Walmart explores Ethanol Fuel Sales

[RU482]

I didn't know they made ethanol in China

 

[Swanny]

I'm not sure it will matter much. Not many cars can use E85. Now, if they started pushing 89 octane gas with ethanol, that might help.

 

[FoBoT]

you get less MPG with E85, so you have to fill up more frequently

 

[Jawo]

Good for Wally World...maybe they will become more socially concious because of this and will become even bigger! Brazil is 75% energy independant...they have huge fields of sugar cane for conversion to ethanol. BTW it was also featured on this past season of "Amazing Race."

 

[Accipiter22]

Originally posted by: TXHokie
I'm for anything that would cut down me sending my $$$ to OPEC.

OPEC isn't causing your gas prices to sky-rocket.

 

[FoBoT]

OPEC just voted to keep supply at maximum, despite the commies from Venezuala wanting to screw us

 

[chambersc]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: chambersc

Originally posted by: SagaLore
AWESOME!

Wouldn't it be Ironic, Walmart could actually be the catalyst of the automobile industry to get away from gasoline. With this kind of push, more companies would research ways to produce ethanol cost effectively.

i was just thnking that myself. so i've read, hydrogen fuel will only be economical if its mass produced......wow, just think if wallyworld did it. they could really revolutionize the world and establish a long and loyal base (i know i for one would go to wally world exclusively if they did hydrogen)

I believe there are two main ways that hydrogen is produced commercially. One requires petroleum, which doesn't solve our problem. The other is electrolysis, which requires an energy source. So in order for hydrogen to be a viable alternative to oil, we need a renewable energy source that can be harnessed on a massive scale.

sun, wind, water?

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: MIKEMIKE

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: Accipiter22
isn't ethanol slightly more expensive???

but yeah, if it's better for the environment, awesome!

i also seem to recall reading that to make ethenol fuel use's more engergy then makeing regualer gas.

only corn based ethanol, and there are numerous other ways to produce it.

ahh ok.

so what other ways? i seem to recall someone saying suger beats?

Sugar cane. Brazil is approaching total oil independence by using ethanol produced by sugar cane to fuel it's vehicles. All gasoline sold in Brazil contains at least 26% ethanol with the option of having up to 100% ethanol depending on the car. Over 50% of the cars sold in the last year there are of the 100% ethanol variety.

Sugar cane is much more efficient than grain based ethanol production.

 

[mercanucaribe]

Originally posted by: JS80
oh no what are the hippies going to say?

Ethanol is an ecological disaster, despite what the politicians and lobbyists would have you think. It only takes basic systems based ecological or agricultural knowledge to realize that.

 

[FoBoT]

and we don't have the climate for massive sugar cane growing

 

[tweakmm]

Originally posted by: waggy
more i hear on what hemp can do the more i wonder why its outlawed.

Therein lies the unfortunate answer to your question, my good sir.

 

[Strk]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
and we don't have the climate for massive sugar cane growing

And we don't really have the climate/arable land for the massive corn production, but we do it anyways.

 

[BlancoNino]

Originally posted by: Lorax
WALMART SELLS GAS FOR CHEAP AND DESTROYS MOM AND POP GAS STATIONS.

just kidding. good for them.

Although I know you're kidding, there really aren't any mom and pop gas stations. Just mom and pop little stores that have big oil company gas stations in their parking lot.

 

[feelingshorter]

Originally posted by: Strk

Originally posted by: MIKEMIKE

Originally posted by: Strk

Originally posted by: SagaLore
AWESOME!

Wouldn't it be Ironic, Walmart could actually be the catalyst of the automobile industry to get away from gasoline. With this kind of push, more companies would research ways to produce ethanol cost effectively.

Yeah, although the big problem is that it's mostly just GM and Ford making engines capable of using E85.

yea.. you know, 2 of the top 3 automakers...

also DCX does as well, and Toyota is doing it soon too IIRC.

Yeah, but I like Honda

Toyota said they're going to look into it.

well toyota is ahead in the hybrid game

 

[Strk]

Originally posted by: feelingshorter

Originally posted by: Strk

Originally posted by: MIKEMIKE

Originally posted by: Strk

Originally posted by: SagaLore
AWESOME!

Wouldn't it be Ironic, Walmart could actually be the catalyst of the automobile industry to get away from gasoline. With this kind of push, more companies would research ways to produce ethanol cost effectively.

Yeah, although the big problem is that it's mostly just GM and Ford making engines capable of using E85.

yea.. you know, 2 of the top 3 automakers...

also DCX does as well, and Toyota is doing it soon too IIRC.

Yeah, but I like Honda

Toyota said they're going to look into it.

well toyota is ahead in the hybrid game

Hybrids suck though. They're overpriced and offer limited increase in fuel economy. The two big hybrid cars, Prius and Civic, are based off of about $15-16k economy cars and offer about 10mpg more in real world driving and they're slower. Yet both sell for $22k+.

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: Strk

Originally posted by: FoBoT
and we don't have the climate for massive sugar cane growing

And we don't really have the climate/arable land for the massive corn production, but we do it anyways.

i think that is debateable

 

[mercanucaribe]

Originally posted by: FoBoT

Originally posted by: Strk

Originally posted by: FoBoT
and we don't have the climate for massive sugar cane growing

And we don't really have the climate/arable land for the massive corn production, but we do it anyways.

i think that is debateable

The climate of the midwest is perfect for corn...

 

[OutHouse]

good! lets push the use of ethanol fuels to get away from oil then we can go tell the Arabs to go f*ck themselves.

 

[OutHouse]

Originally posted by: Strk

Originally posted by: FoBoT
and we don't have the climate for massive sugar cane growing

And we don't really have the climate/arable land for the massive corn production, but we do it anyways.

??? are you nuts? there are millions upon millions of acres that are not farmed due to government subsities given to farmers not to farm. there is enough land to grow as much corn as we want, i would much rather see our farmers get rich than sending our money over to the mid east and making them rich.

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

Originally posted by: Citrix

Originally posted by: Strk

Originally posted by: FoBoT
and we don't have the climate for massive sugar cane growing

And we don't really have the climate/arable land for the massive corn production, but we do it anyways.

??? are you nuts? there are millions upon millions of acres that are not farmed due to government subsities given to farmers not to farm. there is enough land to grow as much corn as we want, i would much rather see our farmers get rich than sending our money over to the mid east and making them rich.

You realize that quite a bit of that land isn't farmed because of the environmental problems caused by farming that particular land?

 

[mercanucaribe]

Originally posted by: Citrix

Originally posted by: Strk

Originally posted by: FoBoT
and we don't have the climate for massive sugar cane growing

And we don't really have the climate/arable land for the massive corn production, but we do it anyways.

??? are you nuts? there are millions upon millions of acres that are not farmed due to government subsities given to farmers not to farm. there is enough land to grow as much corn as we want, i would much rather see our farmers get rich than sending our money over to the mid east and making them rich.

Soil is not a renewable resource except in the very long term. Land that's not being used is equivalent to oil that isn't being burned, not nuclear power plants powering nothing.

 

[Passions]

Hows this different from arco gas which already sells blended ethanol/gas?

 

[middlehead]

Originally posted by: Passions
Hows this different from arco gas which already sells blended ethanol/gas?

Because it's the world's largest retailer pushing a fuel that uses less oil than plain gasoline?

 

[dxkj]

Why dont we use nuclear power plants to produce hydrogen?

 

[chambersc]

Originally posted by: dxkj
Why dont we use nuclear power plants to produce hydrogen?

nuclear waste...... /end of that discussion. there is no "clean nuclear power"