Bio Fuels from Sugar beat far more productive?

 Ok can anyone tell me why sugar beat is not in the main running for bio fuels heres some facts

First fact: Sugar beat produces 714 barrels per acre - corn 354 gallons per acre

second fact:the tops of the sugar beat can be used as animal feed and the pulp left over from proccessing can also be used as animal feed  

 

• Sugar beet in France yields 714 gallons per acre
  
• Sugar cane in Brazil yields 662 gallons per acre
  
• Corn in the U.S.A yields 354 gallons per acre, or roughly half the beet and cane yields.

 

Several reason, most importantly is the government:

 

• The main reason is government regulation. Sugar production is heavily regulated by the USDA to protect US sugar prices from collapsing from inexpensive imports from Central America. The USDA determines how many sugar beets can be grown every year, and it is not a lot.
• Sugar beets are not feasible to use as fuel-stock. They are biennial, and restricted to growth in temperate regions of the country mostly the northern US/Canada border states.
• Cost; making ethanol from beets just isn't commercially viable. The technology for corn-ethanol has been developed so most of the ethanol factories are based on a corn model. For the beet growers to make their own ethanol-production facilities--that is, sugar-ethanol plants--they would need a huge amount of startup money.
• The sugar beet farmers, as you can imagine, don't have the power of Iowa corn lobby.
• Since ethanol is mostly a hoax. no one is going to invest or stick there neck out for something that is unprofitable or tarnish their reputation.
•  Keith Collins, the USDA's chief economist, was quoted as saying, "Technologically, it's possible. The question is, is it economically feasible?" Never mind that growing all that corn for ethanol production is only economically feasible because of massive governmental subsidies for growing corn and a fuel tax incentive of 51 cents per gallon for corn ethanol.

 

 First I'll clear up one totally false statement. That statement being:

> They are biennial, and restricted to growth in temperate regions of the country mostly the northern US/Canada border states.

Sugar beets are only a biennial if grown to harvest seeds. They are an annual when grown for sugar. That is an easily varified fact. Also, they can be grown thru out the US. Indeed there are even tropical sugar beets. India, include the southeast end of it, is converting from sugar cane to sugar beet. They can grow 2 crops a year there, but only one of sugar cane. Do a google search on tropical sugar beets. 

In the US they are grown & processed in the following:

Michigan, four facilities; Minnesota and North Dakota (the largest sugar beet producing region) seven facilities; Colorado and Nebraska, three facilities; Wyoming, two facilities; Idaho, three facilities; Montana, two facilities; and California, two facilities. They are all farmer owned. No big corps.

The yield of of ethanol in the southern US would be about 2 times the yield that France gets, because of being able to get 2 crop a year.

With that cleared up & debatable items , it comes does come down to $s. Sugar from beets is not the lowest cost sugar a USDA report a couple of years ago stated that ethanol from beets would cost $2.35. A money loser 2 years ago & break even today. The future? Oil up or down?

When beets are processed into sugar, molasses is a byproduct that is sold as a cattle feed. That is what may be used in the US first for beet-to-ethanol. There has been some beet sugar used for ethanol production, but only when the when

In any food-vs-fuel debate, sugar beets for the reasons you mentioned are the winner. Because the US oil industry can't supply enough of the desired fuel anymore, the market place will push for beet to ethanol in a few years. Some of the normal corn/soybean acreage will be converted to beets.

I  just wish that US biodiesel production could be scale up so easily & cheaply.   

Martin     

 

 

Aroostook County of Northern Maine is one of the top producers of Maine potatos. An entrepaneur often forseen as a fanatic once tried to convince locals to grow Sugar beets. I guess the opportunity still exists, but with current ethanol from sugar vs butanol from celllulose I'd be hard pressed to say what is shpped fromMaine in greater abundance, Wood or Potato's. Well I guess its cellulose but As ethanol /diesel blends are explored by companies(Archer Daniels Midland)and such as O2diesel , is there an overlooking of buntanol/ diesel blends as well. A professor here in Ann Arbor with the Phoenix Energy IInstitute seems to think there is more potential there. I am looking for suppliers orf E-diesel for marine craft in the U.S. Great Lakes . It appears most of these suppliers are using South American Sugar farming to develop diesel blends suitable for useage in all diesels. A universal BIO-diesel? Blending alcohols and diesel seems to overcomee cold flow issues to neg22"f . Having a need here, in Michigan ,U.S.A. , and seeing the infrastructure development therein South America , makes me back up and look at ? How much biodiesel, can be added to ethanol for a combustion engine. It seems industrialists, and entrepaneurs are destined to find a Multifueled middleground where Ag, maybe even Algae Ag will meet, the needs of a multifuel for the combustion engines the auto industries are forcing us to take from their American/US lots. Meanwhile I want to support the industrial, transportation, and recreation needs, as infrastructures which are so dependant on diesel and trended not to convert to Gasoline,E-85 or others. does butanol /diesel abbreaviate to B-Diesel? than so be it Beta-Diesel,B-Diesel, B-85 as a low sulphur alternative for future fuelling stations for future engines. Than maybe the "B" rating for bio-diesel is growing weak as a current Market tech term.

