Ethanol: Starving the poor for the environment?

[912]

Article

Use of grain-based ethanol is driving up food prices, and impacting those who can least afford it (the poor). Why we're hellbent on using corn (which is poor in ethanol efficieny) instead of sugar (more plentiful, or can be if subsidies are done away with, as well as being a more efficient product for ethanol production) is beyond me.

IMO, save the corn for human & animal consumption. Use sugar! It's cheaper, easier to convert to ethanol, can be more plentiful (I'm sure sugar farmers in economically depressed Louisiana would LOVE to farm more!), and just makes more economic sense.

Brazil has been doing it for years. Why aren't we?

[monsoon]

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Brazil has been doing it for years. Why aren't we?

[suburban george3]

I agree that corn/grain based ethanol is doing nothing but driving up food prices. I think the better bet would be to develop cellulosic ethanol derived from switch grass, corn stover, wood chips, and practically any plant matter. The process to produce this type of ethanol is more involved, but the two processes developed so far doesn't release any toxic emissions.

Also, the cellulosic ethanol releases almost 85% less greenhouse gas than reformulated gasonline, compared to corn (starch) based which releases 18-29% less greenhouse.

Article About Cellulosic Ethanol Potential

[Rural King]

Because the current Federal requirements for ethanol use in gasoline were a GOP inspired give away to the corporate farmers in America. Hence vast amounts of corn production are being directed towards making ethanol and very inefficiently at that since they are using natural gas to make it. It's driving up corn prices dramatically making lots of money for these corporations. It is not good energy policy.

[CapeFearRiver10]

LOL This whole idea of ethanol is pretty dumb it will never work for a rising American population, we don't even have enough land to even make this a success.... Thats all I got to say is good bye suburbia

[Rural King]

^ Ethanol is not supposed be an alternative fuel in an of its self, and it's erronous promotion as such by certian groups and companies causes confusion. Ethanol's main benefit to the US will be as a replacement fuel additive as mandated by federal law, it also allows the industry to get a footing while alternative non-corn based methods of ethanol production are developed. Anyone who has the impression the goal is to have most vehicles driven primarily on ethanol has the wrong idea of where the industry is heading, as that is not even remotely pratical with corn-based or probably any other form of bio-fuel barring some amazing gains in the fuel economies of new cars.

Fuel economy......now thats where we as consumers, our government, and our auto industry have really dropped the ball.