The Corn Lobby
Would ethanol be in my gas tank if corn producers had not been so successful in convincing clueless politicians that “renewable energy” fuels were a partial solution to climate change?
The Corn Lobby
I like corn to eat in August when it is harvested, but I don’t like corn in my gas tank.
Ontario Government regulations began “mandating an increase in the ethanol content of gasoline from the 10 per cent in 2020, to an eventual 15 per cent in ‘regular’ grade fuel“. Almost all of Canada’s supply of ethanol comesfrom corn.
The excuse given is to combat climate change
Ethanol produces fewer emissions than fossil fuels. Ethanol also delivers less power and energy that pure gasoline, and it attracts moisture that is corrosive to engine components. This last point is the reason that I never allowed ethanol into the tanks of my motorcycles, lawn mower, chain saw or snow blower. Since I can no longer find ethanol-free gasoline locally, I must fill up with products like this from STP. https://www.stp.com/ca/product/small-engine-octane-treatment/
As an Advocate from Less Governent
I believe that our Freedom of Informed Choice must be respected by our governments and the policies they create. In practice, this would mean that every gas station could sell ethanol-free gasoline along side the ethanol-blended products. This provides consumer choice.
In the climate change “debate”, there are three main groups: the alarmists who believe in the “climate crisis” propaganda, the skeptics who don’t, and the agnostics who have better things to do with their time than to deal with this subject.
As a skeptic, my choice at the pump was summarily taken from me by unthinking, anti-democratic regulators who exercised their authoritarian privileges to remove my Freedom of Informed Choice. In a perfect world, the size, cost and scope of the public sector would a fraction of what it is today so that many fewer tax-funded autocrats would be employed to dream up ways to restrict my rights and freedoms, and charge me ever higher taxes for their “services”.
I agree with you that consumers should have a choice. That's one reason the Ontario Libertarian Party adopted the motto. "The Party of Choice."
You suggested that gas stations could provide both ethanol blended and ethanol free gasoline. I trust you aren't proposing a new government regulation REQUIRING gas stations to provide both. Let consumers decide. If some venturous operator decides to offer both, and if it is successful, others will follow until the supply meets the demand.
Every piece of legislation removes a choice from some of us. I saw a suggestion yesterday that consumers should be required to pay for AM radio in their cars, whether they listen to it or not. I didn't even realize the auto manufacturers were thinking of not providing AM radio. It's my choice for traffic reports.
Well said, Gene. The cost (to the environment) of producing ethanol is huge too, and generally overlooked (I see the impact of growing corn on local farmland directly). Just like the true cost of producing those 'blood' batteries for electric vehicles (and charging them) is never addressed by those promoting their 'green' ideology.