The GAfuels Blog is written by two private pilots concerned about the future availability of fuels for piston-engine aircraft: Dean Billing, Sisters, Ore., an expert on autogas and ethanol, and Kent Misegades, Cary, N.C., an aerospace engineer, aviation sales rep for U-Fuel, and president of EAA1114.
With ethanol production now accounting for 40% of the US corn crop, a doubling in the world price for corn commodities in the past year, the resulting increase in the prices we pay for food and E10 fuel, the tragic unrest in the Middle East that began with protests in Tunisia over food prices, and more frequent calls for an end to ethanol subsidies by members of Congress, it has been a tough few months for the ethanol industry.
Below are just of few of the many recent reports related to the consequences of ethanol’s use in our fuels. For more comments on how ethanol’s presence in fuel is causing billions in property damage in airplanes, boats, cars, etc,. see our petition to the EPA, which has almost reached its goal of 10,000 signatures.
- JUST aircraft rescinds ethanol approval.
- Germans reject E10 fuel, suppliers forced to reverse actions.
- Nebraska keeps pump labeling laws despite strong effort from ethanol lobby to eliminate labels.
- North Carolina reinstates pump labeling laws that expired in 2009.
- Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe introduces bill to allow states to opt-out from ethanol mandates.
- North Carolina’s first ethanol plant declares bankruptcy only weeks after opening.
- Poultry industry demanding changes to ethanol policies.
- New Hampshire State House votes 237 to 87 to ban ethanol use in fuel.
Buck – only problem with sawgrass and any other cellulosic ethanol is that there is no commercially viable process to make ethanol from such bio-mass. For three decades copious amounts of your tax dollars have been thrown at cellulosic ethanol with absolutely nothing to show for it … kind of reminds me of the search for a lead free replacement for 100 LL.
If Congress was serious about reducing the tax burden on citizens then it would eliminate the
federal tax on fuels and drop the ethanol subsidies as it’s crazy to burn our food supply.
Ethanol should be using sawgrass as it produces more per acre than corn and also does not need reseeding for 3yrs.
Too bad. The tougher it get’s for them, the better. Stop this insanity. How bad does it have to get before congress wakes up.