Post what you think will replace some of it? Note: we'll always need it for plastics. Here's what I think will help. Ethanol has a viable future as well, but.... http://www.butanol.com/ is probably the best bet.
That depends on the technology to derive it. In the past, that's true...although there's some claim that (like butanol) there's a process patented that can greatly decrease the price and improve the process. Although butanol is much more energy efficient. Look a the above link. Wikipedia usually has some interesting info as well: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butanol
http://www2.dupont.com/Biofuels/en_US/FAQ.html DuPont claims Q: When will biobutanol be commercially available? A: Using existing processing technology, we expected to make commercial volumes of biobutanol for market by the end of 2007. In a second phase, we anticipate using a higher conversion technology that will allow broader commercialization. http://www.grainnet.com/articles/Du...t_Generation_of_Biofuels_to_Market-35187.html
DuPont's even working on replacing that (said to be among many others)....interesting. http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060628/BUSINESS/306280005
We have a plant underway about 45 miles from where I live: http://southwestfarmpress.com/news/050512-texas-ethanol-plants/ I'm hoping that because it's so close, ethanol prices will be rock bottom here when they get underway.
In Iowa. Quite a few plants now producing with more coming online. From what I have read, no, the energy used is a lot less than what is produced. They are now bringing new processes online to use the entire corn plant, from the ground up, instead of just the corn itself.
other than the fact that its violently explosive? puts gasoline to shame. I think the primary worry is a minor leak and a little spark makes a very big boom.
this is not true. i have seen test where they put some match into the tank of an h2-car and a petrol car: the petrol car burned out completely after 20 mins or so, at the h2 car there was only a (large) flame out coming out of the open tank for a few mins until it was out of fuel, without doing *any* damage to the car. there was no real explosion at the zeppelin accident in 1912 (?), it just burned down very fast, but the paint they used for the hull was also high flammable. and you can make something like plastic out of fructose, its called HMF (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroxymethylfurfural) but still more expensive than PET - but i dont think that prices for oil will drop, so this may be an alternative because you can just plant the raw material for HMF on fields... http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/312/5782/1933
hehe.. hindenburg exploaded because of bad flameable color in the inside painting. H2 can be made by bacteriums(no, I'm not kidding).
Ha...nice long bump....lol. Biodiesels, biobutanol, and bioethanol. Although I think ethanol is corrosive to our pipe infrastructure...so the later may have it's ultimate advantage. I think many technologies are coming-up to replace the long-list of issues that petro usually takes care of. The sooner the better.
Horsepower will replace petrol. I guess the petrochemical companies will have to invest in stallions and mares soon? LOL
Something interesting I read from wiki.... Source is included... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiesel http://www.unh.edu/p2/biodiesel/article_alge.html Being that we don't want to take-over all of America for fuel production, it's apparently clear we have to use highly efficient crops; otherwise we'll have to be like Brazil and subsidize the shit out of initial production. It's would not be nice/wise to use all our crops on fuel.