There is also some question as to whether corn-based ethanol yields more energy than it takes to produce it.
My question: What is Brazil using as fuel for its ethanol production? Has ethanol shifted the balance to renewables or is it just a slight of hand like in the US? Policies not Politics ---- Daily Landscape
The ones I've read about use the leftover processed cane as fuel - not much use for global warming reduction, but it does mean that it truly reduces the total demand for fossil fuels.
This is part of the reason why I am bugging Jerome for the specifics of the sugar market. If it runs on European subsidised sugar it might be a question of moving energy from Europe to Brazil in the form of sugar.
Of course if you use humans rather than machines for everything but the ethanol distillation you will probably end up with a energy net on paper. In reality much of it is of course moving energy from people to ethanol, which then can be used to drive cars. More convenient then having people carrying a palankin wouldn't you say? A vote for PES is a vote for EPP! A vote for EPP is a vote for PES! Support the coalition, vote EPP-PES in 2009!
