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Ethanol Production in Illinois

Here's a great article from St. Louis' Suburban Journals about the continuing controversies over corn to ethanol production in Illinois. Do you think ethanol should be a viable alternative energy source? What are the advantages of creating ethanol from corn? What are the disadvantages?
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Sun, 11/29/2009 - 12:52am — Anonymous

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thanks for informative post.

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Tue, 03/17/2009 - 1:05pm — Anonymous

GM-Half E85 in 2012

http://e85vehicles.com/ The average price for a gallon of E85 nationwide is $1.69; that really isnt to bad. E85/ethanol is a mixture of 85% ethanol and only 15% gasoline. The demand and need for oil this and past years is outrageous. If we used E85 ethanol, think of how much less gasoline we will consume. According to GM, General Motors and Ford - Half of Production will be FFV by 2012 General Motors declares that half their production will be FFVs by the year 2012 “We continue to believe that biofuels, specifically E85, is the most significant thing we can do in the near-term to offset future energy demands,” said Beth Lowery, GM vice president of Environment, Energy and Safety Policy. “We are on target to make 50 percent of our vehicles flex-fuel capable by 2012 providing the infrastructure is in place.” E85 is 85% Ethanol and only 15% Gasoline . By using E85 you immediately cut funding OPEC by 85% Cars that can run on E85 are called flex fuel vehicles ..you may already be driving a flex fuel E85 vehicle and not even know it. The Ford Escape is getting a recorded 88 mpg on e-85 vehicles So, as long as Ford, GM, and any other company can keep their word, we can make our environment also safer. What would you rather have emmited into the air you breathe? corn and 15% gas or all gas emissions? http://e85vehicles.com/e85/index.php?topic=1774.0
Mon, 03/16/2009 - 1:19pm — 09jbray

What is the purpose?

To be perfectly honest I believe that the whole-change corn into ethanol-concept is a waste of time. The main purpose of the idea was to lessen our dependency on oil for gasoline. The problem is that it costs way too much time and money to make it worth the hassle. This concept is a lot like the windmill idea to give us more natural energy. Though this seems like a great idea it just costs to much money and time for it to be worth it. I am all for lessening our dependency on oil and energy...I just think that we need to come up with ideas that are actually worthwhile. :)
Tue, 03/17/2009 - 10:30am — ebohm

Demise of Ethanol

Prove it. You seem have an opinion, now is the time to back it up with facts. Give me some research data that gives your opinion some credibility.
Tue, 03/17/2009 - 1:22pm — Anonymous

Reply

When I researched this controversial topic I came across an article entitled, "Determining the Cost of Producing Ethanol from Corn Starch and Lignocellulosic Feedstocks." This article was produced by "A Joint Study Sponsored by: U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Energy." In this article it states a lot of information about the cost of making ethanol. In another article entitled "Ethanol Notes" it explains how to make ethanol. The basic idea is that ethanol is made simularly to brewing beer. "You start with grain or corn, add heat, yeast, enzymes and after a couple of days – you end up with a highly distilled 180-200 proof alcohol." This particualr articlealso stated what ingredients were in two of the most common types of ethanol. It stated that E10 is 10% ethanol / 90% gasoline and is warranted by all major auto manufacturers. It also stated that E85 is 85% ethanol / 15% gasoline and is warranted for any flexible fueled vehicle (FFV). So if we are trying to lessen our dependency on oil by making ethanol and the best way that we can do this is by spending "a couple of days" producing something that we still need 15% of it to be gasoline or 90% of it gasoline who are we kidding? I'm just merely stating that what we are doing is not working and we need to be doing something else. In the article sponsered by the U. S. Department of Agriculture and U. S. Department of Energy it stated that Production Costs for the Starch Process Total Production Cost Annually=$22,000,000 Per Gallon=$0.88 Production Costs for the Lignocellulose Process Total Production Cost Annually=$37,300,000 Per Gallon=$1.50 A dollar fifty plus eighty-eight cents to produce a gallon of gasoline??? Is it worth all of this, plus the time to manufacture it. Another factor to consider is the popularity of ethanol. In a lot of cases people do not even buy the ethanol because they do not care or because they are out more money. I'm just saying that from what I've seen it is not worth it. Joshua Bray
Tue, 03/17/2009 - 1:21pm — Anonymous

