Corn Ethanol Is Validated By The EPA For Climate Benefits In A New Ruling

With aggressive ethanol goals, mandated by the federal government in 2007, of 36 billion gallons of ethanol per year by 2020 (857 million barrels) the EPA solidified its position on corn based ethanol and other biofuels.

For the first time the EPA used indirect land use modeling in the decision. And they determined "corn-based ethanol yields significant climate benefits."

Wednesday, February 3, the Obama adminstration clarified biofuels guidelines that President Bush had signed in December of 2007. One of the most contentious issues raised by the state of California in the last two years is the "indirect land use change" (ILUC) argument that corn based ethanol causes land to be plowed up in other countries due to higher world prices as a result of corn being used for ethanol. If this completely BOGUS rule had been used in the late 1700's or 1800's, the midwest would still be covered in Prairie grass and we would all be hunting and gathering.

Regardless of one's lack of belief in this ILUC propaganda, the EPA considered ILUC among many factors including fertilizer use, land, and etc..."corn based ethanol does yield significant climate benefits." Also, the EPA used land productivity guidelines and crop yields in their analysis. Corn is a fascinating plant specimen and historical data proves corn yields double about ever 30 years using conventional breeding. Monsanto, Syngenta, and Pioneer (DuPont owned) are spending about $600 million per year to enhance corn genetics. And, the thought is corn yields can double every 20 years due molecular breeding. With these types of yield improvements, one can easily see how starch, the feedstock for ethanol, is going to continue to grow in supply for the world.

Cellulosic ethanol also received some changes in the ethanol mandates. For 2010, Congress had set a target of 100 million gallons of ethanol made from cellulose. Since no economically viable cellulosic ethanol production exists in the world, the EPA was forced to reduce the 100 million gallons to 6.5 million gallons.

source: glgroup