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Originally Posted by jknudson98
That's some nice info on butanol, but considering the source, I'm skeptical. If true, why is there so much publicity for Ethanol, and virtually nil for butanol???
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Because ethanol is produced here off heavily subsidized corn. The Gov't subsidizes ethanol production from corn just as it subsidizes corn growth.
Butanol is not subsidized presently as it's not made out of agricultural growth. Butanol can be made with fossil fuel but new methods have arised for fermenting it from biowaste and it's easier to get out of our waste than ethanol is.
I've been on Butanol for the past couple months, NSAP. Glad to see you bring it up too. Butanol is the perfect alternative fuel for the modern era. With enough investment it could seriously challenge gasoline. It can run in normal cars AND provide a fuel economy boost and a power boost. It also burns so cleanly that it may allow for legal removal of the catalytic converter which would further increase power and fuel economy due to relieved backpressure.
But butanol is not subsidized so it's not as readily available. I think it'd be wise for GM to help finance butanol research and production. For one, if butanol could be produced en masse and distributed then GM would stand to make a fortune with a stake in sales. GM would also be heralded for really putting their money where their mouth is.
Butanol would mean hybrids would go out the door (perhaps a reason why GM and others aren't too keen - lots of investment in hybrid development). It also would allow them to not rush the fuel cell. As butanol's market share grew it would also affect politics and take a big leveraging chip away from the middle eastern countries and other like Venezuala.