Hemp as a fuel source?

Reasons why hemp could be an exceptional future fuel source...

The (Hawaii Natural Energy) Institutes' 1990 report concluded that thermo chemical (pyrolytic) production of methanol from biomass is the most economical alternative for transportation fuel. They also confirmed Stanford Research Institutes' conclusion from the late seventies that woody or low moisture herbaceous plants are the most efficient biomass resource for thermo chemical conversion into liquid fuels such as methanol. It is the cellulose in low moisture herbaceous and woody plants that provides the hydrocarbons necessary for fuel production. ... Hemp is both a low moisture herbaceous and a woody plant.”

It also has the advantages that it...

1) doesn't need as much fertilizer or water as corn, switchgrass or other energy crops

2) doesn't require the expensive drying required of corn and sugar cane

3) can be grown where other energy crops can't

4) is more resistant to “adverse fall weather” than other crops

5) has long been known to be the lowest-moisture highest-cellulose crop.

The hemp stalks being “over 75% cellulose” according to a 1929 paper from Schafer and Simmonds, with more conservative estimates indicating 53-74% of the bark being cellulose. According to the Stanford Research Institute and the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, it is woody, low-moisture herbaceous plants which make the best biomass for liquid fuels. If one goes beyond simple cellulose-level comparisons and examines the cost-per-gallon with these extra cultivation and processing and transportation costs taken into account, hemp seems to be the best candidate for a fuel crop. Of course, all crops should be grown in rotation – too much of one thing is bad for the soil – but hemp seems the best crop to add to the rotation if we want to replace fossil fuels with something else in the tank.

In addition, hemp is not a food crop and would not result in food shortages around the world if it were selected as the mainstream energy crop.

Source: http://hemp-ethanol.blogspot.com/2008/01/economics-history-and-politics-of-hemp.html



Thoughts?

 

In the free market sense, if hemp is the best fuel source, then its development should be a priority, otherwise it could spell a very large setback for other alt. fuel producers when it does become readily available as an option. Neither pine nor bamboo could compete with the versatility, speed of growth, and economic vitality of such a crop.