But that will still leave a lot of low grade land that could be put to better use, even this far north.
One question: in the process of turning various crops into ethanol, presumably sugar is required? Or does the new process not require natural fermentation? If it does, then sugar beet is a staple Finnish crop.
Hemp and flax are also easy crops for Finland (being weeds basically). Hemp produces more fibre in a shorter growth period than, for instance, birch. It is however difficult to process for paper fibre without pollution. But it produces an excellent and healthy oil - though not suitable for fuel - which has a short shelf life and thus is ideal for decentralized production.
Thanks to our paranoid bureaucrats, the three main types of hemp - oil producing, fibre producing and THC producing or all lumped under 'dangerous substances'. Idiots! You can't be me, I'm taken
Sugar -- the high-sugar crops, sugar beet and sugar cane, produce the most ethanol. The cereals need their starch turned to sugar? Traditionally, this is done by malting cereals. You can always add sugar, of course, but that would be introducing yet another energy input.
30 years ago they didn't distinguish between varieties of hemp, and it was freely cultivated (here, at least). I remember a farmer friend baling a field of hemp (like hay) in the heat of the day. He and his eleven-year-old son (who was with him on the tractor) then came to see us laughing their heads off and talking nineteen to the dozen. Pollen in the air, resin all over the place... Really good stuff, in that field.
France has been a major source for the long fibre needed to make banknotes and strong archival paper. If its good for fibre, it ain't good for THC. Unless of course they were supplying other markets...
The EU had a 3 year fibre test program in the late Eighties (I think), in which Finland took part - until the local cops decided that they knew better then the EU.
BTW St Petersburg houses the largest seed repository of hemp in the world. You can't be me, I'm taken
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermentation
The more carbohydrates, the more ethanol? You can't be me, I'm taken
I don't think it matters from the point of view of EU policy in the immediate. They want to know (or so they say) if they should promote first-generation biofuels more vigorously (this includes making percentages obligatory) and move faster than the 2003 Biofuels Directive stipulated.
I have more to add on this, will probably finish it tomorrow morning.
Even Migu has deserted us, and the Leicester boys are left holding the fort. You can't be me, I'm taken
Wonder where Colman keeps his armagnac?
Damn the armagnac, I'm off to bed...it's nearly 01.00 here... You can't be me, I'm taken
Go and have a good holiday and we'll try not to burn the place down while you're gone ;-) You can't be me, I'm taken
