They will never, ever, EVER,
EVER, replace gasoline, diesel-fuel, or jet-fuel,
EVER. a) The power density is pathetic (you would literally have to cover entire states with crops). b) The stuff is absolutely brutal on engines. And c) the stuff is every bit as bad for the environment as petroleum products (this, to the point where Al Gore doesn't even support ethanol anymore). I think that we just have to face it here, people. We are all going to be driving our vehicles on fossil fuels for the rest of our lives.
I think the main reason for ethanol was never the environment. It was to be used as a substitute for IMPORTED oil. It was a money (balance of trade) issue.
ReplyDeleteThis was a classic bipartisan boondoggle (and, yeah, you're probably right on the rationale for it), Jerry. And the fact that Iowa is the first big caucus every four years didn't help when you had supposedly fiscally conservative guys like Santorum going around touting the stuff.
ReplyDelete