Archive for June, 2015
The Biofuel Potential of Elephant Grass
What’s a big fluffy-looking grass that could be one of the answers to dwindling fossil fuel supplies? The answer is Miscanthus – also known as elephant grass.
Elephant grass (Miscanthus × giganteus) has been getting a bit of interest from the biofuel boffins since as early as the 1980s. And it’s got a fair bit of promise. It’s not an oil-producing plant but it does make a good feedstock for ethanol.
Elephant grass is a perennial (plant it once and then it just keeps on going) that grows from rhizomes (that’s big fat roots). It puts out fresh shoots every spring, grows up to 3 metres high in summer. In the autumn, it starts to go to sleep, sending a lot of the nutrients (including nitrogen and carbon) underground to the soil and the roots (and also smothers a few weeds with the shed leaves). This leaves tall stems that are kind of like bamboo standing. These stems are harvested in late winter or early spring before the new leaves start poking up again, and it’s the stems that get used as an ethanol feedstock. Then the cycle begins again.
Now, there are a number of issues that have to be tackled when it comes to finding a good plant source of biofuel. Firstly, there’s the land issue. There’s only a certain amount of arable land in the world, and with the global population growing the way that it is, we’re going to need quite a lot of it to feed us all (we probably also need to do something about the amount of food that gets wasted every year, but that’s another story). Then come the issues with water: again, there’s only so much fresh water out there at any one time for people and animals and plants to use, even if the water cycle means that it all keeps circulating. And you’ve got pesticides: if a crop gets a lot of pests eating it, then farmers need to dump on the pesticides, which (a) takes up a lot of resources and (b) puts a whole lot of junk into the soil and water.
It’s an added bonus if a plant used as a biofuel feedstock is pretty easy-care. That way, it doesn’t mean that the farmers use heaps of diesel in the process of ploughing, sowing, harrowing, weeding, fertilising and harvesting. Plants that have other benefits also get big tick marks.
Stems of elephant grass ready for harvest at the end of winter.
So how does elephant grass stand up?
Elephant grass has a high yield per hectare. This means that for every acre of elephant grass planted, you get a maximum of 25 tons of biomass (depending on the exact variety) that converts to over 3000 gallons of ethanol – better figures than you get for corn grown for biofuel and heaps better than timber. It’s not a food crop for humans or for animals. This means that on one hand, it will take up land that could be used for growing food. On the other hand, it means that it won’t drive up the price of food, like corn grown for biofuel can. It needs a moderate amount of water, but it’s pretty undemanding regarding other inputs. Because it’s a perennial plant, it doesn’t need to be re-sown every year. It also smothers weeds and puts some organic material back into the soil, meaning that you don’t need pesticides and it cuts down on the amount of fertiliser needed for a good crop – although a wee bit of fertiliser will be needed for best results. All a farmer has to do, more or less, is stick it in, water it and harvest it at the right time.
And is there anything else that elephant grass is good for? It can be used as a substitute for coal in coal-fired power plants (one US plant breeder claims that 1 acre of elephant grass can power two typical US households for a year). The stems also get used for kitty litter, bedding for racehorses, paper and composites (eco-friendly plastic substitutes). Unfortunately, these aren’t by-products of the biofuel industry. However, the tall green stands does provide cover for wildlife during summer. It can also be used as an ornamental plant – although it’s a bit on the large side!
Elephant grass grows reasonably well in the more temperate parts of Australia. In fact, a close relative of M. × giganteus (Miscanthus sinensis – also known as zebra grass) is considered to be an invasive weed in Victoria and New South Wales. Let’s hope the powers that be don’t just spray it off but make the most of it! Elephant grass, however, is a hybrid, so it’s not likely to spread as invasively, as the seeds aren’t fertile.
Safe and happy driving,
Megan
BTCC Memorable Drives: Groundhog Day at Oulton Park
Image taken from: insidebtcc.com
With the next round of the 2015 BTCC season at Oulton Park fast approaching, I thought I would take an alternative slant on proceedings. Instead of yet another Oulton Park preview post, of which you will find many, I thought it best to take a drive down memory lane. Today marks the glorious return of BTCC Memorable Drives, and I have chosen one of my favourite moments from the Super Touring era. What happens when you take Alain Menu in a blisteringly fast Renault and put him behind Paul Radisich in a not-so-fast Peugeot at Oulton Park?
The 1997 season of the BTCC was utterly dominated by Alain Menu in the Williams Renault. But the arrival of 1998 would not bring such returning fortune for the Swiss-ace. In a year dominated by cripplingly awful luck, Menu was not destined to win the title, despite often showing he had the fastest car on the grid. Nowhere else was this more apparent than at Oulton Park, where Menu had developed somewhat of a reputation in his years in the series.
After a rocky start to his 1998 campaign, Menu must have been relieved to arrive at Oulton Park, given his previous record. The sprint race confirmed his abilities once more with a resounding victory over Rickard Rydell in the Volvo. The feature race looked set to repeat his returning dominance as he shot off into the lead, and even managed to retain his advantage after the pit stop.
But the great touring car gods were not shining brightly for Menu on that day.
Cue Paul Radisich.
Image taken from: toplowridersites.com
The 1998 Peugeot was not the fastest machine to take to the track. What they did have on their side however was driving talent in the form of Tim Harvey and Paul Radisich. In the world of motorsport, sometimes defence can be just as profitable as offence. Paul Radisich was just about to prove that.
The charging Menu found himself behind Radisich as the theoretical race leader, but Radisich was still ahead of him on the road. The Peugeot team had told him to stay out as long as possible to get the point given to drivers who lead a lap of a race. Considering the entire BTCC community seemed to think that the Peugeot team were down on power and performance, Radisich put up a tremendous defensive effort against Menu. The frustration clearly got too much for Menu, who eventually shoved poor Paul Radisich out the way into Fosters, nearly losing the lead to Plato through Cascades.
After conceding defeat and having been swallowed up by the chasing pack, Radisich yielded and pitted at the end of the lap. Finally Menu had some clean air and a chance to drive away to his second win of the day.
Or so he thought.
A problem in the pits left Radisich stranded for what seemed like centuries, before finally being released. And I will give you three guesses who he exited the pits in front of. Oh yes, the Swiss ace once more had his view filled by his favourite Peugeot driver. As they flew down the Avenue into Cascades, Menu made his move again, leading to what may just be one of my favourite bits of commentary from Mr Charlie Cox,
“He must think he’s like Bill Murray in that movie groundhog day, every day’s the same! Every laps the same! Every time he comes around he has to pass Radisich! And he’s having to do it again! He’s passing Radisich… He’s more than passing Radisich he’s off!
In his eagerness to re-pass the Peugeot, Menu lost his usually unbreakable concentration and shot his Renault up the inside at the first opportunity he could find. Considering the field massing behind him, normally it is the most sensible thing to do to clear lapped traffic as soon as possible. But in his case, the phrase more haste less speed was applicable. He may have indeed thrown his car up the inside, but he did kind of forget to brake, shooting the car off wide onto the grass.
This uncharacteristically silly move from Alain Menu lost him not only the race lead, but ultimately a podium position as Anthony Reid would also pass him before the chequered flag.
But words can only do so much: for your viewing pleasure here is that incident for your aural pleasure:
Alain Menu is Bill Murray in Groundhog Day!
It just goes to show, motorsport is not just about overtaking. As Menu discovered to his detriment, sometimes a bit of thought and forward planning goes a very long way!
Let’s hope this weekend will be just as action packed!
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Keep Driving People!
Peace and Love!
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