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Mega-Artichokes to Power Homes?

Updated 11:55 AM ET April 27, 2000

LONDON (Reuters) - Spanish farmers are growing three-meter high artichokes for burning in special power stations to produce electricity, the Independent newspaper reported on Thursday.

The genetically-modified monster vegetables, which boast seven meter roots, will be generating power for 60,000 people when operations in the northern towns of Villabilla de Burgos and Alcala de Gurrea begin in two years.

The newspaper said twin power stations will burn 105,000 tonnes of the dried and pulped Cynara Cardunculs each year.

Farmers were persuaded to sow the prickly plant by EU subsidies and price guarantees from the electricity generator.

Burning plants for energy is not a new idea, but the biomass sector has seen a revival in recent years as environmental concerns rise.

While there are already a number of biomass schemes in Europe they often struggle to compete commercially with other green energy schemes.

An Irish scheme to burn cannabis as a fuel foundered last year because of it was considered too expensive compared with wind power projects.

-- Uncle Bob (unclb0b@aol.com), April 27, 2000

Answers

Burning artichokes? This is illegal, immoral and fattening. Cannabis? Sounds cool to me.

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), April 27, 2000.

The Irish should stick to burning peat.Peat is abundant in Ireland because God realized the Irish were the only people that would drink so much that they would try to burn dirt.

-- Sam (Wtrmkr52@aol.com), April 27, 2000.

Sam, Your ignorance is showing !

-- Chris (griffen@globalnet.co.uk), April 27, 2000.