Thesis: Hemp would be a better biofuel than ‘switchgrass’ or other grasses, contrary to what our dearly beloved president said in his State of the Empire Speech this week. Unfortunately, political hysteria and ignorance induced hyperventilation prevents a thorough and scientific study of this plant. The lies and distortion that surround Hemp are historical, political, economic, sociological, and prevent rational, intelligent research and objective study. I haven't the space to delve into the reasons why Hemp is banned, it is a fascinating study of politics and corporate power, but I will leave it for another time.
So, why is hemp superior to other plant material? Well, first off, lets get rid of the ridiculous notion that Hemp and Marijuana are the same thing. They are not. Both Hemp and Marijuana are a variety of Cannabis sativa L. such as, say, you are to your mothers' sisters' son. That's cousin, to you republicans. Hemp and Marijuana are different yet related. Hemp is a plant in which the stem and seeds are used for a wide variety of products: Rope, food, clothing, paper, biofuel, lubricant, body care, building material, and medicine. Marijuana is a different plant in which the flowers and leaves are used, either for psychoactive recreation, or for medical usages. Marijuana has some fabulous medicinial properties, but that is another story.
One of the most significant differences, and there are many, between Hemp and Marijuana is the presence of THC or Tetrahydrocannabinol. This is the substance that makes the marijuana plant psychoactive, and curiously, enough, makes the Hemp plant NON-psychoactive. In marijuana there is approx. 5% to 10% THC, in Hemp there is approx. .3% to 1.5%. This represents a huge difference in these two plants. Simply put, marijuana can be utilized as a psychoactive substance, Hemp cannot be. You would get CO2 poisoning, severe smoke inhalation, and very raw throat long before you got high from smoking Hemp. This difference is so profound, yet so mistunderstood it would be laughable if it wasn't so pigheaded. Hemp is a COUSIN of Marijuana, it is NOT Marijuana. Lets go back to your Mothers' sisters' son, your cousin, as an analogy to Hemp/Marijuana. Lets suppose that your cousin robs a bank, yet the police come and arrest you. Why? Well your the cousin aren't you? You must be guilty because you are related. Further, the police and the judge refuse to listen to any factual distinction between you and your bank robbing cousin. You get 20 big one's in the slammer. Unfair you say? Same thing with Hemp and Marijuana.
"...Botanically, the genus Cannabis is composed of several variants. Although there has been a long-standing debate among taxonomists about how to classify these variants into species, applied plant breeders generally embrace a biochemical method to classify variants along utilitarian lines. Cannabis is the only plant genus that contains the unique class of molecular compounds called cannabinoids. Many cannabinoids have been identified, but two preponderate: THC, which is the psychoactive ingredient of Cannabis, and CBD, which is an anti-psychoactive ingredient. One type of Cannabis is high in the psychoactive cannabinoid, THC, and low in the anti-psychoactive cannabinoid, CBD. This type is popularly known as marijuana. Another type is high in CBD and low in THC. Variants of this type are called Industrial Hemp. In the United States, the debate about the relationship between hemp and marijuana has been diminished by the dissemination of many statements that have little scientific support. ..." (Votehemp.com)
Ok, I have said enough. Hemp is not Marijuana. So what is it?
Hemp is a plant that has been domesticated by humanity for thousands of years. It was first reported in China in 100A.D. for making paper. it is a strong, fast growing plant that takes direct sun, water, and good soil, but it requires no pesticides and no herbicides. It can be harvested in as little as 100 days. Lastly, it takes significantly less water than do crops such as cotton. That alone makes it superior to almost all other products. But there is more. Hemp can be grown in a wide variety of climates, from temperate to tropical. It is currently grown in Canada, China, Japan, Europe, Africa, well actually most of world is growing it. It is only in this backward isolated country that Hemp is outlawed. Hemp could easily replace significant parts of the Cotton Industry and the Timber Industry, and the Petro-chemical Industry, and that is the problem.
Hemp has been used world wide for: Food: "..The whole seed contains roughly 25% protein, 30% carbohydrates, 15% insoluble fiber, Carotene, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iron and zinc, as well as vitamins E, C, B1, B2, B3 and B6. Hemp seed is one of the best sources of Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) with a perfect 3:1 ratio of Omega-6 Linoleic Acid and Omega-3 Linolenic Acid, good for strengthening the immune system. It is also a source of Gamma Linoleic Acid (GLA) which is otherwise available only from specialty oils like evening primrose oil or borage oils..."
