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Non-Tech : $2 or higher gas - Can ethanol make a comeback?
DAR 32.80+2.3%Nov 3 3:59 PM EST
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To: richardred who wrote (49)10/16/2004 7:02:55 PM
From: TimF  Read Replies (1) of 2801
 
Look at your example with digital cameras starting to replace film cameras. They didn't need a big subsidy. They wont bushiness by being in some ways clearly superior, and by constant improvement in price/performance.

Oil has gotten subsides since way back but the biggest part of its becoming the dominant fuel was its economic and performance advantages over things like coal, wood, whale oil, ect. It was better so it took over. Alcohol overall probably isn't as good of fuel economically it may be possible for it (or other alternatives) to have an advantage as the price of oil increases. The price has increased a lot lately but it is still well below the all time high when you adjust for inflation. Add another $30 or so to the price of oil (in today's dollars) and then alternatives make a lot more sense.

Ideally the basic research should be done by the private sector companies that will produce and distribute the alternative fuels but I guess I wouldn't oppose basic R&D being done in response to government programs. I don't think that we should try to push for a large scale use of alternate fuels by government subsidy.

To the extent that oil is subsidies removing those subsidies will help alternative fuels without having to subsidize them.

Tim
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