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1. • CommentAuthorrosencrentz
   • CommentTimeMay 13th 2008 edited

    
   Don't you love it when the use of Ethanol, to save the world from , what ? carbon useage? ends up causing a world shortage of corn because 30% of the acreage for corn is going into the production of ethanol.
   The only good thing, is that we have caused corn products to double in cost, and theby making life more miserable for the poor Mexicans and their Taco economy.
   Critics say that the cost of ethanol, when you factor in all costs, is uneconomic, and there is no saving of anything.
   Doesn't that figure?? The government in the U.S., including Bush , are for it.
   But look, in Canada, Bill C-33 which would set minimum levels of biofuels to be blended with gasoline, and has passed 2nd reading because all 4 Canadian Parties, Liberal, Conservative, Bloq, and NDP were in favour, now find that the Bloq and NDP have changed their mind.
   And the real good news is that there is only $2.2 Billion dollars allocated for this year.
2. • CommentAuthorlight11
   • CommentTimeMay 13th 2008

    
   ethanol is just a scapegoat for the problem. food prices were so low for so long and didn't keep up with inflation. now look what happened.
3. • CommentAuthorDeanK
   • CommentTimeMay 13th 2008

    
   ummm ethanol is not a scapegoat.. it is a significant contributor to the problem.. much like the fact that grain prices were far below what inflation should have had them at.. Both contribute to the problem.
4. • CommentAuthorMr. Nobody
   • CommentTimeMay 13th 2008

    
   All this energy and money going to a solution that was flawed from the start. Electric is where its at, Manitoba should be leading the "charge", where are the scientists at the Uof m and engineers, wake up fella's or someone is going to do it first.
   
   What a waste.

   Thankful People: jim
5. •  
     CommentAuthorsmjpilot
   • CommentTimeMay 13th 2008

    
   Can't they let people eat the corn first, and then use it for fuel? I mean... the kernels go right through you!!!! :-)
6. • CommentAuthorMr. Nobody
   • CommentTimeMay 13th 2008

    
   Wouldn't that be methane
7. • CommentAuthorlight11
   • CommentTimeMay 13th 2008

    
   @smjpilot, the thing is famrers get more money for selling it for ethanol rather than for food.
   
   and @deank, in the media, it is. they are quick to shoot down renewable resources and change instead of informing of the whole story.
8. •  
     CommentAuthorzander
   • CommentTimeMay 13th 2008

    
   Funny how nobody seems to be connecting high energy prices with high food prices...<p>
   
   Sure, ethanol is a factor. But so is the price of oil - and droughts/other calamities in food-exporting countries (i.e. Australia, which is deep in a decade-long drought). There's a bigger picture than just ethanol.<p>
   
   But smart biofuel producers would do well to move away from using food crops as their base.

   Thankful People: Jimmytufish
9. • CommentAuthorthorninyourside
   • CommentTimeMay 13th 2008

    
   Sure. Protectionism by under-developed nations is also to blame.
10. •  
      CommentAuthorSputnik
    • CommentTimeMay 13th 2008

     

    Posted By: zanderFunny how nobody seems to be connecting high energy prices with high food prices...

    Sure, ethanol is a factor. But so is the price of oil - and droughts/other calamities in food-exporting countries (i.e. Australia, which is deep in a decade-long drought). There's a bigger picture than just ethanol.

    But smart biofuel producers would do well to move away from using food crops as their base.

    
    
    The fact that we are wasting agricultural land to grow fuel for our vehicles seems counterproductive to me.
    
    I would rather refine and burn the fuel we can't eat.
11. • CommentAuthorDeanK
    • CommentTimeMay 14th 2008

     
    as to ethanol... in sorta makes sense currently in MB because we use HYRDO power to turn the corn to fuel
    
    It makes a hell of a lot less sense in place that use coal or natural gas to create their electricity...
12. • CommentAuthorMr. Nobody
    • CommentTimeMay 14th 2008

     
    Dean, I think minnedosa got a big ass Natural Gas feed installed as part of their upgrade., somehting to do with the cooking process.
13. • CommentAuthorMr. Nobody
    • CommentTimeMay 14th 2008

     
    Husky's Minnedosa Ethanol Plant is one of the largest plants of its kind in Western Canada and will produce annually at peak production 130 million litres of ethanol and 126,000 tonnes of dried distillers grain with solubles (DDGS), a high-protein livestock feed supplement. The Company expects to purchase 350,000 tonnes of wheat and corn per year from local producers for the production of ethanol. The new plant replaces an older facility that had been operating since 1981 and produced 10 million litres of ethanol annually.
14. • CommentAuthorMr. Nobody
    • CommentTimeMay 14th 2008

     
    With construction of Husky’s new wheat based ethanol plant half completed, government officials and town representatives have discovered there may not be enough water in the Minnedosa area to quench the plant’s thirst.In response, the Town of Minnedosa proposes to withdraw groundwater at a rate, 2 ½ times the amount it currently supplies to homes, businesses and industry. Ethanol manufacturing requires a little over nine litres of water for every one litre of fuel produced. In total, 1.2 billion litres of water in a year or close to a million gallons per day will be withdrawn just for the ethanol plant alone
15. • CommentAuthorrosencrentz
    • CommentTimeMay 14th 2008

     
    Boy, it is a good thing that we have an unlimited supply of water!

    Thankful People: conceitedjerk
16. •  
      CommentAuthorzander
    • CommentTimeMay 14th 2008

     
    <blockquote><cite>Posted By: Sputnik</cite>The fact that we are wasting agricultural land to grow fuel for our vehicles seems counterproductive to me.</blockquote><p>
    
    How much land is wasted, as opposed to land used for crops to feed cattle (at a net loss in calories and energy)?<p>
    
    And my point was that there are many reasons behind food shortages. Use of productive land for biofuels is one reason - but only one. <p>
    
    <blockquote>I would rather refine and burn the fuel we can't eat.</blockquote><p>
    
    That's exactly why biofuels from algae, switchgrass or cellulosic waste are a much better option.
17. •  
      CommentAuthorSputnik
    • CommentTimeMay 14th 2008

     

    Posted By: zanderThat's exactly why biofuels from algae, switchgrass or cellulosic waste are a much better option.

    
    
    Then why is corn for ethanol still so heavily subsidized?
18. •  
      CommentAuthorJimmytufish
    • CommentTimeMay 14th 2008

     
    Can you say politics. ;)
19. •  
      CommentAuthorgrumpy old man
    • CommentTimeMay 14th 2008

     
    I knew you could...
20. •  
      CommentAuthorzander
    • CommentTimeMay 14th 2008

     
    /\ What they said /\<p>
    
    Archers Daniel Midland has a lot more sway with governments than <a href=http://www.renewableenergyworld.net/rea/news/story?id=45323>Algae Biofuels Inc</a> does.