Fri
Jun 1 2007
10:35 am
Ethanol debate gets serious
By: R. Neal

The KNS reports today that milk and dairy prices will increase dramatically because the price of corn is going up due to the demand for corn to make ethanol. (Yes, our economy is a tangled web!)

But even more serious is talk of a tequila shortage because Mexican farmers are planting corn instead of agave because of the demand for ethanol (by way of Newscoma).

(I don't understand the math, here. A gallon of ethanol would be, what, $3 or $4 at the pump? A gallon of decent tequila is $80 to $100 and up, right? But the article says that blue agave takes up to eight years to mature, so maybe that has something to do with it.)

Meanwhile, Gov. Bredesen is pushing corporate welfare state funding for a switchgrass ethanol project.

And, this year's Indy 500 marks the first time that every car in a major motorsports event ran on 100% ethanol.

I'm still on the fence. Some say that ethanol is just a way to "burn up the last five inches of our topsoil in our gas-tanks."

And in the 21st century, shouldn't we have evolved beyond burning stuff for propulsion and energy? Shouldn't we have retired the internal combustion engine by now? Shouldn't we have safe nuclear power or cold fusion or something by now? Shouldn't our houses be self-sustained by efficient solar power? But no, we're reverting to an even more primitive solution -- grow stuff, then burn it.

On the other hand, 10% or 15% ethanol would put off peak oil for a day or two, and buy us more time to address the problem. And it would reduce our dependence on foreign oil. But so would higher CAFE standards and more hybrid cars on the road. Together, these approaches would make a huge difference.

So I don't know. What do you think? I think a tequila shortage is pretty serious...

Topics:
Andy Axel's picture

So I don't know. What do you

Submitted by Andy Axel on Fri, 2007/06/01 - 10:53am.

So I don't know. What do you think? I think a tequila shortage is pretty serious...

Depends on the tequila.

I'm liking "El Jimador" reposado, myself. Tastes as good as Patron, and for under half the cost.

But Cuervo? I could live a long time without it. A friend left a handle of it over at the house, and all I use it for is marinade for fajitas.

____________________________

I'm a guy in a Reagan mask -- and I'm running for President!

Sven's picture

All the price machinations

Submitted by Sven on Fri, 2007/06/01 - 11:20am.

All the price machinations have also had a big impact on immigration. NAFTA flooded the Mexican market with cheap, subsidized US corn and led to an exodus of millions of peasant farmers. Now the poor souls remaining in the Mexican hinterland are being hit with high prices for corn-based staples. At least they're getting a good education in 'Merican "free market" economics.

Ennui's picture

Patron Silver. I can't live

Submitted by Ennui on Fri, 2007/06/01 - 11:21am.

Patron Silver. I can't live without it.

talidapali's picture

Looks like I'll...

Submitted by talidapali on Fri, 2007/06/01 - 1:07pm.

be heading to the liquor store to stock up on a supply of TwoKillya so we can make margaritas for the Fourth of July BBQ. A BBQ without margaritas is like a puppy without cute.

_________________________________________________________

"You can't fix stupid..." ~ Ron White"

"I never said I wasn't a brat..." ~ Talidapali

redmondkr's picture

talidapali, I got this from

Submitted by redmondkr on Fri, 2007/06/01 - 1:26pm.

talidapali,

I got this from a 1995 issue of Food and Wine magazine. They're pretty good.

Watermelon Margaritas

6-pound piece of watermelon
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
6 or more shots of tequila (at least 3/4 cup)

1. Cut the watermelon into large chunks, discarding the rind. Remove seed from melon and put it in a food processor or blender and process until pureed. Strain the puree into a bowl. Pour all but 1 cup of the puree into a glass pitcher.

2. Combine the remaining 1 cup puree with the sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over high heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Pour the mixture into the puree in the pitcher and stir occasionally until cooled. (MAKE AHEAD: The puree can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 1 week.)

3. To make Margaritas, stir the lime juice and then the tequila into the watermelon puree. Fill tall glasses with ice, pour the Margarita mixture over, and serve.

Supposedly makes six, closer to four.

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WhitesCreek's picture

Damn!

Submitted by WhitesCreek on Fri, 2007/06/01 - 1:51pm.

Talk about close to home...Friday night is Margaritaville at WhitesCreek. A shortage of any of the key ingredients would be a tragedy.

Does FEMA know about this? What constitutes an "emergency" if not a tequila shortage?

