"When taking into account commitments taken with industrial investments of close to 1 billion euros and the recent start-up of production units, we would not understand (such a move),"

The infrastructure built by the subsidies (which has grown large and powerful as a result of them) will resist all efforts to wean it off the government teat. Government subsidies have created monsters that may prove impossible to kill.

Biopact blows off the concept that small farmers will be crushed by large farming corporations. Why? Because ineffective corrupt governments will magically become effective and not corrupt and will protect the small farmers from competition from giant corporate farm industries in other countries with more magic. Not to mention profit seekers are already plowing up the last carbon sinks to plant biofuels in Africa, which turn out to produce more greenhouse gas than fossil fuels anyway... so why are we doing this again?

As for that air car. You never know.

In the end, it all comes down to biodiversity. Poison Darts--Protecting the biodiversity of our world

Yes, French protectionism spans the Atlantic.

Especially using cellulosic ethanol.  With plenty of waste heat, cellulose can be broken down into sugar without bacterial action.  That eliminates a costly step in cellulosic ethanol production.

And tar sand, coal, and shale to liquid fuel operations could go nuclear too.

We are looking at a nuked up, gas guzzling future if politicians and lobbyists follow true to form.  If it happens anywhere, it will be nuclear powered France first.  Although movement is starting on a plan to refine Canadian tar sands with nukes right now.

Fairly hopeless battle as usual, but that's nothing new.  When even Gristmill presents articles misinforming readers on plugin hybrids, as happened here recently, it does not bode well for a green future.

Because plugin hybrids are the best fix for gas guzzling available.

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog John Schneider, Northern Wisconsin

Cutting biofuel is an economic tactic, not a moral one.

The fact that it's Quebec is meaningless -- they are still part of, and benefit from, a Canadian policy that favors Alberta's shale conversion operations.

Those problems will haveta be solved before it's accepted among mass consumers.

Brake heat could be recycled this way too.  that's the big efficiency problem with compressed air storage, the waste heat from compression.

If this were switched to a hybrid concept, waste heat from the internal combustion engine could also be fed into the air power system.

I think a hybrid like this would be best as an add on rear axle power unit for a front wheel drive car, as in the audi design.

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog John Schneider, Northern Wisconsin

Thermodynamic Analysis of Compressed Air Vehicle Propulsion

-David Ahlport

"[S]uch efficiencies [40% or less] may still be attractive in a sustainable energy future when renewable energy is harvested as electricity and transportation needs must be satisfied from available energy sources. With respect to overall efficiency, battery-electric vehicles may be better than air cars, but hydrogen fuel cell systems may be worse. However, with respect to system and operating costs, air cars may offer many advantages such as simplicity, cost, independence, zero pollution and environmental friendliness of all system components.

"All in all, the compressed air car seems to be a viable option for clean and efficient short range transportation. Further analyses, additional research and development are most welcome to fully identify the potentials of this unconventional source of transportation energy."

These are only my personal opinions.