | | | | subsidized by, guess who? Therefore, grass does |
| In all the frenzy to replace gasoline with ethanol | | | | not get the attention, research money, and tax |
| we are forgetting an ideal energy alternative. | | | | credits that would help pull a grass pellet industry |
| Except in the desert, it grows practically | | | | from idea to smoke. |
| everywhere: grass. And right now, there are | | | | I say phooey and shame on people that grovel at |
| farmers in this country that are waking up to the | | | | the governments "feed trough" anyway. We don't |
| grass revolution. They have discovered a simple, | | | | need their money. A grass roots industry, no pun |
| low energy input, alternative energy source right | | | | intended, is starting to take hold. |
| under their nose. | | | | All you hayseeds across the country, listen up: I |
| Grass is made into small pellets - or densified - so | | | | am behind you 100%. If the farmers in my area |
| it can be burned in a stove, furnace or boiler in | | | | don't do something soon, I will. In fact, I am |
| any home. The same pellets can be used as fuel | | | | looking for a pellet boiler for my new house. |
| to generate electricity as well as for space | | | | |