So how long will it take America to stop being dependent on foreign oil? I have no idea but already some are predicting at least a short term glut in America’s ethanol production capacity!
“Experts” (whoever they are) “fear” (don’t experts always fear something?) that our ability to produce our own ethanol for fuel will cause people to starve to death overseas because food is diverted to cars.
Of course, maybe fewer people might die if we weren’t buying the oil that funds terrorism too? Just a crazy thought from the heartland.
Another funny thing, just the other day I was reading about the “peak oilers” who fear that oil production has peaked and, as a result, there won’t be enough oil to fuel society and as a result “people are going to die”. They’re stockpiling gold and groceries but because they are basically environmentalists, they’re not considered (yet) as “dangerous wackos” like the Y2K crowd was.
Other “experts” “fear” that some ethanol producers are going to lose money because ethanol is only profitable when oil is $60 per barrell. If we all switched to E85, that should reduce oil demand and lower the price per barrel.
What’s not included in the commentary is the fact that the US isn’t the only oil consuming country. Mainland China’s oil demands continually increase. So even if we became less dependent on oil, would that mean that other demand wouldn’t keep driving up the price?
The article fails to mention that ethanol plants can process switch grass too for ethanol but then some acreage would be taken out of production for corn and we’d be back in the same boat.
I’m getting the idea that people just like the status quo.
I say be thankful we have entrepreneurs who are producing such production capacity. When are we going to really address this for what it is… a national security issue?
Oh well, back to home business stuff. Oh wait, I guess if you’re a farmer growing corn, this IS home business stuff!
Gary Dikkers on January 6th, 2007 at 9:37 pm
I say be thankful we have entrepreneurs who are producing such production capacity. When are we going to really address this for what it is… a national security issue?
Yes, it is a national security issue — that’s exactly what makes the momentum behind corn ethanol so dangerous.
The truth is that industrial corn farmers and ethanol plants are just as addicted to fossil fuels as is everyone else. (The only corn farmers not addicted to fossil fuels are those who practice true sustainable agriculture such as the Amish.)
Modern industrial corn farming couldn’t exist without synthetic nitrogen fertilizers. Unfortunately, those synthetic nitrogen fertilizers lead directly into a national security issue because more than 90% of that synthetic nitrogen our farmers use is made from natural gas. What’s even worse, 60% of that synthetic nitrogen is imported into the U.S after being made with foreign natural gas.
Why do you think being dependent on foreign natural gas is an improvement over being dependent on foreign oil?
The only real solution to our energy problem is to change our lifestyle and reduce our demand for all fossil fuels — both those we use for transportation, and those we use making corn ethanol.
Cordially,
Gary Dikkers
Chuck on January 7th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
Living on the borders of an Amish community, I personally don’t want to go there.
So what are you doing to change your lifestyle?
Gary Dikkers on January 8th, 2007 at 10:02 pm
So what are you doing to change your lifestyle?
Chuck,
* I walk to and from work (six mile round trip) each day. Logged more than 1,600 miles last year walking to and from work.
* Live in Wisconsin and keep the thermostat set at no more than 63 deg F in the winter. We don’t use A/C in the summer.
* Have converted all the bulbs in our house to CFLs or low-wattage halogens.
* I do own two cars. One is a VW Jetta diesel with a manual transmission. With that car I usually get about 46-48 mpg, and have gotten as high as 53 mpg at steady highway speeds on a no-wind day.
* My other vehicle is a light-duty pickup truck. Last year I put only 2,000 miles on the truck.
I’d say I’m doing my share.
You didn’t answer my question: Why do you think the ethanol industry being dependent on foreign natural gas would be an improvement over our already ill-advised dependence on foreign oil?
Regards,
Gary Dikkers