The Truth About Cars » Bio-fuels

Alternative Energy Funding Drying Up

Justin Berkowitz — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 12:46:09 +0000

The New York Times reports that a casualty of lower oil and gas prices: interest in funding renewable energy projects. Among the Times’ laundry list of programs hurting for money: Tesla (duh), corn ethanol (hooray), other biofuels, and wind and solar power. The financial troubles are the consequence of a pretty simple financial concept - [...]

E85 Boondoggle of Day: 7th Grader Just Says No To Corn

Robert Farago — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 21:01:05 +0000

Editor: Nearly all the ethanol brewed in the United States is from yellow feed corn; while development into green technology may be hailed by conservationists, it may produce little if any benefit to our lives, and may even trouble them. Consider the points: If a gallon of gasoline had a price tag of $3.03 (ah, [...]

E85 Boondoggle of the Day: Fear And Loathing On The Campaign Trail

Edward Niedermeyer — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:46:51 +0000

There is no greater condemnation of an industry's lack of competitive spirit than seeing its executives hanging around political conventions. Their sudden interest in the future direction of America sends a single resounding message: we have failed on our merits and our misery demands company. And while Detroit snuggles up to [...]

E85 Boondoggle of the Day: Good To The Last Cob

Edward Niedermeyer — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:32:20 +0000

It's always fun to see analysts justify their way to a predetermined conclusion, especially when the facts do not come close supporting it. At the usually on-point SeekingAlpha blog, Tim Plaehn tries his hand at another round of corn juice justification, this time with a new twist: cobs, baby. Claiming that high food prices [...]

E85 Boondoggle Of The Day: Cost-Benefit Analysis

Edward Niedermeyer — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:41:02 +0000

Government fleet purchases are a major factor in keeping the ethanol crazy-train rolling. Not to mention damning evidence of ethanol's inviability on the free market. But even local governments who hoped that cheap ethanol would reduce costs and support energy independence are beginning to realize that switching to corn juice just [...]

How to Run an Autocross Using Fuel You Made in Your Apartment for Less Than $100

Mike Solowiow — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 03:49:48 +0000

Wesson veggie oil, lye, high quality methanol, an old margarita mixer, and some patience; thats all you need to create your own batch of pure biodiesel, suitable for use in your average two-year old, raceworthy Jetta TDI. Sure, it looked more like something you would dip your bread in at Olive Garden, but I was [...]

Whisky Tango Foxtrot, British Style

Frank Williams — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:51:46 +0000

Those wacky Brits– you never know just what they'll try next. From Motor Trader comes a report that farmer Steve Burgess has become the first person to cross the Bering Strait in a land vehicle. He floated across the 56-mile stretch from Russia to Alaska in a Land Rover Defender equipped with pontoons, [...]

More GM Greenwashing for the Kids

Frank Williams — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:07:00 +0000

Those of you headed to the California State Fair this month can take the kiddies along for brainwashing "a new eco-friendly show" at the "Buick-Pontiac-GMC Rainforest Pavilion." What the division that produces some of GM's biggest and thirstiest vehicles has to do with the rainforest escapes me at the moment, but the "'green' fun" [...]

E85 Boondoogle of the Day: “Let Them Eat Rice”

Edward Niedermeyer — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 20:16:17 +0000

In a recent interview with the Weekly Standard, Iowa Senator Charles Grassley weighed-in on the food-for-fuel debate. "If part of our problem is that the Chinese are going to eat meat and you've got to have corn and soybeans to feed the Chinese their meat, then why isn't it just as legitimate [...]

Volt Birth Watch 70 / Tesla Death Watch 14 / Karma Birth Watch 2: Toyota’s Death Watch

Paul Niedermeyer — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 16:18:02 +0000

Turns out TTAC isn't alone with its Tesla Death Watch and Volt Birth Watch series: Toyota has its own going. EV World's (sub) Bill Moore got this and a few other juicy tidbits from a casual conversation with Toyota's "grumpy old man" Bill Reinert, National Manager of the Advanced Technology Group. Toyota has [...]

E85 Boondoggle Of The Day: Undersupply

Edward Niedermeyer — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:08:15 +0000

Back in the day, T. Boone Pickens questioned why his then-boss, presidential nominee Bob Dole supported ethanol. Dole's answer was telling. "Let me explain something to you about politics," the Kansas Republican replied. "There are 21 farm states, and that's 42 senators. Don't waste any more of our time or your time [...]

Biogas from Biomass

Frank Williams — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:49:46 +0000

Bioethanol is so last year. Biomass Magazine (yes, there really is such a publication) reports the latest research in biofuels is directed at producing "green hydrocarbon fuels.' While biodiesel is becoming relatively commonplace, it's based on oils derived from plants and animal fats. Green hydrocarbon fuels are second-generation biofuels made from the [...]

China Builds Tung Tree Oil Biodiesel Plants

Robert Farago — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:11:46 +0000

Industrialinfo.com [sub] reports that China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has approved three biodiesel plants to convert tung tree nuts into fuel. For those in love with Google Earth, the plants will open in Nanchong (Sichuan province), Guizhou province and Beijing (Hainan province). The "demonstration projects" are set to yield just 50 [...]

E85 Boondoggle of the Day: Biofuels Drive Food Price Up 75%

Richard Chen — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 19:48:14 +0000

According to the The Guardian, a [formerly] secret study completed by the World Bank has concluded biofuels are responsible for \75 percent of the recent run-up in world food prices. [A yet-to-be-released British Study reportedly came to the same conclusion, contradicting a U.S. government study concluding that food-for-fuel accounted for just two to three percent of that increase,] According to the British newspaper, the World Bank withheld the study to avoid embarrassing President Bush and the U.S. Government at next week's [non-Pontiac] G8 summit, at which Uncle Sam has full veto powers (sort of like Ford Motor Company and the few fortunate recipients of Crazy Henry's genes.) Leaders at the summit will be under pressure to cut back their biofuels mandates to avoid worsening the ongoing food shortage, which has been called "the first real economic crisis of globalization." The truth will out?

