Re: Is Ethanol for fuel moral?

JC wrote:

"Jerry Okamura" <okamuraj005@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:46b3631f$0$8980$4c368faf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

That is a valid argument it seems to me.

"Thuss" <thuss80@xxxxxxx> wrote in message news:v646b35kll1i2njtgs10ulccpng4m3fh0f@xxxxxxxxxx

What with starvation in many parts of the world, isn't it immoral to
even consider using grain for fuel? Somehow I just can't accept the
picture of a gas-guzzling SOB-driven SUV roaring down the highway on
ethanol-enriched fuel while children are starving in Africa.
If they want to keep the SOB's SUVs running on ethanol fuel, why don't
they use grass clippings?
Experts say we have many centuries worth of coal in the US. Why not
develop glutton gas from that? Or use the methane from sewage?


Or sugar cane. That's the most bang for the buck and it would not cause anyone any shortage of food. Or why not a mass conversion to bio-diesel. Hell, McDonald's could supply the entire US all by themselves.


As demonstrated in Brazil, sugar cane is indeed a very viable substitute. I believe many of Brazils' automobiles run on 100% ethanol, locally produced and refined. In fact, one of Ford's most profitable units is its Brazilian unit which manufactures those vehicles.

But the growing sugar cane requires a particular climate, which Brazil has and we don't, Lawrence's prior comments to me not withstanding. We simply don't have the capacity to grow sufficient amounts of sugar cane which would lower the cost of production to below, or even equal to that of ethanol from corn. So we don't do it.

Now, if you want to comment about the attempts of both the farm and industrial ethanol lobbies( to say nothing of the opposition of the oil lobbies ) here to prevent foreign ethanol from corn being imported, why that's another item for discussion. True Archer Daniels Midland is a prime beneficiary( although you wouldn't know that from its stock price ), as are the farmers in our mid-West, but we simply don't have the capacity to grow the biomass and refine sufficient ethanol here. Which is why some, I suppose, say ethanol is a panacea. However, I am quite surprised that Ford, who would immediately and substantially increase its profitability if they could market a 100% ethanol fueled vehicle here, is not coming out stronger for increased importing of Caribbean refined sugar cane to ethanol.
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Relevant Pages

  • Ethanol nation: Brazil finds energy freedom with sugar-based fuel
    ... Ethanol nation: Brazil finds energy freedom with sugar-based fuel ... Most vehicles sold here are capable of running on either ethanol or gasoline, and the country is well on its way to creating the world's first ethanol-based economy. ...
    (soc.retirement)
  • Hope for the hippy bus!
    ... of his revenues each year on 300,000 or so liters of fuel. ... ethanol distilled from sugar cane slashed the fuel ... Its demise is not restricted to the air in Brazil. ... and other so-called biofuels. ...
    (rec.music.gdead)
  • Re: Ethanol (The Corn Lobby Corn Holes America)
    ... 15 years ago I put in a 1000 gallon fuel storage tank to get me ... supporters of ethanol had argued that the volatile organic compound ... ethanol in our gasoline supply will alleviate our need for foreign oil. ... its energy salvation is at hand. ...
    (rec.outdoors.rv-travel)
  • Re: Brazil looks to use fuel alternative
    ... Brazil will increase in importance and oil producing countries such as ... It seems to me that the US problem is that we have developed ethanol ... Brazil's sugar cane is 5X more effective. ...
    (soc.retirement)
  • Re: Ethanol (The Corn Lobby Corn Holes America)
    ... With all the recent fuss about alternate fuels such as ethanol from ... Ethanol would be a more practical solution, ... No attempt is made to salvage the waste for possible fuel use. ... Sugar cane is grown to a limited extent in the Imperial Valley and the ...
    (rec.outdoors.rv-travel)
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