As the worst drought in over a half century took its toll, investors went on a buying spree, boosting corn prices by more than 50 percent from late May to fresh record highs above $8 per bushel. The U.S. government on Friday released fresh crop data that revealed shocking cuts for this year's grain and oilseed output as the drought spread through America's breadbasket.So, the obvious response is to stop putting the stuff into gasoline, right? I mean, E10 -- that is, the gas blend that contains ten-percent-ethanol -- is incredibly destructive to small engines, and it's driving food prices up at a time when grain prices are already ruinously high. There's just no excuse for continuing our current policy.
Naturally, then, we'll be making a change in that policy.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will require all consumers to buy at least four gallons of gasoline from certain gas pumps after the new E15 ethanol-gasoline blend is introduced into the market.Of course. I should have known that would be the solution.
"I should have known that would be the solution. "
ReplyDeleteWhy not drive up the cost of everything related to corn and feed in this booming economy? And if 7%-10% corn content in the fuel causes problems like corrosion, accelerated plastic/nylon/rubber deterioration and those wunnerful hydroscopic qualities that give ethanol fuel such a short shelf life, why not up the content 50% more?
All of which reminds me to check the futures markets on tar, feathers, and rails.
The additional pleasure -- if you are buying for a motorcycle or small engine -- is that the new system will mean that you will be required to buy more gasoline than your tank may actually hold. I spent a part of last summer riding around on a Sportster 48 that had a 1.9 gallon tank. Fine for city use, and I was down at CENTCOM, but what do I do with the other 2.1 gallons of gas? Pour it on the ground? Carry a jerry can strapped to the back seat of a tiny little bike?
ReplyDeleteYup... With X amount of ethanol yielding 2/3 the energy of X amount of gas, it pretty much makes it a scam from the get-go.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the Sporty goes, hang a fat bob tank on that bad boy.
There are two things well meaning idiots never learned.
ReplyDelete#1-The law of Unexpected Consequences.
#2-The Law of Diminishing Returns.
Thus we get to spend exponentially expanding sums , to cut ever shrinking miniscule amounts of "pollution", until it costs everything we have to do nothing constructive.
Meanwhile, Joe , topping of his tank with $10, pisses the extra couple of gallons on the ground in sheer frustration.
Now we can arrest Joe, call a hazmat team, and spend ton more public money. It's a win-win!
What makes me most nuts about ethanol fuel is that it doesn't even save energy. It costs more to produce it than is saved in the gasoline additive. It's nothing but a corn subsidy scam.
ReplyDelete"What makes me most nuts about ethanol fuel is that it doesn't even save energy. It costs more to produce it than is saved in the gasoline additive. It's nothing but a corn subsidy scam."
ReplyDeleteB-I-N-G-O