e85 pumps are popping up all over the country. the main problem with ethanol is the fact that the only people refining ethanol are the oil companies, so of course they arent going to kill their revenue by introducing it at a much lower price.

 

That and it drives up the cost of corn which drives up the cost of raising livestock all of which without any net pollution reduction given the amount of pollution converting the corn to fuel produces. The only benefit is a very, very slight reduction in overseas oil consumption. There is no way for the current producers to ever produce enough to significantly reduce our reliance on oil to any significant degree even reduce consumption by 5% would be unreachable figure.

Unfortunately despite how much it is touted...it seems it is nothing more than a distraction to any real solutions.

 

ethanol can be made from many other things besides corn, but growing enough of a surplus to make enough to keep up with our fuel consumption is impossible.

 

My 2000 Ford ranger was an FFV....now 8 years later and still no ethanol pumps anywhere.

I should have specified....none to be found in Florida

 

problem with ethanol is the fact that the only people refining ethanol are the oil companies, so of course they arent going to kill their revenue by introducing it at a much lower price.

I was thinking that the cost for the oil companies to produce, and retrofit the existing infrastructure to accomodate ethanol has to be a huge outlay. But then again, they'll just raise the fuel costs to absorb it all.

Ohhhh I'm getting a headache.....

 

That and it drives up the cost of corn which drives up the cost of raising livestock all of which without any net pollution reduction given the amount of pollution converting the corn to fuel produces. The only benefit is a very, very slight reduction in overseas oil consumption. There is no way for the current producers to ever produce enough to significantly reduce our reliance on oil to any significant degree even reduce consumption by 5% would be unreachable figure.

Unfortunately despite how much it is touted...it seems it is nothing more than a distraction to any real solutions.

Not forgetting farm subsidies, producer tax incentives, and gas station tax credits of $0.18/gallon for selling blended fuels all at tax payers expense. Then the double tax to consumers of a gas tax at the pump. Yeah, great plan.

 

Has anyone with an '08 had any sucess in using ethanol? Or even finding it for that matter?

I'm have the funny feeling that the BIG OIL and government will never let this ethanol campaign grow any legs anytime soon because the oil companies will lose revenue. At 80% ehanol and only 15% gasoline, do the math........

My 2000 Ford ranger was an FFV....now 8 years later and still no ethanol pumps anywhere.

It's an absolute farce. It's more expensive and gets worse fuel mileage. It's existance is simply to help quell those who actually believe global warming is anything other than a natural occurance.

 

It's an absolute farce. It's more expensive and gets worse fuel mileage. It's existance is simply to help quell those who actually believe global warming is anything other than a natural occurance.

On the global warming topic, I am reading a book called "Instoppable Global Warming Every 1500 Years" b y S. Fred Singer and Dennis T. Avery and strongly recommend it for those interested in seeing the other side of the coin. This particular book references hundreds of research studies that show strong evidence of 1500 year cycles in our climate, and the collaborative study of three scientists who in 1996 won the Tyler prize in 1996 for their discovery and evidence of a 1500 year warming cycle and the methods of that discovery. It is well written and easy to digest. Well documented with references and other sources of informaiton.

 

On the global warming topic, I am reading a book called "Instoppable Global Warming Every 1500 Years" b y S. Fred Singer and Dennis T. Avery and strongly recommend it for those interested in seeing the other side of the coin. This particular book references hundreds of research studies that show strong evidence of 1500 year cycles in our climate, and the collaborative study of three scientists who in 1996 won the Tyler prize in 1996 for their discovery and evidence of a 1500 year warming cycle and the methods of that discovery. It is well written and easy to digest. Well documented with references and other sources of informaiton.

Without hijacking the thread or reading that particular book, I wholeheardly agree with global warming being a natural event. All evidence I've read, and all studies proves that to be the case. Al Gore is one smart businesman to prey on the worries of the misled public. Thanks, I will look into that book.

 

Al gore is an idiot. End of story.

Global warming is a fact, but it is NOT caused, or accelerated, by man. It is a natural occurance.

As far as ethanol is concerend, I was just watching a Modern Marvels (history channel...I love that show) In it, they showed that corn ethanol actually produces the least amount of energy units per units used to refine. For every one unit of natural energy (oil, coal, etc) it takes to make the corn ethanol, it only produces 1.3.

But, sugar cane is a 10 to 1 ratio. Much better.

They predict that now switchgrass will be even better.

