We’re paying for war
We’re all agreed that paying Russia (or any other of the oil- and gas-rich despotic regimes) for fossil fuels is a terrible idea. We’re funding their wars, assassinations, and repression of their own people every time we fill up the tank. It’s time we break our addiction to the noxious poison that’s propelling us into an unliveable future, while keeping us at the mercy of despicable people and companies. The Russian, Saudi and Iranian regimes, and the oil and gas companies that care only about maximising profit, don’t give a damn about you, your children’s future, or the survival of all life on our precious planet.
Don’t get mad, get even
While the oil, gas and coal companies have had decades to put in infrastructure, buy the media and politicians, and get subsidised by your tax dollars, the latest price spike means that hemp biodiesel is now considerably cheaper than fossil fuels. This is the time to put in the sustainable production infrastructure so that we can scale production, create demand for farmers and become self-sufficient in carbon-zero fuel. This is the best, and only, way we can take the power back and build a liveable future for everyone.
Hemp biodiesel benefits
Hemp stalks can be used to make ethanol and methanol, and the plant’s seeds can be used to make biodiesel, through a process called transesterification (which is, essentially, heating the hemp seed oil with methanol or ethanol).
- Hemp biodiesel is a carbon-zero fuel. This means that it has no negative carbon footprint. The carbon captured by the hemp plants is emitted by the biofuel’s combustion, but in much smaller quantities than fossil fuels. The carbon is then reabsorbed from the air by the next hemp crop. This makes hemp biofuel 100% sustainable.
- The emissions from biodiesel-powered vehicles contain no microparticles or sulfur, and they smell great, as opposed to smelling like death itself.
- Biodiesel is a drop-in fuel, meaning that existing diesel engines and distribution infrastructure can use it. No need for modifications.
- Depending on its use case, some fossil fuel diesel can be blended with biodiesel. Easy. No problem.
- Biodiesel can extend the life of engines, as it is self-lubricating.
- Hemp biodiesel can be grown on marginal land. Even better, because hemp is not yet classified as a food (even though it actually is a superfood!), growing hemp for fuel does not displace food production.
- Because hemp can grow well pretty much anywhere, it can give countries like Ireland energy independence.
- Biodiesel has been successfully tested to power jet aircraft. Flightshame begone! It can also be used as home heating oil.
- Biodiesel is much safer to handle and transport than fossil fuels.
- To restate a point, using homegrown hemp biodiesel means that we are not funding war.
Hemp ethanol too!
Besides making biodiesel from hemp seeds, hemp stalks can be used to make ethanol, a straight substitute for petrol/gasoline in cars.
Let’s make a liveable future for all
We’re looking for partners for our 2023 crops, with growers all over the world excited at the potential of hemp to change things for the better, at local and global levels. If you’d to grow hemp with us, get in touch here. If you’d like to offset your operation’s carbon footprint, get in touch here.
*This phrase is derived from an Irish phrase ‘Now you’re sucking diesel!’, which means things are going great, and is not intended to have any other meaning.
Learn more
Quality research on making ethanol and biodiesel from industrial hemp.
US National Hemp Association on making fuel from hemp.
911 Metallurgist on fossil fuel production, by country, with fascinating infographics.
The Guardian: ‘This is a fossil fuel war’: Ukraine’s top climate scientist speaks out.
Image credits
Plane at sunrise: Photo by Anugrah Lohiya from Pexels.
Vladimir Putin meets with Crown Prince and Defence Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud, June 2018. Attribution www.kremlin.ru, used under Creative Commons.
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Founder and CEO at Hempoffset.com and TaoClimate.com.
Hempoffset works with hemp growers and makers worldwide, to capture and sequester CO2 at scale, while building a sustainable world.
Tao Climate works with companies and individuals that want to measure, minimise and manage their carbon footprints. Tao Climate is the way to carbon neutral.
We are proud members of the Google Startups for Sustainable Development program.
