Little interest from Labor in Ethanol

[Sojourner]

I cant understand why governments want to import Fossil Fuels rather than giving our own farmers a hand up?

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Thursday April 19, 08:28 PM

Labor to blame for little interest in ethanol: Vaile

Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile says the Labor Party is to blame for the lack of consumer confidence in the more greenhouse friendly ethanol fuel.

Mr Vaile has told a national ethanol conference in Melbourne that former Opposition leader Simon Crean was behind a scare campaign to discourage motorists from using ethanol blends in 2003.

Mr Vaile says misinformation is still hindering the expansion of the more environmentally friendly fuel option.

"The rest of the world is using and taking up the use of green fuel much faster than we are in Australia," he said.

"We have an ability to deliver significant benefits to health outcomes, environmental outcomes and economic outcomes.

"Unfortunately, this whole agenda should not have been as difficult as it is."

Mr Vaile also told the conference that the major oil companies are not pulling their weight in expanding the use of ethanol fuels and the bulk of biofuel blends are being sold by independent petrol retailers.

He says Austraila's four major oil companies must play a bigger role in the sale of renewable fuels.

"If you look at what's going on as far as global oil prices are concerned, if you look at the challenges that we have in front of us in dealing with greenhouse gas emissions, there is a national objective to achieve the use of 350 million litres at least of biofuels by 2010," he said.

"It is not just the responsibilities of governments to achieve that, it is the responsibility of all stakeholders in this industry to make a contribution."

http://au.news.yahoo.com/070419/21/1363b.html

[PhilG]

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[Psyber]

I'm not up to speed on it, but my understanding is that Ethanol is not proven when it's mixed with regular fuel. I could be wrong about that of course - but as long as petrol is involved it's not doing enough to cut back greenhouse gases. And Ethanol by itself isn't strong enough.

I use the 5% ethanol 100 octane fuel from Shell in my Audi, with confirmation from Audi Australia that it is fine. Problems arise with some vehicles when the ethanol content rises toward 10% because some of the plastics used in fuel tanks and lines by some makers start to dissolve. I am not sure, but I have heard, too, that it affects some poor quality aluminium alloys at that level or above.

It is possible to modify vehicles to run on pure ethanol, but the best models for that sort of conversion are older cars with steel motors and metal fuel lines. Ethanol produces less power per litre I believe.

[PhilG]

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[Ian]

That would be called the octane rating.

Sojourner, your Labour bashing is getting VERY, VERY BORING!!!!!

[Wedgie]

Sojourner, your Labour bashing is getting VERY, VERY BORING!!!!!

Ian, stop bashing Labor by mis-spelling their name, its getting VERY, VERY BORING!!!!!

[Sojourner]

That would be called the octane rating.

Sojourner, your Labour bashing is getting VERY, VERY BORING!!!!!

Long live Family First, slayer of the Labor Party.

In all honesty I used to vote Labor State and Federally and served faithfully at the factory that I used to work at as the Shop Steward for the CFMEU, I even used to read - "The Labor Herald"

Until I figured out that the Labor Party have no interest in people that work, just look at how they shafted low paid workers out of being eligable for the housing trust as one glaring example, or how Labor led the way with tarriff cutting cancelling jobs for many families. The list could go on to be quite long about how Labor have well forgotten the workers that made them what they are. Sadly the Labor party has become a good representation of George Orwells "Animal Farm".

Family First have their problems, so do Dignity for the Disabled and No Pokies, yet each of these at least get democracy back into the parliment, so I hope they pick off as many Labor and Liberal voters as possible to make it more so!

[noone]

well the liberal party dosn't give a hoot about ethonol either, in fact the only ones that do are the nats, and well the fact that any ethonol production would profit crop farmers (ie nationals members and supporters) would have nothing at all to do with the parties stance...

I like the comment about FF restoring democracy, they are active in two parliaments, SA and federal, in SA they havn't done squat with a minority government in the upper house (and the lower house for one term), and well a party that flukes it in through preference havesting cant talk about restoring democracy..

[PhilG]

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[Psyber]

That would be called the octane rating.

Not quite - ethanol can increase the octane rating because it is more volatile, which is why Shell use it to boost their V-Power Extreme to 100 octane, but it does not burn as easily, and its simpler molecular structure means less power output per molecule burned I gather. I admit the exact chemistry escapes me, and would be delighted to be informed if anyone knows exactly how it works.

Methyl Benzene [Toluene] was used as a fuel additive in the 1970s, but it had two disadvantages - it tends to increase your risk of cancer, and it can be used to easily make TNT. One advantage of alcohol as a fuel is that we can make it here and don't have to import it.

[Sojourner]

I like the comment about FF restoring democracy, they are active in two parliaments, SA and federal, in SA they havn't done squat with a minority government in the upper house (and the lower house for one term), and well a party that flukes it in through preference havesting cant talk about restoring democracy..

Thanks to Family First the law that allowed peodeophiles to get away scott free because the offences were commited prior to 1982 has now been changed and several peodeophiles are now serving time in jail as a resuly, they have also pushed for the enquiry into abuse of kids in state care and now another section of the community is getting justice, I would call that a huge thing to have done in the parliment.

Family First also voted with the government to allow Student Unionism to be voluntary not compulsory, this is a good example of the party allowing more freedom and democracy into our country and laws.

[noone]

I like the comment about FF restoring democracy, they are active in two parliaments, SA and federal, in SA they havn't done squat with a minority government in the upper house (and the lower house for one term), and well a party that flukes it in through preference havesting cant talk about restoring democracy..

Thanks to Family First the law that allowed peodeophiles to get away scott free because the offences were commited prior to 1982 has now been changed and several peodeophiles are now serving time in jail as a resuly, they have also pushed for the enquiry into abuse of kids in state care and now another section of the community is getting justice, I would call that a huge thing to have done in the parliment.

Family First also voted with the government to allow Student Unionism to be voluntary not compulsory, this is a good example of the party allowing more freedom and democracy into our country and laws.

ok so in 5 or so years with a very strong bargaining position in the leg co, FF has moved a couple of sentencing laws (id agree they are a good change), and i dont think FF can claim all the credit for the investigation into state care. however that is sweet F all for 5 years work. I can understand them not getting alot done in federal parliament, as the gov has a majority however in state parliament the ALP has 8 seats (i think the ALP had 7 last term) needing 12 votes to pass any law. In that climate where FF now hold 2 of the 6 cross bench spots to have achieved so little is a joke.

Oh i almost forgot the quality work that FF has done in protecting good traditional Christian AOG style families, because after all gay people are sinners, they dont deserve rights like the rest of us, its black people all over again!!

The party really is full of religious nut cases that barely qualify as a front group for AOG and other radicals. I suggest you look up the democractic election measures that FF use to decide internal positions as a good start.