 

Ethanol is a joke. Read on...

http://www.businessweek.com/autos/content/apr2006/bw20060427_493909.htm

 

Wish we could get gas without ethanol. All stations in Hawaii are 10% . **** is ruining alot of engines over here. There is a class action law suit in the works against the state of Hawaii for the institute of the stuff, making it mandatory for the stations to carry only ethanol based gas...

 

Wish we could get gas without ethanol. All stations in Hawaii are 10% . **** is ruining alot of engines over here. There is a class action law suit in the works against the state of Hawaii for the institute of the stuff, making it mandatory for the stations to carry only ethanol based gas...

The same is true for the NE. You can't buy gasoline w/o it anymore here. But 10% ethanol does nothing to harm your engine....except hurt fuel mileage. Yeah, that makes sense doesn't it?....blend gasoline with 10% Ethanol to help stretch it a bit and give it less milage than straight gasoline. This country is so ****ed!

 

Can't wait for this country to embrace diesel.

 

On the global warming subject, I saw on TV the other night about how there are natural heating and cooling cycles of the earth. But right now we are suppose to be in one of those cooling cycles yet we have increased out temperature by 1 degree over the last 15 years I believe.

Is this caused by cars and people? Who the hell knows BUT. To say that humans burning 50 billion tons of fossil fuel has NO, ZERO & NILL effect on the earth is JUST as ridiculous as stating we for sure are the caused of global warming.

We might only contribute to .0001 degrees or maybe the full degree. The earth is such a complex system we will probably never know for sure. Only when all our coast land is flooded, mass famine and ½ the population is dead will the hard core conservatives (witch I lean towards much more then the left) admit that just maybe they were wrong. But the other side’s solutions to the problems don’t seem to be much better and seems to be in “image” only.

I think we need to invest in solar energy now while we have the cash. If solar cells were installed and covered just 10% of Nevada that would be enough to power all of the USA. But that would cost 5000+ billion dollars and it’s much cheaper to keep using fossil fuels, especially since the evidence is hardly concrete. You’re not going to get the massed to spend that much cash on something that most consider unnecessary.

But for everyone that reads this don’t worry! It wont effect you, probably wont even effect your kids. But your kid’s kids might have a real situation on their hands. Since I don’t have any kids (or plans to) it really makes no difference to me if global warming is real or not. It just kills me how people can be so sure that it’s NOT (or that is is). But at least the tree huggers are on the safe side of the bet. If there wrong they just spend 50 zillion dollars that would of probably been wasted on national health care. If the burn baby burn crowd is wrong, well we all die in 100 to 1000 years….

 

FFV capable or not, I have a feeling E85 is no good for the Titan in the long run. So I run gas most of the time. I do have to admit, I have compared mileage, and with approximately a 50/50 blend of E85 and gas(90% gas w/10%ethanol) and strictly highway driven miles, I have averaged 16-17 mpg.
Coupled with a heavy subsidy here in Minnesota for the E85 (60 cent discount per gallon vs gas), I could save a few bucks. But as I said above, I don't trust the stuff.... I have read that it cannot be transported via pipeline because it is too corrosive. What does that tell you about what it might do to your truck in the long run. Screw E85 ! It's only making farmers rich at consumers expense.

 

Al gore is an idiot. End of story.

Global warming is a fact, but it is NOT caused, or accelerated, by man. It is a natural occurance.

amen brother! I know I'm hijacking my own thread but this is a great video on your exact point......Get the popcorn, it's long....but pretty good.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3309910462407994295&q=global+warming&total=21354&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=8

 

amen brother! I know I'm hijacking my own thread but this is a great video on your exact point......Get the popcorn, it's long....but pretty good.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3309910462407994295&q=global+warming&total=21354&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=8

Now why couldn't Al Gore see that!? That ****in' moron follower!

 

man I wish I was half the idiot Al Gore is. Hmm lets see... vice president of the United States for 8 years, Senator before that... making boukou money now too. Everyone knows who he is. Sounds like he knows what he is doing to me...

What is so wrong with trying to help keep preserve our environment for ourselves and our future generations. My job is in Environmental Compliance and I deal with environmental issues all the time. I may not agree with all the environmental laws but they are there for a reason. We can't just destroy this planet its the only one we got...

E85 is only a pinky size bandaid on a bazooka wound for the manufacturers. Hydrogen fuel cells are the forseen future for all autos big and small. So if you have E85 and are able to use it and want to then use it... if not don't worry about it just use gas.

