PGHammer
join:2003-06-09
Accokeek, MD
clubs:
 ·Comcast
| reply to Ahrenl
Re: Dont Expect Change
Brazilian ethanol production is almost entirely government-underwritten; also, most of it is from sugar beets (and thus helps prop up sugar prices; Brazil is also a major source of such beets). While the US is also a sugar producer (from both sugar beets and cane), we grow *far* more corn and other grains (hence the use of grain in the US for ethanol production). Without the diversion of corn for ethanol, at-the-silo corn prices (especially for human consumption) have been at historic lows; farmers had actually been paid *not* to grow corn!
Actually, the United States is the specific reason why Brazil even *has* an ethanol industry; we pretty much killed the export market for Brazilian sugar stock (from both cane and beets) via our own trade policies (heavily weighted to favor both domestic production and Caribbean sources; NAFTA/CAFTA certainly didn't help matters any). With the largest export market for sugar stock closed off, what was Brazil to do? |
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Ahrenl
join:2004-10-26
North Andover, MA
 ·Verizon FIOS
1 edit | reply to stomp357
Well, that's actually some industry FUD. Brazil creates surplus ethanol, and uses the output to power the refineries that create more. We just haven't reached an economies of infrastructure yet. Also they use sugar cane, as opposed to corn.
The real danger to corn based ethanol production is the type of corn that is best suited to production, doesn't produce a feed stock waste (which can be used to feed livestock) and depletes the top soil so that it can not be reused indefinitely. Hopefully the pipeline technologies (the one that can make ethanol out of plain grass for instance) will become useable. |
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CConverse
join:2006-01-31
Syracuse, NY
| reply to TechieZero
And LOLOL guess what -- it's actually not because it takes more fossil fuels to produce a gallon of ethanol biofuel than it does to just put a gallon of regular in your tank. But don't let the Exxon Mobil -- Oops, I mean the gov't -- know you're onto them. |
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stomp357
join:2003-04-13
Lake Charles, LA
·Suddenlink
| reply to Techie714
said by Techie714  :There two things you can count on in the coming years in the U.S. 2. Alternative fuels, Americans myself included have no interest in this topic. We will just keep buying gas until it hits $6.00 a gallon & then maybe....just maybe we as a nation will wake up to alternative fuels. Corn based Ethanol is driving food prices up. Besides, I seen a report last night about how it requires almost as much fossil fuel to make the same amount of Ethanol. Ethanol is not gona replace fossil fuel use. |
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TechieZero
Tools Are Using Me
Premium
join:2002-01-25
Wesley Chapel, FL | reply to BF69
LOL -- but but but...it's good for the ENVIRONMENT.  |
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BF69
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN
| reply to Techie714
said by Techie714 :2. Alternative fuels, Americans myself included have no interest in this topic. We will just keep buying gas until it hits $6.00 a gallon & then maybe....just maybe we as a nation will wake up to alternative fuels. Like what BS, like ethenol which is already making the cost of food go up because corn is being used for FUEL and not FOOD. And farmers that were growing other crops are growing corn spefically for ethenol? What good is saving a fricken quarter a gallon on fuel if you're food bill is 25% higher? |
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Techie714
join:2005-08-02
Anaheim, CA
 ·ViaTalk
| There two things you can count on in the coming years in the U.S.
1. Slower broadband deployment due to cost & political corruption & the fact that unless VZ, TW, or ATT can nickel & dime every last cent out of you forget a fiber pipe. It's all about $$$ & unless thousands of people in that area can afford it forget it.
2. Alternative fuels, Americans myself included have no interest in this topic. We will just keep buying gas until it hits $6.00 a gallon & then maybe....just maybe we as a nation will wake up to alternative fuels. |
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