Comments on: AskPablo: Corn-Based Ethanol

By: Steve Puma

Steve Puma — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:07:56 +0000

Pablo,
Very nice. I’m not sure that I agree that we need a liquid fuel to replace oil (for automotive transportation). My feeling is that we need to make a wholesale move to electric cars as soon as possible, with the electricity coming from concentrated solar and wind. Plug-in hybrids are the necessary in-between step.

By: J&S/Peoria/Illinois

J&S/Peoria/Illinois — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 08:54:42 +0000

Morning everyone;
Ethanol production is being pushed by economics; pure & simple. Ave. cost of production is $1.45/gal ( Front page of Farmweek,vol. 35. No.24) At a reduced figure of .67 ; coparatiable cost is $2.14/gal. I recently purchased E-85 gas for $2.68 vs. $3.19 for regular gas.
The American farmer has responded by planting an additional 14 mil acres of corn to meet this growing demand.
This discussion may be moot; as we are facing a drought; Link;
http://drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html
We are at the whims of mother nature.
Producing corn on an acre (using no-till) is much less destructive to a soil’s profile & tilth than with soybean production.
If farmers are offered $9 / bu for beans next year (at a reduced cost of inputs vs corn inputs); many will go back to a normal 50-50 rotation. Link;
http://dgroups.agriculture.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?nav=messages&webtag=agmarketing&tid=14636
Ethanol production from cane also has problems; Link;
http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/07/07/09/10137842.html
Silva & Pinto are now defending their position; link;
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/81801.html
Be careful for what you wish for. IF the $.51 blenders’ credit is dropped; then there would be no economic incentive to invest in new startup e-plants and you’ll be faced with higher pump prices.
Supporting the building of these e-plants is increasing the supply of this gas additive; thus
decreasing our reliance of overseas crude oil. Link;
http://www.lenconnect.com/articles/2007/07/11/news/news10.txt
How many new oil refineries have been built in the last 30 years ? ; not one. Instead, oil companies are relying more on importing the gasoline supplies.
Sincerely; J&S/Peoria County/Illinois

By: J&S/Peoria/Illinois

J&S/Peoria/Illinois — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 08:54:42 +0000

By: c

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 20:04:04 +0000

to those that say the corn going into ethanol isnt really food better check the price of milk, cheese and cornmeal (a big deal south of the border)

By: wondermike

wondermike — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 00:17:50 +0000

Ethanol production is being pushed by the politicians in farm growing states that have most to gain in the very short term with the emphasis on corn harvests. Ethanol fuel per gallon has less than half the energy concentration that regular gasoline or diesel has, therefore one has to pay double for it just to stay even. When the oil and distilled fuel imports coming into this country get disrupted it means agriculture will be disrupted as well.

By: Ian T

Ian T — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 14:13:16 +0000

Regarding algal oil production: There was a recent article in “Nature, 31 May 2007″ about the potential of algae biodiesel. The take home message was that it could produce magnitudes more oil per acre then soya, canola or oil palm, but the technique to reliable and efficiently do it on a large scale has not been perfected. A few companies, such as Solix, are trying to make this potential a reality.

By: J&S/Peoria/Illinois

J&S/Peoria/Illinois — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 07:05:29 +0000

Morning everyone;
If your interested in bio-diesel produced fron algae; follow this link;
http://www.oilgae.com/
I had been following this devolopment until my computer crashed, & I lost all my links. Mt understanding is that a firm in Mass. devoloped a method ; formed a company; then sold the world distribution rights to a South Africa company. They in turn, sold US distribution rights to an outfit in AZ. Someday, South Africa may be exporting oil.
If you live in sunny Calif. ; you may be interested in this link;
http://www.openenergycorp.com/
As to the topic of corn-based ethanol ; I present this link;
http://www.farmdoc.uiuc.edu/manage/newsletters/fefo07_11/fefo07_11.html
Notice the correlation of the price of oil to the breakeven price of corn for the ethanol plant producer. Crude is now closer to $70/bl; instead of their use of $65/barrel.
One bushel of corn produces 2.8 gal. It also produces app 17 lb of DDGs; which is used as cattle feed.
Just recently,the first closed loop e-plant started in Mead, Neb. Link;
http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=46414
40-50% of energy that a e-plant uses is for the drying of wet DDGs to a dry form; easier to move & easier to store. By eliminating this step increases the profitability of E3 Biofuels.
Sincerely; J&S/Peoria County/Illinois

By: J&S/Peoria/Illinois

J&S/Peoria/Illinois — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 07:05:29 +0000

By: William Hertling

William Hertling — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 17:43:10 +0000

What about algal oil production? I saw a presentation by Al Prost, an engineer previously associated with Arizona State University on algal oil production. It seems that yields of up to 200 (barrels? gallons?) of oil/fuel per acre are possible from algae production, compared to less than 10 from soy, corn, or other vegetables.

