Was listening to the farm show on WHO radio out of Des Moines, IA the other day and there are some ethanol producers that are making contracts with farmers regarding buying up corn stover and making ethanol. Seems the cellulosic ethanol game has started moving the ball down the field. Time will tell if that is a worthwhile thing.
While in forums, it would seem that the ethanol thing really chaps some folk's hides, one has to take into account that many folks willingly opt for purchasing ethanol blends. There have been ethanol blends at the pumps longer than the EPA or any other government group has been heavily promoting the use of it. E10 has been a staple among fuel choices in Iowa for almost 4 decades. If consumers hadn't wanted it back then, the retailers would have been averse to storing it in tanks and letting it go bad. It never was that big of a price difference at the pump to make it some sort of sweet deal to purchase it.
So of those that hate ethanol in their fuel, there are as many or more that either have no issues, or willingly opt for the fuel. You sure do not hear some hue and cry coming out of the general populace that they are upset with ethanol at the pumps, even if mandated by some government agency. It is not leaving vehicles as steaming hulks along the road, many times the blend is a few cents cheaper so that any mpg losses are covered, and in the final analysis, most folks do not fee they are being cheated in some way. A few on the forums might be, but that is not the consensus of the majority of the buying public. I for one. I have opted for ethanol blends since the late 70's. Used it in every gasoline powered engine with nary any issues. I understand that folks should be able to not buy it if they choose to, and I support that.
While in forums, it would seem that the ethanol thing really chaps some folk's hides, one has to take into account that many folks willingly opt for purchasing ethanol blends. There have been ethanol blends at the pumps longer than the EPA or any other government group has been heavily promoting the use of it. E10 has been a staple among fuel choices in Iowa for almost 4 decades. If consumers hadn't wanted it back then, the retailers would have been averse to storing it in tanks and letting it go bad. It never was that big of a price difference at the pump to make it some sort of sweet deal to purchase it.
So of those that hate ethanol in their fuel, there are as many or more that either have no issues, or willingly opt for the fuel. You sure do not hear some hue and cry coming out of the general populace that they are upset with ethanol at the pumps, even if mandated by some government agency. It is not leaving vehicles as steaming hulks along the road, many times the blend is a few cents cheaper so that any mpg losses are covered, and in the final analysis, most folks do not fee they are being cheated in some way. A few on the forums might be, but that is not the consensus of the majority of the buying public. I for one. I have opted for ethanol blends since the late 70's. Used it in every gasoline powered engine with nary any issues. I understand that folks should be able to not buy it if they choose to, and I support that.