Comments for Kudzu a Potential Biofuel at http://ecogeek.org , comment 1 to 30 out of 20 comments http://ecogeek.org Sat, 18 May 2013 20:24:01 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://ecogeek.org/biofuels/1773#comment-36576 As a Georgia gal who's taking AP Environmental Science, i've been wondering for years why we aren't doing this... kudzu is just a nuisance plant, so it's about time we put it to good use! And as far as how to do it goes, I know more than a few people who would willingly go dig up theirs just to get rid of it. - Breanna P Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:54:22 +0100 http://ecogeek.org/biofuels/1773#comment-30903 I will be glad to send you some if you are willing to pay the shipping cost. my email is sfch2006@yahoo.com - Sharon Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:12:21 +0100 http://ecogeek.org/biofuels/1773#comment-22273 I am dreaming of kudzu since i was a young boy :)and interested in the medical use of herbs. I couldn't find it, no seeds, no cuttings are available where i live in Europe, So please help me to some small cuttlings or seeds. Robert ps) just a small package is enough, let me know the costs for sending. - Robert Sat, 20 Dec 2008 08:49:20 +0100 http://ecogeek.org/biofuels/1773#comment-21647 Has any organisation done research on kudzu? Is any investment happening in This field? what is the Level of commercialisation? Is there a report i can get on kudzu? When did the research in to this field start? Is India a leader in this kudzu opportunity? or is it atleast prevalent in India? Can anybody answer these queries? - sanjay Mon, 08 Dec 2008 03:51:41 +0100 http://ecogeek.org/biofuels/1773#comment-15210 Correct spelling of blog: http://www.chemicallygreen.com My mistake. - Steven Mason Tue, 24 Jun 2008 07:18:45 +0100 http://ecogeek.org/biofuels/1773#comment-15209 Mu blog is http://www.chdmicallygreen.com Agro*Gas Industries in Cleveland, Tn. is producing ethanol form kudzu. If you want to find out about Agro and Doug Mizell, co-founder of Agro, check out my post on: Kudzu Ethanol, Plant Startup in Tn. Chemically Green will be interviewing Doug Mizell today, 6/24/08 and will have a future post on his company and more information on Kudzu Ethanol. Be sure to watch for the upcoming post on Doug Mizell, Kudzu Ethanol, Agro*Gas Industries and questions answered about Kudzu Ethanol. - Steven Mason Tue, 24 Jun 2008 07:14:08 +0100 http://ecogeek.org/biofuels/1773#comment-15148 Have you heard of argo gas, They are going to buy kudzunol for their bio-fuel Plant in Cleveland TN, and I have a way to Grow and havest Kudzu without it being being invasive. It can be farmed. - Rodney Sun, 22 Jun 2008 10:00:25 +0100 http://ecogeek.org/biofuels/1773#comment-15137 Since this tree grows like a weed seems appropriate that it be used for the good of the planet. It's reassuring to continue hearing new information about unheard of resources that all but fit nicely on the other side of the congruent sign for sustainability! 8) - N Adams Sat, 21 Jun 2008 23:05:58 +0100 http://ecogeek.org/biofuels/1773#comment-15133 I live in North Carolina. Kudzu is prevalent throughout the piedmont and coastal plains region of this state (although not as much in the mountains where I live.) In any case, there is a lot of it here and throughout the south. I heard about a program at Georgia Tech that actually figured out how to make fuel from Kudzu some 30 years ago. So, really I have heard about this for years and wondered why some part of it wasn't put to use. I am not saying that Kudzu is the final solution. HARDLY. We need many different forms of energy and perhaps one day a complete absence of internal combustion or at least done so that there is a net neutral or negative carbon effect. It is an interesting idea though. Kudzu is definitely invasive and has destroyed many areas that used to harbor native plant life. - John Keels Sat, 21 Jun 2008 19:34:17 +0100 http://ecogeek.org/biofuels/1773#comment-15042 According to a Purdue study: Another concern is kudzu's connection to soybeans. Because it is a legume like the soybean plant, kudzu serves as an alternate host for Asian soybean rust - a devastating crop disease first detected in the continental United States this past November. The disease spread as far north as Missouri and Tennessee. - Julie Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:59:52 +0100 http://ecogeek.org/biofuels/1773#comment-15034 The thing about biofuels is they don't always need to be made from foodstock, cane sorghum grows well in drier areas than corn can take (like South Dakota) and yields more sugars than corn does too - and it hasn't been through an intensive energy maximizing breeding program yet either. Currently we're making fuel from corn and soy because we have a lot of it, that's really a first generation approach, specialty crops and