I tried moonshineritas and it just aint the same. (Although if you can wait long enough for a few dried apricots to mellow things out in the jar, they aren't bad.)

Cletus's picture

At what point will the Feds

Submitted by Cletus on Fri, 2007/06/01 - 2:19pm.

At what point will the Feds start making releases from the Strategic Tequila Reserves?

Socialist With A Gold Card's picture

Peak tequila

Submitted by Socialist With ... on Fri, 2007/06/01 - 3:08pm.

According to the Peak Tequila theorists, the feds will only tap into the STP once production of agave has declined enough that the price skyrockets out of control. Of course, by then it will be too late.

Tequila will be more expensive and harder to find, which will cause the demand for fresh limes to plummet. This will, in turn, put all the lime farmers out of business, who will then turn to a life of crime, probably by running for Congress.

After the eradication of the lime crop, key lime pie will become largely extinct. Since key lime pie is the primary reason most people go to Florida, the Disney Corporation will go bankrupt.

All those costumed cartoon characters will join the ranks of the unemployed lime farmers. Once they realize that the halls of Congress are already filled with cartoon characters, they'll look for other lines of work; most of them will end up standing in front of car washes and grocery stores, waving at people and scaring small children.

This could well be the end of civilization.

--Socialist With A Gold Card

"I'm a socialist with a gold card. I firmly believe we need a revolution; I'm just concerned that I won't be able to get good moisturizer afterwards." -- Brett Butler

Cletus's picture

"According to the Peak

Submitted by Cletus on Fri, 2007/06/01 - 3:20pm.

"According to the Peak Tequila theorists, the feds will only tap into the STP once production of agave has declined enough that the price skyrockets out of control. Of course, by then it will be too late."

Egads! I just might have to have a drink to fully absorb the magnitude of this situation.

Ian's picture

So, um, are we, like,

Submitted by Ian on Fri, 2007/06/01 - 1:59pm.

So, um, are we, like, completely out of space to grow more corn in?

redmondkr's picture

Here's another possible

Submitted by redmondkr on Fri, 2007/06/01 - 3:22pm.

Here's another possible looming shortage that promises changes in the way we live. Mr. Bush has attacked the problem of childhood obesity, although he didn't really mean to.

The Sudanese government's response to proposed U.S. sanctions intended to force an end to the bloodshed in Darfur was short, sweet … and fizzy.

What will we do now, Mary Margaret?

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Michael's picture

Half of Six, A Dozen of the other

Submitted by Michael on Fri, 2007/06/01 - 3:23pm.

The search is for an alternative fuel so that Americans can continue an autocentric lifestyle. No one seems to interested in taking a clue from the rest of the world and changing from a lifestyle that keeps us chained to our cars to a model that simply requires less fuel by driving less.
~m.

Nelle's picture

Real alternatives

Submitted by Nelle on Fri, 2007/06/01 - 7:13pm.

I'm glad the digit's no longer around, because he would no doubt step in right about here with a ringing accusation that you are a communist -- or was it a fascist? -- for advocating driving less.

It's all part of that smart growth/new urbanism conspiracy, doncha know.

But seriously, yes, I couldn't agree more. Take the bus, ride a bike, use your own 2 feet to get from point A to point B when at all possible, for goodness sake.

Hayduke's picture

There's no credible evidence

Submitted by Hayduke on Fri, 2007/06/01 - 6:39pm.

There's no credible evidence that corn ethanol uses significantly less oil in its production than it replaces. The whole thing is a big thank you to ADM and Monsanto for all their lovely campaign contributions. And, as Metulj pointed out, even if we were to do the patriotic thing and stop eating so we can fuel our cars, there just isn't enough land.

As far as I can tell, anyone pushing this stuff is either bought or clueless.

Hayduke's picture

Terrorists

Submitted by Hayduke on Fri, 2007/06/01 - 8:07pm.

But doncha see, if we start changing The American Way of Life(tm), then the terrorist have won!

Factchecker's picture

My view: corn ethanol bad.

Submitted by Factchecker on Fri, 2007/06/01 - 11:20pm.

My view: corn ethanol bad. Maybe very bad. Done right from switchgrass, it could be pretty darn good, but I wouldn't brag too much if I were Bredesen. There are some big technical obstacles and a LOT of people are working on this and other interesting technologies that might compete against it. Check out the first three articles linked from here.

I don't see much of an inside track that Tennessee has in this area, but it's still worth pursuing IMO. (Advanced non-corn biofuels, not tequila.)

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