[XCSSA] ROEI: Ethanol vs. ADM vs. Return on Energy Investment vs. PHILL

[xcssa@xcssa.org]

All:

Ethanol from corn?  Humm ... look at the players behind the
scenes and how the Hegelian dialectic is being pushed/
blitz via the media ...

Eisenhower warned us -- in his Jan 1961 parting TV speach --
about the dangers of the military industrial complex -- a
pathelogical feedback loop of government contracts, contractors,
and contractors buying laws from congress critters for more
contracts.

A similar algorithm/game-plan is playing out with the Ethanol
crowd and the associated industries.  A recent policy analysis
and energy discussion in SolarToday magazine addressed 
ethanol "ROEI" -- return on energy investment -- of converting 
to ethanol -- esp. ethanol from corn.  See:

 http://www.solartoday.org/2007/may_june07/counterpoint.htm

The big agri-biz concerns -- most notabily Archer-Danials-
Midland (ADM) -- are a big buyers of congress critters and 
favorable law/subsidy treatments.  And ADM et. al. are 
also big buyers of ad time and media blitz pieces to "educate"
the public toward their industrial sector needs/wants.

The last thing ADM and their friends want to hear about is
ethanol from SwitchGrass or other, more environmentally 
friendly ethanol feeder crops.  No Fed subsidy, no interest,
active thwartation.  Just like the defense contracts feedback 
loop Eisenhower warned of in Jan 1961.

SOLUTION?  Eventually the economy will re-assert is sovereign
right to rule -- thru wild price manifestations -- and with or 
without the law/subsidy monkey biz of congress and their 
lobbiests.  With a little mutual education, smarter shopping, 
and change in buying/use habits, we can all make this economic 
transition more graceful -- if not on a national scale, then 
on a local scale for yourself or your family.

An excellent, 2-5 year alternative to the ethanol feed-stock
bias, you might look at natural gas powered car and a "PHILL"
unit at your house.  See:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2007-05-08-natural-gas-usat_N.htm

And:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2006-06-06-alternative-fuel-usat_x.htm

Key quotes:

"Natural gas creates so few emissions that Civic GX is the 
 cleanest internal-combustion powered car on the road. It's
 greener than a Toyota Prius gasoline-electric hybrid and 
 tied with the Civic hybrid, according to the Energy 
 Department rankings for 2007 models."

"Natural gas is about 50% cheaper than regular gasoline when 
 purchased at home. (At a refueling station, the savings are 
 about 25%.) Natural gas burns more cleanly than regular gas. 
 And buyers are eligible for a $4,000 tax break."

Fuel for thought.
--------------------------------------------

> 
> Studies show that the energy return on grain ethanol, such as ethanol  
> from corn, isn't that good.  Some studies by Pimental show that it's  
> a net energy loss; you put more fuel into making the ethanol (running  
> farm machinery, distillers, etc.) than you get out of it.  Put in one  
> energy unit of normal diesel fuel, get 0.9 units of energy out in the  
> form of ethanol.  If there is no drought.  Others studies show that  
> there's a very small net gain.  Even if it's a small gain, like 1.2  
> units of energy out for each 1 unit of energy in, is that worth all  
> the externalities (such as: rising prices for food, people going  
> hungry, reducing water supply, clearing more forests for farmland,  
> etc.) just for that marginal increase in energy?
> 
> I think it's worse than a boondoggle because it's diverting attention  
> and resources from real solutions.  And giving some people a false  
> sense of security, and others a false sense of accomplishment.
>