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World Biofuels
Symposium
November 13-15, 2005
Beijing, China
2nd Annual Canadian Renewable Fuels Summit
December 13-15, 2005
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Hosted by:
Candadian Renewable Fuels
Association
National Biodiesel
Conference & Expo 2006
February 5-8, 2006
San Diego, California
Organizer:
National Biodiesel Board
11th Annual
National Ethanol Conference: "Policy & Marketing"
February 20-22, 2006
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Sponsored by:
Renewable Fuels Association
22nd
Annual International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo
June 20-23, 2006
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
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Posted on
July 1, 2003Expand ethanol's energy role By SAM CREED
Special to The Star
As a local corn grower, I'd like to present the facts regarding ethanol, a clean-burning, renewable fuel made in America from corn.
First, renewable ethanol serves to decrease our dependence on foreign oil.
Each year we produce more corn and thus more ethanol in Missouri's farmer-owned ethanol plants. Frankly, I think most Americans would prefer to buy ethanol made from corn in the Midwest, rather than gasoline made from petroleum from the Middle East.
Today in America, more than 25 million drivers fuel up with an ethanol-blended fuel, which represents more than 15 percent of our nation's fuel supply. Five billion gallons of ethanol, the amount called for in a proposal lingering in the Senate, could replace almost 200 million barrels of oil, or roughly the amount imported from Iraq in 2002.
Second, there are tremendous clean-air and -water benefits to ethanol. Ethanol reduces toxic tailpipe emissions by as much as 30 percent, without the negative groundwater effects. At the same time methyl tertiary butyl ether, an oil-derived gasoline additive, has fouled numerous municipal water supplies around the country. It is so toxic that 1 gallon of it can render 25 million gallons of water undrinkable.
Third, I agree in principle that energy subsidies could be ended, but ethanol should not be forced to unilaterally disarm. According to a 2000 report from the General Accounting Office, the petroleum industry has received more than $132 billion in federal subsidies since 1968. As utopian as it sounds that no fuel should receive federal money, in fact all do -- including gasoline, hydrogen, electricity and hybrids. The current federal ethanol program simply allows ethanol to compete in the marketplace with other highly subsidized fuels.
The Senate should pass the pending Renewable Fuels Standard (Senate Bill 385) and further expand the role that clean-burning ethanol can play in America's energy independence, while at the same time enhancing our environment.
Sam Creed is a farmer who lives in Fairfax, Mo.
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