Can Anyone Explain Furanics to Me?

[Dojhar son of Bob]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080808114928.htm

Professors at UC Davis have announced that they've discovered a cheaper, more carbon-friendly method of producing biofuels from cellulosic material through something called furanics. I'm intrigued but am having trouble understanding the technical jargon. The non-science media doesn't seem to have picked up on this, so I thought I'd check in here to see if any of you science wizzes might be able to explain the signifigance of this in plain English.

Any takers?

 

[Meredith]

It means we use fur for fuel, that outta piss of PETA, heh, put a Tiger in your tank, literally...

 

[Uplink]

I believe it just involves breaking down plant matter into a different type of organic molecule (Heterocyclic) than standard hydrocarbons, producing less co2 in the process and having a higher energy density fuel. (Close to gasoline but less than bio-diesel)

It doesn't matter anyway as the process cannot be applied to algae bio-fuels, which are the only realistic major source for bio-fuel for the world.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/dayart/20080503/biofuels_compare.gif

 

[Dojhar son of Bob]

Cool table. Very good comparison, though i don't like the assumption that crops would need to be grown in the U.S. I know our politicians have been screaming that we need to be energy independent, but I think that's a lot of bunk. The world's too small for any country to attempt isolationism, especially the United States. There's lots of sugarcane in Brazil and lots more room to grow more (and no I don't mean in the rainforests). There are also a number of other countries with room and the climate to grow sugarcane and other beneficial energy crops.

I do think we need to get away from buying so much oil from the Saudi's and other Arab nations, but we have a good opportunity to develop trade for alternative energy products with countries like Brazil that don't have some kind of built-in, centuries old religious hatred for us (and yes, I know it's not entirely the fault of those in the Middle East). I think we ought to take the opportunity to develop free trade and friendship with these countries.