How can the production of ethanol spur the growth of rural economies?
351409
http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewPrint&articleId=11322\n\nEthanol could be a huge boost to small farmers and the rural economy. But unless we are vigilant, the big winners could be the usual suspects.\n\nWhen president bush suddenly embraced wood chips and biofuels on national television, renewable energy producers received a prime-time injection of hope. Ethanol backers forecast a boon for farmers and the environment. Yet serious questions remain about whether ethanol merely enables our addiction to an unsustainable auto-centered society -- unless it’s part of a broader shift in consumption and production. \n\nEqually critical is the matter of what a carbohydrate economy means for America’s two million farmers (by no means a monolithic lot), and for the future of sustainable agriculture. Will biofuels benefit smaller growers, or just large-scale producers and agribusiness? How will pressures for increased production and reduced energy prices effect farmers? Would small and mid-sized growers fare any better in the energy economy than they have in a rapidly consolidating food economy that has driven so many off the land and into poverty? \n\nThe stakes are significant: Protecting smaller-scale, diversified farms is intrinsic to ecological stewardship and rural economic health, sustainable farming advocates (and some biofuels proponents) argue. A major biofuels expansion could spur yet more large-scale industrial agriculture, which often relies heavily on petroleum-based fertilizers and pesticides and deploys fuel-guzzling farm machinery. Pressures for large-volume production and cheap energy might ultimately harm smaller farmers and the environment -- unless there are explicit policies to protect both.
1095014
ethanol is not cost effective. It takes more energy to produce a gallon of ethanol than can be created from it.  The only thing supporting it is the government giveaways--your tax dollars.  Another subsidy for the campaign contributors.  If it were not for stupid greedy politicians there would be none.
20648
http://www.ethanol-fuel.com/produce.htm
1169078
the market price for such products are higher  \nthe way in which they are produced involves less intensive use of land, \nthe attainment of a better balance between supply of, and demand for, agriculture products, \nbetter protection of the environment.
495679
There simply is not enough land in the US to solve the energy crisis using ethanol.\n\nEven if implemented to the maximum, renewable energy sources would replace only about half the U.S. consumption of oil, natural gas and coal, according to an analysis by ecologists at Cornell University.\n\nTheir findings are reported in the December 2002 issue of the journal BioScience (Vol. 52, No. 12) as"Renewable Energy: Current and Potential Issues.\n\nFurthermore, the analysis states alternative energy systems -- such as hydroelectric, solar and wind power and biofuels -- if fully developed would occupy up to one-sixth of America's land area. And some of the so-called renewable energy sources aren't really renewable, the ecologists say, calling for energy conservation as a proven alternative.
402303
try USDA Rural Housing Developement
605473
it is supplied by business who sell it to individuals.\n\nhowever, ethanol is subsidized by the governement to make more people buy it. that is they tax ethanol less than regular gas.\n\ncheers
563674
the pros are that it is a renewable resource, the downside is that the mileage is lower than using gas. i have no idea why it isn't in larger use now, even though the mpg is lower, it would result in energy independence if there was widespread use of ethanol.
179183
How about a project about fuel ethanol.  Ethanol being used as a fuel is a hot topic right now.  With all the problems with oil, Bush has passed a lot of energy bills to support research on making ethanol. Its cheaper than regular gas and safer for the enviroment.  Good luck :)
167901
Ethanol is not the answer for raising gas prices. They produce it as a cleaner burning fuel. It all deals with the theory of global warming. I don't buy it, but that is the reasoning they use for it.
850257
If there's very little industry in an area, more than likely the area will be rural farmland.  And farming is usually not profitable, so hiring work is out of the question.  The cheapest solution then is having a large family to do all the farm work, gaining profits on farming and losing nothing on managing the farm.
1124319
Market it to intellectuals. Some student at my school (chemists, I think) proposed that we use the excess grease from the dining halls to be converted to ethanol on campus in a lab they built and now all of the facilities vehicles are running partially on ethanol (I think it's a mix of ethanol and gasoline, but I could be wrong). \n\nThe layperson isn't going to be interested in ethanol until it becomes mainstream. The best bet is to start getting Universities and Hosiptals to run their vehicles (ambulances, security vehicles, construction vehicles). \n\nAlso, it would be sweet if the government supported ethanol usage by providing tax incentives for these companies (like you get if you buy a hybrid car). It's really very frustrating because ethanol production is so inexpensive. I feel your pain.
128754
I don't think so. The only thing that leads to economic prosperity is if people continue to produce more and more.
1155346
ICM in Colwich, Kansas is the largest ethanol plant builder in the world. Here is the company's Web site address:  \nhttp://www.icminc.com/
550246
Ethanol increases the Octane rating of a fuel without the problems of some of the other things they put in to do so (tetra-ethyl lead or its various carcenogenic replacements) as well as being grown in the country where it is being sold (instead of shipped from countries which provide funding for terrorists).\n\nEthanol also tends to burn a bit cleaner than most of the other stuff in petrol although it does reduce fuel economy slightly.
25
Right.  Fuel additives are helpful for reduction of emissions, although they are not always economical.  For the most part, the US congress has subsidized the creation of ethanol, which tends to be a net cost unless created from waste agricultural products.\nAnother substance that has the same anti-emissions properties as ethanol is MTBE.  There has been a lot of press about MTBE recently due to its tendency to pollute groundwater.
547026
sugar cane is recognized as having the least trouble creating ethanol. In Brazil this works wonderfully. They have removed the need to import oil and are actually exporting ethanol. In the US sugar cane doesn't grow as well. sugar cane is best in tropical climates. \n\nIn the US corn is the most common for ethanol. It isn't the best crop but is efficient enough for now. Industry best(meaning in the lab) for producing ethanol is above 1 btu of fuel produces 2 btus of ethanol. \n\nFor non-tropical climates cellulose based ethanol is also making big waves. It's advantages are that every living plant tissue is at least 80% cellulose. Dead tissue like wood is around 30 to 40 percent cellulose. A farmer could sell the normal corn seed, and then bale the corn stalks, which are usually left on the ground, for ethanol. Another advantage is that on irrigated and fertilized lands you can grow better than 10 tons of cellulose per acre per season if grown for harvesting cellulose verus the 2.5 tons per acre of corn seed. critiria for a plant for this process is a plant that grows a lost of mass per acre. \n\nEthanol is meant to replace gasoline fuel not diesel fuel.\nDiesel engines don't have spark plugs, so they can't ignite high octane fuels like gasoline and ethanol. Instead they hammer-strike the better performing low octane deisel fuel. \n\nMost gas engines out there probably can be converted to work with ethanol. There are a number of conversion kits available. It is likely to work better however if they come from the factory. \n\nBio-deisel is wonderful for most diesel engines. I'm afraid I don't know a lot about that topic.