A bit of CCP of which I'm not to swift. Some information. A rather long
read but some very good information about Ethanol


Ethanol has a positive energy balance, meaning the ethanol yields more
energy than it takes to produce it. It is an efficient fuel made through
an efficient process.
It takes less than 35,000 BTUs of energy to turn corn into ethanol,
while the ethanol offers at least 77,000 BTUs of energy. Ethanol's
energy balance is clearly positive.
Research studies from a variety of sources have found ethanol to have a
positive net energy balance. The most recent, by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, shows that ethanol provides an average net energy gain of
at least 77%.

One faulty, outdated study shows ethanol's net energy balance to be
negative. That research uses fundamentally flawed, decades old data that
is not valid considering today's efficiencies in agriculture and in
ethanol production. brings the overall price down.
The U.S. ethanol industry provides more than 4 billion gallons of fuel
to our nation's supply each year. Especially when refining capacity is
tight, a larger fuel supply means less price volatility.
Removing ethanol from our nation's supply would mean we'd immediately
need to find 3% more fuel – that would cause dramatic spikes in fuel
prices.

Ethanol's impact on air quality
Using ethanol-blended fuel has a positive impact on air quality. Ethanol
is an oxygenate, and that oxygen helps the fuel burn more cleanly and
more completely - a cleaner fuel for cleaner air.
Many areas of the country have used ethanol in order to meet EPA clean
air standards with great results. Ethanol reduces the emissions of
carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, and toxic air emissions.

Ethanol's role in energy independence
Ethanol is an American-made fuel that helps our country to be more
energy independent. U.S. ethanol production provides more than 4 billion
gallons of fuel for our country – fuel produced at home from renewable
resources, fuel that doesn't need to be imported.
Ethanol is not the only answer to America's energy needs, but it is
part of the overall solution. Energy independence means having choices,
and ethanol is one of those choices that can be made right here in the
U.S. from renewable resources.
Ethanol's impact on the economy
Ethanol has a tremendously positive impact on our nation's economy. It
creates jobs and increases revenues; increases farm income and reduces
farm program payments; and decreases the amount of energy we import.
The combination of reduced farm program payments and increased tax
revenues adds at least $1.30 to the U.S. Treasury for every gallon of
ethanol produced. This figure even takes into consideration the ethanol
incentive program. (AUS Consultants, Inc.)
Ethanol has a tremendously positive impact on the local economies around
the plants themselves. Local people are employed; local crops are
purchased to make the ethanol; and local tax bases are significantly
expanded.
An average-sized ethanol plant employs about 40 people with good-paying,
high-skill jobs and provides spin-off jobs through local providers of
goods and services for the plant.
week's time.

The Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS)
The Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) is a policy that would require an
increasing amount of renewable fuels to be used each year. The RFS in
the recently passed federal energy bill would slate 7.5 billion gallons
of ethanol to be used in the U.S. by 2012. In 2004, the U.S. used 3.4
billion gallons of ethanol.
The RFS would streamline the current patchwork of fuel regulations we
have across this country. States, regions – and in some cases cities
– have different fuel requirements, and the RFS would allow renewable
fuels to be used where they make the most sense instead of forcing the
production of all these "boutique" fuels.

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http://community.webtv.net/tassail/ThomPage

"Thom Stewart" wrote
It takes less than 35,000 BTUs of energy to turn corn into ethanol,
while the ethanol offers at least 77,000 BTUs of energy. Ethanol's
energy balance is clearly positive.

OK, but how many BTUs did it take to grow the corn? Don't forget the fuel to
plow, disk, plant and harvest the corn then the fuel for the silo heaters needed
to dry it for shipment then shipping costs to collect the corn and take it to
the distillery.

One faulty, outdated study shows ethanol's net energy balance to be
negative. That research uses fundamentally flawed, decades old data that
is not valid considering today's efficiencies in agriculture and in
ethanol production. brings the overall price down.

Let's see the numbers.

Removing ethanol from our nation's supply would mean we'd immediately
need to find 3% more fuel - that would cause dramatic spikes in fuel
prices.

I was told that back in the 1970s so I tried "gasahol" - 10% methanol. My cars
ran, albiet with less power, but I got almost exactly 10% less miles per gallon.
That says the alchohol wasn't burning at all, that it was just an expensive
filler, like mixing sawdust into hamburger. I used the first tank of the new
ethanol-blended gas last week and got 15MPG instead of the usual 18-20.

Ethanol's impact on air quality
Using ethanol-blended fuel has a positive impact on air quality. Ethanol
is an oxygenate, and that oxygen helps the fuel burn more cleanly and
more completely - a cleaner fuel for cleaner air.
Many areas of the country have used ethanol in order to meet EPA clean
air standards with great results. Ethanol reduces the emissions of
carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, and toxic air emissions.

BS! Adding a small quantity any oxygenate to gasoline reduces the unburned
hydrocarbons, but raises the cost of the gas and reduces mileage. We could also
reduce unburned hydrocarbons plus improve mileage by raising compression ratios
again. But that'd cause more nitric acid in the air. And thats why the law says
engines must burn unleaded gas - because it forced manufacturers to lower
compression ratios. And that in turn necessitated expensive and now ubiquitous
catalitic converters and MTBE.

Ethanol is an American-made fuel that helps our country to be more
energy independent.

That's great! Now all we have to do is get EPA to require that all new cars
have 14:1 compression suitable for burning ethanol efficiently. Or course we'll
have watering eyes and rotting drapes but less hyrocarbons.

Otherwise, ........