Truth about Ethanol

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It is not the idea, it is how it was implemented that needs review.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol_fuel_in_Brazil

Quote:

Brazil's sugar cane-based industry is more efficient than the U.S. corn-based industry. Sugar cane ethanol has an energy balance seven times greater than ethanol produced from corn.[3] Brazilian distillers are able to produce ethanol for 22 cents per liter, compared with the 30 cents per liter for corn-based ethanol.[112] U.S. corn-derived ethanol costs 30% more because the corn starch must first be converted to sugar before being distilled into alcohol.[75] Despite this cost differential in production, the U.S. does not import more Brazilian ethanol because of U.S. trade barriers corresponding to a tariff of 54-cent per gallon, first imposed in 1980, but kept to offset the 45-cent per gallon blender's federal tax credit that is applied to ethanol no matter its country of origin


previously discussed here
 
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The mandate to use ethanol has driven up food prices as well.

Also, what qualifies Al Gore as an expert on energy, GW or anything else for that matter?
 
I like the malted barley variety of Ethanol ... Scot sourced ... (HIC!) pardon ME!
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I think the reason we don't use sugar cane is that we already have the infrastructure to process corn and nobody wants to be the guinea pig and reinvest in a different method. There is also a way to turn anything that has cellulose in it into ethanol. Corn is just easy right now...
 
Originally Posted By: willix
It's unfortunate they have all those farmers sucking the entitlement tit.



You're right but it's not just farmers.
'Entitlements' have become a way of life for most Americans.
 
Id rather have farmers than more obnoxious mcmansions... But the efficacy of ethanol has been discussed elsewhere so please continue those threads.
 
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