E85 Boondoggle of the Day: Ethanol Suppliers Go Belly-Up

Edward Niedermeyer — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:16:37 +0000

While we wait for automaker bankruptcy filings, we have a little schadenfreude from a different (but equally deserving) sector to keep you going. Reuters reports that spiraling foodstock costs are tearing a giant hole in profit margins for domestic ethanol suppliers, causing a spate of bankruptcy filings. Corn (the main ingredient for domestically-produced ethanol) was already hitting record prices before the recent deluge in the Midwest. Post-flooding price spikes have wrought havoc on the whole ethanol business plan. Alex Moglia of Moglia Advisors, a biofuel consultancy group, tells Reuters that 12 biodiesel and ethanol plants have declared bankruptcy in recent months, with more to follow. The plants that are still open are typically producing at about half capacity, says Moglia. Ironically, a major problem for domestic ethanol producers is the transportation of their fuel. The majority of ethanol refineries are in the Midwest, which has a massive oversupply of corn juice. High fuel costs are preventing America's alternative fuel from reaching larger markets on either coast at competitive prices. Ultimately, the big boys of ethanol-- your ADMs, and VersaSuns-- will survive the hard times for ethanol producers, thanks to agribusiness diversification. It's the little guys that are being forced out of business, as reality begins to hit home for America's "magic fuel." Even so, their elected officials are probably lobbying for bailouts as we speak.

Americans Change Habits, Blame Others For High Gas Prices

Edward Niedermeyer — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 21:02:33 +0000

Consumer Reports have a brand-spankety new survey out, and it says that Americans can tell that gas is expensive. Oh yeah, and that they might do something about it. Survey says that four-dollar gas™ has 79 percent of us car-shopping Yanks wanting a "car with better fuel economy," and 74 percent driving less to keep costs down. Even though the respondent-identified $4.32 per gallon "tipping point when drivers would further drastically curtail driving" is only upon those of us on the left coast, a full 80 percent of prospective buyers are considering a "diesel, flex-fuel, or hybrid vehicle." Too bad those numbers aren't broken down between those three very different options. So America has taken notice of pricey gas, but the real question is who do Americans blame? And the answers are as unimaginative as you might expect, with the federal government (77 percent), oil companies (75 percent), foreign oil producers (70 percent), and Middle East conflict (68 percent), taking the rap for pain at the pump. When asked what the feds should do to fix the mess, 90 percent say "increase support for alternative energy development", 84 percent say "negotiate lower prices with oil-exporting nations", 83 percent say "encourage conservation through tax incentives for alternative transportation", while 81 percent want to "allow more drilling in the U.S. and offshore." Interestingly, "Putin-style nationalization of oil firms" and "wholesale invasion of the middle east" weren't polled, suggesting there might not be convenient solutions to scapegoats number two, three and four.

Whatever Happened To… The Gas Turbine Engine

Frank Williams — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:01:44 +0000

Forty or fifty years ago, every manufacturer built concept cars with alternative-- and sometimes pretty outlandish-- power plants (small nuclear reactor, anyone?). The gas turbine was a popular choice. GM, Ford and Chrysler were all deeply involved in gas turbine research, stretching back to the late '40s and early '50s. In 1963, Chrysler built a fleet of 50 distinctively-styled turbine-powered cars and gave them to consumers to generate real-world feedback. Turbine engines were the wave of the future-- a technologically-advanced powerplant that could run on anything combustible that would flow through a pipe, from kerosene to perfume. Chrysler's test program racked-up over 1.1m miles. They continued turbine engine research until the mid 70s, when they actually planned to put a turbine into production. Then, suddenly, nothing. Chrysler's financial problems led to government loan guarantees that included stipulations that they abandon plans to produce turbines (too risky). GM and Ford had long-since been distracted by other shiny objects like rotary engines and winning LeMans. So turbine engine research halted. With all the emphasis now on alternative fuels, perhaps it's time to revive an engine that can run on hydrogen, biofuels, petroleum distillates or even coal dust. Combined with modern engine-control technology, it could be worth a second look. Or not.

25 X 25. What’s in YOUR Wallet?

Edward Niedermeyer — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:05:56 +0000

A widely touted goal of the environmental movement: increasing American's percentage of renewable energy use to 25 percent by 2025. According to a report by the RAND corporation, meeting the so-called "25 by 25" goal without significant consumer cost will require "major technological developments." Green Car Congress reports that 9.5 percent of electricity and 1.6 percent of motor vehicle fuel currently comes from renewable energy sources. The RAND report identifies biomass and wind energy as the two greatest opportunities for meeting the 25 by 25 goal. But it also points out that both require significant improvement to make a low-cost impact on renewable energy usage. For motor vehicles in particular, biomass-based (non-foodstock) "second-gen" biofuels must become significantly cheaper and more prevalent. Reducing renewable fuel goals to 10 or 15 percent by 2025 would also disproportionately reduce consumer expenses. Then again, the higher the cost to consumers, the more competitive renewable fuels become. The preceeding was brought to you by the Energy Future Coalition of UAW Boss Ron Gettelfinger's "Marshall Plan" fame. Over to you, taxpayers.

Obama Hates Oil Speculators, Hearts Ethanol

Samir Syed — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:04:51 +0000

Bloomberg reports that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is proposing new rules to increase government interven... err... oversight in energy markets. He wants to "require the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission to regulate trading in energy futures contracts and direct the commission to investigate ways to lessen speculation, such as increasing margin requirements." As oil takes an extended sojourn in the neighborhood of $135/barrel, Obama joins the growing chorus blaming high oil prices on greedy speculators. While Sen. Obama rails against the "Enron loophole"-- allowing energy speculators to speculate without Uncle Sam riding herd-- he's also busy promoting ethanol. And ethanol is promoting him. According to the New York Times, one of Obama's advisors, Tom Daschle (yes, that one), identifies himself as a man who spends "a substantial amount of time providing strategic and policy advice to clients in renewable energy." (That's a lobbyist, to you and me.) Obama's also traveled on a corporate jet owned by "Archer Daniels Midland, which is the nation's largest ethanol producer and is based in his home state;" not-so-coincidentally the nation's second-largest corn producing state. In fairness to Senator Obama... no, that's all I got.

