Ethanol Producers Think Regulators Abandoning Industry For Renewables

Blog Title: The Future of Ethanol Production in the US: Why the Industry is Feeling Under Siege

For many years, ethanol production has been a cornerstone of the US agricultural industry. Produced mainly from corn crops, ethanol has been touted as a renewable and clean-burning fuel that could help reduce the country’s dependence on foreign oil. However, in recent years, the industry has been facing a growing number of challenges that threaten its future, including changes in government policies and growing competition from other alternative fuels.

According to the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), the leading trade association for the US ethanol industry, the sector is feeling under siege due to various federal government regulations. These regulations, which are promoting electric vehicles and other low-carbon options, are coming at the expense of ethanol. As a result, the RFA contends that the ethanol industry is facing a number of challenges, including reduced demand, increased competition, and declining profits.

Is this hand wringing justified?

The bio-fuels industry should be finding new markets, rather than whining about EVs.

“When you’re looking at a battery electric vehicle, yes, it may not have a tailpipe, but the tailpipe for that vehicle is the stack at the power plant.”

Compared to digging up dead dinosaurs for fuel, bio-fuels have an interesting advantage – some of the CO2 emitted in the use phase is recaptured in the growing phase, reducing overall carbon emissions.

However, in the use phase, bio fuels still spit out nasties like NOx, CO and particulates just like gas cars.

Yet, it struck me that using prime farm land to grow feedstock for automotive fuels wasn’t a particularly productive thing to do, especially when in other places in the world people didn’t have enough food to eat.

Never was this more true than now where clean electricity from solar and wind for #electricvehicles needs a tiny fraction of the space for the same energy.

What’s more, energy generation can be placed in unproductive places like deserts or roof tops. However, the real problem that this industry faces is that EVs are MUCH cheaper to run and have NO tailpipe emissions around your kids.

This means that for light, medium and heavy duty land vehicles it simply isn’t worth it.

For hard to electrify vehicles, like ships and jets, biofuels might prove useful – which is where this industry should be focusing their efforts, rather than just whining.

However, for cars and trucks, EVs are a FAR superior in every way that counts.

One of the main criticisms of the government’s focus on electric vehicles is that it is reducing demand for ethanol, which is produced mainly from corn crops. Ethanol producers have long advocated for the use of ethanol as a renewable and clean-burning fuel that could help reduce the country’s dependence on foreign oil. However, with the rise of electric vehicles and other low-carbon options, the demand for ethanol has been declining, putting the industry at risk.

Another challenge facing the ethanol industry is increased competition from other alternative fuels. With the growing availability of alternative fuels, such as biodiesel and hydrogen fuel cells, ethanol producers are facing stiff competition for market share. This competition has led to declining prices for ethanol, making it more difficult for producers to turn a profit.

In addition to these challenges, recent fuel tax credits have also come under criticism from the ethanol industry. These credits have been aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of transportation, but the ethanol industry argues that they have been disproportionately benefiting electric vehicles. This, in turn, has hurt the demand for ethanol and left producers struggling to stay afloat.

Despite these challenges, the US ethanol industry remains resilient and committed to finding new ways to succeed in the current market. Some producers are exploring new markets, such as exports to other countries, while others are exploring new products, such as ethanol made from non-traditional feedstocks like switchgrass or algae. Additionally, the industry is pushing for greater government support, such as relief from tariffs on exports and greater investment in research and development.

In conclusion, the US ethanol industry is facing a number of challenges that threaten its future. However, with its long history of innovation and resilience, there is reason to be hopeful that the industry can overcome these challenges and continue to play an important role in the US economy. By exploring new markets, products, and government support, the industry can position itself for success in the rapidly changing energy landscape. As consumers and policymakers alike look for ways to reduce the carbon footprint of transportation, the US ethanol industry has an important role to play in developing renewable and clean-burning fuel solutions that can help us achieve our goals.