advanced processes like cellulose ethanol are second generation. Closed cycle algae bio-reactors would be 3G, if ever. There's something to be said for the infrastructure costs of planting stuff in the spring and mowing it up in the fall (or several times through the year). If cellulose ethanol takes off, we'll be able to pretty much mow off any vegetation and convert it into fuel - kudzu and all. Free wood-chips for the garden will be a thing of the past and we'll probably need to enact environmental regulations to protect ecosystems from excessive cellulose exploitation. This could be good in fire prone areas because people would harvest brush before dead stuff builds up thick enough to create a serious fire hazard. It could also be bad in the long run because mowing off wild areas regularly could result in nutrient depletion in some circumstances. - Josh Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:42:21 +0100 http://ecogeek.org/biofuels/1773#comment-15031 Everything looks good, is on schedule and it looks like Ethanol fuel is well on its way to eventually replacing gasoline as a fuel source for our present automobile engines. What we must all consider is that under full-scale production, Ethanol will deplete our food supply. http://www.socyberty.com/Economics/An-Abrupt-Reality-Fuel-or-Food.21327 An Abrupt Reality, Fuel or Food - Lucien Beauley Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:52:23 +0100 http://ecogeek.org/biofuels/1773#comment-15021 no matter how you look at it there are going to be IC's on the road for about 15 years or more so unless somebody comes up with the ultimate battery that is almost free we have to deal with the existing infrastructure. The kud vrs alge thing, I was thinking that kud would require less processing (drying etc)than alge and who knows maybe a combined system where you use the hydro tank for both (a nitrogen fixing alge perhaps)after all its total cost that makes a system profitable....and with out profit you got nuttin. - gtp Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:07:17 +0100 http://ecogeek.org/biofuels/1773#comment-15019 Hmmmm, I just love BioFuel. Soo tasty! www.FireMe.To/udi - JImmy JayJay Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:55:12 +0100 http://ecogeek.org/biofuels/1773#comment-15018 KO. The carbon released in burning biofuels is offset by the carbon absorbed by the plant to make them. It's at worst neutral, as long as the energy used turning it into fuel is also neutral. At best, there will probably be some waste the ends up being sequestered and it ends up being a small carbon sink. - HelloWorld Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:48:22 +0100 http://ecogeek.org/biofuels/1773#comment-15016 Well, they could be grown hydroponically, so no digging is required. Nah, if you're doing that, you might as well use algae, which also doesn't need planting, etc. - Dana Oredson Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:27:00 +0100 http://ecogeek.org/biofuels/1773#comment-15015 This is in response to KOs comments. Well is there any fuel that wouldn't produce CO2? Unless you're referring to wind power, I guess any fuel would add something to the atmosphere. May be hydrogen cars don't add any CO2 also just like the Japanese car that was released last week that runs completely on water. I've heard about hydrogen on demand, where you use water to produce hydrogen and then to combine that with gasoline. But running cars entirely on water, right now sounds as good as running cars with Kudzu. If you haven't seen the reuter's video about this water car, check out [url]http://www.SaveGasSaveEarth.com[/url] and scroll down half way. So...water seems to be ranked above Kudzu right now eh? :D - Chuck Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:23:02 +0100 http://ecogeek.org/biofuels/1773#comment-15014 All this to keep old school, dirty, maintenance intensive, internal combustion engines around. Quit. wasting. my. time. - Christian: You are entirely correct - GTP: Yes Hydroponics will prevent mass infestations in area's that are not yet infested. - tesla Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:14:51 +0100 http://ecogeek.org/biofuels/1773#comment-15011 If a program that pays a bounty for kudzu roots were created, wouldn't it be a great way to start an eradication program? - Greg S Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:10:33 +0100 http://ecogeek.org/biofuels/1773#comment-15009 burning biofuels and releasing CO2 into the atmosphere? Kudzu is a nasty invasive plant. It has and is destroying vast natural and agricultural landscapes. But turning it into burnable biofuel is not the answer. We should not solve our transportation and energy problems by putting more CO2 into the atmosphere. This cure is worse than the disease. - KO Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:06:02 +0100