Increased Ethanol %

[Duffster]

BusinessWeek Article. Read it for yourself.

Ethanol: Myths and Realities

A little shy on facts.

 

[FlaDon]

Corn based Ethanol production produces about 1.25 units for every 1 unit of energy put in. It's not a good way to make it. Using Sugar Cane yeilds up to 8 units for every unit needed to produce it. But the US put a $0.50 per gallon tariff on Ethanol brought in from countries like Brasil.

 

[Cyclone Jake]

It is relatively inefficient to process corn into ethanol. Switch grass is said to produce much more ethanol per unit than corn does. There are other studies happening with other items that are more efficient as well. Also, at today's fuel prices, it is very difficult to make a profit processing corn into ethanol. A couple of years ago, quite a few ethanol plants were being planned or built around the state. When gas prices fell a year ago, many of those plants were scrapped or shut down because it was impossible to keep a plant running.

Even here in a big corn state like Iowa, non-ethanol gas is available at nearly every gas station. There is a subsidy for the ethanol that makes it about $0.10 less per gallon, but you still have the regular stuff for small engines, boats, and others who do not wish to use ethanol.

 

[dieselade]

I see this thread will never get anywhere....just like politics. the high rise in corn prices and food is/was hype...all paper money and emotion if you understand the way markets are moving up and down on a daily basis...and if you watch the chicago board of trade and nyse...I suppose making gasoline from cude uses no energy...ethanol production is becoming much more economical as time goes by...the farmers were suffering for several years with extremely low commodity prices. so low in fact we had to have help just to make two dollars per bushel...and several entrepreners saw a way to increase production of ethanol from corn to help out the farmers, environment, and a new market for all this corn they can grow. It was just sitting around and getting old.so use it up and grow more corn...

 

[bp fick]

I see this thread will never get anywhere....just like politics.

Ah yes,... political. Most everything is.

 

[Duffster]

It is relatively inefficient to process corn into ethanol. Switch grass is said to produce much more ethanol per unit than corn does. There are other studies happening with other items that are more efficient as well. Also, at today's fuel prices, it is very difficult to make a profit processing corn into ethanol. A couple of years ago, quite a few ethanol plants were being planned or built around the state. When gas prices fell a year ago, many of those plants were scrapped or shut down because it was impossible to keep a plant running.

Even here in a big corn state like Iowa, non-ethanol gas is available at nearly every gas station. There is a subsidy for the ethanol that makes it about $0.10 less per gallon, but you still have the regular stuff for small engines, boats, and others who do not wish to use ethanol.

Switchgrass will not work from a logistical stand point. IMO

 

[Ken45101]

A local power plant is testing switchgrass as a fuel to mix with coal. But they will only use 1-2% max. They are contracting with farmers to grow it.

 

[NIdaho]

Even here in a big corn state like Iowa, non-ethanol gas is available at nearly every gas station. There is a subsidy for the ethanol that makes it about $0.10 less per gallon, but you still have the regular stuff for small engines, boats, and others who do not wish to use ethanol.

I wish it was that easy ( to get gas without ethanol) in this part of the country (Pacific Northwest) almost every pump has a sticker that says "Contains 10% Ethanol" In fact, even the pumps that don't have the sticker contain the ethanol as it is mixed in at the large distributors so they can get the tax break.

 

[NIdaho]

Even here in a big corn state like Iowa, non-ethanol gas is available at nearly every gas station. There is a subsidy for the ethanol that makes it about $0.10 less per gallon, but you still have the regular stuff for small engines, boats, and others who do not wish to use ethanol.

I wish it was that easy ( to get gas without ethanol) in this part of the country (Pacific Northwest) almost every pump has a sticker that says "Contains 10% Ethanol" In fact, even the pumps that don't have the sticker contain the ethanol as it is mixed in at the large distributors so they can get the tax break.

 

[FlaDon]

A local power plant is testing switchgrass as a fuel to mix with coal. But they will only use 1-2% max. They are contracting with farmers to grow it.

Too bad they can't use cattails. They grow just about everywhere.