Comments on: WSJ: Big Oil curbing the growth of Ethanol http://energy.financialnirvana.com/2007/04/02/wsj-big-oil-curbing-the-growth-of-ethanol/ research . analysis . forecasting Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:50:47 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Rob http://energy.financialnirvana.com/2007/04/02/wsj-big-oil-curbing-the-growth-of-ethanol/comment-page-1/#comment-4024 Rob Fri, 04 May 2007 14:57:45 +0000 http://energy.financialnirvana.com/2007/04/02/wsj-big-oil-curbing-the-growth-of-ethanol/#comment-4024 Although I am for reducing our dependence on Oil, Foreign or Domestic I am not convinced Ethanol is the way to go. It is expensive to produce, provides 25% less energy and damaging to current vehicles. It even reduces your mileage so why would we want to spend more for less? If we can produce ethanol without affecting other areas like the price of feed for cattle and by utilizing various bases and not just corn. There should be a concerted effort in not just the fuel we burn but increasing the efficiency of the engines ability to harness the thermal energy from the fuel. Although I am for reducing our dependence on Oil, Foreign or Domestic I am not convinced Ethanol is the way to go. It is expensive to produce, provides 25% less energy and damaging to current vehicles. It even reduces your mileage so why would we want to spend more for less? If we can produce ethanol without affecting other areas like the price of feed for cattle and by utilizing various bases and not just corn. There should be a concerted effort in not just the fuel we burn but increasing the efficiency of the engines ability to harness the thermal energy from the fuel.

]]> By: Brad http://energy.financialnirvana.com/2007/04/02/wsj-big-oil-curbing-the-growth-of-ethanol/comment-page-1/#comment-3297 Brad Thu, 12 Apr 2007 01:44:26 +0000 http://energy.financialnirvana.com/2007/04/02/wsj-big-oil-curbing-the-growth-of-ethanol/#comment-3297 Please check out this link: http://environmental-economics.blogspot.com/search/label/Corn%20Ethanol%20Critiques Corn ethanol utilizes fertile soil for fuel rather than food, wastes water on fuel, barely provides a net energy gain, increases smog vs. gasoline, slightly decreases some GHG vs. gasoline, cannot be transported long distances with current pipelines, increases pressure to use land set aside for conservation and increases food-price inflationary pressure. Corn ethanol is unsustainable, unethical and a poor use of government and private resources. Please check out this link:
http://environmental-economics.blogspot.com/search/label/Corn%20Ethanol%20Critiques

Corn ethanol utilizes fertile soil for fuel rather than food, wastes water on fuel, barely provides a net energy gain, increases smog vs. gasoline, slightly decreases some GHG vs. gasoline, cannot be transported long distances with current pipelines, increases pressure to use land set aside for conservation and increases food-price inflationary pressure.

Corn ethanol is unsustainable, unethical and a poor use of government and private resources.

]]> By: Francesco DeParis http://energy.financialnirvana.com/2007/04/02/wsj-big-oil-curbing-the-growth-of-ethanol/comment-page-1/#comment-2869 Francesco DeParis Tue, 03 Apr 2007 12:14:09 +0000 http://energy.financialnirvana.com/2007/04/02/wsj-big-oil-curbing-the-growth-of-ethanol/#comment-2869 The ethanol promise is real, the US has not perfected the production yet. I think it is a shame companies are still pouring in millions to invest in corn-based ethanol production. I wrote a post awhile ago on the <a href="http://energyspin.com/?p=15" rel="nofollow">decentralization of alternative energy</a>. The main premise is that the ultimate cost and availability of ethanol will rely on local feedstocks. I think local government should take a role in the ethanol play and start localizing ethanol production to promote local industry and the use of local feedstocks. This is the kind of kick in the pants cellulosic ethanol needs. The challenge ethanol has against Big-Oil is a very important topic. Ethanol is being pitched as our fuel panacea, but no one has considered the distribution end, only the supply end. Now we have a situation where fuel stations cannot afford to offer ethanol as well to to the unsubsidized cost of converting their facilities. I wrote last night, <a href="http://energyspin.com/?p=20" rel="nofollow">"How Ethanol Will Fight Big-Oil"</a>. I outlined a couple strategies on how investors could complete the missing link in the ethanol supply chain. The US govt has focused on creating the supply and hasn't thought enough about the end-consumer distribution. I think this is the last frontier investors have to play in to secure their ethanol investment. 70% of ethanol pumps are in the corn belt, while more than half of the US population lives on the coasts. Lets get those supply and demand curves at least somewhat together! I comment regularly on the business/investor side of alternative energy on <a href="http://energyspin.com" rel="nofollow">Energy Spin: Alternative Energy Blog for Investors-Served Daily</a> Cheers, Francesco DeParis The ethanol promise is real, the US has not perfected the production yet. I think it is a shame companies are still pouring in millions to invest in corn-based ethanol production. I wrote a post awhile ago on the decentralization of alternative energy. The main premise is that the ultimate cost and availability of ethanol will rely on local feedstocks. I think local government should take a role in the ethanol play and start localizing ethanol production to promote local industry and the use of local feedstocks. This is the kind of kick in the pants cellulosic ethanol needs.

The challenge ethanol has against Big-Oil is a very important topic. Ethanol is being pitched as our fuel panacea, but no one has considered the distribution end, only the supply end. Now we have a situation where fuel stations cannot afford to offer ethanol as well to to the unsubsidized cost of converting their facilities. I wrote last night, “How Ethanol Will Fight Big-Oil”. I outlined a couple strategies on how investors could complete the missing link in the ethanol supply chain.

The US govt has focused on creating the supply and hasn’t thought enough about the end-consumer distribution. I think this is the last frontier investors have to play in to secure their ethanol investment. 70% of ethanol pumps are in the corn belt, while more than half of the US population lives on the coasts. Lets get those supply and demand curves at least somewhat together!

I comment regularly on the business/investor side of alternative energy on Energy Spin: Alternative Energy Blog for Investors-Served Daily

Cheers,
Francesco DeParis

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