E85 Boondoggle of the Day: Just Give Us Land, Lots of Land

Robert Farago — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:39:26 +0000

In an excellent E85 editorial we published two years ago, Michael Karesh pointed out that U.S. corn growers would need a landmass nearly the size of Texas to make a significant dent in American gas consumption. And now a lot of the existing corn-growing land is under water. Ethanol opponents reckon the recent flooding will mean that even more of the current corn crop will be devoted to E85 production-- driving-up food prices even further, faster. They want the feds to suspend its ethanol "mandate" (i.e. .51 per gallon subsidy, tariffs on imported ethanol, price supports, CAFE credits, etc.). That little piece of business currently stands at a directive for 15 billion gallons of biofuels by 2015, and 21 billion gallons by 2022. The ethanol industry says HELL NO. Instead, they want the feds to release protected land for their ~~profit~~ patriotic efforts. According to The Detroit News, "Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa... and other farm state members of Congress argue that the Agriculture Department should allow more planting in 35 million acres of conservation land as a way to help ease the price increases." It just gets worse.

E85 Boondoggle of the Day: Gas Prices “Force” Americans to Push for Ethanol Fuel

Robert Farago — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:45:14 +0000

That's the headline on the press release sent by EPIC, the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council. Apparently, "Motorists are frustrated and angry about high gas prices. Everyone is feeling the pinch at the pump, which really underscores our need for biofuels," claims Toni Nuernberg, EPIC's exec director. "As gas prices continue to skyrocket, we must continue the push for the only current transportation energy option we have today-biofuels." Yes, well, by their own admission, EPIC's Royal "we" represents little more than the ethanol industry and wishful thinking. In a not-so-epic EPIC survey on gas prices, only 11 percent of 1004 online (opt in) respondents said they were "taking action to use and support [emphasis added] non-oil based energy." Some 47 percent they'd "like to" and a whopping 43 percent "no, I have not considered this." Anyway, I called Robert White, EPIC's Deputy Director, to ask how soaring gas prices worked in his members' favor. I was surprised to discover EPIC disagrees with the AAA; E85 is cheaper than regular gas! But wait, there's more...

E85 Boondoggle of the Day: Bill O’Reilly Preaches the Ethanol Gospel

Robert Farago — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:28:01 +0000

"If Brazil can do it, we can do it; it's as simple as that." Needless to say, Fox News' demagogue-in-chief Bill O'Reilly made this asinine assertion on energy independence while berating a couple of news blonds with his usual steam-roller-like tact, anti-intellectual insights and megalomaniacal aplomb. Ignoring differences in climate (Brazil's ethanol production is based on sugar cane), speaking over pictures of a Chevy FlexFuel Tahoe, Bill O told his acolytes (repeatedly) that we "have to get away from this oil-based economy." Why Brazil's just itching to rescue us from the oil thugs with cheap imported ethanol. But evil Congress is placing restrictive tariffs on our liquid salvation on behalf of... Big Oil. Sooooo close Mr. Bill (correct answer: the farm lobby). One of the news blonds almost dared challenge O'Reilly on the ethanol front-- more energy in than out, dependence on oil to create it, deforestation, boondoggles, etc.-- but didn't. Hey Bill. If you want a real fight on this issue, drop us a line.

Is There SwiftFuel in Your Future?

William C Montgomery — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:55:26 +0000

Computer industry pundit, columnist, documentary film maker, small airplane pilot, classic car enthusiast and former international oil industry correspondent Robert X. Cringely is talking up SwiftFuel. Just in case the name isn't catchy enough (the fuel, not the author), Cringley calls sorghum-based go-juice “The Splenda of motor fuels." "It has an octane rating of 104 (higher than the 100 octane fuel it replaces) yet contains no lead or ethanol. SwiftFuel mixes with gasoline, can be stored in the same tanks as gasoline, and be shipped in the same pipelines as gasoline.” Swift Enterprises claims the sorghum brew yields six times as much fuel per acre as corn and delivers get up to 20 percent better gas mileage than... gas. They're currently selling the alt fuel as a replacement for leaded gasoline in small airplanes. Too good to be true? Cringely doesn’t address many of the problems associated with the whole agricultural feed-into-fuel deal: converting wilderness into farmland, fresh water consumption, the use of pesticides and fertilizers, energy required to convert the biomass into SwiftFuel, etc. Despite E85's rough ride (here and elsewhere), look for more of this outside-the-oil-well thinking as oil prices escalate.

NYT: End Tariffs on Brazilian Ethanol

Robert Farago — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:12:58 +0000

But my God, does Roger Cohen take his time getting to the point. Before the New York Times op ed writer argues for your elected representatives to allow cheap[er] Brazilian ethanol into the U.S., Cohen attempts to entertain us with a discussion of national "re-branding." He begins with the most elliptical lead I've ever read. "Perhaps there’s something to treadmill wisdom. We’re all so narrow-band these days, using the vast resources of broadband to direct ourselves into a chosen news and ideological tunnel. Polarized pluralism defines us." Translation: Cohen was running on a treadmill (geddit?), watching an unknown news channel (broadband) when he fell into a reverie about his Brazilian exile, when the country's economy was almost as hyper-inflated as his prose. And then he thought, wow! "Energy is the country’s new brand." I'm thinking Brazil needs something a bit sexier, but the point-- yes! the point!-- is corn ethanol bad; sugar cane ethanol, good. "Sugar cane is not a staple. It’s eight times more productive than corn. It grows year round. It must be processed fast, so CO2-spewing transport to distant ethanol plants is impossible (unlike for corn)." The environmental impact of shipping Brazilian ethanol, pathetic workers' wages and the deforestation be damned. See? That wasn't so hard, was it?

E85 Boondoggle of the Day: No Surrender for Federal Subsidies!

Robert Farago — Fri, 30 May 2008 16:08:30 +0000

"Agriculture Secretary Edward T. Schafer is preparing to walk into a buzzsaw of criticism over American biofuels policy when he meets with world leaders to discuss the global food crisis next week." Ouch! Clearly, The New York Times is through pulling is punches on America's corn-fed bio-fuel bonanza. The majority of their article "Food Report Criticizes Biofuel Policies" is dedicated to a report criticizing biofuel policies (strangely enough), But before the knife is twisted ("The Agriculture Department’s own longtime chief economist, Keith Collins, who retired in January, said that ethanol was the 'foot on the accelerator' of corn demand), Secretary Schafer wants his constituents (corn growers) to know he's got their back. By his department's reckoning, biofuel production accounts for "only" two to three percent of the increase in global food prices, while reducing crude oil consumption by a million (a million!) barrels a day."We think that policy-wise in the United States of America — and certainly in the rest of the world — as we see the price of oil and petroleum escalate dramatically beyond anyone’s imagination, that one of the ways to deal with that is to produce biofuels which are renewables, better for the environment and help lower that cost." So E85 reduces gas use (although it increases gas use) and helps the environment (although it hurts the environment). Let the price supports begin! Oh wait...

