2008 Woodie Awards
From the cornfield to the gas tank: The E85 controversy keeps growing
Point/Counterpoint
Matthew Moss and Andrea Furlong
Issue date: 3/23/06 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
Ethanol burns clean but the savings are lean
Just because ethanol is made with corn doesn't mean it's good for Iowa. The fad in the energy business these days is to herald power that comes from 'alternative' sources other than oil.
The problem is many of these sources of energy often receive support simply because they are the alternative to oil use, not because they are a more efficient means of power.
Ethanol is the number one alternative power myth. As E85 gains steam in the Midwest, buyers see themselves helping Iowa by powering vehicles with corn.
This is not the case. According to Autoblog.com, E85 burns with less efficiency than regular gas - meaning it's less efficient than oil. When compared at a per volume basis, cars use more E85 to go the same distance as cars using regular oil-based gas. E85 is only cheaper than regular gas because it receives a subsidy from the state - it's a false bargain.
Meanwhile, money is being spent exploring other organic fuels such as country music legend Willie Nelson's 'BioWillie' fuel he uses in his tour bus. This cash is not being burned at a total loss - money should be spent to research new means of fuel but to say real alternative sources of energy are available today is erroneous.
President Bush said in his State of the Union address he wanted to push forward alternative fuel research. This is precisely what must be done - research must continue and receive more support and, in the meantime, the United States should maximize its own oil potential in form of arctic drilling at the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska and domestic oil providers increasing refining capacity.
Alternative energy sources are the future of power but they're just that: The future. They are not the present. Consumers should stop needlessly burning excess money and fuel with ethanol and E85 in the hopes of pipedream savings.
Matthew Moss, Web Editor
Alternative fuels have more benefits for the environment
Containing only 15 percent oil and 85 percent ethanol, E85 is the solution to an inevitable energy crisis. There is only so much oil in the world and when it runs out, America's dependence on the fossil fuel will put the country in a state of panic to quickly find a supplemental energy source.
Oil is an energy resource that is not immediately renewable. It takes millions of years for decaying plant matter to become oil, whereas E85 can be grown locally and renewed yearly through processing corn and soybean crops.
Driving cars that run on this renewable fuel will not only significantly decrease our country's dependence on oil but also limit deterioration of the ozone layer. A vehicle that runs on E85 can reduce ozone-forming pollution by 20 percent and greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent, compared to a vehicle that runs on gasoline, according to the Iowa Corn Growers Association.
The Iowa Corn Growers Association also noted that E85 is primarily non-toxic and biodegradable, meaning it's less likely to contribute to water pollution than gasoline or oil.
From the demand of environmentally-aware motorists and the cooperation of automotive companies, E85 is rapidly becoming a practical alternative to gasoline.
More than four million Flexible Fuel Vehicles, vehicles that can run on E85 or gasoline, on the road today fuel up from any one of 572 E85 stations across the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
But drivers and the automotive industry are not alone in promoting E85. As vehicle manufacturers develop more Flexible Fuel Vehicle models, politicians have proposed to increase the number of E85 stations across the Midwest, as reported by The Cedar Rapids Gazette. The wide support from drivers, automobile manufacturers, and lawmakers make gasoline look like an alternative and E85 the fuel of today.
Andrea Furlong, Feature Editor
Just because ethanol is made with corn doesn't mean it's good for Iowa. The fad in the energy business these days is to herald power that comes from 'alternative' sources other than oil.
The problem is many of these sources of energy often receive support simply because they are the alternative to oil use, not because they are a more efficient means of power.
Ethanol is the number one alternative power myth. As E85 gains steam in the Midwest, buyers see themselves helping Iowa by powering vehicles with corn.
This is not the case. According to Autoblog.com, E85 burns with less efficiency than regular gas - meaning it's less efficient than oil. When compared at a per volume basis, cars use more E85 to go the same distance as cars using regular oil-based gas. E85 is only cheaper than regular gas because it receives a subsidy from the state - it's a false bargain.
Meanwhile, money is being spent exploring other organic fuels such as country music legend Willie Nelson's 'BioWillie' fuel he uses in his tour bus. This cash is not being burned at a total loss - money should be spent to research new means of fuel but to say real alternative sources of energy are available today is erroneous.
President Bush said in his State of the Union address he wanted to push forward alternative fuel research. This is precisely what must be done - research must continue and receive more support and, in the meantime, the United States should maximize its own oil potential in form of arctic drilling at the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska and domestic oil providers increasing refining capacity.
Alternative energy sources are the future of power but they're just that: The future. They are not the present. Consumers should stop needlessly burning excess money and fuel with ethanol and E85 in the hopes of pipedream savings.
Matthew Moss, Web Editor
Alternative fuels have more benefits for the environment
Containing only 15 percent oil and 85 percent ethanol, E85 is the solution to an inevitable energy crisis. There is only so much oil in the world and when it runs out, America's dependence on the fossil fuel will put the country in a state of panic to quickly find a supplemental energy source.
Oil is an energy resource that is not immediately renewable. It takes millions of years for decaying plant matter to become oil, whereas E85 can be grown locally and renewed yearly through processing corn and soybean crops.
Driving cars that run on this renewable fuel will not only significantly decrease our country's dependence on oil but also limit deterioration of the ozone layer. A vehicle that runs on E85 can reduce ozone-forming pollution by 20 percent and greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent, compared to a vehicle that runs on gasoline, according to the Iowa Corn Growers Association.
The Iowa Corn Growers Association also noted that E85 is primarily non-toxic and biodegradable, meaning it's less likely to contribute to water pollution than gasoline or oil.
From the demand of environmentally-aware motorists and the cooperation of automotive companies, E85 is rapidly becoming a practical alternative to gasoline.
More than four million Flexible Fuel Vehicles, vehicles that can run on E85 or gasoline, on the road today fuel up from any one of 572 E85 stations across the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
But drivers and the automotive industry are not alone in promoting E85. As vehicle manufacturers develop more Flexible Fuel Vehicle models, politicians have proposed to increase the number of E85 stations across the Midwest, as reported by The Cedar Rapids Gazette. The wide support from drivers, automobile manufacturers, and lawmakers make gasoline look like an alternative and E85 the fuel of today.
Andrea Furlong, Feature Editor