And why?
Here are a few points to ponder:
Corn prices are nearing all time highs, it’s $4.00 a bushel now. And other grain prices are on their way up.
Burning oil produces greenhouse gasses.
Plowing a field releases greenhouse gasses from the soil.
Millions of acres of land will be taken out of conservation programs and planted with grain next spring.
America produces 75% of the world’s corn and approx 20% will be used for ethanol production next year, up from less than 5% 3yrs ago.
U.S. corn exports are down this year, mainly due to the higher prices. Poor countries cannot afford it anymore.
Corn is the primary feed for U.S. pork, beef, and poultry production, so their prices will be rising also. Corn accounts for roughly half of the cost to raise an animal to market size.
With increased ethanol production, everyone will be paying more for food.
With higher food prices, many more people around the world will go hungry or starve to death.
So, what is the solution?
I favor continued primary dependence on oil but with displacement of demand using a combination of (1) plug in hybrid cars with "vehicle-to-grid" (V2G) efficiency gains, and (2) a very specific biofuel option. The only biofuel option I support is one that produces bio-char and the use of it to create terra preta nova. Sequestering the bio-char in soil allows the energy generated from the bio-char producing pyrolysis to be carbon negative. An important benefit of bio-char is dramatically increased crop production. Check it.
February 27th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
I favor continued primary dependence on oil but with displacement of demand using a combination of (1) plug in hybrid cars with "vehicle-to-grid" (V2G) efficiency gains, and (2) a very specific biofuel option. The only biofuel option I support is one that produces bio-char and the use of it to create terra preta nova. Sequestering the bio-char in soil allows the energy generated from the bio-char producing pyrolysis to be carbon negative. An important benefit of bio-char is dramatically increased crop production. Check it.
References :
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/010507A.shtml