The new ethanol mantra: American as apple pie?

In the battle for congressional funding, sounding the national security alarm is a proven winner.

So it is that the Renewable Fuels Association--yes, there's a trade group for everything under the sun, folks--is arguing that renewable fuel is "critical to reducing dangers associated to increasing foreign oil dependence."

That's the headline of a press release which crossed the wires earlier today. And to be fair, you can make a strong argument that energy alternatives, which include renewable fuels, offer a way out of our reliance upon Middle Eastern (and Venezuelan) oil.

The problem with ethanol, as I and others have written in this space, is that it's only a half measure--and an expensive one. Not to mention that there's an opportunity cost: Inefficient investments in biofuels means that those same billions of dollars don't go into developing better ways of generating energy.

But so far, the RFA's argument is working. Ethanol production is moving full speed ahead, thanks in part to huge government subsidies. Based on the RFA's own statistics, ethanol capacity in this country increased by 1.1 billion gallons last year and by about 700 million gallons more through July.

Back to Washington today where the RFA trotted out choice quotes from a seminar featuring former Director of Central Intelligence R. James Woolsey. I suppose we're meant to be impressed, but the CIA doesn't have the best of reputations these days. And in case you weren't paying close attention, Woolsey was one of the talking heads regularly featured on cable television during the run-up to the Iraq War warning about WMD stockpiles. (His predictive track record for the post-war period was similarly unimpressive.)

But maybe if Iraq was overflowing with ethanol it would have been worth it? Just kidding.

[Commander_Spock]

Can't depend on the "CIA's" info... then why not ask the Brazilians...

... about ETHANOL 85 (E85)!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksFqjI3gyAo

Just what is inside/beneath that "jungle"!!!

So, how goes the State of the Union of the Americas and the Caribbean running on E85 - It Must Be Very Strong.

[billmosby]

Could ultimately reduce energy consumption...

If ethanol production grows to the point where enough people
starve to death. Just because we can cut back on meat (and
hence corn) consumption doesn't mean that once the ethanol
producers get through buying up "all" the corn that they can't
start growing it on land used for other crops. With big enough
subsidies, they can grow it anywhere in their fruitless quest to
make a dent in our energy supply problem.

There really is no end to the stupidity of our corn-fed political
system, is there?

[sabot96]

10% Less Oil Usage Today

Todays cars can run on a mixture of 90% gas and 10% Ethanol. Without any changes. Today we could lower our dependence on foreign oil by 10%. That is if we had enough Ethanol. I just don't understand the almost venoms tone of this article. Between Ethanol and Biodesel we could make a nice dent in the 50% of oil we have to import. It would seem wise to make that effort.

[billmosby]

Because...

Most of us still just don't believe that ethanol is a net energy
producer, and thus think it's a scheme to keep on using imported
oil in making the ethanol while lining certain pockets with cash for
providing the service, and at the same time costing us a lot more
for food. Does that clear it up for you?