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Politics : Rat's Nest - Chronicles of Collapse -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: Wharf Rat who wrote (127)5/19/2005 10:25:35 AM
From: Wharf Rat  Respond to of 24225
 
"Conclusions

The technical feasibility of hemp as a source of biomass for energy is clearly without question, however economic realities, i.e. the current selling price of energy in the United States, dictate integration of processes, markets and technologies to become feasible.

One option would be in combination with a pulp production process. This would require additional capital expenditure, but offers very attractive returns.

There is a confirmed market in the composites industry that offers good potential. It would only require a few large volume users to justify development of a system that produces, as it's primary product, high-grade fiber custom processed for composites.

There are potential applications for biodiesel made from the hempseed oil, however there are higher value uses for the oil unless no other source is available, in which case the hempseed offer a high oil content and would be attractive used as a rotation crop for it's many other benefits.

Distributed power generation on a village scale for underdeveloped communities may offer opportunities using gasification or anaerobic digestion technologies to bring sustainable electricity generation to areas that otherwise might not get it anytime soon, offering a humanitarian incentive if nothing else.

There are significant environment benefits that must be factored into the equation. Using the "Full Life Cycle Analysis" approach and calculations that accurately reflect current energy costs, it is clear that Industrial Hemp offers options and opportunities that should be more fully investigated."

fuelandfiber.com