Live Broadcast | Legislative Search | Legislation | House | Senate Previous Sessions | Georgia Code | State Departments 07 HB 186/AP House Bill 186 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE) By: Representatives Cole of the 125th, O`Neal of the 146th, Smith of the 129th, Golick of the 34th, Maddox of the 172nd, and others A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Code Section 48-8-3 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to exemptions from sales and use tax, so as to provide for a temporary exemption regarding the sale of tangible personal property to, or used in or for the construction of, an alternative fuel facility primarily dedicated to the processing and production of ethanol, biodiesel, and butanol; to provide for definitions; to provide for powers, duties, and authority of the state revenue commissioner with respect to the foregoing; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: SECTION 1. Code Section 48-8-3 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to exemptions from sales and use tax, is amended by adding a new paragraph as follows: "(34.4)(A) Notwithstanding any provision of Code Section 48-8-63 to the contrary, sales of tangible personal property to, or used in or for the construction of, an alternative fuel facility primarily dedicated to the production and processing of ethanol, biodiesel, butanol, and their by-products, when such fuels are derived from biomass materials such as agricultural products, or from animal fats, or the wastes of such products or fats. (B) As used in this paragraph, the term: (i) 'Alternative fuel facility' means any facility located in this state which is primarily dedicated to the production and processing of ethanol, biodiesel, butanol, and their by-products for sale. (ii) 'Used in or for the construction' means any tangible personal property incorporated into a new alternative fuel facility that loses its character of tangible personal property. Such term does not mean tangible personal property that is temporary in nature, leased or rented, tools, or other items not incorporated into the facility. (C) Any person making a sale of tangible personal property for the purpose specified in this paragraph shall collect the tax imposed on this sale unless the purchaser furnishes an exemption certificate issued by the commissioner certifying that the purchaser is entitled to purchase the tangible personal property without payment of tax. (D) Any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or any other entity or person that qualifies for this exemption must conduct at least a majority of its business with entities or persons with which it has no affiliation. (E) The exemption provided for under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall not apply to sales of tangible personal property that occur after the production and processing of biodiesel, ethanol, butanol, and their by-products has begun at the alternative fuel facility. (F) The exemption provided for under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall apply only to sales occurring during the period July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2012. (G) The commissioner shall promulgate any rules and regulations necessary to implement and administer this paragraph." SECTION 2. This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval. SECTION 3. All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed. Live Broadcast | Legislative Search | Find Your Legislator | FAQ | Help | Previous Sessions Georgia Code | State Departments This information is provided in electronic format by the Georgia general Assembly as a public service. This information does not constitute an official record of the General Assembly and no warranty or guarantee of any kind is provided.

This is an interesting debate!

I live in North Dakota and am in the Heart of sugar beet production.  I know some sugar beet farmers and it's what I'd call a Cartel!

 First off American Crystal Sugar tells the farmer how many acres he can plant depending on how man stocks he owns and the previous years yield.

 The past 2 or 3 years have been great for sugar beet farmers.  They are leaving anywheres from 5% to 20% in the field because production has been so good. These are just beets they plow into the ground. 

the Beet Season happens for two weeks.  Weather conditions have to be perfect.  Too warm and you can harvest, to cold and you can harvest. It's  a 24 hour operation for two weeks a year starting around october 1st time frame.  Most people take vacation to work the beet season in order to make $3000 extra JUST driving truck.

 There is a LOT of money involved with Sugar beets that dictates what is it used for.  Like I said you have to own stock and then are told what percentage you can plant based on that. 

The UK has built a Sugar Beet Ethanol plant - all alternative energy related capital improvment projects (plants, fueling stations, Research facilities, wind mills, photovolteic fields, etc.) should be granted local state and federal tax exemptions - similar to Redevelopment Agencys.

Link to UK Sugar Beet Ethanol Factory

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/11/23/first-sugar-beet-ethanol-plant-opens-in-the-uk/

 

 

 

Yeah! I already knew about this project (beet fuel producion). A british multinational food, ingredients and retail group would conduct this. Up to 10% of traditional petrol can be blended with biobutanol.

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The yield per acre is only part of the equation, you can only grow sugar beet once every four years on the same acre while you can, with suitable inputs grow corn every year.  The corn mash left over from the process is a better animal feed than the corn itself.  Another point to bear in mind is that corn yields 4 times the amount of alcohol per ton than sugar beet which makes it much more economical to transport and process.Sugar beet must be processed within a few weeks of harvest or it loses sugar content.Corn can be stored for months or even years. But the main reason that corn is used to make ethanol is political.  The corn growing states in the US have strong political influence and have been supported by Washington while the sugar beet industry has been allowed to wither away.

If yield per acre was the only measure Jerusalem artichokes produce 4 times more alcohol per acre than sugar beet