Not enough land for Ethanol

[naterprius]

http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtm...d=43806&page=1

Kind of scary.

Nate

[NuShrike]

Sounds like it would be more efficient, and land efficient besides the side effect of powering cities, to convert land to solar stirling engine concentrators to power your PHEV.

[mikepaul]

If they find a plant that grows well in Canada and gives plenty of ethanol, I hear they aren't that crowded...

[JackDodge]

Popular Science said last month that it would take 70% of existing farmland would be needed.

[B Rad]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JackDodge @ Jun 16 2006, 01:11 PM) [snapback]272314[/snapback]</div>

Popular Science said last month that it would take 70% of existing farmland would be needed.
[/b]

Sounds like the farmers are playing the oil company game. " Just not enough land to drill on or plant corn ".

[ServoScanMan]

Don't forget, you gotta water those plants. Water will be the next crisis in America.

[GasGuzzler87]

Ethanol sucks anyway.

[windstrings]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JackDodge @ Jun 16 2006, 11:11 AM) [snapback]272314[/snapback]</div>

Popular Science said last month that it would take 70% of existing farmland would be needed.
[/b]

Thats just "existing".. we can use thousands and thousands of wasted acres and quite paying farmers "not" to produce and put people to work....

Besides, we can also make it out of our trash.

But I agree.. Ethanol stinks... but its nice if its cheap.. but greed keeps that from happening.

[JackDodge]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(B Rad @ Jun 16 2006, 03:20 PM) [snapback]272347[/snapback]</div>

Sounds like the farmers are playing the oil company game. " Just not enough land to drill on or plant corn ".
[/b]

Yes, corn is not the most efficient crop for ethanol but the corn growers have the most efficient and effective lobbyists so that's what we end up getting stuck with. The reason that GM is pushing it so hard is because they're in on the deal: corn growing corporate farms get lots of money because the consumer has to buy lots of ethanol, GM gets to sell its gas guzzlers and make lots of money, politicians get paid off and the consumer ends up getting something that's not as good as it could be because what matters in this country is who gets paid not what's best for the country. It's pathetic how this country has turned in to just a bunch of greedy bastards.

[windstrings]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JackDodge @ Jun 25 2006, 04:44 AM) [snapback]276419[/snapback]</div>

Yes, corn is not the most efficient crop for ethanol but the corn growers have the most efficient and effective lobbyists so that's what we end up getting stuck with. The reason that GM is pushing it so hard is because they're in on the deal: corn growing corporate farms get lots of money because the consumer has to buy lots of ethanol, GM gets to sell its gas guzzlers and make lots of money, politicians get paid off and the consumer ends up getting something that's not as good as it could be because what matters in this country is who gets paid not what's best for the country. It's pathetic how this country has turned in to just a bunch of greedy bastards.
[/b]

Yep... money makes the world go round...

We have to figure out a way to make it cheap and still be good for everyone.....

I see it like the drug company issue...no one wants to promote vitamins and herbs because they cannot charge astronomical amounts for research. And so drug companys don't push many things that are good for you because "they" don't make the money for doing so.
They are not our parents, nor do they care about us.

I really think we need to "trick" big business.

Initially there will be big bucks in setting people up and every home thats built with solar, but once it catches on, it will be common place and power would be cheap and the price of solar cells would drop dramatically and research would make much power powerful and efficeint cells.. just like they are doing with batteries now.

Until there is a profit in it.. no one will research and make it better.
The prius is really helping lead the road... Yah for Toyota!

Energy is "everywhere to be tapped"... But I'm not sure we will make if that far as a human race for energy to be free... I think the middle east will blow up into Armeggedon before that happens!