Why does so many think Ethanol is the answer?

Question

So.... we decrease our dependence on oil with a material (largely) derived from corn and corn by-products. Doesn't this set off any alarms with people? How many times have crops failed due to drought, disease, locust, etc? So we take a huge quantity of our nation's corn crop and convert it into fuel. Then along comes a drought or a reduced growing season... both of which can be a result of global warming. Then the price skyrockets because there is less supply to feed an ever growing demand. And I seriously doubt this country could produce enough ethanol to make a huge dent in our energy needs. So we would be at the mercy of foreign-produced ethanol and back where we started... depending on foreign supplies. I will forever think the best solutions for the regular transportation user is electric. There have been huge advances in this area. Let's let the power utilities manage the energy production. Demand they produce it cleanly no matter what they use for fuel.

Answer 1

Not only do we have to worry about the drought, but think about all the oil it is going to take to produce the ethanol...you have to have people come out and harvest it (cars) then the tractors to work with the soil ( "normal" tractors produces a lot of CO2) and then you have to process the corn...to tell you the truth not much better then what we are doing, if at all.

There are many more options, that are much better for the environment...I think a lot of the decision making has to do with politics, and economy...after all we can not put people out of business...

Answer 2

Ethanol is just a cleaner fuel, but it is not the most efficient or the newest source available.  We need more research for other energy sources.  We don't even have enough corn for the demand.  Stats say that even if we took all corn in the US to produce ethanol, we might have enough for 2 months with current demand (using nothing but ethanol).

Answer 3

Because they don't think.

Our most valuable resource, as a planet, is arable land.  Converting it to row crops to produce fuel (that is not as good as fuel sitting in the ground in abundance ) is stupid.

Answer 4

It's an answer, one among many, but not the answer.

Answer 5

People just want to make their own moonshine and say its ethanol.

Answer 6

We need to come up with a fuel that is renewable and doesn't give off any pollution, but we won't because people would "lose money" apparently.

Answer 7

Don't confuse "fuel" and "energy source".  Hybrid fuel vehicles that can run on gasoline and ethanol allow the consumer to choose based on price.  Electricity must be generated and is often very expensive and is also subject to shortages.

Answer 8

I don't believe it is "the" answer, but it is an alternative.  As with any source, supply is always an issue.  The most available source is Hydrogen, but dangers and technology are creating delays.  Solar energy is also an alternative, but again technology is not sufficient to utilize the need.

Answer 9

OK Mr Skeptic, How come they can do it in Brazil, and it works fine there!  Brazil is completely self sufficient for

motor fuel. The E85 system works there.  Check it out.

Now put E85 in a Modified HYBRID like Toyota/Honda even Ford and GM. Now your talking efficient use of

energy.  It all goes so SLOW here in America. And crops

can be irigated, it just takes planning.