"We need to be going to ethanol."
That's a no-win idea.
It takes more energy to plant, fertilize, harvest, and refine the corn into ethanol than you get from burning the ethanol in your car.
"t takes more energy to plant, fertilize, harvest, and refine the corn into ethanol than you get from burning the ethanol in your car."
I've heard similar statements, but I've never seen any categorical data on that analysis. Know where I could find any?
From www.iowacorn.org/ethanol/ethanol
Q: Will we deplete human and animal food supplies by using corn and other grains for fuel production?
A: No, actually the production of ethanol from corn uses only the starch of the corn kernel. All of the valuable protein, minerals and nutrients remain. One bushel of corn produces about 2.7 gallons of ethanol AND 11.4 pounds of gluten feed (20% protein) AND 3 pounds of gluten meal (60% protein) AND 1.6 pounds of corn oil.
So, you get all that other stuff PLUS 2.7 gallons of ethanol / bushel. I don't know what corn prices are right now, but they're probably somewhere in the $4 something / bushel range.
Granted, when gas was <$2.00 / gal, it wasn't feasible. It may not even be now. But at some price point it will be.
Depends on how you work the numbers. Most of that corn is going to be grown anyways. Making ethanol out of it provides a fuel source that most people forget about, cattle feed. It is actually better for the cows to eat distillers grains, than raw corn. Higher protein and lower carbs. The biggest profit in an ethanol plant comes from the feed side. In fact, there are a number of ethanol plants that exist primarily to produce feed.