E85 Boondoggle of the Day: DOE Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Cans Corn
John Mizroch is, of course, pro-E85 to a fault. According to FarmWeek, the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy told participants at a Indianapolis renewable energy conference that the nine billion gallons of ethanol “brought online to date” have saved consumers nationwide a “not-insignificant” 25 cents in per-gallon gasoline costs. And that’s just for starters. “I don’t personally believe it [corn-based ethanol] has added significantly to the price of food commodities. I think our industry could sustain up to the limits of the RFS.” (For those of you who don’t keep track of Uncle Sam’s every market distortion, that’s the federally-mandated 21b gallons of bio-fuels by 2022 Renewable Fuel Standard.) Yes, BUT– Mizroch admitted that DOE research now focuses on emerging fuel feedstocks, with “virtually no work in corn ethanol.” In other words, you got the ball rolling farmer John. We’ll take it from here. “Many of the players in the current industry are critical to the success of the future cellulosic, non-foodstock industry,” Mizroch asserted to FarmWeek. But not all or even most, we note. Well, not until the farm lobby gets involved, anyway.
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!!!! Help I drank the gas
I think we should bail out the Ethanol industry, and then bail out everyone harmed by the ethanol industry bailout.
Isn’t he conveniently forgetting the U.S. taxpayer’s unwilling “contribution” of some 70 cents per gallon for ethanol (7 cents per gallon on E10, 59.5 cents per gallon on E85)? The ethanol is necessary to replace a natural gas ingredient that was ruining our underground water supply. The Oil companies lobbied unsuccessfully to be protected from liability from the poisoning of our wells by a lighter than water molecule create from their gas additive to oxygenate their gasoline to meet EPA standards. Luckily, congress did the right decision and did not waive their liability. So we now have an ETHALOL additive. Congress did the right decision???? when???
Note how curiously the [s]scumb...[/s] politician phrased it: I don’t personally believe it [corn-based ethanol] has added significantly to the price of food commodities. (emphasis added) He is entitled to his opinion, of couse. But I note that a World Bank report blamed biofuels for 75% of the steep increase in food prices. With all due respect Mr. Acting Assistant Secretary, your opinion is not worth a bucket of warm [s]pi..[/s] spit. In other news, politicians have voted to keep a $1/gal tax credit for biodiesel made from food, but deny the credit for green diesel made from waste fats... Better start saving for that Thanksgiving Turkey...