Counterpoint: Gas Prices Would Double without Ethanol

Canada, Deliver Dispense, Infrastructure, Opinions, Sustainability

May 31, 2011

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by Ken Field (Financial Post) The myths that smear a superior fuel
…A recent study released by the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) states that adding ethanol reduced wholesale gasoline prices by an average of US89¢ per gallon (US24¢/litre) last year. It’s hard to believe gasoline prices could go even higher, but CARD’s report concludes that “without ethanol, gas prices would double.”
Why do we hear such negative things about ethanol? Because ethanol already comprises 10% of the gasoline market in North America. What would you expect from the people who make and sell gasoline when a better product shows up to take away their market share? As ethanol use increases, we hear more lies, more myths and more misstatements.
Take a good hard look at some of these manipulations.
Myth No. 1 “It takes 1,700 litres of water to make a litre of ethanol.” Not true. That is the rain falling on a cornfield each year. What nonsense. Ethanol has to be almost totally waterless so it will burn in your engine.
Myth No. 2 “Ethanol causes an increase in food prices.” False. …The head of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, Jacques Diouf, states that: globally enough food is produced to feed the entire world. Did you know that 30% of the world food is wasted or rots? READ MORE and MORE (AgWeek)

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