Ethanol / E85, part 2, Seems that the US Department of Enegry wasn't too happy Options

[saleeka]

Did U.S. energy department try to influence KARE poll?

Not that encouraging positive responces in a poll really changes anything, it does make me wonder what is fact, and what is fiction in terms of corn based ethanol when special interest groups try to muzzle true public opinion...

[WannabeGT4]

E85 is just another product being sold to the blind consumer. Another opportunity to make money on the "green" energy hype that's going on now. Give it a few more years and we'll be on to something different but petroleum will still have us over the barrel.

[GeEkBoY]

On a future energy front we will be shifting to wind, solar, nuclear, hydro, tidal, and biomass. Coal will lead us to a horrible future, NG is a short term solution.

Transportation fuel is a more difficult source of energy to provide renewably. Biomass sources are more compatible in producing transportation fuel. Taking food and making fuel is dumb, however it can be a stepping stone to reach a state where biomass waste is used to create transportation fuel. So much biomass waste is directed to landfill or left to rot and emit carbon into the atmosphere without providing us with a source of energy. Two proven sources of biomass based fuels are ethanol and biodiesel.

We need to adopt the mindset of scavengers and produce energy from any waste source possible. Every waste treatment plant should be producing methane, it is a byproduct of the processes occurring within their facilities and there is no reason not to capture it.

I am continually astounded by the power of lobby groups in the US. There is already too many facilities converting food into fuel in the US. Funding should be directed to developing the next methods of converting waste into fuel.