The FACTS

When I researched this controversial topic I came across an article entitled, "Determining the Cost of Producing Ethanol from Corn Starch and Lignocellulosic Feedstocks." This article was produced by "A Joint Study Sponsored by: U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Energy." In this article it states a lot of information about the cost of making ethanol. In another article entitled "Ethanol Notes" it explains how to make ethanol. The basic idea is that ethanol is made simularly to brewing beer. "You start with grain or corn, add heat, yeast, enzymes and after a couple of days – you end up with a highly distilled 180-200 proof alcohol." This particualr articlealso stated what ingredients were in two of the most common types of ethanol. It stated that E10 is 10% ethanol / 90% gasoline and is warranted by all major auto manufacturers. It also stated that E85 is 85% ethanol / 15% gasoline and is warranted for any flexible fueled vehicle (FFV). So if we are trying to lessen our dependency on oil by making ethanol and the best way that we can do this is by spending "a couple of days" producing something that we still need 15% of it to be gasoline or 90% of it gasoline who are we kidding? I'm just merely stating that what we are doing is not working and we need to be doing something else. In the article sponsered by the U. S. Department of Agriculture and U. S. Department of Energy it stated that Production Costs for the Starch Process Total Production Cost Annually=$22,000,000 Per Gallon=$0.88 Production Costs for the Lignocellulose Process Total Production Cost Annually=$37,300,000 Per Gallon=$1.50 A dollar fifty plus eighty-eight cents to produce a gallon of gasoline??? Is it worth all of this, plus the time to manufacture it. Another factor to consider is the popularity of ethanol. In a lot of cases people do not even buy the ethanol because they do not care or because they are out more money. I'm just saying that from what I've seen it is not worth it.
Mon, 03/16/2009 - 1:17pm — ktlegner

Keep goin.

I understand that many people are getting fed up with the corn to ethanol situation but I believe it is still a good idea. Just because the price is going up for the production doesn't mean that we have to stop trying to see if it was the right way. 

 Katie Legner

Mon, 03/16/2009 - 1:16pm — sedens91

Corn prices are increasing

Corn prices are increasing yearly, just as the prices for everything else increase as well. I think that while Amercians wait for the breakthrough in a new and cheaper fuel for our cars, we should still attempt to conserve oil. Ethanol still has a long way to go before it is available on a mass scale. I think that research should still be done, with ethanol and other alternatives.
Mon, 03/16/2009 - 1:07pm — lbill

Is Ethanol still the best alternative?

I think that the ethanol craze is starting to slow down. Researchers and entrepeneurs are realizing that there are other, cheaper alternatives to using corn. The cost of corn is increasing and there are other plants that could provide the same results as with corn.
Mon, 03/16/2009 - 1:18pm — Mjhavro

I agree.  For instance,

I agree.  For instance, with less than 5 minutes of research, I have found an article which claims that the amount of corn used to produce enough ethanol to fill a 25-gallon SUV gas tank is enough food to feed a human being for 1 year.  If you figure that you fill up that gas tank once every two weeks over a year, you will have used up enough food to feed 26 people for 1 year.

 In addition, about 14 million tons of corn is being used to produce fuel for cars which leaves about 6 million tons to be used for food for the world.  This changes the price of corn dramatically as there is a smaller supply of corn available for human consumption purposes, driving the price up.  Furthermore, with starvation so rampant around the world, we are cutting our humanitarian efforts short by providing our cars with more food than our fellow global citizens.

 Read the article here: http://www.theglobalist.com/storyid.aspx?StoryId=5518

Mon, 03/16/2009 - 1:15pm — ngraham09

I totally agree, I think

I totally agree,

I think that ethanol seems like a great idea...however, thats all that it is: an idea. Its not realistic, and now with the price of corn going up...I think ethanol's days are numbered.

Mon, 03/16/2009 - 1:18pm — balandavis

Ethonol isn't really non existent.

E85 is everywhere. Read about it.
Mon, 03/16/2009 - 1:06pm — luke_eppel

ethanol UNavailability

We have an ubundance of corn around Illinois, and with fuel on the top of the headlines, we should take full advantage of this opportunity. The question is, how many ethanol pumps do we have around here? Also, with the economy the way it is, ethanol compatibility is only in the new, $35,000 dollar cars and trucks that most people cannot afford. This is something we need to work on.
Mon, 03/16/2009 - 1:06pm — mjpanno10

Ethanol production is key

Ethanol production is key to new energies.  The government needs to do whatever they can to fund plants such as this one and others.  One advantage of using ethanol is that here in Illinois, we have an abundance of corn, and we always will, because unlike oil, we can regrow it every year.