They now use about half as much water per gallon of ethanol as they did a decade ago.
Sugar cane and beets are 6-8 times as productive for ethanol as corn.
Mr. LASORDA: Well, ethanol is one, because we see ethanol as an option from oil independence and national security play.
Ethanol as government energy policy has been an economic and environmental bust.
FORBES: After Billions Of Taxpayer Dollars, Green Transportation Is A Bust
He also sees cellulosic ethanol as a strong technology for the future.
When ethanol is made from corn, the yeast culture produces ethanol as the end product of the break down of starches and sugars.
That is mainly because the United States and Europe see ethanol as an agricultural commodity and protect their own producers (mainly of corn ethanol).
At that point the anti-ethanol coalition will no doubt regroup to resume its misleading and strategically misguided campaign against ethanol as an alternative energy source.
President Lula has rejected criticism from President Chavez and others that the use of ethanol as a biofuel would use up valuable arable land and increase food prices.
Also helping the business are environmental mandates (depending on where it is sold, some gasoline must contain up to 10% ethanol as an antismog measure) and energy independence mandates.
Nearly four million miles have been driven on Sunoco Green E15, validating the fuel qualities and environmental impact of ethanol as a viable fuel to the millions of NASCAR fans across the country.
Also helping the business are environmental mandates (depending on where it is sold, some gasoline must contain up to 10% ethanol as an antismog measure) and energy independence mandates (national use of ethanol must meet certain minimums by various deadlines).
We currently in the U.S. are using ethanol in engines detuned for low octane gas. (actually, using 10% or less, ethanol as most cars do now, the mpg loss for ethanol is not as great as the Heat Value would predict either).
House Speaker John Boehner, goaded on by Senate Republicans led by Tom Coburn, flirted with eliminating some special breaks such as the ethanol tax credit as a way to add revenue to a debt reduction package.
FORBES: The Republicans Shouldn't Attempt Any Tax Deal With President Obama
At present, ethanol is used mainly as a fuel additive, with the 85% ethanol-gasoline blend known as E85 sold only sparsely across the country.
Ultimately, Brazil would like to see ethanol traded as freely and widely as oil.
ECONOMIST: America and its neighbours discover a common interest
Many economic studies have cited ethanol production as the single most important driver of recent world food price increases.
Most of the corn no longer goes to farm kitchens but to ethanol plants as monumental as the federal subsidies they burn.
For example, a federal requirement that new cars sold in America be capable of using methanol and ethanol, as well as gasoline, would create markets for such alcohol-based fuels and competition that will drive down gas prices.
In contrast, Mr. McCain has even proposed tax cuts here, pledging to repeal the 54 cents per gallon tariff on sugar-based ethanol, as well as sugar import quotas, which should help to lower prices for gas and food.
Industry heavyweights like Cosan (CZZ) are also researching ways to make fuel ethanol friendly for jet fuel, and turn sugarcane bagasse, the leafy waste of the cane stalks after they are crushed into sugar molasses, into second generation ethanol, as well.
FORBES: Brazil's BNDES Bank Offers $1 Billion to Ethanol R&D
It is clear that corn ethanol has served as a stepping stone for cellulosic ethanol and other biofuels, mitigating risk and establishing a market.
It has not, for all the hype, taken in any great measure to alternatives such as ethanol and other biofuels or to renewables such as solar, wind and wave power.
An ethanol gold rush ensued, capacity was overbuilt, and suddenly the industry found itself in deep financial trouble as ethanol supply exceeded the mandates.
In Brazil, ethanol is used both as a gasoline additive (20% to 22% blend) or as a pure motor fuel (100% ethanol).
FORBES: Brazil's BNDES Bank Offers $1 Billion to Ethanol R&D
According to Darrel Good, a University of Illinois agriculture economist, the RIN price "could continue to rise as we approach the higher ethanol mandate for 2014" as credits run out.
The effort could result in "designer microbes" that produce biofuels such as ethanol, and hydrogen.
BBC: NEWS | Science/Nature | Patent sought on 'synthetic life'
Soya beans and corn make oil and animal feed, as well as ethanol, to some controversy.
You have to burn 1.5 gallons of ethanol to go as far as the gasoline will take you.
This methanol can now be added to standard diesel and gasoline, just as ethanol is, and used in standard vehicles.
应用推荐