Ethanol for the Long Haul?

I've been thinking a lot about ethanol lately (not surprising, since my current mode of transport is a big Lexus SUV, which gets 16 mpg). Specifically, I've been thinking about the viability of ethanol as the answer to this country's search for alternative fuel. I'm not nearly as educated as some out there on this subject, so this will be purely conjecture, but ethanol seems to me a very bad idea on several levels.

First, it just doesn't make sense to take one of our biggest food crops & turn it into fuel. In a country where millions are starving each day, we're really considering shoving that corn into our vehicles instead of into hungry children's mouths? You have got to be kidding me!

Also, just where is all this corn supposed to come from? I've read in several sources that farmlands currently used for other crops, as well as our precious wetlands and wild places, either have begun to be or will be re-appropriated for use as corn fields. This is one of the most damaging and ridiculous ideas I've heard in a long time. In a country that relies on so heavily on corn for livestock production and human consumption, I just don't see us having enough corn to go into cars. I suppose we could go to ration coupons, right? (If you think asking people to use CFLs was hard, try getting them to give up that 2-pound steak or quarter pounder for the environment!)

Finally, if this administration is so fired up about homeland security, perhaps they are not seeing the forest for the corn. Now, I'd like to think I don't have much in common with terrorists, but if I did, I'd see this whole corn thing as a very, very good idea. Honestly, can you think of a better way to put a hurt on a country than to biologically destroy the ONE CROP that they absolutely rely on for food AND fuel? Maybe farmers will be given enormous bulls-eyes to put in the middle of their cornfields along with their government subsidies? Now, that's what I call a crop circle!

Comments

[Ethanol Blog]

Actually corn should just be a first step in the development of ethanol.
Cellulose ethanol is the holy grail.
But it requires some more R&D: it will probably be available in the next five years.

[Lori V.]

I was just reading a little about cellulosic ethanol in E magazine. It sounds fantastic. The only problem is that I think politicians are hanging on to the corn thing & sinking money into development there. Are there any that are actually talking more about cellulose instead of corn?

[Ethanol Blog]

You've got a point here: the corn lobby is quite powerful. Besides politicians - democrats or Republicans - are willing to please their electors of the corn belt.
One should also point out that many corn famers have gathered in cooperatives in order to build thei own ethanol plants.

Bush's target is 35 billion gallons of ethanol in 2017. We may not expect more than 30% of this ethanol - ie 11 billion gallons - to be produced from corn.
It would require 4 billion corn bushels, 2 billion bushels more than in 2006.

As you may know the corn market is already under pressure. Ethanol companies' operating margins are suffering: and even companies that use hedging will suffer from higher corn price sooner or later.

So the development of cellulose ehanol is in the own interest of the ethanol industry.
Corn is not sustainable if we want to reach the 35-billion-gallons target.

Even if there is not that much buzz in the media about cellulose ethanol for now, huge amounts are invested in R&D.

And I think we are the dawn of a series of breakthroughs. A stark example is the Canadian company Iogen that plans do build a new-generation plant in the USA next year: this plant should be able to process corn stover, wood waste or switchgrass. As soon as they will control their costs, you can be sure that there will be a massive development of the cellulose ethanol industry.

[Vanessa]

You should read this column by George Monbiot: http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2004/11/23/feeding-cars-not-people/
He eloquently argues against biofuels and makes a compelling case. However, for the record, it should also be pointed out that the corn being grown for ethanol is totally inedible, so it's not like it could *actually* be feeding the poor. But still.

[Lori V.]

Vanessa, is the corn inedible for the farming industry as well? It takes an enormous amount of corn to sustain America's meat craving. Also, if they are re-appropriating other farmland for growing this stuff, that makes it all the worse.

Iogen is the company that was being profiled in the E magazine article I was talking about. I think that if ethanol is to be even partially viable, it will have to be cellulosic ethanol.

[reden]

It is right. Ethanol is the first step. You will see more biofuels coming up and about soon.

[Christy O]

Also, the amount of energy it takes to grow and process the corn makes it not a good option for the long haul. And I've found that since all the gas here has switched to 10% ethanol my gas mileage has dropped 10%. Since I drive a hybrid, this really irritates me. I think ethanol is a bad idea for a fuel alternative.