Quote:
Originally Posted by MerlinX";p="
• Pure ethanol has about a 30% lower energy content than gasoline. Less miles per gallon potentially makes it less cost effective depending on the current price of gasoline.
• Millions of additional acres of land would be needed to grow the necessary raw materials for ethanol to be used to replace gasoline.
• Ethanol production may make fuel costs less expensive but other costs would be raised as a result. To use just one example, the cost of corn is already projected to rise significantly just based on current ethanol demand. Corn is used to feed cattle, so this this in turn translates to higher beef prices.
Ethanol may be a viable option, but to think that we can just jump into 100% usage overnight (without serious consequences), is not realistic at this time.
|
I think you're mostly right. However, estimates indicate that even when excluding the facts that will make it unbelievably expensive in the short-run (at least the short-run that is) Ethanol will still be more expensive to make. This also includes what you already stated that it has not the power of gas, has a higher gallon ratio with gas and has practically no consumer market. The truth of the matter is gas is better than ethanol in every way, it's more powerful, requires less for the same range as ethanol and it's cheaper and faster to make. Nothing yet has even come close the great fuel that is gasoline (or diesel for that matter). The question here is can they develop this new industry into one that is efficient, productive and cheap enough to supply the majority of cars with fuel. This is a staggering task. I personally don't care if they switch cars over to ethanol as long as they don't touch the muscle cars. A-B cars can use other gas and most people wouldn't give a (*)(*)(*)(*) but they better not touch the muscle car industry.