Hi all

Just a further thought to illuminate the debate on sustainability of
beekeeping from another direction.

I calculate that the calorific value of petrol is 120 MJ per US gallon.

The calorific value of honey is around 13 MJ per Kg.

Putting these together, if one uses one US gallon of petrol when driving in
connection with beekeeping, then this would require the energy equivalent of
9.2 Kg ( 20 lbs)  of honey to be expended.

On this basis I suspect that many beekeepers may largely be using their
colonies of honeybees and trucks to convert oil into honey.

There is other energy use to consider in addition, for fertilising the
flowering crops, for heating the honey, for driving the extractor, for
producing the drums, jars, caps etc, etc.

I wonder what the net honey production would be if all the energy required
to produce honey had to be supplied by burning honey?

Best wishes to all

Mike Rowbottom

HARROGATE
North Yorkshire 
UK


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