Corn-Based Ethanol: The Fool's Gold Rush Is Over

By Kerry Trueman
November 19, 2007
1 comments
by Kerry Trueman Bloomberg News reports today that corn-based ethanol has earned the distinction of being "2007's worst energy investment." Bill Gates and Archer Daniels Midland are among the supposedly savvy types who embraced ethanol as the solution to our energy needs. But it's not reducing oil demand, it takes more energy to make than it gives off, and it does nothing to help the environment. On the contrary, stepped up corn production means more fertilizers and pesticides and threatens our dwindling water supply. So distilleries are shutting down, ethanol stocks are tanking and there's a glut of this stuff they can't even unload. It all adds up to a losing proposition. Why didn't these guys do the math?

Comments

1
posted on Dec 29, 2007
Read this book to get the complete picture and look at the real math. http://www.energyvictory.net/ There are a lot more plus than minuses to energy independence with liquid fuels that are not toxic, do not support islamo-terrorism, do not introduce new CO2, and give the third world a fighting chance to break out of poverty. Petition our government to mandate that all new cars sold in the US be Flex Fuel Vehicles (only $100 extra cost) that can burn any combo of petrol, ethanol or methanol. It is an easily implemented, realistic option that gives us the ability to say no to fossil fuels.