Making ethanol from corn is the least efficient use of farmland

[furrowtickler]

And what is also missed in most of these analysis, is the fact that ethanol is used as the oxygenate to replace mtbe or lead which were not the most pleasant products to be emitting into our atmosphere.

Exactly ☝️
The very basic principle that ethanol was brought in , very few know this

[AlbertaFarmer5]

I didn’t know that. The more you know.

But to be fair, it doesn't need to be blended to 10%, let alone 85%, and most modern EFI engines with knock sensors can function without the oxygenate.

However, both leaded gasoline and MTBE amongst other possibly worse chemicals are still used in other parts of the world without ethanol.

Difficult to prove, but it is very likely that a lot of our current health issues can be traced back to leaded gasoline, and therefore contaminating virtually everything, everywhere with lead, and it doesn't go away.

[Guest]

Good to learn
Chuck will know now also

[chuckChuck]

None of this justifies that 30% of corn acres in the US that are used for ethanol.

How many acres of canola are destined for bio-diesel?

If the mantra of farmers must feed the world is to be believed then biofuels are not the solution.

From an energy and water usage perspective US corn is black hole.

As the author pointed out the corn and biofuels industry have been the beneficiaries of generous subsidies and incentives that have helped prop up grain prices.

How posters can opposes support for much more efficient renewable energy, but then support subsidies and incentives for very inefficient bio-fuels makes no sense.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Good to learn
Chuck will know now also

Looks like your optimism was misplaced.

[Hamloc]

None of this justifies that 30% of corn acres in the US that are used for ethanol.

How many acres of canola are destined for bio-diesel?

If the mantra of farmers must feed the world is to be believed then biofuels are not the solution.

From an energy and water usage perspective US corn is black hole.

As the author pointed out the corn and biofuels industry have been the beneficiaries of generous subsidies and incentives that have helped prop up grain prices.

How posters can opposes support for much more efficient renewable energy, but then support subsidies and incentives for very inefficient bio-fuels makes no sense.

Let me think about this. Corn is grown in the U.S.A. Ethanol processed in the U.S.A. Distillers grain a by product of the process is fed to livestock in the U.S.A. 80% of the solar panels manufactured in the world are made in China. China supports Russia.Need I say more.

[Guest]

That’s an inconvenient truth , lol

[Hamloc]

Let’s make this even simpler, does growing corn on the land and then processing it into ethanol create more American jobs from the land and more wealth for American farmers and workers or would covering this corn producing land with solar panels? Why would you put solar panels on good productive farmland when there are so many acres of non productive wasteland in the U.S. Driving through California or Arizona as an example if it isn’t irrigated there isn’t much growing.

[chuckChuck]

Hamloc, China dominates all types of manufacturing. Most of your farm equipment will have many components made in China. So are you going to stop using all their products? Solar panel production can be done anywhere where plants want to build. Many of the solar panels produced are being used in China.

So are you suggesting that we subsidize and choose inefficient options just because they temporarily create more jobs. Wouldn't it make more sense to choose the most efficient and economic option?
Without government mandates and subsidies ethanol would not likely be a a big part of energy supplies.

So it looks like you are in favour of ethanol subsidies and government mandates. I thought you were in favour of less government intervention, not more! LOL

And I agree putting solar panels on the best land does not make sense. But there still lots of places to put solar panels.

[Hamloc]

Hamloc, China dominates all types of manufacturing. Most of your farm equipment will have many components made in China. So are you going to stop using all their products? Solar panel production can be done anywhere where plants want to build. Many of the solar panels produced are being used in China.

So are you suggesting that we subsidize and choose inefficient options just because they temporarily create more jobs. Wouldn't it make more sense to choose the most efficient and economic option?
Without government mandates and subsidies ethanol would not likely be a a big part of energy supplies.

So it looks like you are in favour of ethanol subsidies and government mandates. I thought you were in favour of less government intervention, not more! LOL

Why would you put solar panels on productive farmland?