Although the title of the article is misleading, look at it this way....Opponents of ethanol say it requires "MORE oil to produce the ethanol than you get out of it". If that's true, why would the oil companies scale back production due to biofuels? True, ethanol does get less mileage per gallon, but the lower cost of ethanol makes it a wash. Even if it did cost you $.50/gal more, wouldn't you feel better knowing your extra $$$ stays in the US? True, ethanol is subsidized through our tax dollars. On the other hand, TRILLIONS of our tax dollars go overseas to buy oil, which gives our very enemy the money they need to get the weapons that kill OUR SOLDIERS and terrorize other nations friendly to the U.S.! Why not give that money to our own countrymen? Ripple effect anyone?!? True, ethanol will not make us independent from oil considering the current technology. However, squeeze better mileage out of E85 capable engines and make those E85 vehicles hybrids, we can make serious strides to independence. If 40% of our oil comes from unfriendly nations, then biofuels could help us avoid sending our money to ALL of those nations. Then only the remaining 60%, our allies, will get our business. Seriously, I will pay triple for each gallon if that means the money stays in the U.S. If the money stays in the U.S., our own people will buy more locally and the nation will become stronger. Yes, the poor may be left out of the ripple effect and things may get more expensive for them. But if the nation is stronger, we can afford to help them out. We all need to press hard to get over this hill. Once we break Big Oil's power we will be able to move towards independence. Whether that's ethanol or not I don't really care, just something other than oil. It's just that the switch to E85 would involve minor changes as compared to hydrogen, etc. Rant switch.....OFF
-------------------- Good judgment comes from experience. Unfortunately, experience usually comes from bad judgment.
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the only downside i see is the "entrenchmnet effect" once the govt nipple starts giving cash the beast seems to grow so big and powerful you can't wean the damn thing...
ethanol is only a stop-gap and we need to get MORE players in the game, not keep giving money to the big-five...
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posted
By H. JOSEF HEBERT Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON Jun 17, 2007 (AP)
A push from Congress and the White House for huge increases in biofuels, such as ethanol, is prompting the oil industry to scale back its plans for refinery expansions. That could keep gasoline prices high, possibly for years to come.
With President Bush calling for a 20 percent drop in gasoline use and the Senate now debating legislation for huge increases in ethanol production, oil companies see growing uncertainty about future gasoline demand and little need to expand refineries or build new ones.
Oil industry executives no longer believe there will be the demand for gasoline over the next decade to warrant the billions of dollars in refinery expansions as much as 10 percent increase in new refining capacity they anticipated as recently as a year ago.
Biofuels such as ethanol and efforts to get automakers to build more fuel-efficient cars and SUVs have been portrayed as key to countering high gasoline prices, but they are likely to do little to curb costs at the pump today, or in the years ahead as refiners reduce gasoline production.
A shortage of refineries frequently has been blamed by politicians for the sharp price spikes in gasoline, as was the case last week by Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., during debate on a Senate energy bill.
"The fact is that Americans are paying more at the pump because we do not have the domestic capacity to refine the fuels consumers demand," Inhofe complained as he tried unsuccessfully to get into the bill a proposal to ease permitting and environmental rules for refineries.
This spring, refiners, hampered by outages, could not keep up with demand and imports were down because of greater fuel demand in Europe and elsewhere. Despite stable even sometimes declining oil prices, gasoline prices soared to record levels and remain well above $3 a gallon.
Consumer advocates maintain the oil industry likes it that way.
"By creating a situation of extremely tight supply, the oil companies gain control over price at the wholesale level," said Mark Cooper of the Consumer Federation of America. He argued that a wave of mergers in recent years created a refining industry that "has no interest in creating spare (refining) capacity."
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quote:Originally posted by cspaude: I forgot to mention that we spend Trillions to fight the very people we funded with our Trillions.
and? to make matters worse? they are utterly convinced that Allah has given them this gift of oil, AND! delivered US to them in the economic chains of our "addiction" to oil...
are they right? it's long past time to "retool" our economy.... about 20 years past actually..
Brazil responded to the 70's oil embargo in a timely fashion...
-------------------- Don't envy the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise.
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