Sake may power cars in the future - Reuters

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Sake may power cars in the future

By Risa Maeda
Fri May 11, 4:55 PM ET

SHINANOMACHI, Japan (Reuters) - Japanese motorists may one day pump
their cars full of sake, the fermented rice wine that is Japan's national
drink, if a pilot project to create sake fuel is a hit with locals in this
mountain resort.

The government-funded project at Shinanomachi, 200 kilometres (124 miles)
northwest of Tokyo, will produce cheap rice-origin ethanol brew with the
help of local farmers who will donate farm waste such as rice hulls to be
turned into ethanol.

"We want to present the next generation a preferable blue print -- a self-
sustainable use of local fuels," said Yasuo Igarashi, a professor of applied
microbiology at the University of Tokyo who heads the three year project.

If the project catches on with locals then it could pave the way for similar
endeavours across Japan that will see Japanese cars running on Japanese-
made biofuels in the future, he added.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070511/sc_nm/japan_ethanol_dc

[havocmom]

1. Corn, vegetable oils, now rice... we are giving OUR FOOD to our cars

Time to stop and re-think what dependence on the automobile actually costs the human race!

[HereSince1628]

2. True. Is this Asia's answer to population control and energy?

Starve the one that breeds to keep the one that speeds.

Oh well, starving isn't a problem if the ambulance has fuel.

[havocmom]

3. Knew we were in trouble when we let those pet cars into our houses

Now, I see houses that are 1/3 garage space.

People worry more about their cars than their kids.

INSANE!

[liberal N proud]

4. That is how much we value the automobile

We would feed the hunger to drive over the hunger to survive.

[shenmue]

5. That's good, because the stuff is undrinkable.

Talk about overrated crap. I can see alcoholics in Japan pulling their cars over to siphon drinks out of the tank...

:grr:

[Javaman]

6. Gives a whole new meaning to drunk driving.

but officer, I was just making sure my gas was okay...