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Biofuels = propaganda?

I received this response from the Can. Gov't regarding ethanol. Interesting thing is, I can see the over-production of corn in set fields depleting the soil if asked to be a substitute for oil.

Mr. Richard Anderson

snipped-for-privacy@sympatico.ca

Dear Mr. Anderson:

Thank you for your email regarding the energy balance of producing and using fuel ethanol.

There is a robust literature and science on this issue. It should be noted that Pimentel is almost unique in his criticism of biofuels ? virtually all other commentators and scientists who have examined the issue conclude that there is a positive energy balance relating to the production and use of biofuels.

The elements contributing to the life cycle of producing and using fuel ethanol have improved over time, as have the energy efficiency of many technologies. With respect to the energy balances relating to fuel ethanol, I refer you to the definitive study that was conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture in 2002 entitled ?The Energy Balance of Corn Ethanol, An Update.? This document can be found on the USDA website by typing the name of the report in the search box.

Although the report notes that there is a range of values for all elements of a life cycle analysis for any product, it concludes that the value of 1.34 is reasonable and supportable for corn-based fuel ethanol given the technologies available in the first half of this decade. This means that a litre of corn-based fuel ethanol provides

1.34 times as much energy as was required to manufacture it. Other feedstocks generate different energy balances. For example wheat-based ethanol has a slightly lower energy balance, while sugar cane-based fuel ethanol has a significantly higher energy balance.

I trust this information is of assistance to you. Again, thank you for writing and bringing this report to my attention.

Sincerely,

Andy Mitchell

Martine Gervais

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Ministerial Correspondence and Records Office

930 Carling Ave. Sir John Carling Building, Agriculture et Agroalimentaire Canada

Section de la correspondance et des dossiers ministériels

930 avenue Carling, Édiffice Sir John Carling,

Tel: 613-759-1021 Fax/Télécopieur : 613-759-1081

Ottawa, Ontario

K1A 0C7

snipped-for-privacy@agr.gc.ca

Reply to
Rich
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The U.S. Dept. of Agribusiness is not exactly unbiased, since it is charged with promoting Agribusiness. As the USDA.gov website says, "USDA remains committed to helping America's farmers and ranchers."

Reply to
Bob Willard

If it would deplete the soil, don't you think we would run out of food by now ? I think (but I'm no farmer) that there are many ways to keep the soil producing by alternating types of crop, using fertilizers, etc.

I've always w>Rich wrote:

Reply to
RT

Ethanol is a pretty poor solution, but biodiesel would be rather easy to implement, requires zero modifications to existing diesel engines, burns cleaner than "real" diesel and is *almost* cost effective now. One of the benefits is that fuel spills become biodegradable. One of the drawbacks is that you can't use pure biodiesel in cold winters as it becomes too thick.

Cheers,

RT wrote:

Reply to
Ritz

Consider these two alternatives:

  1. Turn PetroOil into gas.
  2. Turn PetroOil into fertilizer, turn fertilizer into corn, turn corn into CornOil, turn CornOil into Ethanol, mix Ethanol with normal gas.

While (2) is emotionally appealing to some, (1) is cheaper unless massive government handouts counterbalance the real costs. Indeed, federal (and, in some cases, state) subsidies are used to make Ethanol/gas mixtures appear at the pumps. Meanwhile, elected (and appointed) officials brag about this great way of spending your tax $s. Arrrgh.

Ethanol may make economic sense someday, but certainly not today.

Reply to
Bob Willard

And, while we could handle a lot of the production during the summer months, we'd be making millionaires in the southern hemisphere during the winter.

Winter corn... I should invest in some property in Argentina...

dwight

Reply to
dwight

But they only need corn. They'll have to let the fields go fallow for some period of time. But it could be interesting. A bad harvest could see price spikes just like oil! Except this time we'll (Americans) be looking at $5-$7/gal instead of $2.50-$3.50.

-Rich

Reply to
Rich

But isn't the highest rating of biodiesel still 'only' 20% ??? (meaning 20% is biodiesel, 80% is regular diesel)

Reply to
RT

I don't know. It's not available in my area. But given a temperate climate, you can burn 100% biodiesel in any diesel engine without modifications to the engine.

Reply to
Ritz

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