 

man I wish I was half the idiot Al Gore is. Hmm lets see... vice president of the United States for 8 years, Senator before that... making boukou money now too. Everyone knows who he is. Sounds like he knows what he is doing to me...

What is so wrong with trying to help keep preserve our environment for ourselves and our future generations. My job is in Environmental Compliance and I deal with environmental issues all the time. I may not agree with all the environmental laws but they are there for a reason. We can't just destroy this planet its the only one we got...

E85 is only a pinky size bandaid on a bazooka wound for the manufacturers. Hydrogen fuel cells are the forseen future for all autos big and small. So if you have E85 and are able to use it and want to then use it... if not don't worry about it just use gas.

I was refering to the movie he was involved in based on completely incorrect information. Click the link above and listen to the experts show FACTS, not some dull ex VP looking to make a buck.....yeah, I guess on the money making issue, he's no moron. On global warming facts, he's one helmet away from licking windows!

 

On global warming facts, he's one helmet away from licking windows!

:clap: :clap: :clap:

 

Back to ethanol. The price of ethanol (E85) needs to be about 20% cheaper than gasoline to break even on mileage. I have extensively logged this myself and will spare readers of my previous rants about how ridiculous and short sighted this ethanol movement is. At $3.00 a gallon, E85 will need to be about $2.40 a gallon to break even. At $3.50, E85 will need to be around $2.80. Others will argue the supposed emissions reductions, but that is very debatable.

Most states are adopting development of the ethanol industry, mostly in the Midwest. Many Midwest states are in severe budget deficits, even after they spent their tobacco settlements on non tobacco related programs. they still are short. Ethanol to the Midwest is a huge tax opportunity, hence the welcome mat. Our governor for example was recently quoted that "ethanol is the future." That definition of the future doesn't look too far over the hill.

Our country is capable of achieving what is deemed the impossible. We have done it in the past when we put our minds and money into it. Putting money into a band aid solution that has minimal impact to our energy needs is wasting precious time and money that is needed to move to the next level....okay, so I ranted again, sorry.

 

Back to ethanol. The price of ethanol (E85) needs to be about 20% cheaper than gasoline to break even on mileage. I have extensively logged this myself and will spare readers of my previous rants about how ridiculous and short sighted this ethanol movement is. At $3.00 a gallon, E85 will need to be about $2.40 a gallon to break even. At $3.50, E85 will need to be around $2.80. Others will argue the supposed emissions reductions, but that is very debatable.

Most states are adopting development of the ethanol industry, mostly in the Midwest. Many Midwest states are in severe budget deficits, even after they spent their tobacco settlements on non tobacco related programs. they still are short. Ethanol to the Midwest is a huge tax opportunity, hence the welcome mat. Our governor for example was recently quoted that "ethanol is the future." That definition of the future doesn't look too far over the hill.

Our country is capable of achieving what is deemed the impossible. We have done it in the past when we put our minds and money into it. Putting money into a band aid solution that has minimal impact to our energy needs is wasting precious time and money that is needed to move to the next level....okay, so I ranted again, sorry.

Amen. If global warming was the issue these dolts claim it is, why doesn't the government make all auto makers offer something like the Prius?! Toyota is the ONLY company here making a car like it. Wanna know why?...there's no money to be made! No corn, no ethanol...nothing! Yet the Prius gets better mileage and pollutes less than anything out there. What a bunch of hypocrates lawmakers are. It's all about the mighty buck!

 

I'll tell you what....I rented a suburban a couple weeks back and it had that new technology in which it swiched between 4 and 8 cylinders, depending on the power demand. It rode nice and I could not tell when it was running on 4 cylinders, other than the light on the dash.

The downside was that the fuel mileage was not that far off from my Titan. But, if they could find a way to make that technology more efficient, and increase that margin, that could be a great solution to better fuel economy. I just didn't understand the point, based on the marginal-better fuel economy.

 

I'll tell you what....I rented a suburban a couple weeks back and it had that new technology in which it swiched between 4 and 8 cylinders, depending on the power demand. It rode nice and I could not tell when it was running on 4 cylinders, other than the light on the dash.

The downside was that the fuel mileage was not that far off from my Titan. But, if they could find a way to make that technology more efficient, and increase that margin, that could be a great solution to better fuel economy. I just didn't understand the point, based on the marginal-better fuel economy.

That's the problem. None of those engines that shut off cylinders make much difference, if at all. Even the new "hybrid" from GM is a joke. These companies do it because on paper they look better than they are in reality, besides, they get huge tax breaks for offering them.