With gas prices soaring faster than the stock market these days, it's no wonder that many renewable fuel experts are talking fast and furious about ethanol. But ethanol is nothing new and its production has been around since Henry Ford was cranking out cars. Agriculture Online takes a more in-depth look at ethanol, it's history, it's place in today's fuel wars, and the future of ethanol farmers in an increasingly global environment.Read all about ethanol at Agriculture Online or by clicking here.
Some highlights:
- Henry Ford's Model T could run on gasoline, alcohol or both
- During Prohibition Ford advocated the use of distilleries to make alcohol to fuel cars; but the lower price of gasoline didn't allow ethanol to compete
- Ethanol was used in World War II to extend the military fuel supply
- The 1978 tax subsidy helped increase the focus of gasohol on ethanol, with 50 million gallons of ethanol being blended with gasoline per year (note: today, one plant makes this much ethanol; in 1978 it took 10 plants to do this)
- Energy inputs are increasing and making break-even costs for farmers more profitable
For specific articles on ethanol (in PDF format) see below:
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