You have to have a certain type of engine to run E85 anyway don't you?

Yes.

We've got oil too. I say screw the Caribou, lets start drilling in Alaska.

2.8 gallons of ethanol/Bushel of Corn.

U.S. Corn Production 9-10 Billion Bushels per year.

Annual U.S. Gasoline Consumption = 21.9 Billion gallons per year

If all the Corn in the U.S. (at today's production levels) were converted to ethanol (process leaves high quality feed byproduct), we would generate ~26.6 billion gallons of ethanol per year. Approximately 21% greater than our current gasoline consumption and 36% greater than the quantity needed to completely convert to E85.

In 2000, the U.S. produced approximately 35% of our total oil consumption. If we could reduce our gasoline consumption 85%, we would be nearly independent from foreign oil producers.

This should be a larger issue in Washington but seems to be largely ignored. There is no excuse for allowing new vehicles to be produced without flex fuel engines.

what he said

corn is only a gas saving supplement.



it's no solution ... in the short or long term.

and how much oil/gas must be used to grow all the corn?

You're assuming that ethanol is as efficient an energy source as gasoline.

It is not, not by a long shot.

So, we'd all starve and still not have enough ethanol to power our vehicles.

Sorry, but like I said, a good supplement but not a replacement for gasoline.

Uh, I don't know if you noticed but... sun, soil, and rain cause corn to grow. Not oil.

Please tell me you're kidding.

There is a net energy loss in producing ethanol. In other words, more energy is required to produce it than is left in the final product.

Perhaps you missed the part about being able to outproduce our current demand buy 36%. E85 vehicles are typically approximately 20-30% less efficient overall.

We already are.

does a magic fairy come along and fertilize?

do hobbits come along and harvest?


and who processes ... little bo peep?




saw a report somewhere that said it takes 1 and 1/4 gallons of gas to produce a gallon of ethanol. That report was old ... but it's still fairly applicable.

And that thing they are using to plant the corn runs on what...

And the stuff they put into the ground that makes the 300 bushel per acre corn is made out of what....

And the liquid they spray to keep all the little buggies and weeds out of the corn is created from....

You only get one guess now...it has 3 letters...starts with an o...

by the way if ethanal is 20 to 30% less efficient - and it takes 3 quarters of a gallon of corn to make one gallan of ethanol...

Where are the savings?