Seed Oil:
Hemp seed is 30% oil and is low in saturated fats. Hemp seed oil is good for lowering cholesterol levels and strengthening cardiovascular systems..."
In fact it is one of the most complete foods known to human beings.
Also,"...lamp lighting, printing, lubrication, household detergents, stain removers, varnishes, resins and paints. In this area, hemp seed oil is similar to linseed oil..." Fiber: "...Short fibers are used to make textiles, non-woven matting, paper, caulking, auto parts, building materials and household goods..." As Fiber, Hemp can also be, "...made into paper, packaging and building materials, as well as plastic composites for making skate boards, auto bodies and interior auto parts such as door panels and luggage racks..." Source: Hemp Industries Association (http://www.hempindustries.org) Further, Hemp can be used for body care, mechanical lubricants, and, last but not least, fuel. It is with this last produce that we now turn.
Fuel:
"...The hemp stalk can be converted into a charcoal-like substance through a process called pyrolysis, and used for power generation and to produce industrial feed stocks. Auto giant Henry Ford was a pioneer in the pyrolysis process, and operated a biomass pyrolytic plant at Iron Mountain in northern Michigan. Hemp as an auto fuel is another potential use. Almost any biomass material can be converted into methanol or ethanol, and these fuels burn cleanly with less carbon monoxide and higher octane. In fact, the diesel engine was invented to burn fuel from agricultural waste, yet ended up burning unrefined petroleum. Hemp seed oil can also be refined to produce a type of biofuel..."
Additionally, with Hemp we actually have two types of fuel that could be developed to drive the American economy, unlike grasses.
"...Research into natural fuel sources suggests that hemp has two valuable contributions: stalk and seeds. This gives it an advantage over many other experimental crops that produce only one raw material. Hemp has other advantages over traditional crops such as corn, despite the multiple uses for corn byproducts. Any attempt to develop alternative uses for food crops will increase food prices, by increasing demand for the crop and because of the complicated economics of crop-support programs.
The Stem and leafy parts can supply the biological material that may be distilled into a biofuel substance, ethanol. This type of biofuel is currently in production in this country, in Washington State in particular, and corn is one of the primary sources for biofuel. Unfortunately corn is also a food and it makes no logical sense to use a food product to make fuel. That's short sighted. But grasses and Hemp would be highly useful, as easily grown, non-food vegetable material.
Also, the seeds of Hemp can be used to make BioDiesel. This is a usage that grasses cannot meet. BioDiesel is potentially one of the most significant fuels because vehicles that burn diesel get much better gas milage than regular fuels. With so much of our major transportation system made up of diesel trucking the savings on petroleum could be immense. If we are wean ourselves from petroleum dependence, development of a biodiesel is crucial.
Read through the following excerpts and see what I mean. Hemp really is a stable, significantly useful product that could contribute to reduction in our petroleum dependency, be more enviromentally friendly, and would also save our trees and soil from further agricultural degradation.
Hemp and The New Energy Technologies
Source: High Times, December 1995, Volume 244 Author: Jon Gettman
"...Biomass for energy is now a major policy of the US Government. Alternative crops are in development as future energy sources, as is solid municipal waste. The United States now has 60 million idle acres of farmland (an area almost as big as Oregon), including 34 million acres in conservation programs, which the Department of Agriculture wants to see devoted to erosion-resistant energy-crop farming. Energy farming does not require the use of marginal land, but hemp’s versatility may also help transform marginal land into productive acreage. Seed oil is a viable fuel source now. Louis Wichinsky, who powers his car with vegetable oils (“Hemp-Ready Car Takes Off Across America,” Apr. ’95 HT), wasn’t the only one who realized during the 1970s energy crises that biodiesel fuel was the trend of the future, and the US Government now knows it’s trying to catch up in this area of research. Rosenthal’s primary issue remains unchallenged. The massive scale of potential bioenergy production presents considerable environmental problems. These problems must be solved before hemp, or any crop, can satisfy large percentages of US energy needs, and these issues are now being addressed by current research. “..The issue in the hemp-for-fuel debate is not how, but how long before the federal government realizes the benefit of investing funds in hemp research…” “…In 1990 Congress authorized the USDA to set up a division, the Alternative Agricultural Research and Commercialization Center, to promote and assist in the development of alternative agricultural crops. “…Herbaceous energy crops—which regrow from stubble, like hay does—and short-rotation woody crops—which regrow from stumps, like poplar—make up a new class of cellulosic bioenergy crops. Five variables provide the standards of competition for them: technical feasibility, availability of suitable land, economic viability, implementation and environmental impacts. The Congressional Office of Technology Assessment reports that estimates of land area available in the United States for energy-crop raising range from 37 million acres (about the size of Georgia) to 250 million (as big as Texas and New Mexico). The theoretical yield is 6.6 to 8.8 tons of biomass per acre. Whether this is competitive with fossil fuels or not, it is the OTA’s opinion that “energy crops may still be desirable if other benefits—such as environmental advantages, offsets of oil imports or financial returns to the rural economy—justify the costs.”..” “…At three to four tons per acre, hemp would not seem competitive with the theoretical yields from herbaceous and woody crops, but no one has yet realized those theoretical yields. However, these are developmental crops slated for optimum environmental niches. The technology developed to exploit them will make hemp more competitive as an energy source.
