The Great Ethanol Scam
- Thread starter jficquette
- Start date
tr51's rant instantly conjured up this scene in my head, the kinnison part specifically. "...I was there..."
Nothing personal tr, just a funny image.
And I will rebut tomorrow, just lazy and on a 2 scotch relaxation regime at the moment
I always LOVED this one.................. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0q4o58pKwA&feature=related :eek:
Damn right ethanol is a giant scam - it's a huge give away to farmers and big agri companies like ADM.
Even with taxpayer provided 51 cent per gallon subsidies, they can't price their corn-derived garbage competitively.
If we're going to increase use of ethanol, we should be importing the massive amount they produce in Brazil and can sell for 83 cents a gallon, without subsidies, and still profit - because it's derived from sugar cane.
Sugar cane doesn't require one tenth of the amount of water or anywhere near the amount of fertilizers that corn does. Corn is the biggest sponge for water of any crop in the world.
Not only did our wise Congress give 51 cent per gallon subsidies to U.S. based ethanol producers, they also slapped a tariff of 49 cents on imported Brazilian ethanol - so that's a buck right there. They were obviously not thinking of the environment, the U.S. consumer or any other rational thing when they passed such terrible legislation.
Even with taxpayer provided 51 cent per gallon subsidies, they can't price their corn-derived garbage competitively.
If we're going to increase use of ethanol, we should be importing the massive amount they produce in Brazil and can sell for 83 cents a gallon, without subsidies, and still profit - because it's derived from sugar cane.
Sugar cane doesn't require one tenth of the amount of water or anywhere near the amount of fertilizers that corn does. Corn is the biggest sponge for water of any crop in the world.
Not only did our wise Congress give 51 cent per gallon subsidies to U.S. based ethanol producers, they also slapped a tariff of 49 cents on imported Brazilian ethanol - so that's a buck right there. They were obviously not thinking of the environment, the U.S. consumer or any other rational thing when they passed such terrible legislation.
for accuracy....
a) it is a $0.45 blenders credit given to the blenders (not ethanol producers) which mostly if not all passed on to retail
b) it is a $0.54 duty on Brazilian Anhydrous imports
c) Brazil does not produce enough surplus to even cover 10 % of US requirements
however...yes corn is not the most efficient with 1.3 units of energy out for every 1 unit in (from planting to gas tank). sugarcane is abaout 8 units of energy out for every 1 unit in. Corn ethanol was never ment to replace gasolene and I don't see corn being the major feedstock in 5 years.
Many of the problems of the US ethanol industry have to do with poor planning, plant location, poor risk management, greed, greed, greed etc., etc.
Big oil is also not going to support, afterall in a blink of an eye they lost 10% of their market.
E85 is awesome if you like high performance cars. I've seen 2 liter 4 cylinders (turbocharged) make over 500 hp on E85.
It's almost as good as old fashioned 116 octane leaded gas.
You have to use more of it, but if you're a motorsports enthusiast that only matters in enduro races where you have to pit for more fuel.
Anywho...
Ethanol makes our farmlad more valuable.
It's almost as good as old fashioned 116 octane leaded gas.
You have to use more of it, but if you're a motorsports enthusiast that only matters in enduro races where you have to pit for more fuel.
Anywho...
Ethanol makes our farmlad more valuable.
Obv this reason...CZZ-Brazil
Still adding
The economics of ethanol from corn to use as a motor fuel are unfavorable as is the energy balance. This is a well established fact. Ethanol from sugar cane, however, can make economic sense and has been very successful in Brazil. I haven't seen any studies for ethanol from beets, but i'm sure they are out there. Cuba produces prodigious crops of sugar cane and the US is a producer of both sugar cane and sugar beets. Why is the US making ethanol from corn and burning it in cars? This makes no sense whatsoever.
So...what about Bio-Diesel?