Restaurant Grease Thefts Soar

Robert Farago — Fri, 30 May 2008 13:11:55 +0000

When fans of bio-diesel first claimed they were running their [former] oil burners on "free" fuel-- restaurants' abandoned cooking oil and grease-- we predicted the fat bubble would burst. And so it has. The New York Times reports that "yellow grease" has risen from 7.6 cents per pound (2000) to 33 cents a pound, or almost $2.50 a gallon. And so we delve into the murky-- or is that cloudy?-- world of grease theft. The Old Gray Lady weaves a strange tale of late night Burger King raids, private dicks working for grease collection and rendering companies, shady environmentalists, and (as always) befuddled cops. Oh, and a lawyer who specializes in defending the "grease rustlers." "Once you put something in the trash, it’s abandoned property,” said Jon A. Jaworski, a lawyer in Houston who represents accused grease thieves. “A lot of times, it’s not theft.” And a lot of times it is. The unsolved 2,500-gallon Burger King heist chronicled at the outset was worth more than $6,000 on the black (yellow) market. There's only two elements missing from this tale of low life and high fat: the drivers who buy the stuff that "fell off the back of a dumpster" and government intervention. How long before the liquid gold is regulated and taxed? Take our word for it: not long at all.

Sweden Can’t Get its Shit Together on Biogas

Richard Chen — Tue, 27 May 2008 14:45:01 +0000

Several years back, before ethanol as a motor fuel additive became all the rage, Sweden started a program to produce biogas. They envisioned a methane-based fuel made from sewage (with the aid of some bacteria) powering cars, trucks and buses. According to ever-hopeful engineers, with the right process, the average Swede craps out enough yearly to power an average car for an average of 75 miles. Unfortunately for FordonsGas, Dong Energy and other curiously named companies, the biogas biz has encountered the usual, uh, teething problems with new technology. Not to mention a distinct lack of biogas pumps and vehicles that can run on the stuff. (Biogas buses are out there, somewhere, while Volvo stopped making biogas powered vehicles a couple of years ago.) The International Herald Tribune reports that biogas boosters remain undaunted, hopeful of the process' long-term adoption. "When you're in the bathroom in the morning and you can see something good come of that, it's easy to be taken in by the idea - it's like a utopia," quoth a consultant. If you say so...

USPS PO’ed at E85

Robert Farago — Thu, 22 May 2008 15:36:21 +0000

The United States Postal Service is the single largest buyer of E85-compatible vehicles. According to Bloomberg, from 1995 - 2005, the government agency has used your tax money (and customers') to purchase some 30k corn juice-compatible trucks and minivans. So how's that going then? "You're getting fewer miles per gallon, and it's costing us more,'' according to Walt O'Tormey, P.O. engineering veep. In specific, the mail carrier's gas consumption jumped by more than 1.5m gallons. Well, duh. E85 doesn't deal the mpgs like regular. Still, a Postal Service study put a number to their pain: the new vehicles got as much as 29 percent fewer miles to the gallon than their previous trucks. Oh, and the post office only fueled a thousand of their E-85 compatible fleet with Iowa's best, due to availability. (Stroke of luck, that.) The rest of the article bashes E85, but good. Including news (to us) that the Sierra Club's lining-up against the bio-fuel. "Not only does this [CAFE credit for E85 vehicles] do nothing to improve fuel efficiency,'' says Daniel Becker, an environmental lawyer and former head of Sierra Club's global-warming program. "It's also ensuring that we're going to use more gasoline.'' Yeah, that sucks. Unless, of course, you're a corn farmer.

“Don’t let invasive biofuel crops attack your country”

Robert Farago — Wed, 21 May 2008 11:34:25 +0000

The bio-fuel industry has an answer for critics who consider the whole food-for-fuel business a dangerous, back asswards proposition: second generation bio-fuels! Ethanol v2 proponents believe that a new range of non-food crops is the "answer" to kvetching. Only it isn't. The New York Times reports that "biologists and botanists are warning that they, too, may bring serious unintended consequences. Most of these newer crops are what scientists label invasive species — that is, weeds — that have an extraordinarily high potential to escape biofuel plantations, overrun adjacent farms and natural land, and create economic and ecological havoc in the process." If that's not enough to put you off the idea, how about some specifics? "The giant reed, previously used mostly in decorations and in making musical instruments — is a fast-growing, thirsty species that has drained wetlands and clogged drainage systems in other places where it has been planted. It is also highly flammable." Willy De Greef, incoming secretary general of EuropaBio (an industry group) says hakuna matata; "biofuel farmers would inevitably introduce new crops carefully because they would not want growth they could not control." Geoffrey Howard, an invasive species expert with the International Union for Conservation of Nature, is not impressed. “We’ve had 100 years of experience with introductions of these crops that turned out to be disastrous for environment, people, health.”

Cellulosic Biofuel Still A Bit of a Damp Squib

Martin Schwoerer — Thu, 15 May 2008 21:37:49 +0000

The First Ever Second-Generation Biofuel Plant established in Saxony, Germany opened April. As we reported previously, a German/Dutch joint venture named Choren claims they'll soon be converting wood scraps into 13k tons per year of "SunDiesel." The list of claims for this venture is long: 90 percent fewer CO2 emissions than conventional diesel, less dependence on oil imports and less disturbance to world food markets than conventional biodiesel. Meanwhile... Autobild (print edition) says complex production processes means it will cost about one Euro to produce a liter of SunDiesel. Choren responded to the news by pointing-out that their first plant is not "optimized for low production costs." What else, then? never mind. Choren is busy talking-up its large-scale plant, set to begin production in 2013 in Brandenburg, Germany. That new factory would/should/could produce around 200k tons/year of SunDiesel, at a cheaper price. That's enough fuel to satisfy 0.6 percent of Germany's demand for diesel.

