THE VIDEO SHELF · biofuels and ethanol

The Problem with Biofuels

Real Engineering explains why biofuels, especially corn ethanol, are a poor energy source, looking at energy inputs, efficiency and carbon cost.

Why HN readers recommended it

Linked in fuel and aviation threads as the full story on why ethanol and biofuels are energy-negative or inefficient.

This is a summary from the source dataset, not an endorsement by Hacker News or the video creator.

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This video was crazy, making ethanol from Corn provides something like 1% of the power of the sun hitting the square meter of farm used for it. Meanwhile using tonnes of water, space, and other things. It's basically a terrible idea over-all given alternatives like …
lathiat on Hacker News · 2021-07
In Unleaded Avgas Approved
The energy put into the process to grow and ferment the plants or algae is high enough to outweigh the offset use of fossil fuels. It's an energy negative process. The same creator has a 15 minute video on that topic: [VIDEO]
dharmab on Hacker News · 2021-07
In EU draft exempts private jets, cargo from jet fuel tax

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