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Is Ethanol Getting a Bum Rap?

Posted May 06, 2008 8:56 AM

From BusinessWeek Online -- Technology:

Corn-based fuel isn't the villain critics contend, but shifting to other crops is critical. Ethanol is taking a tumble. Once hyped as a magic brew for reducing both oil addiction and global warming, alcohol made from corn kernels is now being accused both of triggering a global food crisis and doing more ecological harm than good. Ethanol critics, ranging from environmental groups to pig farmers facing high feed prices, blame mandates from Washington and Brussels stating that billions of gallons of fuel must come from ethanol or other plant-based fuels. These critics are now fighting to get those laws repealed. "What started as an energy policy is leading to spreading hunger and political instability around the world," charges Lester Brown, president of the Earth Policy Institute. Companies are piling on, too. The Grocery Manufacturers of America has substantially stepped up its lobbying efforts to reduce the corn in gasoline.

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rcapper
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#1

Re: Is Ethanol Getting a Bum Rap?

05/07/2008 12:03 AM

Mostly opinion, no references to hard research. Sounds like propaganda to me.

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Bayes
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#2

Re: Is Ethanol Getting a Bum Rap?

05/07/2008 12:50 AM

I guess we're all imagining it. This reminds me of how after every OPEC meeting they say "supply is not a problem" meanwhile oil is up 600% in the past 6 years. Heres a graph of wheat prices over the past few years.

So why am I posting wheat prices? Because that corn surplus this writer is promoting is the result of farmers switching from wheat to corn in after 2006. Why did farmers switch crops?

Because 2006 is when corn prices went parabolic and the farmers wanted a piece of the action, but they had to wait till the next growing season. Why did corn prices go so high in mid 2006?

Why did corn prices grow exponentially in 2006? Because Ethanol production jumped in 2004 and 2005. Why did Ethanol production jump in 2004?

http://www.reason.com/news/show/33875.html (Written in 2003)

Congress increased subsidies for ethanol in 2003. Why would congress do such a thing?

Why increase Ethanol Subsidies in 2003? Because the price of oil went from $20 to $40 (doubled) from 2002 to 1st quarter 2003. $40 doesn't seem so bad now when prices are $120 but back then it was a very scary move.

In conclusion, yes, ethanol and the subsidies and laws that encourage it is partially responsible for the global food crisis. Certainly the cost of oil increasing (shipping, fertilizer) doesn't help, and increasing demand in China and other growing economies contributes to, not to mention speculators driving the price up.

I'd like to point out that ethanol subsidies began in 1978 because of, you guessed it, high oil prices.
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ffej
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#3
In reply to #2

Re: Is Ethanol Getting a Bum Rap?

05/07/2008 1:39 AM

This method of using facts and figures to support your argument will never catch on, but it's a good try anyway and certainly worth a few votes.

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jack of all trades
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#6
In reply to #3

Re: Is Ethanol Getting a Bum Rap?

05/07/2008 3:12 PM

I agree. Facts and figures are no match for unproven conspiracy theories, uninformed statements and invented facts that support ones own argument.

You did not use any emoticons so I don't know if you were actually trying to make a joke or you were serious. What are your views on Ethanol?

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vermin
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#4
In reply to #2

Re: Is Ethanol Getting a Bum Rap?

05/07/2008 2:10 AM

I think Roger Pink has a very good point! Corn in the US has been a trash crop for years. Heavily subsidised, and used primarily for cattle feed, and feeding the rest of the World. Now more acreage is being turned over to corn production for fuel. Scientists know that what we really need is cellulose alcohol.

So give me a couple thousand termites, let me grind them up and extract the symbiotic bacteria that convert cellulose into a usable fuel, and I can turn your scrap products into an almost unlimited source of sugar and alcohol!!!

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#5

Re: Is Ethanol Getting a Bum Rap?

05/07/2008 8:26 AM

Water usage should be our biggest concern regarding ethanol production. Current estimates are 785 gallons of water are used to make 1 gallon of ethanol. http://www.swhydro.arizona.edu/archive/V6_N5/feature4.pdf This should be a cause for concern.
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vermin
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#7
In reply to #5

Re: Is Ethanol Getting a Bum Rap?

05/08/2008 12:11 AM

Assuming this is cooling water, can't we use it over again? At least as a chaser?

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Sparkstation
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#8

Re: Is Ethanol Getting a Bum Rap?

05/08/2008 10:59 PM

The historically best use for Ethanol, is as a flushing liquid for the kidneys and urinary tract.

Ethanol usage in outmoded Infernal Combustion Engines is so inefficient.

Kind Regards....

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vermin
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#9
In reply to #8

Re: Is Ethanol Getting a Bum Rap?

05/09/2008 12:33 AM

Gulp... Woof!!! I'll let you know after the burning stops!

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