EPI president Lester Brown reaffirms position on ethanol
Lester Brown of the Earth Policy Institute is no fan of ethanol, and he stiffened up his stance in an interview with Foreign Policy magazine. Brown noted the huge jump in new ethanol plants and tied the increased ethanol production to conflicts in the food market."What's actually happening in the world now is that the price of grain is moving up towards its oil equivalent value. That means that the price of grain is now being set by the price of oil," said Brown.
Brown also is not impressed with the recent deal with Brazil and thinks more of cellulosic ethanol. However, new ethanol plants are being built close to the corn supplies, not switchgrass or other cellulosic sources. Finally, Brown likes plug-in hybrids and wind-generated power.
I personally like Brown's stances on many of the green issues. He comes across as someone who is well-versed on the facts and has a grip on political and economic implications. He usually offers a balanced strategy for improved energy use and production.
Related:
- Earth Policy Institute suggests moratorium on launching new ethanol plants
- Poor could lose out in world ethanol market
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Rick 5:45PM (3/22/2007)
this guy is a socialist. He wants a UN Mediation group to settle disputes between corn consumers and ethanol producers?? Right...
Econoics 101, 102, 201, 202.
Socialists don't trust the free market and conservatives prove it works every day.
The govt has been paying farmers for years not to farm about 30m acres in this country. Let those programs unwind and supply will grow to go after the price. It works.
In 3rd world countries higher prices for corn will create employment AND ALREADY IS, WORLDWIDE. This is the best thing ever to happen to those areas. Learn some economics and you won't be scared by all the socialist bs.
Russia had $.30 bread and EMPTY SHELVES!!!
Castro has $.15 gas and no cars to put it in!!
Venezuala has $.30 gas and 15% unemployment and people and money leaving every day.
The DOE just funded 6 cellulosic ethanol plants that will be producing ethanol from garbage and MSW. That's where the govt needs to be, helping new industries jumpstart. A UN mediation group???????? It's a bad, bad, joke.
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