Meanwhile, fifty percent of the vehicles in Brazil are running on ethanol.
They saw the problem coming, and dared to defy the oil companies years ago. Our illustrious leaders had to have seen the problem coming; but liked the campaign contributions(and their own stock portfolio) more than their country, apparently.
Incidently, I heard today that soy biodiesel is reportedly getting BETTER mileage than regular diesel fuel...a test is being planned. Yet another new plant was just announced here today...they (and the ethanol plants) are springing up like tulips.
Please read this report from a couple months ago.
Brazil Sugar Ethanol Update – February 2006, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service">
It reports that ethanol accounts for approximately 15% of the fuel used in Brazil.
What Brazil has done that made the biggest difference in the last decade was start producing much more of its petroleum resouces. If you will look at the following link, you will see how they quit needing foreign oil.