h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

That's all quite interesting - even though the numbers are a bit dizzying.

Have you thought about doing a Guide Entry on this?

Incidentally, will this kind of bio-fuel be similar to proposals to use rape seed oil? I read somewhere tha burning rape seed oil products produces Nitrous Oxide, a far more damaging gas than CO2.

I will eventually pare it down and build it up until it might be a Guide Entry, yes. I've slowed down on doing GEs since I invariably run into someone who knows more about the subject than me.

As I gather, the methanol produced is not like the oils that can replace diesel. It would replace gasoline (which consists of a very complex molecule) as the lightest of all alcohols, sometimes actually referred to as Wood Alcohol:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methanol

Gasoline has many complex variations but all of them produce much more than just Carbon Dioxide and water during combustion, which is what Methanol makes when it burns.

http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/2001-04/987004809.Ch.r.html

I got interested in the subject because of an extensive newspaper article that studied the possiblity of using the massive Pine Beetle kill-off in this way. I looked into various sites after that and did a bit of reading from the library (but most of that is out of date).

Thanks for your comments, I'll work on it sporadically but it will get done.

There, you see what you've made me do? I linked to the wrong *-thanol* and then spouted off about Methanol instead of Ethanol.

Make that Wiki link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol

DON'T call it wood alcohol, call it grain alcohol and make it ONE of the lightest alcohols.

I write like I've been drinking the stuff....

Oh, and another interesting development are current investigations for creation of GMO enzymes and yeast to increase the production of cellulose and alcohol respectively. I wonder if people would object to the use of GMOs to produce better, low pollution fuel for their autos from a renewable resource?