"Dave Lyon" wrote in message
news:jYQuf.704815$xm3.687923@attbi_s21...

However, there is a (probably complex) heat-cycling issue, too. If you
let
corn stover compost, it gives off heat. If you burn it, it gives off
heat.
If you convert it to ethanol and burn the ethanol, it gives off heat.

Quick now, calculus students...

--
Ed Huntress

Please don't quote me on this, cause I'm not sure I'm accurate.

I think any heat that is given off from plant life is actually stored
solar
energy. It's possible it may balance out.

Yes, it's all solar energy (fussy people may get into mineral sources of
fertilizer, etc., but it still goes back to solar, and almost all of it is
short-cycle solar. That is, the cycle is one year or less).

It does balance out. But you'd have to do a lot of calculations to prove it.

--
Ed Huntress