Posted on 01/18/2017 5:20:24 AM PST by expat_panama
On the day before Thanksgiving, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the final levels of renewable fuel required to be blended into gasoline next year, officially known as the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). In 2017, the RFS will rise to 19.28 billion gallons, up from 18.11 billion gallons in 2016.
A part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which was expanded in 2007 by the Energy Independence and Security Act and is administered by EPA, RFS requires 36 billion gallons of renewable fuel sources, such as ethanol, be blended into gasoline and diesel fuel by 2022.
Two reports released by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) just days after EPA's approval of the blend increase suggest RFS has been and will continue to be a complete failure...
...ethanol being produced is conventional, corn-starch-based ethanol, which does little to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions...
...Biofuel producers, who have mastered the art of welfare-queenism, have all the incentive in the world to lobby to continue to get their money. Their representatives in Congress, who have an interest in continuing to be their representatives, make sure they get that cash on the barrelhead. It is no coincidence that since 1980, only one presidential candidate from either of the two major parties has won the Iowa caucus after announcing his opposition to ethanol subsidies, and while he did win, he did so capturing only 27% of the vote.
Ethanol and other biofuels certainly do not produce environmental or economic benefits that justify their subsidization. In fact, the RFS imposes higher costs on consumers, hurts the economy, and has no real environmental benefit. Instead of expanding it, EPA should kill it entirely.
(Excerpt) Read more at investors.com ...
Energy = Power and heat during compression and firing of auto cylinders.
Ethanol is lower in BTU's when it burns than oil , like 70% - 80% less in energy.
So you pay more for less BTU's.
Also, ethanol attracks moisture/ condensation in the tank, which is why they sell de-icer for winter usage.
Ethanol ruins gaskets in automotive engines.
Ethanol separates out of fuel when left for any length of time.
BobinIL :” #4) It uses more than a gallon of energy (equivalent) to make a gallon of ethanol (Explain energy equivalent? very subjective)”
Energy = Power and heat during compression and firing of auto cylinders.
Ethanol is lower in BTU’s when it burns than oil , like 70% - 80% less in energy.
Really!!!!! then why is it the primary fuel for automobile racing??? Because they build their engines to run on it. I could argue with you Oilers on this for hours. You have been spoon fed that big oil crap sandwich. And wow! since i don’t agree with you I must be some DU plant right??
Automobile Racing people don't have places to go -> they run around in circles !!
Ask the consumer who has to go to a job,
or transport goods and services, or has something to do ..
No, I don't think that you are a DU plant
but it's no coincidence that Wesley Clark (Dem) is a major benefactor of ethanol !
WOW!! lets think of all the thing that were developed by the racing industry that have no use in the transportation industry. Because racers just go in circles. Hmm?? v-block engines, overhead cams, fuel injection, electronic ignition, independent suspension, disc brakes, and on and on. yea none of these things have any use in moving people and material from point A to point B I suppose you still use a Model A pickup truck with a Flathead 4cyl engine that must be why you are having so much trouble with your fuel.
And I don’t know what Ducks Unlimited to do with ethanol anyway? JK, I have never even looked at the Democrat underground site.
Trump campaigned FOR ethanol standards. I don’t expect him to work on repealing them any time soon.
The mandate for 10% ethanol was before Obama, I think it was during the Clinton mis-administration.
No offense taken/ nor insult implied
If I was Bob from Oregon- I'd be interested in the price of apples
If I was Bob from West Virginia- I'd be interested in the price and future of coal
If I was Bob from Chicago - I'd be interested in gang violence, firearms, and drug cartels.
Right now I am just tired ,.. and retired !.. LMAO !
...gas mileage drop by 10%....
That’s a point that the left doesn’t want to think about. I remember O telling everyone that keeping tires inflated was needed for the ‘environment’ so as to keep milage up —then he turned right around and wasted it all on corn fuel.
Some thoughts:
1) Regarding the 10% lower fuel mileage. I have a dodge van that uses the 70% ethanol. Around town, where I don’t need the extra power, I get close to the same mileage as reg gas. I never use it on trips.
2) The original implementation of gasohol was when we had a surplus of corn and didn’t know what to do with it. This was a BETTER (not perfect) option than farm payments.
