Corn-based diesel set for explosive gains?
According to my October issue of Popular Science Magazine, just 0.5 gallon "of an experimental corn-based diesel - now in the works at the University of Wisconsin - can produce as much energy as one gallon of ethanol."
Yet, flex fuel ethanol-gasoline engines seem to to be the rage in Congress, according to a recent Autoweek article. Why are we picking the most inefficient path? While I'm not opposed to ethanol-gasoline engines, ethanol-diesel engines seem to offer even more potential. AutoWeek even cites Brazil as a success, however, doesn't Brazil use ethanol-diesel flexible fuel engines (more)?
Once again it appears that American politicians are stuck in the status quo and completely unable to think outside-of-the-box.
Additionally, merging flexible fuel technology with hybrid vehicle technology could create vehicles that not only end foreign oil dependency, but hedge consumers against spikes in fuel prices. For example, in Brazil ethanol fuels are sometimes more expensive than diesel and the flexible fuel engine; therefore, provides choice to Brazilian consumers when drought raises the price of ethanol.
Flexible fuel diesel hybrids offers consumers a great range of fuel choices, including ethanol, diesel, bio-diesel, regenerative electric, or even solar. Why do we stop so short? All of the above technologies could be combined to achieve unbelievable levels of clean and fuel efficient performance, at a fraction of the cost of fuel cells. Some of these experimental hybrids have already been developed.
So what's the problem?
Labels: alternative fuels, bio-diesel, clean diesel, ethanol, flex-fuel, foreign oil dependency, fuel cells
posted by Dahcredyns @ 11:38 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
"Why are we picking the most inefficient path? "
Two simple reasons:
1. Our corn farmer have gotten so good at growing corn, that is all they are tuned to doing, and we have to somehow use the billions of bushels they grow every year. You know the saying in Iowa, "Well by golly, it's April, let's plant some corn." They plant millions of acres of corn whether we need it or not, and whether there is a market for it. Forced use of corn ethanol will expand the market for corn.
2. The companies who own ethanol plants can make big bucks from making corn ethanol because of tax breaks and subsidies. Not because making corn ethanol is efficient or makes sense, but because of the subsidies. If there were no subsidies, it's likely no one would bother to build an ethanol plant.
Your subsidy point is well taken. Nonetheless, since we are going to subsidize these crops, I say we make the greatest use of them.
Or should we stop subsidizing this crop?
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