Quote:
Originally posted by kaisen
Ethanol (ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol EtOH) is a clear, colorless liquid made from starch crops, such as corn. E85 is a fuel mixture of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.
E85 is a renewable fuel that reduces air pollution and America's dependence on foreign oil.
Ethanol has no sulfur, which further supports its status as a clean-fuel option.
In the United States each year, more than 1.5 billion gallons of ethanol are added to gasoline to increase octane and improve emissions quality.
Ethanol production is extremely energy-efficient, with a positive energy balance of 125 percent, compared to 85 percent for gasoline. It's the most efficient method of producing liquid transportation fuels.
Ethanol is low in ozone reactivity, making it an effective tool in reducing ozone pollution.
Ethanol dilutes other potentially harmful components in gasoline such as benzene, toluene and xylene.
Still stupid?
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Yes. It's really stupid. First, 1.5 billion gallons only represents two-tenths on one percent of the fossil fuels used in the US.
Second, ethanol production is terribly inefficient. I don't know where you read that it isn't but it obviously came from the gumment. If they didn't offer incentives industry wouldn't make it.
Next, mankind has practically no effect whatsoever on the carbon dioxide balance in the atmosphere, at least from the supply side. Before you call me a whack job, you might remember that Mount Pinatubo spewed more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere every 10 minutes than mankind has in its entire existence. Pinatubo erupted for weeks. Do the math on that one.
Now, personally, I believe that we are beginnning to have an effect on the co2 sinks in the form of deforestation, but I'm not sure. So what credential do I have that lets me make these observations? None, really. Although I was a researcher at NASA's Atmospheric Remote Sensing Lab for a couple of years in grad school.
Your last statement, I don't really know about it.
Also, I think you'll find if you do the math (I haven't) that, in the required quantities, corn is a scarce resource.
My take on ethanol is that it falls into the same category as gay marriage, abortion rights and stem cell research. It's candy that politicians use to distract you from the real issues such as war, US foreign policy, the constant erosion of our rights and the fact that we no longer elect people to office based upon their stance on real issues. It isn't debated or stated, and that's the real problem.
That's my two bits and remember, now that no child gets left behind, they're all qualified to work at McDonalds.
H