August 19, 2010
Ethanol is Here Today
In his latest New York Times article, Finding New Ways to Fill the Tank, reporter Matthew Wald says the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico reminds us of the pressing need to end our addiction to oil. Wald writes, “A lot of problems could be solved with a renewable replacement for oil-based gasoline and diesel in the fuel tank — either a new liquid fuel or a much better battery.”
Unquestionably, to meet our growing energy needs, our nation will need a diverse array of solutions. But, at the same time we’re developing the fuels of tomorrow, we should also be doing more to expand the market for the only renewable fuel that is widely available and commercially viable today– ethanol.
Ethanol creates U.S. jobs, cleans the air, strengthens national security – and best of all, it is here right now. Every day, ethanol producers are developing technological improvements to increase efficiency, reduce water use, and boost the amount of energy derived from corn kernels or from cellulosic biomass. Ethanol is not a “someday” fuel. It is the renewable, clean-burning alternative we have to gasoline today.
Moreover, advancements in ethanol production are quickly opening the door for the commercialization of cellulosic ethanol and other advanced biofuels.
Growth Energy recently introduced its Fueling Freedom Plan which establishes a path toward building out the infrastructure necessary to make significant reductions in our nation’s addiction to foreign oil by mandating the production of flex fuel vehicles and the installation of blender pumps.
If Congress were to pass Growth Energy’s Fueling Freedom plan, we wouldn’t need to engage in what energy secretary, Steven Chu, refers to as “the hunt for miracles,” we would be giving American motorists the power to choose something other than oil at the pump – a choice that would help free us from our addiction to oil today.
