Big Corn and Ethanol Hoax

[SavageSun4x4]

Enjoy

Big Corn and Ethanol Hoax
By Walter E. Williams
Dr. Williams serves on the faculty of George Mason University as John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics
Wednesday, March 12, 2008

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/WalterEWilliams/2008/03/12/big_corn_and_ethanol_hoax

[Fire Ball]

The surge in ethanol production is already making seed corn scarce and expensive. It is a stupid idea but people will buy anything. Water is removed from ethanol in an azeotropic process which uses a lot of heat and a distilation tower. It is hard to get lower than 1% water in ethanol.

Brazil has managed to run it's cars on ethanol fuel but they have about 3million cars. We probably have that many in PHX alone.

It is not a hoax, but no one is giving out all the information :D

[SavageSun4x4]

The surge in ethanol production is already making seed corn scarce and expensive. It is a stupid idea but people will buy anything. Water is removed from ethanol in an azeotropic process which uses a lot of heat and a distilation tower. It is hard to get lower than 1% water in ethanol.

Brazil has managed to run it's cars on ethanol fuel but they have about 3million cars. We probably have that many in PHX alone.

It is not a hoax, but no one is giving out all the information :D

The way its being sold in the US by our Federal gov't it is NOTHING but a scam and a hoax the purpose of which is to make some folks very rich in the corn and wheat belt of the US.

2) and it will do NOTHING to solve our problem.

[Blkruby]

The way its being sold in the US by our Federal gov't it is NOTHING but a scam and a hoax the purpose of which is to make some folks very rich in the corn and wheat belt of the US.

2) and it will do NOTHING to solve our problem.

Amen Brother

[Qman]

well it is about time the farmers get rich....they have been strugling for decades.. My grandfather was paid in 1979 to stop farming.......there are lots of farmers out there that are paid to let there feilds stay empty.

I don't know if this is for real or not. My dad had been preching ethanol for 30+ years. In the early 80's he had about 150 ranchers in Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas a total of over 10 million acres of farmable land all that was to be set aside for ethanol production growing only. Most of the Farmers lost there land and had to file bankruptcy. Most of these were 100K plus ranches that were homesteaded and had been in these family's for 100 years or more.

I don't think Ethanol alone will solve our dependecy on oil but i am sure it would help, and help farmers some as well. (America's backbone)

[SavageSun4x4]

I don't think Ethanol alone will solve our dependecy on oil but i am sure it would help, and help farmers some as well. (America's backbone)

Therein lies the problem, its not helping, in fact its hurting our efforts to become energy dependent.

[jeeperapril]

Last weekend I was surfing channels, came across a car show, I forget if it is Austria, Germany or what country, but for years now they have been using Hydrogen powered cars, they go to a Hydro station, fill up and go, and as the car is driven through the day, the Hydro battery holds electric charges built up, then they go home and plug the car into their home and run the home off the electric that was built up during the day.:fashizzle: The cars are small, kinda funny looking but heck can't beat that idea, why our government ever started the corn thing is just for money honey......there are so many better fuel alternatives already being implemented in other countries that would benefit the USA.....

[SavageSun4x4]

there are so many better fuel alternatives already being implemented in other countries that would benefit the USA.....

Here you go: MB, diesel, small, compact, incredible fuel milage does everything you would want. But you cannot get it here. Now one would think that since MB owned Chrysler for many years that this would be a natural for import into the US. This car has been around for several years that I know of.

[Henthorn]

on the upper scale of things: The BMW Hydrogen 7 Series.

[Fire Ball]

Our only way out of the need for Dino fuel is reduced consumption or electric cars that run on nuclear generated electricity.

Ethanol isn't the answer. Hydrogen works on small scales but to use hydrogen in all US cars wouldn't be feasible. The countries that use alternative fuels have just a small fraction of the number of cars we do.

Hydrogen is expensive to make and transport in large quantities. It also takes a lot of energy to separate H2 from water and getting it from hydrocarbons doesn't stop our need for oil and coal and still produces greenhouse gases.

[DustDweller]

The solution to pollution ;-)

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/11/science/space/11earth.html

[Sandollar]

well it is about time the farmers get rich....they have been strugling for decades.. My grandfather was paid in 1979 to stop farming.......there are lots of farmers out there that are paid to let there feilds stay empty.

