E85 - Ethanol fuel....
 

What are your thoughts on this article?

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortu...7959/index.htm

I'd buy it, pay more for it, and feel good that we're keeping a guy in Kansas current on his farm mortgage...I've been challenged in discussions by someone pointing out that sugercane is far more efficient as far as yield than is corn (they could be talking trash). Corn also requires a ton of anhydrous ammonia (petro based) fertilizer and considerable irrigation. Not to mention we have a growing season. In Brazil they have a) cheap labor, b) an equatorial growing season c) and lots of rain. I hear Brazil is energy independent...either way, we need to get off our asses and figure it out..what they ought to do is eliminate state and federal tax on ethanol (and coal to fuel conversion as well) production and give any company who wants to produce it a 20-year tax holiday...sign me up.

When I was in Spartanburg I saw the Hydrogen 740i...I am hearing this is where they are putting resources...

We are just an Ayatollah away from having our asses handed to us...all Iran has to do is not blink and then Team Bush looks weak and overextended if they don't send in the B-52s. This of course will do what neither Paul Bremer nor Osama has been able to do, which is unify the Arab street. We will get embargoed and because of oversupply, the Chinese and Indians will get all the oil they want, unless we seal off the Persian Gulf. This of course will thoroughly piss off the Chinese, who will then decide it's time to have a shotgun wedding with Taiwan. Bottom line, we need to fire up our domestic energy policy...and e85 is part of the solution.

Wagner,
Interesting article...thanks. I've read some arts. on this topic, but that one was pretty even handed and informative.

Couple of hurdles to get over:
-refining the stuff; not quite as "nasty" or NIMBY sensitive, but an ethanol refinery in town, in not anyone's fave. That, and these are not WalMarts put up in 10 months time.
-that 30% more "fuel" vs. gasoline, is actually the lowest number I've seen. Livable, but would make for some serious sized fuel tanks on any vehicle other than an around town grocery getter.
-I still have no handle on the true, overall "costs" of farming the crop(s), harvesting, making the mash, and the "process", in terms of real energy outlay...stuff I've read suggests that it is considerable, in terms of oil and/or nat. gas consumed in the task of ground to crop to alcohol pouring out the end of the "refinery". Sorta like a nuclear powered chain saw in terms of energy overuse.
-The real prob is us, as in the USGov't: if we are looking to, or waiting for "them" to do something that expidites or ameliorates the let's get it done process, we are kidding ourselves. The gov't could not organize or put on a cost effective and successful kids' b'day party, imo.

But, the oil usage Jones we have is not going away or even diminishing...

If some people or group(s) out there in ThinkLand has some good solutions that are timely, cost effecient, workable and "doable" in the next decade, I'd love to be pointed to their stuff.

If the world isn't blown up or at best, so fragmentized and terrorized in the next decade or so, I still feel for the 20-40 sumpin's here and, my Kidz and grandkid in terms of what "energy" will be avail and how and how much.

Soapbox off...but, you said you wanted some comments.
Thanks again for the art.
BR, Ol'UncMotor

The new Tahoe, for instance has a 5300 V8 that can use either regular gasoline or 85% Ethanol fuel. I then found that there is a filling station less then 20 miles from my house. If it is up to me, I would do my part..buy the Tahoe (American vehicle) and use the Ethanol fuel.

As you said, the Government will not make the push unless society does. Because, in the end it's your dollar. While a Tahoe wouldn't be my first choice for SUV/SAV, it hasn't certainly peaked my interest now. I believe as a society we need to show that we actually do give a damn, and voice this with our wallet.

Guess I'm just getting tired of us depending on areas of the world that burn down governments over cartoons.


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E85, lower fuel efficiency..yet less emissions.
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2005...vides_28_.html