Ethanol: The Fuel That Powers Putin
The United States is supporting Ukraine with aid and weapons and punishing Russian aggression with financial and economic sanctions. But the United States can do more to resolve the global crisis caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine: It can end the ethanol program.
For decades, the U.S. government has, at great expense, encouraged farmers to grow more corn so that it can be turned into ethanol, a gasoline additive. Ethanol makers receive all kinds of grants and subsidies. Federal regulations require ethanol to be blended into gasoline, creating a giant industry that would not exist without large subsidies and imperious mandates. Americas largest ethanol company earned annual revenues of $8 billion pre-pandemic. Demand from the ethanol industry, in turn, bids up the price of corn, and the income of those who farm it.
Ethanol has become a Washington joke. John McCain often quipped that he started his day with a glass of ethanol. Who could blame him? The ethanol program is a giveaway so big, so entrenched, and so wasteful that laughter might seem like the best response. But as we laugh, were missing that Americas ethanol madness has strengthened Russias grip upon the worlds food supply.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/03/gas-prices-ethanol-subsidies-putin/627053/?utm_source=feed
Walleye
(31,006 posts)We may not want them to be our enemy but they sure as heck want us to be theirs. At least Putin does
stopdiggin
(11,292 posts)I suppose there is some way (by various contortion) that we can tie peanut butter and Happy Meals to Putin ....
Martin68
(22,781 posts)calimary
(81,198 posts)Blues Heron
(5,931 posts)big bad imperious ethanol! All kinds of grants and subsidies!! God forbid we wean ourselves off the terror juice.
Like the oil giants don't get grants and subsidies. Right.
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)It's just a scam.
Blues Heron
(5,931 posts)Maybe you have different numbers? What are you basing your statement on?
This is a report from Stanford
http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2014/ph240/dikeou1/docs/ethanolnetenergy.pdf
the production of ethanol from corn is a positive net energy generator. Indeed,
the numbers look even more attractive now than they did in
1992. More energy is contained in the ethanol and the other
by-products of corn processing than is used to grow the corn
and convert it into ethanol and by-products.
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)https://www.environmentalleader.com/2016/08/is-ethanol-better-or-worse-for-the-environment/
https://e360.yale.edu/features/the_case_against_ethanol_bad_for_environment
https://www.investors.com/politics/editorials/ethanol-environment-damage/
Blues Heron
(5,931 posts)gay texan
(2,440 posts)It's a pretty decent race fuel.
IbogaProject
(2,804 posts)Brazil has cheep ethanol from sugarcain bagass a waste product. No food crop displacement.
stopdiggin
(11,292 posts)glossed over. Ethanol can be produced out of many different organic sources. It might be a bit premature to throw the baby out with the bathwater.