Re: Ethanol use

[Colin Hames <cchames@mm.com>]

I also have a personal interest in farming ( Minnesota and Iowa ) and
finding alternative uses for ag products, in this case corn,  is crucial for
the future.  Why not ethanol?

Colin Hames
'86 5TWQ
'98 Passat 1.8t

Chuck Hill wrote:

> Out in the middle of the country, Iowa, to be specific, most of the gas
> stations sell either 87 octane gasoline or 89 octane gasoline, ethanol
> blend.  This has been the case for at least the past ten years.  My
> experience with the ethanol blends has been entirely positive.  My
> family currently drives 4 different Audis, and 4 VW Vanagons.  There has
> never been a mechanical problem due to the fuel in any of our vehicles,
> and if there is a mileage difference, it is very small.
>
> The adoption of ethanol vs MTBE is really a political  problem, not a
> scientific decision.  The big oil companies don't like the idea of
> buying 10% of their volume from someone else to blend with their
> product, and would rather come up with something of their own.  In the
> case of MTBE, the public will be stuck with the pollution problems
> caused by unforseen characteristics of MTBE.  Ethanol sources and
> production have not given us this kind of problem.  Indeed, the
> agricultural sector of this country constantly looks for markets for its
> products due to a problem with excess production capacity.  We can
> produce all the ethanol  needed for oxygenated fuels at competetive
> costs, and  would all benefit from the use of ethanol instead of MTBE or
> some certain other alternative products.
>
> Having said this, I should also state that I am an Iowa farmer, and have
> an economic interest in this issue.
>
> Chuck Hill