[AT] gasoline

[Phil Vorwerk]

OK, but stop and think about it (and these are rough numbers)

10% Ethanol means 90% is still fossil fuel, right?  Now factor in lower fuel
economy (I've observed anywhere from 2% to 7% lower fuel economy when I've
been on trips where I've alternated between pure fossil fuel and ethanol
blends, but this has been probably 7-10 years ago, since now everything is
blended).  This means that if you burn 10 gallons of ethanol blend, you've
only really "replaced" .3 to .8 gallons of fossil fuel.

Now consider that a tremendous amount of energy is consumed to produce the
corn (someone had earlier pointed out that $5.00/gal fuel would have a much
higher impact on food & commodity prices than the extra demand created by
using corn to make ethanol).  Energy is also consumed to take the corn and
produce ethanol.  A friend of mine is the controller at the ethanol plant in
Lake Crystal, MN, and we've had this discussion many times.  I've asked him
point blank if he can honestly tell me that on net any energy is created,
when you factor in what it takes to grow the corn.  He won't address it; he
always comes back with "that's not a valid premise, because the farmers will
grow the corn anyway, so we're just taking something that already exists and
turning it into energy."  That told me everything I need to know.

Bottom line, little to energy is created, it may even be a negative energy
producer when you consider the resources that are used to build the ethanol
plants.  It also creates incentive to tile and plow up every square inch of
land possible, which certainly doesn't help conservation.

Farmers need to make money; I have no problem with that, just like I have no
problem with car dealers or other businesses making money from me.  We are
all interdependent.  But please stop with the argument that ethanol is an
alternative, renewable energy source.  It is a farm subsidy, and exists
along with other farm subsidies.  I am NOT railing against farm subsidies by
pointing this out either.  But please, call it what it is - a farm subsidy,
not an alternative energy source, not a way to keep our money in the US, and
not a way to help the environment.

I'm not looking to flame an argument, and I hope I didn't state this in a
way that offends anyone that depends on ethanol to make their living - they
are only responding to the market, and I mean no disrespect to anyone that
is raising all the corn they can because it's good business for them.  But I
honestly hope that we can get away from corn based ethanol soon, because I
don't believe it accomplishes the goals that its proponents claim, and is
only counter productive to helping us move on to actual energy solutions.

Off the soap box, and I'll shut up now.

Phil Vorwerk
Rainy Courtland, MN

-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of mpnc282 at juno.com
Sent: Thursday, December 30, 2010 12:34 PM
To: at at lists.antique-tractor.com
Subject: Re: [AT] gasoline

Lower MPG's, yes, but at least the $$ are kept state side, and we're not
having to kiss OPEC's a$$, and send money to countries that hate us. Mike M

---------- Original Message ----------
From: Dave Rotigel <rotigel at me.com>
To: Antique tractor email discussion group <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Subject: Re: [AT] gasoline
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2010 22:08:25 -0500

Kinda makes you wonder why we don't drill for our own oil instead of putting
the hard working US farmers on a tax subsidized welfare program called
"ethanol" which simply lowers everyone's mpg's!
 Dave

On Dec 28, 2010, at 5:29 PM, Richard Fink Sr wrote:

> Hi all how about some gas costs state side. Here it just hit $3.19 was
$3.09 
> sunday. All grades now have at least 10% ethnol in it.
> R Fink 
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