Comments on: Should an E-15 Ethanol Waiver Be in the Air?

By: waynechecker.net » Blog Archive » Bio Fuels: Car Compatibility - green living at the grass roots

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 07:41:56 +0000

[...] Should an E-15 Ethanol Waiver Be in the Air? (themoderatevoice.com) [...]

By: jetty

jetty — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:10:43 +0000

Switchgrass is a potential foodstock for the next generation ethanol. Cellulosic ethanol is not economically viable at this point, but it is close. That is why this waiver is so important. Without the waiver there is no demand need for more than corn ethanol and there will be no financing for cellulosic ethanol. Corn ethanol is not the ultimate feedstock, but it is effective. Corn prices running to $7.00 a bushel was not the result of increased demand due to ethanol production, but was largely due to speculators driving up commodity prices. We have an abundance of corn with a very promising crop in the making. In the next 20 years corn yields are expected to double to 300 bu. per acre. We could increase the amount of corn used for feed and food by 40% and still be able to produce 50 billion gallons of ethanol. Let's start manufacturing flex puel vehicles that run most efficiently on a 30-40% blend of ethanol and wean ourselves from foreign oil. Brazil did it.

By: bust0nut

bust0nut — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:31:26 +0000

When the government likes something, RUN don't walk the other way. Only unemployable people work for the government and it shows.

By: dmgrot

dmgrot — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 02:10:34 +0000

Shannonlee, I understand your concern for the poor nations not being able to buy corn at current prices. Fact is it could be $1.00 a bushel and they couldn't afford it. Current cost of producing a bushel of corn is about $3.75 to $4.00 a bushel. Current market price is about $2.90 a bushel. How long can farmers produce corn at this kind of loss. With a national yield average of 160 bushels an acre, they're losing about $150 an acre. Maybe instead of paying politicians an outrages salary. we should cut their pay to a more sensible level and use those dollars to supply food aid?

By: shannonlee

shannonlee — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:10:42 +0000

dmgrot…inflated corn prices in the world market keeps poor nations out of the market. No, my food prices haven't gone down, but it isn't me that I am worried about.

People starve to death because we have to keep farm corporations happy.

By: GreenDreams

GreenDreams — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:26:27 +0000

dmgrot, written like a corn lobbyist, but good points. The bigger issue for you “no food for fuel” buffs, is that 85% of our corn is for animals, not humans. Reducing our meat consumption would do far more to make corn available than killing corn ethanol. That said, corn really isn't the best feedstock, IMO. Switchgrass does make some sense, and dropping our 100% tariff on imported sugar would be sensible too, since the old fashioned way of growing sugar cane is much more eco-sensible than high diesel megafarm corn production.

By: dmgrot

dmgrot — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:23:16 +0000

Just a note regarding HemmD's comments about switchgrass. It takes more fertilizer to grow switchgrass. Fuel to transport switchgrass is much greater to move it to ethanol production. Also, the storage of switchgrass to supply a year around supply is beyond comprehension. It is a very bulky product. By the way Shannonlee, We were never out of corn. A congressional study shows food prices ran up on transportation cost,(higher fuel cost!!!) and grocers/food manufactures taking advantage of the situation. Now that corn has dropped 235% in price, has your grocery bill dropped??

By: dmgrot

dmgrot — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:12:17 +0000

One overlooked fact is, it takes considerably more water to make gasoline from crude vs. water for ethanol. Also, water used for ethanol production is recycled. Has anyone looked at the South Dakota State studies on increased ethanol levels in fuel? It's very compelling data that shows no mechanical problems with car motors using even E-30. Fact is Detroit and other manufactures do not want to do the work necessary to test E 15 or higher levels of ethanol in gas. Instead relying on misinformation from sources that have done no testing. Another misleading statement is ethanol will take acres from food production. The last USDA report says there will be a 1.6 billion bushel surplus of corn this year. Possibly going up to as much as 2 billion bushels. The food for fuel debate is false. Lots of corn available!!

By: shannonlee

shannonlee — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:53:38 +0000

Make it stop!!! I don't have a link, but a UC Berkley studied showed that corn ethanol is just as bad for the environment than gasoline. And as HemmD wrote, corn should be used to FEED people, not power our cars.

Someone stop the corn lobby!!

This is about as silly as those Flex cars you see on the highway. It is the illusion of doing something better for the environment.

By: HemmD

HemmD — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:30:55 +0000

totally a side note, but farmers should be producing switchgrass instead of corn for ethanol production. Switchgrass out produces corn by a wide margin and requires a only single planting. Switchgrass produces 540% more energy than it takes to grow.

Beside making production more efficient, it would also free up energy corn for food supply, something the world could use.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?i...