3) yes the govt does have a proper role in food production. I said Proper. We have had much mission creep. At one time we had a 1-3 year reserve of grain to tide us through bad times. Now, if we don’t use the last bushel of the old crop the day the new crop comes we screwed up. Think about that potential catastrophe.
4) It was promoted at the for energy independence.
5) Iowa has a choice. We can get reg gas or ethanol. If you can’t in your state, there is something affecting your choice, find out what it is.
6) Folks. The city situation is a tough one for pollution, traffic etc. They are not like the rural situation and we in the rural situations need to understand this.
THE PROBLEM IS A ONE SIZE FITS ALL SOLUTION IMPOSED BY OUR CENTRALIZED GOVERNMENT.
No, I am pushing around a 10 year old Chevy Colorado, 5 cylinder with 176,000 miles, which gets 18/23 mpg.
I have no problem with my fuel, other than I have two idiot lights on the display, only one of which will prevent me from passing inspection
I have a chronic "evap system" problem.
That guy is buying his diesel from those guys and turning it into ethanol and causing additional problems along the way. There isn’t enough energy increase to be worth it.
"...who would you rather support??? American farmers that put our money back into our communities or middle eastern mullah’s...
The "American farmers" who get the benefit of ethanol are actually big agribusinesses who put big money contributions 'back into' liberal politicians' campaign funds.
And when anybody supports a point by invoking the sacred "our", as in referring to "our" communities, "our" children, "our" lakes/streams/cities/anything, then I immediately check out. That is a covert shame barb aimed at dissenters, implying that they must want to harm "our" communities/lakes/cities/children/etc. Libs have been using this tactic to poison discussion for as long as I can remember. No wonder you have people suggesting you should be on DU instead of FR.
The best thing we could do for "our" communities is to stop poisoning the well of self-interest which drives the free market. When Germany reunified, the East turned out to be a wreck — the infrastructure had deteriorated practically to ruins. Why? Because it was Volkseigentum — "everybody's" property, which equates to "nobody's" property. If it's everybody's, nobody is responsible to maintain it, and it goes to pot.
I am hoping that this election means that we might see the collectivist mania rolled back for a change. Ethanol is just a small part of that.
#1) Ethanol is CRAP (that is subjective)
Ethanol destroys engines that are not designed for it. Fact.
#2) Putting ethanol into your automobile will lower it’s MPG (upgrade your car, true for older engines not ones made to use blended fuels)
It’s true for all engines. The only difference being a modern engine won’t be destroyed by the effects.
#3) Ethanol is subsidized - meaning it costs MORE than gasoline. It would NOT be in any gas tank if the free market was allowed to ‘do it’s thing’ (Oil is subsidized also!!! too a much greater extent see my post #10)
Oil would still be used regardless of subsidies. Ethanol would never be used as fuel without the subsidies and MANDATES.
#4) It uses more than a gallon of energy (equivalent) to make a gallon of ethanol (Explain energy equivalent? very subjective)
It’s not subjective; it’s called science.
#5 Our ethanol use has raised food prices globally, why? So you can bitch at me about ‘Big Oil?’ Up yours! (Not true, ever heard of DDG’s??? You all whine when the price of bread goes up but gladly fill up with $3.00 gas to go to grandmas house for Christmas dinner. so I ask again, who would you rather support??? American farmers that put our money back into our communities or middle eastern mullah’s that put the money into madrassa’s that teach hatred of Christians and the west???)
American farmers would be better employed producing food for market demands, as they did throughout history. Farmers are just like the rest of us—they make money when they provide a needed service or product.
How about legislating that you eat three ears of corn per day? You good with that? How about we mandate that you get a new car every three years, or a house, or health insurance? That’s right, you’d be fine with that, because it employs American insurance employees.
You could buy your oil from Sportute Girl. I own some land in the Tuscaloosa Trend oilfield that Chevron pumps oil out of and pays me royally for.
Strawman argument. It’s not either/or.
I’m for zero ethanol, more shale, more drilling, more refineries, less boutique fuels, etc.
That’s a false choice.
There is plenty of oil under US soil, but the gubmint wont let the drillers explore. We don’t need muslim oil to fuel anything in America.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.