03/07/06 Biodiesel research; a true gas hog

As more and more people are jumping on the alternative energy bandwagon, there's more information coming out about ethanol, biodiesel, wind, solar and so on. University of Idaho researchers say biodiesel produces far more energy than it takes to make. Lead researcher Jon Van Gerpen says some critics of biodiesel failed to recognize that it is different from soybean oil. VAN GERPEN "We think the numbers that are currently being used of three to three and a half times more energy in the fuel than what it takes to produce it that's a realistic number." Biodiesel is an alternative fuel made from renewable resources such as rapeseed, canola, soy or mustard oil. Van Gerpen said that although the process to produce biodiesel is simple, the critics do not seem to have investigated it in depth. Researchers at the University of Illinois say they're teaming up with industry partners to designing a pilot plant that will convert pig manure to crude oil. Using what's called thermochemical conversion, or TCC, the swine manure organic compounds are heated in a pressurized enclosure to produce oil and gas. The Illinois team says manure from one pig during the production cycle could produce 21 gallons of crude oil and give farmers a ten dollar per pig profit. Now with Today's Foodforethought here's Susan Allen. Today's story is directed to my two boys both away at college, yet within the three-state range for this radio program. Your mother says, eat your breakfast! Really Austin, really Tommy, science is supporting what I have been nagging you about all these years. Skipping breakfast can make you do poorly in school. British research has confirmed that the 144 people they asked to fast overnight then divided up into three groups, one that abstained from breakfast, one that ate a full breakfast and the third that drank only a cup of coffee had very different reactions when asked to perform memory tests. Those who ate and drank nothing at all, like you my dear Austin, exhibited the lowest scores and interestingly were the most tired. That won't be helping your fast ball! Those that went for just the JAVA like my Tommy, weren't necessarily tired but struggled more with memorizations than the people eating the full breakfast. Not a good strategy for passing geography 107 . Once again my mini-men, remember mother always knows best! Breakfast! I'm Susan Allen and this is Food Forethought. Northwest Report Bill Scott