Re: [Amc-list] Tom J. Any comments on this?

[mikebailey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

I've been looking back through old issues of Mother Earth News, following
their experiments on methane production and uses, in the 70's and 80's. 
One of the main concerns with methane gas is that it is corrosive.

But after converting, they successfully ran methane on several vehicles
and electrical generators for years, without any significant extra wear,
corrosion, or problems with water condensation.  This water condensation
issue is supposed to be one of the major concerns when dealing with
gaseous fuels in temperate climates.

For those of us in the country, or on the outskirts of urban areas,
methane production through bio-digestion of farming by-products represents
the potential of practically free energy. An added bonus is that the
digested manure and other waste does not lose its value as a fertilizer
and soil builder. And in the sun belt, solar and wind power are finally
coming into their own, when used in combination, at least. Alcohol, bean
oils, and wood or fiber gas are all possibilities like this too. But at
least for the short term, some of them are even less clean than gasoline,
though.

But, if energy production can be taken out of the equation for fossil
fuels, with homes, farms, and small business generating a significant
portion or even all of their own power needs through solar and wind, that
alone will remove a significant portion of pollution, allowing for time to
develop better fuel technologies, that could be used for transport and
emergency energy supply.

Then hydrogen could be developed feasibly, alongside all of these other
alternatives.  Energy production is the key to the whole equation, I
believe more so than with personal transportation.  The use of vehicles by
individuals can always be legislated upon, if economic factors like the
price of gasoline don't kick in first.  But Energy requirements drive
everything else, in an industrial and technological world.
mike

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