Hemp Rockets & Electricity!

Electricity is the electric flow of “current” hopping from one atom to the next. Modern researchers demonstrate how they take hemp and form the bast fiber into a material that has “good electrical conductivity."

• Traditional methods of moving electricity are primarily via copper, aluminum and others metals.

Below is a cross-sectional view of BF (Bast Fiber) used to conduct electricity with hemp.

By derivative work: Curtis Clark (talk)Labeledstemforposter_copy.jpg: Ryan R. McKenzie (Labeledstemforposter_copy.jpg) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Questions about hemp moving electricity include:

• How “could” Elon Musk use hemp in his companies?
• Is it possible to build a rocket with hemp?
• Why isn’t Elon Musk using hemp, yet?

 

 

How “could” Elon Musk use hemp in his companies?

Elon Musk could use hemp – as an eco-friendly material – instead of the raw materials currently used. Since hemp has the potential to replace most all modern materials, is it even theoretically possible to build a rocket using only (mostly) hemp?

Since hemp claims to have over 50,000 industrial uses, it’s not a far stretch of the imagination to suggest hemp has the potential to form all the individual pieces of rockets, cars and much more.

Companies Elon Musk is associated with – that could benefit from hemp – include:

• Tesla Motors (Electric Vehicle company)
• Gigafactory (Battery company)
• SpaceX (Rocket company)
• Solar City (Solar panels)
• And various others.

Tesla Motors produces cars that use electricity instead of gas. Electric cars could use hemp in several areas including; battery, outer hard shell, interior upholstery, anywhere plastic is used, oil, fuel and many more.

Gigafactory is a giant factory with the aim of producing more lithium-ion batteries that all factories around the world. Since hemp can conduct electricity, eco-safe hemp batteries could have global potential for producing a superior battery.

SpaceX builds rockets and receives big dollar contracts from agencies like NASA (as well as private investors) to send rockets on missions to space. With advancement in 3d printing technology, we could see a near future where rockets are 3d printed from hemp.

Solar City bills itself as having the ability to manufacture solar roof shingles (tiles) – at a more affordable rate – than traditional (non-solar) roofing material. Although the technology isn’t commercially developed, there are individual researcher (experimenters) who claim to have created “proof-of-concept” that hemp can generate electricity similar to traditional solar panels.

The technical “proof-of-concept” in converting light into electricity (using hemp as the medium) uses the principle of thermal differentiation. Meaning hemp solar panels are a type of thick liquid “paint-like” material and is applied like paint. As light (heat) strikes the hemp panel, the differences of temperature, is how electricity is produced.

 

Is it possible to build a rocket with hemp?

Very liberal modern estimates suggest hemp can make over 50,000 different products.

Products hemp can make include:

• Food & beverage.
• Fuel
• Fiber
• Oil
• Plastics
• Electronics
• Medicines
• And MUCH more!

With hemp’s abilities to create products in just about every known industry, what would it take to manufacture a rocket made using only hemp? Is it even possible?

Rocket construction requires three basic “parts” including:

• Basic structures (Outer shell, internal framework, etc)
• Fuel (Rocket fuel)
• Electronics. (Computers, electricity, etc)

Since modern science can “mold” hemp into each of these three basic rocketry building blocks, a practical potential is possible. Research studies show hemp is stronger than steel, makes a graphene that conducts electricity, makes various fiber densities required for different functions and has oil for fuel.

With researchers discovering; hemp is stronger than steel, hemp conducts electricity and hemp producing an environmentally friendly biofuel it could be safe to consider the possibility of a large corporation already working on similar visions.

In theory, we could build a rocket using nothing but hemp.

 

Why isn’t Elon Musk using hemp, yet?

While we KNOW the untapped potential of eco-friendly hemp, the BIG question remains. Why does is appear that Elon Musk isn’t using hemp?

Speculations into why Musk is avoiding hemp could include:

• Waiting for federal legalization?
• Knowledge.
• Cost.
• Not enough solid evidence?

Waiting for federal legalization?

Current productions of all Musk’s companies would require a lot of hemp and growing hemp on US soil is still in its infancy. He could import hemp from overseas. However, that could be a challenging, expensive and tricky undertaking.

Knowledge.

Does Musk know about hemp? With growing popularity of hemp in the mass media, it’s safe to say he would have heard about hemp. However, has he given hemp the proper research to discover the possibilities, that's tough to say.  As of now, we don’t see or hear Musk saying or doing anything hemp related.

Cost.

Is hemp cheaper or more expensive than what he’s currently using? As of now, the cost of using hemp is high because the local infrastructure(s) aren’t here, yet. Without mass local distribution networks, hemp gets hit with several fees including transportation, tax, etc.

Not enough solid evidence?

Since hemp has been in prohibition status for close to a century, innovations in raw hemp production are not as developed. As legalization continues, a realistic vision of the future could overcome this hurdle and begin streamlining production techniques as well as innovate material sciences.