$2 or higher gas - Can ethanol make a comeback? Message Board

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Non-Tech : $2 or higher gas - Can ethanol make a comeback?

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From: richardred	9/14/2006 12:28:11 AM
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The Myth of Brazil’s Ethanol Success Certain media and politicians have been admonishing us to follow the success of Brazil’s sugarcane ethanol and gain independence from Middle East oil. Among other claims: ethanol has displaced 40 percent of crude oil use in Brazil. The real story isn’t so rosy. First, Brazil is a developing country whose consumption of crude oil is actually minuscule, 10 times less than the U.S. Interestingly, for the last 40 years, the energy consumed in Brazil as crude oil has been less than the total calorific value of corn grown in the U.S.! Second, if one divides the total energy of ethanol consumed in Brazil by the energy of crude oil consumed there (crude oil is used for many things other than gasoline) the ratio is a mere 8 percent. Third, Brazilians use twice as much diesel fuel as gasoline. The ethanol the country gets from sugarcane has added 40 percent only to the country’s gasoline supply. Fourth, Brazilians are now almost self-sufficient in crude oil thanks to their oil company, Petrobras. Thus, they are selling sugarcane ethanol to Sweden, the U.S., and other countries, while driving on petroleum products at home. Therefore, we should stop deceiving ourselves about the possibility of duplicating Brazil’s model unless we are prepared to do the following here in the U.S. •The U.S. must cut its oil consumption by a factor of 6 in order for its per capita oil use to equal Brazil’s. •To achieve this, all non-personal U.S. vehicles could be driven only one day per week. •And all passenger cars and SUVs could be driven only one day every two weeks. energytribune.com

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