Quote:
Originally Posted by Shawnee123
These are more things I don't know:
Do you need a certain car to burn ethanol? What does it cost? Is it currently marketed to the general public?
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Ethanol is an additive sometimes used as a replacement for MTBE - a minor part of the gasoline blend. Another blend would be 85% ethanol / 15% petroleum. But ethanol does bad things to metal and has a bad tendency to absorb water from the air. (Some should expect to have water problems or even rusting in their gasoline tanks.) Vehicles and gasoline stations must be carefully redesigned to use the 85% ethanol blend - ie so called "flex fuel" vehicles.
Ethanol also cannot be transported in pipelines. Therefore transport costs are increased by truck or train where ethanol is mixed at the refinery. Therefore rail and truck lobbies also pay to have ethanol required.
Ethanol, as made in the US, must break down enzymes that are difficult to process. Compare this to enzymes in warmer weather plants (above 25 degree C) that break down readily. As a result, Brazil is a great source of ethanol using simpler crops (ie sawgrass). But when cost controls and political agendas are more important, then we must pervert the free market. Each gallon of Brazilian ethanol gets slapped a $0.50 per gallon tax. Each gallon of American corn ethanol gets a $0.51 government subsidy. Free markets from 'the Bush'?
What is the actual cost of ethanol? With so many government subsidies, transport costs, and .... well American corn ethanol exists for reasons political and not for reasons science or economic.
Best answer available is that American ethanol is an energy break even. Any energy gained is lost in additional energy consumed to manufacture and transport the stuff. Economically, ethanol is a losing proposition which is why ethanol requires government 'corporate welfare'.
And still, no one can explain why Brazilians - who did the innovation - are denied US markets. If ethanol was all that it is hyped, then Brazil would be a nation of strategic importance to the US. But K-street 'politicians' know better what is good for us.