Can personal Ethanol production break our dependence on oil?

Question

Anybody with a resonable amount of land can grow sugar beets. Obviouslty you would have to invest in an E-85 vehicle, but you would have some control over your own fuel supply, which is what the Cartels fear the most.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080508/sc_nm/ethanol_homemade_dc_1

Answer 1

YES BUT it is not a wise choice for the following reasons:

- small plants are less energy efficient

- small plants go in the opposite direction of "economy of scales", therefore minimizing the economic productivity

- the quality control is also easier for a large plants... small plants might not be able to "capitalize enough knowledge and know-how".

This holds for all industries and there are little doubts that it will be different for ethanol production. You have to be over a certain threshold to compete.

There is an easier way to break the reliance on foreign oil:

* the US imports roughly 50% of its oil

* the average gas mileage of US cars is 27MPG

* my gas mileage yesterday was 55MPG (10 years old technology)

* do the math and the solution is absolutely clear.

Answer 2

The biggest issue for ethanol is the fact that we don't have access to enough land and water.  It is estimated that the US doesn't have enough of either to support a fraction of what we need.  This could easily be remedied by free trade, but there are a lot of political issues that come with this.

Answer 3

Backyard ethanol costs more than gas at the pump.

But you could be right, most people would wind up too drunk to drive from drinking corn squeezings from failed production.

Answer 4

Yes it will. Because we'll be so skinny or dead, from not having the money to spend for groceries. Do you not see this farce of ethanol that was created by Al Gore and his ilk? Corn is now .99 cents to $1.89 a can! You, nor the world, can create enough food for fuel. If you want to grow some corn ad sugar beets on your farm, or in your back yard, go to it. You will pay 125% more to create 1 gallon of ethanol than the cost. Corn, sugar beets, and other crops, are used for the feeding of cattle, goats, sheep,etc. This man made shortage of quality food to the world, is raising prices across the globe, and causing much pain to the poor, who are already starving to death.  Look; I understand some good-hearted person thought this would help, but the ramifications of this has cause a global panic. Drill the world, find the oil, and now that we see the problem, let someone come up(And it had better be fast) with solar, wind, or whatever it takes. But do not cause the balance of the food chain to be disrupted by people looking for self glory. Ethanol will kill the poor and their children. And check out the great work of Monsanto and what a large company is doing to make it worse for the farmers.. We don't need that kind of help thank you! But that's my beef--McCarthur

Answer 5

Ethanol can't be produced within the home. Personal production of ethanol contains many difficulties.

It contain many economical, political and humanitarian issues.

The main problem is lack of sapce.

And you need a lot of plants for ethanol. If everyone starts to produce ethanol, it will create many food problems. now also we have many food problems. sugar cane and maize are one of the main needed crops by the people in this world. If those are destroyed how the people can live in this world ?...espiceally 3rd world living people.

So it is not possible and it will not break the independence on Oil !