Henry Ford and the hemp fueled and fabricated car he “grew from the soil” are shown in this photo with the original caption as appeared in Popular Mechanics in December 1941.

    The flow chart below illustrates various paths by which chemical feedstocks, transportation fuels, electricity, and heat for industrial use are derived. Hemp is ideal for pyrolytic conversion into all the products illustrated in the center of the chart.

    The same basic thermochemical decomposition process is used to refine both biomass and fossil fuels. Municipal and agricultural wastes are alo suitable for this process, and as a supplemental resource can supply up to 10% of our energy needs.

    High moisture herbaceous plants, such as sugar cane and corn, are best suited for biochemical digestion. The resulting fermented alcohols are valuable chemical feedstocks. Bacterial digestion can also produce methane rich biogas, an excellent boiler fuel.

    Biomass derived fuels can provide all U.S. energy needs currently supplied by fossil fuels. America has consumed 80% of her known oil and gas reserves. The use of biomass derived fuels will reduce acid rain and reverse the greenhouse effect.

the authorized on-line version of Jack Herer’s “The Emperor Wears No Clothes”
text from “The Emperor Wears No Clothes” © Jack Herer
CD-ROM and web presentation © 0=2

previous page	Chapter 9	next page