Like I stated, which you must have not read, it isn't worth it RIGHT NOW. But once gasoline prices get up over $3 a gallon again while ethanol is still $2 a gallon, your opinion will change.

Or are you willing to pay $3+ a gallon for gasoline while ethanol is only $2, when prices go up? In this situation, then it would be cost effective to use ethanol.

 

As much as I am in favor of alternative fuels. The increased demand on corn crops due to ethanol production is driving the cost of meat and poultry up. Enough to hit consumers in the pocket book. This was cited in the WallStreet Journal .It seems the demand has raised the price of corn. So it just goes to show that the consumer pays anyway!

 

Corn has gone up to about $4.00 a bushel give or take a few cents, depending on where you sell it. This is up from $1.70 a bushel just a few years ago. This in turn does affect food prices that use corn in their production, I understand the dilemma that is created. Although with ethanol it is reducing our dependence on foreign oil, so which route do you choose? Do you keep buying foreign oil and watch the corn price drop along with food products or do you pay more for food, use ethanol and keep the money in the US? Seems to me like I would want my money to stay in the US instead of the Mid. East.

 

Not sure it does since E85 is still in it's early stages and demand still has not gone down. But as a side note not only will the consumer pay more for essential goods (food) of which gas is not, consumables will increase in price of which the majority is manufactured offshore. China is one of the largest, they are also one of the largest consumers of fossil fuel. With that said if the US dependance of foreign oil goes down China's will continue to increase, since they have no comittment to change. The increased demand on foreign oil by China will increase, the hold backs by the oil cartels will increase therefore artifically increasing the price to make up for the lack of US revenues. This will increase the price in our consumables to offset the higher prices of fossil fuel. So you have to look at the entire picture the money will still be going outside of the US and in larger amounts. It's a global issue. You have to look past the US. If we were a country of closed borders then I would agree, but those that say that the money will be kept in the USA are just fooling themselves. It's a double edge sword!

In reality all countries have to work on the consumption issue.

"Today, the more oil a country can claim -- the methods each uses to determine this are a closely guarded secret -- the more influence it has on the global energy scene. " ( commondreams.org)

 

I do agree with you, as I have seen the light after that first tank full of E85.