Brazilian Ethanol Industry Schmoozes the EU

Frank Williams — Wed, 14 May 2008 14:44:21 +0000

Autoblog Green reports that Brazil is launching a "diplomatic offensive" to promote its sugarcane ethanol exports to the EU, culminating at this November's World Biofuel Summit in São Paulo. Underlying the push: a Brazilian ethanol glut that American corn farmers have sworn their lives to keep on the other side of the border (and yes, we do have a border). Speaking to the Europeans, Brazil's Director of Energy tried to contrast Brazilian sugar-based ethanol and American corn-based ethanol. André Caranha Correa arguies that his countries product does not impact foodstocks. Of course, Brazilian ethanol does present a number of less-than-feel-good challenges, from widespread ecological impacts to the near-slave labor conditions of workers in the sugar industry. But hey, what else are charm offensives for?

France’s System U: Pas Plus d’E85!

Robert Farago — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:33:18 +0000

Energy Business Review reports that French hypermarketeers System U are pulling the plug on their bio-ethanol pumps for one simple reason: no one's buying E85. Needless to say, critics of the critics who criticize E85-- including the publication's "staff writer"-- view the move as insupportable. "Plans to stop selling the fuel are being driven by a lack of consumer demand, perhaps because the French government has not yet developed a taxation system that offers sufficient incentives for motorists to purchase E85 vehicles." Zut alors! Meanwhile, System U has betrayed the farmer-friendly French government's best laid plans. "This marks a further setback for the French government, which had set an objective to open 500 E85 stations by the end of 2007, but has seen only approximately 200 installed to date." In Total? "French fuel retailer Total made an agreement with the French government through which it was to open 400 of the 500 planned E85 sites by the end of 2007. However, Total has only installed E85 pumps at 35 of its service stations." So who's the scélérat here? "By focusing tax benefits purely on tailpipe emissions, to the detriment of the fuel's carbon-positive effects, the government has been unable to provide an environment in which demand for E85 can flourish. 'End Intelliext." C'est la vérité, n'est-ce pas?

Bio-Ethanol Voted “Stupidest Policy Ever”

Stein X Leikanger — Tue, 06 May 2008 22:41:04 +0000

A while ago, James Fallows at the Atlantic Monthly asked readers to submit suggestions for "the stupidest policy ever." He rigged the deck by taking The Gulf of Tonkin resolution off the table, but the winner, by a landslide, is the blind support our "independent" politicians gave to the bio-ethanol scam. (And you're the victim.) The mag gave two of the winner's proponents, Justin Cohen and his father Reuben, special mention for their comprehensive summation of all that's wrong with bio-ethanol. "I think bi-partisan support for ethanol is more stupid [than the McCain-Clinton 'gas tax holiday' plan], because it's actually harmful and because it not only panders to the public... worse it panders to a special interest group (Midwest farmers and their regional politicians). It's harmful because: 1) it helped to catalyze higher levels of food inflation, 2) it consumes as much energy to make and distribute as it provides, 3) it deflects attention from developing/trying sound policies to enhance our energy security, 4) it didn't allow for removal of taxes on the import of truly energy efficient ethanol produced in Brazil from sugar, and 5) it's a such an extreme example of government dysfunctionality it causes people like me to become truly disillusioned with the political process."

Canadian Government Struggles With Biofuel Issues

Glenn Swanson — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:21:46 +0000

Last year, the Canadian government initiated an "aggressive push" to produce fuel from crops. The 2007 federal budget included a C$2.2b support package for biofuels. According to a report in the Globe and Mail, "political consensus in favor of biofuels is suddenly breaking down." Member of Parliament (MP) Keith Martin thinks it's time to step back and "put a moratorium on it now so people can actually wrap their heads around the facts; the current biofuel strategy is deeply misguided." The president of the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association claims "the issues that come up have nothing to do with food supply." Gord Quaiattin says concerned Canadian should blame rising oil prices for food costs. "Everybody's screaming about 'food for fuel'; it's too bad we can't have a rational debate in this country," sighs MP David McGuinty. Still, it may be too late to shut the door: the government has poured billions into a biofuel facilities fund. Fourteen plants are running already and six more being built- so this horse may have already left the barn.

NYT’s Cohen: Forget Ethanol. Rising Food Prices Caused by Poor Eating Twice a Day

Robert Farago — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:51:12 +0000

I know what you're thinking: he grabbed the New York Times' columnist's most ridiculous assertion and repeated it out of context. If so, you need to read "Bring on the Right Biofuels," 'cause this Roger Cohen guy is the MR. Context Manipulation. After listing the charges against bio-fuels, Cohen says "hogwash and bilge"-- and then admits he was somewhat wrong about ethanol's critics being somewhat wrong. "I’ll grant that the fashion for bio-fuels led to excess, and that some farm-to-fuel-plant conversion, particularly in subsidized U.S. and European markets, makes no economic or environmental sense. But bio-fuels remain very much part of the solution. It just depends which bio-fuels." So, on to [theoretical] production of ethanol from switchgrass, wood chips and garbage, right? Wrong. Cohen is too busy pinning the blame for rising food prices on oil prices and rising standards of living in ~~third world~~ developing nations. "They’re eating twice a day, instead of once, and propelling rapid urbanization. Their demand for food staples and once unthinkable luxuries like meat is pushing up prices." Perhaps. Anyway, what's to be done about ethanol? Remove the tariff against Brazilian ethanol! And? And that's it.

GM CEO Dismisses UN Bio-Fuel Warning

Justin Berkowitz — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:28:58 +0000

Speaking at the Beijing auto show, GM CEO Rick Wagoner went on the E85 offensive. The automaker's Beancounter-in-Chief ripped into a recent United Nations (UN) report claiming that ethanol production is warming the globe and reducing vital food supplies (a.k.a. a "crime against humanity"). Wagoner described the UN report as "shockingly misinformed." Yep, an army of scientists from all over the world has nothing on Rick Wagoner. Yes yes; the UN has a bureaucracy to rival GM's and its own political axe to grind. But more importantly, this kind of commentary from Wagoner [via the Financial Times] highlights GM's breathtaking arrogance and a failure to realize the development money they've spent on ethanol so far is a sunk cost. Wagoner tried to deflect attention the morality of raising cane in former rainforests and making corn juice out of food crops. "Oil prices are a far bigger driver of higher food prices than ethanol." Ain't moral relativism grand?

