Text 1488, 88 rader
Skriven 2006-06-03 16:35:00 av Robert E Starr JR (1934.babylon5)
Ärende: Re: Atheists: America's m
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* * * This message was from Kurt Ullman to rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.m * * *
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In article <fhs1825ld8m76n7057qm076qknt06s1fpu@4ax.com>,
 Josh Hill <usereplyto@gmail.com> wrote:

>
> See my reply to Kurt. Not really high, but much higher than it would
> have been had Bush not delayed action for eight years.
> 
> For example, 50% of cars are off the road after eight years, 66% of
> after ten. And it costs next to nothing to make a car that will run
> off ethanol. So if you allow yourself enough time, you don't have to
> scrap /any/ cars that weren't about to be scrapped. But if you delay,
> you get
   Cars, but how about other costs. I live in Indiana where the Gov has 
decided to push Ethanol production as a econ development with "no 
impact". Of course not... 
  However: David Pimental, a leading Cornell University agricultural 
expert, has calculated that powering the average U.S. automobile for one 
year on ethanol (blended with gasoline) derived from corn would require 
11 acres of farmland, the same space needed to grow a year's supply of 
food for seven people. Adding up the energy costs of corn production and 
its conversion into ethanol, 131,000 BTUs are needed to make one gallon 
of ethanol. One gallon of ethanol has an energy value of only 77,000 
BTUS. 

     THIS tidbit is especially damning to the usefulness in real life. 
_>Thus, 70 percent more energy is required to produce ethanol than the 
energy that actually is in it. Every time you make one gallon of 
ethanol, there is a net energy loss of 54,000 BTUs.

  In addition Mr. P notes that powering the average U.S. automobile for 
one year on ethanol (blended with gasoline) derived from corn would 
require 11 acres of farmland, t***he same space needed to grow a year's 
supply of food for seven people***. (emphasis mine) 

His findings are published in the September, 2001 issue of the 
Encyclopedia of Physical Sciences and Technology .
Among his findings are:

  Another interesting fact
Most economic analyses of corn-to-ethanol production overlook the costs 
of environmental damages, which Pimentel says should add another 23 
cents per gallon. "Corn production in the U.S. erodes soil about 12 
times faster than the soil can be reformed, and irrigating corn mines 
groundwater 25 percent faster than the natural recharge rate of ground 
water. The environmental system in which corn is being produced is being 
rapidly degraded. Corn should not be considered a renewable resource for 
ethanol energy production, especially when human food is being converted 
into ethanol".

The approximately $1 billion a year in current federal and state 
subsidies (mainly to large corporations) for ethanol production are not 
the only costs to consumers, the Cornell scientist observes. Subsidized 
corn results in higher prices for meat, milk and eggs because about 70 
percent of corn grain is fed to livestock and poultry in the United 
States. Increasing ethanol production would further inflate corn prices, 
Pimentel says, noting: "In addition to paying tax dollars for ethanol 
subsidies, consumers would be paying significantly higher food prices in 
the marketplace".

     I also saw something that noted if all the capacity being proposed 
in Indiana actually gets on line, it would take well over half of 
current corn yeild to stock. 

> One year for corporate pigsters to fight new regulations in court
    That's my Josh, the eternal optomist. Heck we would be lucky to get 
the paperwork to schedule the trial in one year. 


> Three years for Detroit to convert production lines to flex fuel
> 
> So you aren't even beginning the transition for seven years. Then too,
> you have to build a pilot plant to /make/ the ethanol, and then the
> production plants, and the oil companies have to make arrangements to
> incorporate and distribute it, and you know they're going to drag
> their feet and fight every inch of the way.
   Why? There are currently 10 plants on the boards or under 
construction in Indiana alone. There should no ramp up. This is hardly 
new technology. In fact, most of this is just one step away from 
Moonshine.
                                        
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