I don't know if this is for real or not. My dad had been preching ethanol for 30+ years. In the early 80's he had about 150 ranchers in Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas a total of over 10 million acres of farmable land all that was to be set aside for ethanol production growing only. Most of the Farmers lost there land and had to file bankruptcy. Most of these were 100K plus ranches that were homesteaded and had been in these family's for 100 years or more.

I don't think Ethanol alone will solve our dependecy on oil but i am sure it would help, and help farmers some as well. (America's backbone)


I really have a problem with paying someone to not do something. What is the difference IN PRINCIPLE, between giving subsidies to farmers to not grow and giving subsidies to people who cannot find jobs and need to go on welfare? Either way we are paying someone to do nothing.

Also, correct me if I am wrong but is not the ethanol lobby working for the farmers who grow the corn? Read the article again. It says that Archer Daniels Midland , is the country's largest producer of ethanol. ADM is a farming conglomerate. Professor Williams also says that "politicians,corn farmers, and ethanol producers know they are running a cruel hoax on the American consumer. They are in it for the money... "

If corn was the solution you know that the government would push it harder. That is if the Oil lobby would let them.

[SavageSun4x4]

Our only way out of the need for Dino fuel is reduced consumption or electric cars that run on nuclear generated electricity.

Ethanol isn't the answer. Hydrogen works on small scales but to use hydrogen in all US cars wouldn't be feasible. The countries that use alternative fuels have just a small fraction of the number of cars we do.

Hydrogen is expensive to make and transport in large quantities. It also takes a lot of energy to separate H2 from water and getting it from hydrocarbons doesn't stop our need for oil and coal and still produces greenhouse gases.

There are 2 FEASIBLE solutions at this time:

1) Electric cars and they MUST be powered by Nuclear generated electricity. The feasibility of this is at best questionable and at its worst not gonna happen.

2) This leaves us with the only solution that is doable, realistic and has a proven history of working. OIL! I have posted on this many times so no need to rehash, but there IS NO SHORTAGE OF OIL! That said sooner or later there will be but we have more than enough time to find a solution and phase it in.

We have never had a President that has taken a leadership role in solving our energy crises. Don't ask me why as I have no idea.

But when elected to President on the 24hr ticket, this is what I am going to do:

1) I will establish an energy commission and at the same time abolish the Department of Energy which has NEVER accomplished anything.

2) This commission will be along the lines of a "Manhattan Project" that built the bomb in WWII.

3) The commission will be made of some of the top schools in the US in energy research, U of Tex, Tex A&M, Univ Ill and others. Along with "big oil" and other scientific bodies as required. The effort will be funded by "Big Oil". Big oil will receive a tax credit for each year of the research, meaning they will pay no taxes durning the conduct of the research. HOWEVER if they fail to develop a solution then they will owe back taxes, plus penalty!!

Here is the problem that faces not just us but the world. Lets say that this consortium develops a super elixir that solves the problem. And by its nature it requires special handling, temp control while in storage. It has to be maintained at 55 degrees and has to be pumped into the tank of a car with a special pump since the stuff is as thick as molasses. But when mixed with a equal amount of water it creates gasoline and will run in any engine.

The automakers have said its a simple solution for them and will only add about $125 to the cost of the average car.

The BIG RUB is converting all the service stations to be able to store and pump it. It is estimated that it will cost on average of $50k per service station to convert. ANYONE starting to see this pic? You getting it?

There are lots of things we can do. Hydrogen fuel cell, solar arrays etc etc etc. There is NOT shortage of ideas to explore. BUT no matter how you skin the cat if you change from the existing logistical support structure (from crude oil to gasoline at the Circle K, the COST could easily run as much as a TRILLION dollars.


It is estimated that well beyond that was spent installing our communications system, better know as the telephone. And it has taken nearly 100 years to do.

100 mile to the gallon carburetor. I was tinkering around the other day and I discovered how to build a carb that gets at LEAST 100 mpg. All it requires is a new intake manifold, the carb and air filter. Less than 4 hours for any good mech.

There are over 203.3 Million cars in the US now your assignment if you chose to accept it is to deliver and install the 100 MPG carb. What are you gonna do?