First Ever Second-Generation Biofuel Plant Opens in Germany

Edward Niedermeyer — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:52:15 +0000

Find something bad to say about biofuels, and its defenders will likely simply point to second-generation biofuels as the way forward. The problem has been that nobody has actually been commercially producing a second-generation biofuel based on biomass instead of food-grade grains and oils. Until now, that is. Auto Motor und Sport reports that Choren, a joint venture of Shell, Daimler and Volkswagen, has opened the worlds first biomass-to-liquid (BTL) fuel plant in Freiberg, Germany. It will be a few months before the first drops of BTL diesel hit the market, but once production ramps up the plant will pump out 4.75m gallons of the fuel every year. Choren's BTL process involves relatively dry (10-15 percent moisture) biomass which is gasified under high heat and then liquified (biofuel wonks can check out more details at Green Car Congress), extracting a diesel fuel. The Institute for Energy and Environmental Research in Heidelberg reckons that although the BTL fuel is net beneficial when compared to Soy or Rapeseed-based biodiesel, there are emerging technologies which could better utilize the biomass used in the BTL process. The German Minister of Industry likewise warns that while production costs are low when making small batches using straw and forest waste, further research is needed to better understand the impacts of broad proliferation of the biofuel. At least it won't raise the price of beer!

Iowa Senator: Ethanol Over Food Worries “A Big Joke”

Robert Farago — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:16:19 +0000

Speaking to The New York Times, Republican Senator Charles E Grassley made no secret of his contempt for "foreign officials" at a Washington conference on food prices. Grassley says biofuels are not to blame for recent food price spikes and the resulting political instability (e.g. Haiti's riots). "He questioned why they were not also blaming a drought in Australia that reduced the wheat crop and the growing demand for meat in China and India. 'You make ethanol out of corn,' he said. 'I bet if I set a bushel of corn in front of any of those delegates, not one of them would eat it.' Equally unsurprising (if slightly more conciliatory), the president of The National Corn Grower's Association says ethanol production has a minor impact on food prices and supply. "There’s no question that they are a factor," admits Ron Litterr. "But they are really a smaller factor than other things that are driving up prices." Yes, well, the Old Gray Lady reports that "a fifth of the nation’s corn crop is now used to brew ethanol for motor fuel, and as farmers have planted more corn, they have cut acreage of other crops, particularly soybeans. That, in turn, has contributed to a global shortfall of cooking oil." So ethanol might not be "the" problem, but it's "a" problem. And that's going to get... better?

Brazil Braces for Ethanol Glut

Robert Farago — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 15:41:57 +0000

In the growing war of words between bio-fuel producers and savvy environmentalists, pro-ethanol supporters often point to Brazil, claiming that the South American country's energy independence offers a template for America's future. Detractors already know that Brazil's booming ethanol production is based on geography (sugar cane rather than corn), takes a heavy toll on the [ideologically sacrosanct] rain forest and has little to do with the country's net energy consumption. And here's a new wrinkle. Energy Business Review says "Brazilian ethanol producers reportedly exported a majority of their fuels to Europe in 2007. Increased exports have saved Brazilian sugarcane producers from going bankrupt as sugarcane prices fell below the cost of production on commodity exchanges." This is a bitch because both the U.K. and Germany have recently "de-incentivized" bio-fuel consumption. And that means... "Brazilian ethanol exporters are pro-actively lobbying with common interest groups in the US, to help create a global market for ethanol." Energy independence be damned; what's the bet America's corn-fed politicians raise the barriers?

Food or Fuel? Choose One

Glenn Swanson — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:41:14 +0000

The President of the World Bank [via NPR] says demand for ethanol and other biofuels is a "significant contributor" to soaring food prices around the world. Robert Zoellick says droughts, financial speculators and increased demand for food have created "a perfect storm" of climbing food prices. In the U.S., the price of corn has more than doubled due, in part, to the demand for alt fuels such as ethanol. The World Bank figures food prices will stay high, or go higher, over the next couple of years. "Biofuels is no doubt a significant contributor," says Zoellick. "It is clearly the case that programs in Europe and the U.S. that have increased biofuel production have contributed to the added demand for food." As we reported last week, some 20 percent of last year's U.S. corn crop went to ethanol production; it's likely to reach 30 percent next year. Boondoggles can be lethal.

Fuel Surcharges be Damned; Gas Prices Hurt CA Small Biz Bad

Glenn Swanson — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:48:24 +0000

Last month, Jonny Lieberman asked if anyone had been hit with a fuel surcharge. And no wonder. News10 says high fuel prices "are being felt particularly hard by small business owners." San Diego's delivery business has been particularly hard hit. With gas at an average of $3.73/gal., "some small delivery businesses [are] wondering what to do." (Deliver packages?) CMF Incorporated's fuel bill has gone up by $4k in the past year-- that's not including the cost of diesel fuel for their larger delivery trucks. Even Jonny's dreaded fuel surcharge doesn't guarantee the main man a profit. What's a small business to do? Raise rates too high, and they risk losing customers. Keep them static and they lose money. It's a bummer-- for all concerned. "I'm walking into companies where the phone is not ringing and everyone's in this type of slump or depression emotionally," owner/driver Ed Bidwell reports with a distinctly California-esque metaphorical shrug. "And that's what gets to me."

Environmental Challenges Top Industry List For First Time

Edward Niedermeyer — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 16:22:42 +0000

Environmental issues have topped cost reduction as the major concern for the auto industry for the first time according to a survey by DuPont and the Society of the Automotive Industry (SAE) [via CNN Money]. The survey of automotive designers and engineers picked a basket of challenges-- from CAFE standards to emissions controls-- as the industry's top concern, unseating cost reduction after 14 years. Fifty-three percent of those polled selected environmental concerns vs. 32 percent who went with cost reduction, Some 54 percent also say consumers are most concerned with improvements in fuel efficiency; only 37 percent think improved comfort and convenience float purchasers' semi-metaphorical boat. In less surprising news, alternative fuel-powered vehicles were named as the technology with the greatest impact on the car industry for the fifth year running. Biofuels and weight reductions also climbed in importance in this year's poll, completing the snapshot of an industry in transition.

J.D. Power Survey: Diesels and Hybrids to Increase Market Share

Frank Williams — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:58:42 +0000

Audi may be right on target with their plans to import diesels . A study by J.D Power (via the Detroit News ) shows diesels and gas-electric hybrids will have 17 percent of the U.S. market by 2015. Surprisingly, Power thinks diesels will outsell hybrids because of the higher cost of admission to the hybrid club; they predict by 2015 hybrids will increase to seven percent of the market (from the current 2.2 percent) while diesel vehicles will make up ten percent. Sales of four-cylinder gas engines are also expected to rise sharply as the automakers scramble to meet the new 35mpg CAFE standard. They don't think hydrogen fuel cells and pure electric cars will have much impact as they won't be available in any significant numbers during the years covered by the study. But what about E85? The proportion of vehicles available that can run on corn squeezin's will nearly double but few of them will be using it because it still won't be available in most places. That won't matter to the manufacturers, though, if the new CAFE standards have the ethanol loophole the current one does.

