Bullish on Ethanol
Posted: February 23, 2009
Of course, the Renewable Fuels Association can be expected to be optimistic when it comes to ethanol. That’s part of its job. But our country’s ethanol associations do honest and thorough work when it comes to research, policy and marketing.
Today, the RFA released its 2009 ethanol industry outlook, which provides an optimistic look at the future of corn ethanol. RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen writes in his cover letter:
We will continue to challenge ourselves to reduce our carbon footprint. More efficiently using our natural resources is at the core of this nation’s efforts to secure a more sustainable energy future. America’s ethanol producers are at the forefront of that effort, developing the technologies that are constantly improving its green footprint.
The U.S. ethanol industry remains strong and steadfast in its resolve to provide domestically produced renewable fuels because America’s energy future starts at home.
Also bullish on meeting fuel needs with ethanol is a new study on biomass by Sandia National Laboratories and General Motors that found that plant and forestry waste and dedicated energy crops could sustainably replace nearly a third of gasoline use by the year 2030.
This is just more great news for those of us who are concerned about energy security, economic growth and protecting the environment. The 90 Billion Gallon Study assumes 75 billion gallons would be ethanol made from nonfood cellulosic feedstocks and 15 billion gallons from corn-based ethanol.
Keith Stumbo Said,
February 28, 2009 @ 9:23 pm
The Sandia study assumes that plant and forestry waste and dedicated energy crops could replace nearly a third of gasoline use by the year 2030. Why is it that in a world with so much technology available it takes so long to accomplish so little? I think this country should mandate a higher percentage of ethanol used with gasoline. Twenty percent would be good. We could all use it, it would cut back our use of foreign oil substantially, and it would help the corn farmers in this country make a little money that would help boost the economy a little. I have been farming for 30 years and the last two have been by far the best for me. For many years I sold corn for roughly the same price. My input costs keep going up. Go figure! Now when we finally started to make a little profit everybody got their hands on it. Unfortunately our inputs don’t recede like our commodity prices. Oh well, I still like farming or I wouldn’t be doing it. Good Luck to the ethanol companies. They are going to need it.