The DOE’s Herbaceous Energy Crop Program is evaluating a number of grasses, including Bahia grass, Bermuda grass, eastern gama grass, Johnson grass, napier (elephant) grass, reed canary grass, rye, Sudan grass, switchgrass, tall fescue, timothy and weeping love grass. Legumes such as alfalfa, bird’s-foot trefoil, crown vetch, flatpea, clover and sericae lespedeza are also being investigated. At present, these crops are yielding 3 to 7 tons of biomass per acre. Fiber crop expert James Dempsey reports that hemp produces 6.6 tons of dry, unprocessed stalks (producing 17 percent fiber and tow by weight if processed). Hemp is competitive with other herbaceous energy crops as a source for biomass..." (emphasis mine)
“…While the theoretical standard for bulk biomass production exceeds the standards for hemp production, hemp is very competitive with the actual yields of experimental energy crops. Factor in hemp’s diverse ecological adaptability, and it becomes a very appealing energy crop. “The use of vegetable oils for engine fuels may seem insignificant today. But such oils may become in the course of time as important as petroleum,” declared Rudolf Diesel in 1912. Alcohol fuels will not power diesel motors, but vegetable oil will. According to the DOE, “Biodiesel’s major advantage is that it is environmentally clean. Unlike conventional diesel fuel, biodiesel contains neither sulfur nor aromatics. Aromatics contribute to particulate emissions.... Biodiesel is biodegradable..." “…According to the USDA, all the oil from oilseed crops is valuable to biodiesel efforts: “Currently the United States squeezes 13 billion pounds of oil from soybeans and another 1 billion pounds of oil from the corn crop each year. For both of these prime sources of vegetable oil, the crop is grown for other purposes, with the oil (18 percent for soybeans, 5 percent for corn) as a byproduct. Other potential biodiesel crops with a higher oil content include industrial rapeseed, canola, crambe, safflower and sunflower—all presumably could be bred for still-higher yields and oil content if biodiesel provided a market.” Hempseed contains 35 percent oil, and like linseed oil has a high iodine value, an indication that it is high in unsaturated fats. Many alternative crops have seed-oil content between 30 and 50 percent, so hemp is competitive. Seed-oil yields vary. Jojoba plants provide a yield of 3,000 pounds per acre, but only after the shrubs are 10 years old. Rapeseed produces 2,500 pounds per acre, and crambe 1,500. The British report seed yields from hemp of 1,200 to 1,500 lbs/acre in India. (The Council of Scientific and Industrial Resources in 1950 published a 13-volume encyclopedia titled The Wealth of India, which contains technical specifications on thousands of plants and raw materials, including cannabis.).." “…The USDA is studying dozens of plants, many with overlapping potentials. If they deserve study, why not hemp? Do not accept excuses that the plant lacks modern economic value, for technological developments are providing many old products with new value. Again, why not hemp?
Cannabis provides just as much usable cellulose and seed oil as many other plants being developed as energy crops, but uniquely produces two energy-source materials from a single plant. There are plants that produce more biomass or more seed oil than cannabis, but how many can provide both at once, in one plant?.."
(Emphasis is mine)
Sources:
The Hemp Industries Association (http://www.hempindustries.org)
Nutritional/Medicinal Guide to Hemp Seed by Ken Jones, Rainforest Botanical Laboratories
The Great Book of Hemp by Rowan Robinson, Inner Traditions International
Hemp: Lifeline to the Future and Hemp for Health by Chris Conrad, Creative Xpressions
Hemp Today edited by Ed Rosenthal, Quick American
Journal of the International Hemp Association, International Hemp Association
HempWorld -- The International Hemp Journal, updated from Hemp Pages, 1997, published by Mari Kane
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