Many believe that corn is for eating and should not be used as a fuel in Americans’ autos. There are also many who believe that corn is essential to providing an alternative to OPEC by providing ethanol as the solution.
Biomass is a plant matter used to create energy. For example, ethanol is a fuel that can be made from plants such as switch grass, and at one time was seen by the government as a solution to reducing America’s dependency on foreign oil. “E10”, a blend of 90 percent gasoline and 10 percent ethanol, is in use throughout the US. Most cars can run on E10. “E85” is a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, known as “flex fuel”, and can power some automobile engines as well.
Biomass Pros:
1) Ethanol can be used to make a variety of fuels to generate electricity. 2) Ethanol can be used for the production of chemical products. 3) Ethanol is an abundant natural resource.
Biomass Cons:
1) Biocrops have a higher value than food; therefore they can detract from food production, leading to food shortages and increased prices for food. 2) Many pollutants are released into the atmosphere in the production of ethanol. 3) Ethanol fuels have been heavily subsidized by the US government.
According the Wall Street Journal, August 17-18, 2013, “One of the biggest debacles has been the law’s (Renewable Fuel Standard, RFS) requirement that the oil and gas industry mix cellulosic ethanol—made from the like of switch grass and wood chips—into gasoline. The original law mandated the use of one billion gallons of cellulosic fuel in 2013, with even higher levels through 2022. This may have been the worst government forecast in history, which is saying something. Even with taxpayer subsidies…The government was off by a mere 99.9%.”
Should the mandate be repealed? Are you using ethanol or do you have plans to use ethanol?
These are some of the many questions that everyone should answer for planning our energy future.
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