Alternative Energy

Just noticed this article from south of the border.   "all gasoline sold in [Costa Rica] will have 7 percent ethanol content [beginning in March]"

http://www.indexcontact.com/contenido/informacion_articulo.php?id=1806

I hope it'll be good quality.... looks like they are making it from sugar cane (no surprise) but also yuca!

As for efficiency, I do think that ethanol makes more sense from sugar cane versus corn, though I don't have the data on it.  As for yuca, well, that hardly seems to be famous for biomass, but what do I know.

Here's an interesting video from Nicaragua: a pedal-powered phonebooth. 

While an "interesting" project for educational value, I'd say as far as a business idea, here is one that will never work.

As I wrote in http://central-america-forum.com/shared-images/bicycle-generator I had also made a bicycle generator (but mine was just to charge a battery for general use (lights/tv/computer/tools/blender, etc).

While I'm not a big fan personally of confusing "credits" with learning, I suppose it is possible that the two could happen together.  Anyhow, this might be your chance if you are in college in the US. -Peter

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
Senior Advisor in Renewable Energy
SNV, Duty Station, Managua, Nicaragua
Main Responsibilities
• Strategic positioning: Identifying and interpreting opportunities and/or barriers and threats of advisory practices and ensuring information transfer to the team; Ensuring up to date contextual analysis and interpretation regarding tourism sector.
• Network development: developing, expanding and maintaining effective and efficient local and regional networks with relevant stakeholders; identifying possible new clients; functions as the interface between SNV and the client;

I once built a bicycle generator and actually it's sitting in Nicaragua just begging to be used by the right person who wants to take it home (just send me a PM if you want it).

Have you considered using a bicycle generator to power your kitchen appliances? It might work. How about to charge a battery to use your computer? That would be more difficult, but might work under the right circumstances. To grind grain? That'll work. Read about more possibilities in this group:

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/hpwd/