E85 Boondoggle of the Day: Corn Growers Raking It In

Frank Williams — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 18:39:04 +0000

Corn prices hit an all-time high price of $6.025 per bushel yesterday, then settled to a not-much-better $6. Ethanol producers are feeling the hurt, as the corn they use is now costs more than they're currently getting for the ethanol they make from it. Earlier this week, Michael Jackson (no, not that one-- the president of Syntec Biofuel) explained: "For years, corn was cheap and fermentation processes for ethanol production came to completely dominate the biofuel industry in North America. Now, with corn prices well over $5 a bushel, corn ethanol economics have gone out the window." That isn't slowing the ethanol producers though. The American Farm Bureau Federation estimates that about 20 percent of last year's corn crop went to ethanol production and predicts that'll go up to 30 percent for the next crop year. With 147 plants in production and another 61 planned, the situation will only get worse. In the meantime, corn growers are reaping record profits while consumers can expect higher prices for anything that's corn-based. Sounds vaguely familiar, doesn't it?

Who Birthed The Electric Truck?

Edward Niedermeyer — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:02:37 +0000

While "going green" is often little more than PR posturing, fuel-intensive businesses see alternative energy as simply a way to save money. But while electric, hybrid and other efficient drivetrain technologies proliferate in cars, commercial trucks have largely been left out of the green wave. Greentech Media reports that Electrorides, a green truck startup, is hoping to cash in on this absence by offering the first electric commercial-duty truck. The ZeroTruck is based on an Isuzu N-series platform, retrofitted with a UQM Technologies electric motor, offering 100-mile range when unladen. But commercial trucks aren't of much use when empty, and when loaded down the range falls sharply. That's why Electrorides offers a biodiesel engine which converts the vehicle to a parallel hybrid, adding another hundred miles to the truck's range. Like most new green vehicles reported in the media, the ZeroTruck is in beta testing, and is not yet available. Start watching out for the silent colossus this August (literally... this thing will sneak up on you!) .

Germany: E10 Delayed, 50% of Cars Have Technical Probs.

Robert Farago — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 13:07:15 +0000

German officials have de-boondoggled on the E85 front, withdrawing plans mandating a 10 percent bio-fuel content for the lowest grade unleaded fuel. For some reason, the government didn't check the stats (or did?) before establishing a threshold for making the switch. If one million cars couldn't run on the plant juice blend, they'd hold off on E10. Deutsche Welle reports the numbers: "The [auto industry] sources said that some 330,000 cars made by German manufacturers, as well as more than 2 million imported cars, could not run on the new fuel and that the cars' owners would be forced to fill up with higher octane, more expensive types of gas." The German association for technical inspection (GTÜ) reports [via The Local] that the country's cars may have enough problems without worrying about running on bio-fuels. "A 2007 GTÜ study found that 8 million vehicles were found to have significant problems during general inspections. 'The finding is even more alarming when you consider that many of the vehicles had been repaired just before they were inspected,' said GTÜ chief Rainer de Biasi. His said the findings indicated that every sixth car in Germany poses an accident risk." Sobering stuff. Of course, one wonders about Germany's standards relative to, I dunno, New Jersey.

E85 Boondoggle of the Day: Free Tank of E85 With Each HUMMER Sold!

Edward Niedermeyer — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:52:46 +0000

Today's proof that the ethanol revolution is being kept alive by the GM kool-aid sippers comes from Texas, where the first dealership-owned E85 station just opened. Installed at a cost of a mere half a million dollars, the Classic Clean Fuels (not spelled with the always-klassy "K"?) nine-pump station serves up E10, E85 and biodiesel in suburban Dallas, right next door to the HUMMER dealership that owns it. "We'll offer a biofuel powertrain in every model we build by the end of 2010," HUMMER General Manager Martin Walsh said. "A Hummer's off-road capability and care for the environment are in no way mutually exclusive. This is simply one more step in our effort to promote responsible adventure." A two-hour 85-cents-per-gallon sale on E85 and a free tank of corn juice with the purchase of any new HUMMER are only the beginning of the marketing possibilities, as GM Media Online strains to use one dealership's actions as a measure of the success of the company. "This signals that GM and our dealers are trying hard to give our customers choices," says GM VP for R&D Larry Burns. "Down the road, we may even want to consider hydrogen dispensers at dealerships." Because building fuel-efficient vehicles is just too obvious.

Less Corn = Higher Ethanol Prices. And The Sun Will Rise in the East Tomorrow.

Glenn Swanson — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:50:17 +0000

Higher corn prices could soon be passed on to those filling their cars up with ethanol, says CNNMoney. The increasing cost of growing corn, along with favorable prices for other crops such as soybeans could fuel a decrease in corn production. Even though ethanol is heavily subsidized, it has contributed to the rise in corn prices, which has hurt poultry, beef and pork companies who use corn to feed their animals. But a decrease in corn production would also be bad news for the corn-juice industry. According to the Renewable Fuels Association, the number of ethanol plants has increased from 50 in 1999, to 134 today, with more plants on the drawing board. Given that, on average, a 100m gallon-per-year ethanol plant consumes about 33 million bushels of corn, more ethanol plants and less corn could spell trouble ahead. The decreased supply could drive corn prices even higher, which would offset any possible "advantages" corn-based ethanol was supposed to offer.

Biodiesel From Pond Scum

Edward Niedermeyer — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 19:18:38 +0000

With all of the downsides of corn-based biofuel now widely known, eco-friendly motorists are anxious to hear a little good news from the developers of so-called second-generation biofuels. One of the most promising of these new, non-food-based fuels comes from algae, which scientists have been breeding and researching since the Carter Administration. The March cover story at Green Fuels Forecast tells of the National Renewable Energy Labs Aquatic Species Program (ASP), which has been looking for biodiesel-producing algae since 1978, and is now providing the backbone of technology for some frenzied venture capital activity. When the program started, it was estimated that all of America's transportation and home-heating needs could be met by 15k square miles of algae farms. Of course in the 90's as petroleum costs dipped, the Clinton Administration axed the ASP in favor of further ethanol research. Now, the government's abandoned investment is attracting the big boys: Chevron, Shell and others are forming partnerships with start-ups who are building on the ASP's knowledge base. The upsides? Algae needs only sun and C02 to produce the oil which can be burned as fuel or used in a number of other applications which currently require petroleum products. In other words, the perfect fuel source for your favorite Waterworld-esque, post-apocalyptic fantasy.

