There was an interesting segment on US Farm Report this morning about aviation biofuel. They just did the first commercial flight fueled by 100% jet biofuel. Replacing dino juice with biofuel will make big changes in the ag market, with big economic implications for rural people. First, we will need to add 30 million soy bean acres by 2025 to meet the crush demand. They had 2050 projections too, about having to double US soybean production, but that's fantasy. What they did point out is that there is not even a theoretical way that commercial flights can run on batteries. When they head over the pole from Seattle to Copenhagen, they will need a tank of fuel.
They also dismissed Musk's electric semi. In our society, diesel can be replaced but not eliminated.
They also pointed out that to meet 2025 demand we will need 30 crush facilities. We currently have 12. Big oil is investing, and several are in development. As we eliminate gasoline, we will also eliminate ethanol blending. They didn't mention E95.
This brought up some interesting thoughts. First, what do they do with the beans after the oil is squeezed out? That's a LOT of protein. Fish food? Float it down the Mississippi and ship it to China? That's assuming we're still talking to the Chinese in 2025. Chicken feed? The world is always short on protein.
Another thing is that soybeans fix their own nitrogen, so don't need ammonia. That's 30 million acres that won't need ammonia, and 30 million acres less nitrate runoff into waterways.
It was interesting to me that this is not pie in the sky speculation, it is stuff that is happening right now. The crush plants are under construction. I love the Agricultural press. They actually report reality.
