Comments on Max Blankfeld's articles RSS Syndication from SeekingAlpha.com http://seekingalpha.com/author/max-blankfeld/articles http://seekingalpha.com/article/104940-is-ethanol-dead-not-so-fast?source=feed#comment-304417 304417 You might find this article on ethanol informative > > http://www.opednews.com/articles/Obama-blindly-supports-anh-by-Clyde-Novitz-081028-375.html]]> Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:53:18 -0500 www.permaculture.com/

Thanks again- Dan


On Nov 09 07:38 AM Bobby Fontaine wrote:

> You might find this article on ethanol informative
>
> www.opednews.com/artic...]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/104940-is-ethanol-dead-not-so-fast?source=feed#comment-301582 301582 Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:33:10 -0500
How many countries in the world have raised interest rates in the last month? Name two, since countries implies plurality.

Will Obama allow farmers to follow in the footsteps of the rest of the country? A yes or no please, none of the mindless rants you include in every post.

For anyone interested in joining GEO's stock picking prowess over the last 6 months, just click on the comments next to his name. Click on number 8 and move forwards. You name it, its down, sometimes so massively that it must go up by 75% just to get to his initial BUY. But here he is pushing the same drivel.

Mind you, even a blind squirrel finds a nut occasionally and I even agree with some of his assessments occasionally, but he has no sense of timing whatsover.

Take PWE, not only has it dropped from around $28 when he was pushing it but its dividend has been reduced by 20%. It pays out .34 Canadian, which is then converted into USD or about .28 currently depending on the Loonie's value on the ex date.

Thats your history, your rant about others but do not follow up on your own record of stock selection. Do you even hold CCJ anymore? Your record speaks for itself, but your Narcissistic outlook does not allow for other opinions.

Seeking Alpha is about making observations on what has been written in the Articles. It is not about attacking the views of others which do not coincide with yours.

My turn.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/104940-is-ethanol-dead-not-so-fast?source=feed#comment-301478 301478 Sun, 09 Nov 2008 20:42:45 -0500 Sugar based is by far the more reasonable and food eco way to go...CZZ (Cosan) is easily the best play in this regard.
Abin..of course..needs to get a life. What Brazil does is none of his business....

]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/104940-is-ethanol-dead-not-so-fast?source=feed#comment-301433 301433 Sun, 09 Nov 2008 19:18:35 -0500 seekingalpha.com/artic...]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/104940-is-ethanol-dead-not-so-fast?source=feed#comment-301424 301424 Sun, 09 Nov 2008 18:56:51 -0500 www.ethanol-lie.com - It’s even more ironic that ethanol producers are now suffering! But we should realize that sugar ethanol is NOT any better because Peru and Brazil are destroying tropical forests for sugarcane, which is also accelerating global warming!]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/104940-is-ethanol-dead-not-so-fast?source=feed#comment-301405 301405 Sun, 09 Nov 2008 18:15:57 -0500
As rising food prices continue to threaten food security around the world, Brazilian ethanol is one obvious solution being largely ignored. Brazil set up its efficient fuel alternative program in the 70s, when the first oil crisis hit the world. Now Brazilians drive cars moved by ethanol or gasoline mixed in any proportion. And since long ago gasoline in Brazil is not pure, but blended with 25% ethanol, resulting that internal consumption of ethanol in the country is already superior to gasoline's. Ethanol in Brazil is already much cheaper than gasoline at current international oil prices.

Brazilian ethanol is produced from sugarcane without any governmental subsidies and the fuel has a very competitive price. Researchers are increasing the productivity (more fuel extracted per sq.km. of crops) by adapting sugar canes species to each type of land and topography. The productivity now is more than 3 times the records of 30 years ago and it keeps on raising, being expected to soar very soon when the technology to extract ethanol from cellulosic materials (crop waste) will be available for large scale production.

Ethanol production in Brazil uses just one percent of total arable land, and the country can expand its sugarcane fields without disturbing sensitive land areas (like Amazon), just by tapping land such as depleted pastures. Just raising intensity of cattle production from the current 0.8 animals per hectare to 1.2 animals (a target already far exceeded in many parts of the country) would release about 80m hectares of land for crops. There remains plenty of room for expansion: the country has 355 million hectares of farmable land, of which 7 million hectares under sugarcane of which the amount used to make ethanol fills 3.4 million hectares (compared to 200m hectares of pasture). Another 105.8 million hectares remained available, which allows Brazil to increase ethanol production without affecting the environment or food. By comparison, the additional terrain for Brazilian crops could surpass all of the land now under cultivation in the European Union.

Meanwhile, Brazilian food production has doubled in the past decade and that’s the most impressive thing about ethanol from sugarcane: in contrast to corn-based American ethanol or biodiesel derived from soybean oil, there is no cost pressure and no competition with food.

Another persuasive fact for incentiving ethanol production in Brazil is the electric energy that is generated as a by-product of ethanol processing: taking into consideration the energetic balance, the electricity generated in sugar cane processing in Brazil is almost as large as its ethanol equivalence. It's like a two large scale hydroelectric plants generating electricity exactly when it's more necessary: in the Brazilian dry season! So the producers of ethanol are also having increasing revenues by selling electricity to the country's national electric system, which has become an strategic and reliable source of electricity. For all these reasons, ethanol in Brazil is a win-win game for the country, the farmers, the consumers and the environment.

