Thursday, February 1, 2007
a problem with ethanol
Here's a moral dilemma. We've got to stop using gasoline, because it's made from oil, and you know all the problems with that: global warming, peak oil, Middle Eastern sources. But if we try to switch to ethanol, then our increased demand raises the price of corn, which has now gotten so high that Mexicans are having a hard time affording tortillas--a staple of the national diet, and a major source of protein for many poor Mexicans. And what on earth will we concerned Americans do now? Is there any ethical solution? I mean, we hate to be taking food out of the mouths of the poor, but we've got to have something to power our SUVs.
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2 comments:
Ethanol isn't a very efficient form of energy, anyway. We had a speaker at St. Olaf who talked about the economic impossibility of converting ethanol into a viable energy source, given that it simply does not give off enough energy in comparison with other fuels. Ethanol is not the answer.
A couple of good resources on the subject: An explanation of ethanol EROEI and Questions for evaluating alternative energy. You're right, Ginna -- ethanol is very inefficient compared to petrofuels. That's why the most important solution is the elephant in the room that nobody wants to talk about: conservation.
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