GM Canada is applauding a new Canadian government program to distribute $3m over two years for a pilot program to "demonstrate E85 fueling infrastructure and promote its commercialization." The measure is part of a $250m Automotive Innovation Fund aimed at supporting the Canadian auto industry's transition to greater mandated fuel efficiency. The PR flacks at GM Canada crow [via Marketwire], that The General's head start in ethanol-capable technology "offers another very practical and affordable way for Canadian drivers to literally cut their net vehicle CO2 emissions in half"– as long as they ignore the environmental and crop price impacts associated with ethanol production. Oh, and Canada has set aside another $10m for two years worth of biofuels emissions research.
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You call ethanol a dead end.
I think that applies to corn ethanol, but there is good hope that 2nd generation biofuels offer a real benefit.
Canadian Environmental Minister Mark Parent…
Come again?
The measure is part of a $250m Automotive Innovation Fund aimed at supporting the Canadian auto industry’s transition to greater mandated fuel efficiency.
Has anybody pointed out to them that ethanol is less energy dense and therfore less fuel efficient? Maybe that will come out in the studies funded by a portion of this money, but I doubt it.
Canadian Environmental Minister Mark Parent…
Come again?
You know the Northern California native who caught for the Padres and the Orioles. He seems to have parlayed that “fame” into a ministerial position in the Canadian government. :-)
http://thechronicleherald.ca/News/1040435.html
and
http://www.markparent.ca/
I laughed at those silly Canadians and their silly E85. Until I realized my E85 Ranger hasn’t seen a Drop of E85 in it’s 5 years.
Then I laughed at myself and my fellow silly Americans.
Environment Minister for the Province of Nova Scotia is Mark Parent. Environment Minister John Baird is the Federal represenative.
Regular unleaded and diesel are roughly the same price in Ontario. Provincial law mandates E10 gasoline containing 10-percent ethanol on average.
E85, available at only two outlets in the province, is nearly 10-percent more expensive than regular. Tests confirm it increases fuel consumption 20-percent. It’s difficult to imagine E85 achieving success on a voluntary basis. Unfortunately our rulers are as caught up in the ethanol boondoggle as U.S. governments. Ethanol is being propped up with tens of millions of tax dollars, compulsory use legislation and rebates on so-called flex-fuel vehicles – which reports say don’t run well.
With numbers like these diesel will be the probable winner in the local fuel economy sweepstakes.
@EJ_San_Fran :
You call ethanol a dead end.
I think that applies to corn ethanol, but there is good hope that 2nd generation biofuels offer a real benefit.
The efficiency of the energy equation of ethanol doesn’t change significantly with 2nd generation biofuels.
While you won’t have to use energy for preparing, seeding and harvesting a field, you’ll still be using heavy machinery to extract the biomass from trees. There will be less use of fertilizer.
We’re very likely still looking at a fuel that will deliver about 1,5 to 2 energy units for every unit that’s been expended. And then the cost of fixing the problems that ethanol causes have not been factored in.
I’ve got a buddy who owns a bagel shop – he’s getting KILLED on flour prices due to the fact that nobody wants to grow wheat anymore.
He says people now are hoarding flour.