Comments on: values http://www.paulbeard.org/wordpress/2008/04/29/values/ "The art of writing is the art of discovering what you believe."-- Gustave Flaubert Fri, 30 Jul 2010 03:30:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Lewis http://www.paulbeard.org/wordpress/2008/04/29/values/comment-page-1/#comment-384838 Lewis Tue, 06 May 2008 18:50:45 +0000 http://paulbeard.org/wordpress/index.php/archives/2008/04/29/values/#comment-384838 I am endlessly hopeful in the promise of cellulosic ethanol derived from non-food stock. Switchgrass requires almost no care and yields far greater fuel. Wood and other pulp wastes will be similarly effective. I don't think corn-based ethanol is even "in the black" when it comes to net positive energy output. It takes more energy to make than it yields when you factor in production and fertilizer energy expenditure. I met a guy on an airplane a few months ago who said his son made more in his few years on a farm than he (the Dad) made in 30 years in the military. How? Corn subsidies for ethanol. More power to the boy-child I guess, but there does seem to be an impedance mismatch when we're diverting food for subsidized ethanol and simultaneously pushing back on higher fuel efficiency standards. Where is the return on investment in that equation? I am endlessly hopeful in the promise of cellulosic ethanol derived from non-food stock. Switchgrass requires almost no care and yields far greater fuel. Wood and other pulp wastes will be similarly effective. I don’t think corn-based ethanol is even “in the black” when it comes to net positive energy output. It takes more energy to make than it yields when you factor in production and fertilizer energy expenditure.

I met a guy on an airplane a few months ago who said his son made more in his few years on a farm than he (the Dad) made in 30 years in the military. How? Corn subsidies for ethanol. More power to the boy-child I guess, but there does seem to be an impedance mismatch when we’re diverting food for subsidized ethanol and simultaneously pushing back on higher fuel efficiency standards. Where is the return on investment in that equation?

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