Is Ethanol a Good Idea?

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2008/04/07/Uncommon_Knowledge_T_J__Rodgers

Economic libertarian and solar-power entrepreneur T.J. Rodgers evaluates ethanol's potential as a clean energy source.

-----

The Free-Market Case for Green with T.J. Rodgers.

A dedicated, unabashed, free market capitalist, T. J. Rodgers takes a businessman's and engineer's view of global warming. How serious is it, and what should we make of the plans offered up by politicians such as Al Gore and Barack Obama to deal with it? If "cap and trade" or pollution taxes on CO2 are not the answer, what is?

T. J. Rodgers is the founder and CEO of Cypress Semiconductor Corporation and the chairman of SunPower Corporation, a manufacturer of solar power systems. He holds a doctorate in electrical engineering from Stanford University - Hoover Institution

T.J. Rodgers is the founder and CEO of Cypress Semiconductor Corp. (NYSE: CY) and the chairman of SunPower Corp, a manufacturer of solar-power systems. He holds a doctorate in electrical engineering from Stanford University and sits on the board of trustees of Dartmouth College.

Peter M. Robinson is a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, where he writes about business and politics, edits Hoover's quarterly journal, the Hoover Digest, and hosts Hoover's television program, Uncommon Knowledge.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• ethanol
• corn
• farming
• farmers
• energy
• power
• green
• environmental
• fuel
• high
• gas
• prices
• oil
• barrel
• economy
• economics
• foratv
• fora.tv
• fora
• tv

[johnnyoregon]

Our food costs are going to skyrocket because of congress making us go to ethanol. Farmers will no longer grow hay or corn for forage crops or food consumption. They will grow it energy through subsidies by the US government. Goodbye big oil! Hello Big Chemical! Mansanto and Archer Daniels Midland are going to own you! Genetically modified crops are the way of the future.

[mohamedtheprophet1]

I work in the food industry and nothing, and I mean nothing has caused the rise in food prices like the corn ethanol mandates. You can take away the subsidies, the tax schemes and everything else but because of the federal mandates it would continue. What people need to do is go to congress.org put in your zip code and write your state and federal representatives and tell them in no uncertain terms to end the RFS (renewable fuel standards) and all ethanol/biodiesel mandates!

[eastern2western]

machine that turns woodwaste into cousin of natural gas? it is call anaerobic fermentation, mr expert, and any bucket can do it with a cap. you do not need a special machine.

[monsterrain1000]

Seems the only folks down on ethanol are those who have never produced it and have nothing to do with the industry. What other source is there for high protien DDGs for cattle?

[switchgrassfuel]

@jomen112 sins i am such a big fan of ethanol i went up to the gas station to see what i can find. The Minnesota E85 Station & Vehicle Info for December of 2008 was the only reference to energy balance that they had. US department of Energy reports a 1.67 energy balance. as far as food VS fuel i don't have data on how much DDG is used on our local livestock. most of my stuff is what i find on line. i encourage other people to decide it's credibility. sorry that i couldn't be more helpful.

[jomen112]

@switchgrassfuel

Thanks for answering so soon, however personally I dont consider you tube a reliable source of information unless it is backed up with references to scientific findings and those are the findings I asked reference to.

If you lost the references I will respect that, but I would need some more than "search you tube" before taking such claims as you made serious. I know about claims saying there are "side products" but this has been hypothetical speculations only.

[switchgrassfuel]

@jomen112 you should be able to find the info by typing in the names. in the search box.

[jomen112]

@switchgrassfuel

Reference please.

[switchgrassfuel]

@jomen112 Ethanol has a positive energy balance. I think it is oil company propaganda that says other wise. and you said they can't grow energy and food at the same time. that is BS they already are. look at the (feed first) videos on You Tube. if done right ethanol can make a huge difference. with the right crop we have enough land. (Thinking outside the Barrel) another source of info on You Tube. their are many more, but those 2 are the first ones that came to mind that address your issues.

[switchgrassfuel]

good video, but don't badmouth corn ethanol. we had to start some ware.