The Ethanol Debacle

[longknife]

The government mandated blend of ethanol in every gallon of gasoline is a full-fledged disaster and neither Congress, nor the Environmental Protection Agency shows any indication of either repealing or abandoning it. A recent Wall Street Journal editorial said, “A strong candidate for the most expensive policy blunder of recent years would have to be the mandate to blend corn ethanol and other biofuels into the nation’s gasoline supply. Last month even the Environmental Protection Agency essentially acknowledged that the program is increasingly unworkable and costly to consumers. The EPA just won’t do much to fix it.”

Not only does this government SNAFU destroy engines but raises the cost of food. You need to contact your representative to urge him or her to look into the possibility of stopping this stupidity. Read the story @ The Ethanol Debacle

 

[TwistedSuze13]

I guess they're planning to slip this one in under the radar.....but When ?

The car manufacturers have issued statements that this will gunk up engines and that the repair costs WON'T be covered under regular or extended warranties.
That's gonna Suck.

Everyone who drives should be calling/writing/emailing their Representatives to stop this crap.

Thanks for the reminder....I'd almost forgotten about this.

 

[Moonglow]

Do you know when legislation was passed implementing the ethanol production?

 

[Mr. H.]

Do you know when legislation was passed implementing the ethanol production?

The early 1980's as I recall.

No, politicians won't touch this. You don't dare piss off the farm vote.

 

[Moonglow]

Boooosh!

In 2005, the first Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) became law as part of the United States’ energy policy (Renewable Fuels Association, 2005a). It provided for ethanol production of four billion gallons in 2006 with an increase to seven and one-half billion gallons by 2012 (Renewable Fuels Association, 2005a). Since that time, The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 signed by President Bush requires renewable fuel usage to increase to 36 billion gallons annually by 2022 (Renewable Fuels Association, 2008b)

History of Ethanol Production and Policy ? NDSU

 

[Mr. H.]

Boooosh!

In 2005, the first Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) became law as part of the United States’ energy policy (Renewable Fuels Association, 2005a). It provided for ethanol production of four billion gallons in 2006 with an increase to seven and one-half billion gallons by 2012 (Renewable Fuels Association, 2005a). Since that time, The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 signed by President Bush requires renewable fuel usage to increase to 36 billion gallons annually by 2022 (Renewable Fuels Association, 2008b)

History of Ethanol Production and Policy ? NDSU

Thank you. It doesn't matter who was President. What matters is the power of the agriculture industry and its lobbyists. The initial phases of ethanol blend studies were conducted in the early 1980's. It was quickly discovered that ethanol blends exceeded the then set emissions limits. Rather than scrap the program, emissions limits were re-written to accommodate ethanol.

 

[Moonglow]

Our government is sold to the highest bidder. When Benjamin Harrison recognized corporations as individuals it allowed the government to be sold for corporate business interest.
Ben was a republican. Ben was hand picked and financially supported by J.P. Getty cause he wanted laws changed to allow him to have a monopoly on oil and gas.

And now you know the rest of the story,
Good day.

 

[Saigon]

I imagine the situation will correct itself over time...the production of biogas is one of learning by doing, because everyone wants to get a jump on the market.

That is short-sighted, but it is also how capitalist innovation works.

We know ethanol is an excellent fuel, it is just a question of how best to produce it without impacting food prices etc.

 

[Moonglow]

Most corn used for ethanol production is made with feeder corn. Thus you shorten supplies of feed for livestock and the price of meat goes up.
Do you like to pay as much for bacon as you do steak now?
I miss my bacon, bacon, bacon, bacon! I am so desperate I bought the dog treats made with bacon bibbin and chewed slowly on it all day. Lol!

 

[Saigon]

Most corn used for ethanol production is made with feeder corn. Thus you shorten supplies of feed for livestock and the price of meat goes up.
Do you like to pay as much for bacon as you do steak now?

Of course not - which is why the market will auto-correct.

This is how capitalism works.

Biogas can be produced from 100 different sources -it just takes a few years to figure which sources work and which don't.

I don't think corn is a good choice, unless you have a surplus somewhere.

 

[Moonglow]

I imagine the situation will correct itself over time...the production of biogas is one of learning by doing, because everyone wants to get a jump on the market.

That is short-sighted, but it is also how capitalist innovation works.

We know ethanol is an excellent fuel, it is just a question of how best to produce it without impacting food prices etc.

You can't. With the world's population increasing food production can not keep up, thus as we have seen in Egypt and India the price increases have caused riots and civil unrest resulting in the expulsion of Mubarak and the military coup in Egypt when the ruling MB was more worried about making an Islamic theocracy than food shortage concerns.

 

[Moonglow]

Not to mention the price of corn liquor has doubled, damn!

 

[Moonglow]

ethanol has been made since 1850.

 

[RKMBrown]

The government mandated blend of ethanol in every gallon of gasoline is a full-fledged disaster and neither Congress, nor the Environmental Protection Agency shows any indication of either repealing or abandoning it. A recent Wall Street Journal editorial said, “A strong candidate for the most expensive policy blunder of recent years would have to be the mandate to blend corn ethanol and other biofuels into the nation’s gasoline supply. Last month even the Environmental Protection Agency essentially acknowledged that the program is increasingly unworkable and costly to consumers. The EPA just won’t do much to fix it.”

Not only does this government SNAFU destroy engines but raises the cost of food. You need to contact your representative to urge him or her to look into the possibility of stopping this stupidity. Read the story @ The Ethanol Debacle

You say this like you are surprised. Has there ever been a single government program that was not a colossal waste of our resources?

 

[Saigon]

Moonglow -

Did you know biogas can be produced from used cooking oil, waste meat, wood chips or grass?

What do you think about those as sources of fuel?

 

[whitehall]

The government mandated blend of ethanol in every gallon of gasoline is a full-fledged disaster and neither Congress, nor the Environmental Protection Agency shows any indication of either repealing or abandoning it. A recent Wall Street Journal editorial said, “A strong candidate for the most expensive policy blunder of recent years would have to be the mandate to blend corn ethanol and other biofuels into the nation’s gasoline supply. Last month even the Environmental Protection Agency essentially acknowledged that the program is increasingly unworkable and costly to consumers. The EPA just won’t do much to fix it.”

Not only does this government SNAFU destroy engines but raises the cost of food. You need to contact your representative to urge him or her to look into the possibility of stopping this stupidity. Read the story @ The Ethanol Debacle

Indications are that ethanol decreases the efficiency of internal combustion engines so ironically you need more fossil fuel to compensate for less h.p.. I wonder if the geniuses in the EPA factor in the energy cost of growing, converting, mixing and transporting the product just so they can feel good about mixing it in gas.

 

[Mr. H.]

FEINSTEIN?!!!

U.S. Senators introduce bill to eliminate corn ethanol mandate

It's about goddamn time.

"...a corn ethanol mandate is simply bad policy," Feinstein said in a statement.

 

[RKMBrown]

FEINSTEIN?!!!

U.S. Senators introduce bill to eliminate corn ethanol mandate

It's about goddamn time.

"...a corn ethanol mandate is simply bad policy," Feinstein said in a statement.

It was just as bad when they did it in the seventies. Who was the idiot that figured this time it would be better?

 

[elektra]

thank god we got government to save us from,,,, them

 

[jwoodie]

The EPA deliberately hides lower MPG figures when using ethanol.