Peter's Comments

There is unfortunately nothing but hype in the article. We all could use a few details about the 'process' to determine its potential value. We could likely develop similar things to say about the old Fischer-Tropsch process that dates to early last century!

The time is right! I just signed up -- From what we can tell now the technology now being commercialized will be more competitive than ever and have a decent payback with any modest incentive.

I frankly do not expect to see any subtantive changes in the way our energy policy (or lack thereof) is handled. The dems will jealously guard their porkbarrels and earmarks are not going away. Renewables will, in my opinion, still grow in importance slowly and success will be measured on commercial value (profit) and not on whims of flip-flopping governmental programs. What can help is to accelerate the basic R&D needed to make biomass conversion and solar conversion more profitable and this work is seldom in the bright lights of politics.

I think that comes to about 44 watts per acre (or only 0.001 watt/sq ft) averaged over all 250k sq miles or so of texas. This is a good start and a fraction of the potential!!!!!

I'd like to know how much land area I need to solar generate enough power for my home and to power my vehicles? How many kwH per acre? What will be the cost for istallation, operation and maintenance?

Butanol has excellent attributes as a fuel alternate for gasoline rich mixtures and the advent of efficient means to produce it from biomass is encouraging news. One attribute that I have not read about lately is the subjective issue of odor. (Have you smelled it yet?) Pure butanol has a characteristic fairly pungent (fusel oil-like) but not unpleasant odor, whereas butyric acid (oxidized butanol) has a rancid odor.

For the most part - utilities are hostile to any independent power generation efforts. I suggest that utilities must be required to offer net metering and some of the incentive may be best applied to that effort. Without utility cooperation and backing -- this will never see the LIGHT of day as mainstream development.

What is the projected effect on resulting solar electric power from this material and is the process related to the molten silicon ribbon process that is relatively new?

This is encouraging to see -- because every watt that is produced via solar energy is fossil fuels not burned. Our global goal should be to achieve energy sustainability as quickly as possible. (Remember the old saying: "The stone age did not end for lack of stones")