ALL the Corn for E85 Equals 15% of U.S. Gas Consumption

Robert Farago — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:16:18 +0000

Math is not my forte, in the sense that I grew up thinking times tables supported New York newspapers. But there are many of you who know your way around a calculator. For your number crunching pleasure, I submit this article from Seeking Alpha, a stock tip site. The unnamed author crunches the numbers: the total amount of potential ethanol production vs. total U.S. gas consumption. The conclusion: "Corn ethanol will never replace any meaningful quantities of gasoline nor diesel." More specifically, "ethanol (spark ignition) will not substitute for diesel (compression ignition) anyway without substantial vehicle and fuel changes. Ethanol will not easily substitute for heating oil nor jet fuel neither. And if you add in ALL the energy-related inputs, some have said we may be able to replace, at best, 3-4% of U.S. gasoline using all U.S. corn." And so ethanol supporters will move on to cellulosic sources or trash or lithium ion crystals, with your tax money.

Nestle CEO Opposes Bio-Fuels

Edward Niedermeyer — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:48:47 +0000

Nestle CEO Peter Brabeck has come out against biofuels, warning that trying to fill up to 20 percent of energy demand with plant-sourced fuel could result in a food shortage. As a food company executive, Mr Brabeck's opinion is neither surprising nor entirely altruistic. However, his warnings echo remarks from UN Special Rapporteur On The Right To Food Jean Ziegler last year. In October, Ziegler cautioned that every 13 gallons of corn-based biofuel could feed a child for a year, and called for a five-year ban in the EU on converting croplands to biofuel production. Just something to keep in mind the next time you put 30 gallons of E85 in your Suburban.

E85 Boondoggle of the Day: “Ethanol boom will help lower gasoline prices”

Samir Syed — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:17:55 +0000

Timothy Gardner and Rebekah Kebede of Reuters [via the Calgary Herald ] claim that an increase in America's output of cheap, subsidized ethanol, along with additional gasoline refining capacity coming online, may lower U.S. gas prices. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, American production will rise by 130k barrels of ethanol per day in 2008 (up to 550,000). Gardner and Kebede note that the government subsidizes blenders to the tune of $0.51/barrel of blended ethanol, and that "the subsidies have made ethanol cheaper than gasoline and a much sought after component for blending into motor fuel." Another factor that could contribute to falling prices: the slowing of American demand for gasoline. While demand grew by 1.3 percent annually from 1971 to 2007, growth has slowed down 0.7 percent in 2007 and the government forecasts a paltry 0.4 percent for 2008. And what of transportation costs and logistics? (Ethanol can't be transported via existing pipes; it must be transported by diesel burning tanker trucks.) Or consumer reluctance to use corn juice once they figure out the (often hidden) fact that 85 delivers significantly less bang-for-the-buck? Nothing.

MN E85 Lobby Opposes CA Emission Standards

Edward Niedermeyer — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:40:56 +0000

The MinnPost reports that the local E85 lobby is joining the Minnesota Auto Dealers Association's opposition to California-style emissions standards. Although ethanol had been [tortuously] justified as an eco-friendly fuel, Minnesota corn growers say the standards would "make it difficult to certify E-85 vehicles." (This despite the fact that California has already certified 300k flex-fuel vehicles.) James Erkel of the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy argues that the corn growers have stopped making sense. "These bills would not curtail ethanol markets and in some respects actually help it." Erkel added that the new regs wouldn't affect Minnesota's attempt to "upgrade" its E10 fuel to 20 percent ethanol. But the Minnesota Auto Dealers Association have convinced their agricultural pals that stricter-than-the-feds tailpipe standards would kill the market for new pickups and SUVs, including flex-fuel versions of same.

Maximum Bob and Dr Z Talk Diesels, E85, Safety

Edward Niedermeyer — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 16:30:09 +0000

In T he Wall Street Journal [sub], Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche and GM Car Czar Bob Lutz discuss their respective companies' approach to environmentally-friendly vehicles. Dr Z wants to sell more diesels. (And there you have it.) Maximum Bob eschews oil burners to hang his proverbial hat on E85. Of course, Lutz' preference for corn juice will cost consumers plenty through government spending on ethanol infrastructure and corn price supports. But the winner of TTAC's first annual Bob Lutz Award reckons developments in corn breeding will blunt E85's inflationary impact on food prices. "So I think that people who say, well, the ethanol industry is taking food from the mouths of babies and it's driving tortilla prices up-- I think these are highly suspect conclusions." Meanwhile, both executives say Daimler's success selling the smart in the U.S. heralds the end of the efficiency vs safety debate. "There are no statistics that would support [the idea] that you are less safe in the smart than you are in any kind of vehicle," says Dr Z. Lutz appears equally oblivious the laws of physics, stating "If a vehicle is registered for sale in any developed market of the world, it is going to be an extremely safe vehicle."

E85 Opposition Grows

Robert Farago — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:24:24 +0000

Good news! The April issue of Ethanol Producer Monthly (EPM) is already online! Actually, if Sarah Smith's article "Ethanol's Excedrin Headache: Where Have All the Good Sites Gone?" is anything to go by, the news isn't that great for the mag's target market. EPM has identified organized ethanol plant protests in 14 states. "Rural communities that once heralded the arrival of an ethanol plant are now thumbing their noses at them." Before listing litigation from California to Wisconsin, Smith gives ethanol boosters a quick course in how not to win friends and influence people. "Plaintiffs swap strategies over the Internet, trade petition forms, success stories, failures, even going so far as to design T-shirts and coin the perfect acronym for their groups. Their reasons for filing causes of action are as myriad as the ethanol technology itself: not in my back yard, zoning board decisions, economic benefit, industry distrust, environmental concerns and water use issues. The view from the third tee box, listed in one cause of action, illustrates the lengths plaintiffs will go to halt a project in its tracks. After all, golf is life, isn't it?"