By: BILL

BILL — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 09:04:19 +0000

With current “abundant” rains in the south , flooding corn crops , destroying same , washing away precious topsoil , washing fertilizers into the Gulf , broadening the Louisiana seaboards “dead zone” , think nature dealt a large blow to corn and ethanol , higher prices are in sight , dropping the energy factor of ethanol to a minus factor . Again what idiots , evil idiots, would use food stuffs for fuel. You know why , because food and fuel are not included in CPI . This is Dubyas inflation fighting fuel , see no one will get SS raises , or COLA’s increases based on rampant food inflation . Selfish dishonest deceitful man indeed , taking advantage of the masses . Thanx Dubya !! Bill K.

By: J&S/Peoria/Illinois

J&S/Peoria/Illinois — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 06:03:08 +0000

Morning everyone;
I am a small time farmer (400 acres) from Peoria County; Illinois, and an investor in 3 ethanol plants.
After suffering thru 20 years of low corn prices of $2-$2.50; I decided to invest in my industry & to provide an additional market for my product.
Corn based ethanol is not “THE” answer to our energy problem; but it is a step in the right direction. Current average cost of ethanol production is $1.45 / gal. This comes from the front page of “Farm Week” vol.35; No. 24. ; up from $.95 / gal in 2002. “USDA expects production to rise from a current 5 billion gallons to 8.8 billion gallons in 2007-2008 and 10 billion gallons by 2008-2009.” (Actually; current production is closer to 6 billion gallons)
“20% ; The estimated percentage of US corn crop used for ethanol in 2006, vs. 6% in 2000.”
The latest USDA projections for corn crop acreage increased by 19% from a year ago;dated June 29)
Every new ethanol plant that comes into production is more efficient than the last one.
Nowadays; we can squeeze 2.80 gal from a bushel of corn. Each acre (at a yield of 150 bu/ac.) has the capacity to produce 420 gal. of ethanol.
Sure; sugarcane is more efficient; but I can’t grow cane. I can grow corn.
Logistics is the problem. Collin Peterson may have a solution;
http://www.marshallindependent.com/News/articles.asp?articleID=13788
The ethanol boom is having a major impact on the midwest;
http://www.kansascity.com/business/story/174740.html
A re-vitalization of rural America. Now; perhaps I can spend money on capital purchases.
Just look at what it’s doing to John Deere stock…J&S

By: J&S/Peoria/Illinois

J&S/Peoria/Illinois — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 06:03:08 +0000

By: Ken

Ken — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 23:57:17 +0000

The manufacturing guys over at Evolving Excellence just posted an interesting viewpoint on the “excess of corn”… tieing it to “an obesity of waste,” whether that’s a waste of overproduction or overconsumption. Ethanol or food.
http://www.evolvingexcellence.com/blog/2007/07/the-obesity-epi.html
Ken

By: J√∏rgen

J√∏rgen — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 15:15:37 +0000

Ultimately, corn is a raw material for a bunch of stuff. Whatever provides the highest profit to the processors like ADM and Cargill is what it will be used for, whether it be food, plastics, fodder, or fuel or Christmas decorations. Most of the corn grown is not of the variety that humans would eat as food (as in eating corn as a vegetable).
Therefore, land area is what we are really talking about and whether that land area can be used in a way that provides income security to farmers as well as in the current system, maximum profits to whoever pays the lobbyists.
If we recognize that, then we need to have a clear vision of how we can maximize the benefits we all ca gain from the use of the land area available to us. Corn is definitely not the most optimal use of the land, but as long as the farm bill guarantees profits from it, farmers have income security and the lobbyists get paid.
The farm bill should be used as a document to show leadership in developing technologies towards optimum use of the land by providing incentives for developing maximum efficiency technologies as well as rewarding farmers who take the risk of growing crops for those new technologies.