Off course Brazilian ethanol does not intend to concur with petroleum, but it could ease up current oil crisis by supplying a small part of the world energy demand. It is only necessary to look at the increasing demand from the non-oil countries like India and China to understand that the very high price of oil is here to stay. With the existing price of oil, the permanent threat of war in the Middle East, the international geopolitics, and the environmental problems, there seems to be no other easy solution for the energy problem away from the liquid ethanol produced out of sugarcane. This is certainly a very important aspect of the Brazilian economy for the next few years and the rest of the world will have to accept the reality of the liquid ethanol from sugarcane as the right and best solution for the oil crisis.

The problem is that much of Brazil’s ethanol exports continues to face prohibitive tariffs and other barriers to developed markets in the US and Europe. The United States currently places a 54-cent-a-gallon tariff on ethanol imported from Brazil. Consumers in the country are being severely affected, particularly in areas such as the Southeast, where corn does not exist and the logistics to bring ethanol from the center of the country is practically impossible. It is difficult to understand the maintenance these tariff levels, except for political reasons. The developed world appears purposely myopic in relation to the opportunities Brazil presents, maybe it's because that would upset wealthy US and European farmers – a price apparently not worth paying.

Almir R. Américo – Sao Paulo, Brazil]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/104940-is-ethanol-dead-not-so-fast?source=feed#comment-301404 301404 Sun, 09 Nov 2008 18:14:57 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/104940-is-ethanol-dead-not-so-fast?source=feed#comment-301333 301333 Sun, 09 Nov 2008 15:13:06 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/104940-is-ethanol-dead-not-so-fast?source=feed#comment-301241 301241 Sun, 09 Nov 2008 12:51:39 -0500
Or, scrap the protectionist sugar barriers in the US which will get some Republican support and grow our own and import raw sugar at cheap prices and value add the distillation process here.
Ethanol is all politicalm, nothing yet truly economical.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/104940-is-ethanol-dead-not-so-fast?source=feed#comment-301198 301198 Sun, 09 Nov 2008 11:57:13 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/104940-is-ethanol-dead-not-so-fast?source=feed#comment-301172 301172 Sun, 09 Nov 2008 11:37:46 -0500
This is exactly backwards. The increase in flex fuel cars is due to the surge in availability of ethanol at a price lower than gasoline or diesel.

There is no such ready supply of ethanol in the U.S. because of tariffs and ridiculous subsidies of corn ethanol.

]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/104940-is-ethanol-dead-not-so-fast?source=feed#comment-301166 301166 Sun, 09 Nov 2008 11:32:28 -0500
Oil independance also means the exclusion of imports from Mexico and Canada. Self preservation will ensure that both of these countries will reduce or stop exports here long before Independance is achieved.

Independance will not be achieved without oil. Contrary to all of the Green hype, CNG is not a viable alternative until NG supply exceeds demand, it doesn't. Current NG prices have slowed drilling projects throughout the industry. NG flows into the US from Canada via pipeline on a 24/7 basis. Without this, an NG shortfall would be evident within a few weeks. Last estimate that I saw was that the shortfall was 15%. Corn Ethanol = nitrogen fertilizer = NG.

Remember TBoone? His company, the one that was sure to go up because Pelosi supported it? New All time low in the last few weeks, TBoone and family unloaded 3 million shares, was $19, is around $6.50.

The next year will not be about renewables, it will be about getting the country out of a recession. The $15 Billion promise annually? This is strictly for research not funding.

One other thing, every country in the world is either in, going to be in a recession or will experiencing dramatic slowdowns. Every country has dropped interest rates has started or is about to start stimulus procedures. This will result in a dramatic reversal to the Demand Destruction scenario.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/104940-is-ethanol-dead-not-so-fast?source=feed#comment-301161 301161 Sun, 09 Nov 2008 11:27:25 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/104940-is-ethanol-dead-not-so-fast?source=feed#comment-301159 301159 Sun, 09 Nov 2008 11:23:51 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/104940-is-ethanol-dead-not-so-fast?source=feed#comment-301080 301080 Sun, 09 Nov 2008 09:37:54 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/104940-is-ethanol-dead-not-so-fast?source=feed#comment-301056 301056 jack]]> Sun, 09 Nov 2008 09:04:42 -0500
we knew in 1974 that there were microorganisms available in the vietnam jungle with enzymes that were digesting the soldiers' web belts & producing glucose. can't fight when your pants fall down.
> jack]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/104940-is-ethanol-dead-not-so-fast?source=feed#comment-301013 301013 Sun, 09 Nov 2008 07:38:41 -0500
www.opednews.com/artic...]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/77153-2010-an-electric-car-odyssey?source=feed#comment-167576 167576 Wed, 14 May 2008 14:14:30 -0400
If those companies can make vehicles that get 100 or more miles per charge, so can GM, Ford, Toyota, Nissan, etc....and they have the warranties, dealer and parts networks in place.

I welcome the new technology--and certainly those established companies need the push that is coming from new entrants.

But I would not invest in these new auto companies -- not their stocks, and not $30,000 to buy their product if the established players are competitive. ]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/77153-2010-an-electric-car-odyssey?source=feed#comment-167380 167380 Wed, 14 May 2008 09:46:59 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/77153-2010-an-electric-car-odyssey?source=feed#comment-167279 167279 Wed, 14 May 2008 06:48:12 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/76456-food-and-fuel-brazil-breaks-new-records?source=feed#comment-165980 165980 Sun, 11 May 2008 21:12:46 -0400
Brazil has a very powerful advantage in becoming free from dependency on oil that is ignored in this article. Most arable land in the Northern Hemisphere is unsuitable for sugar cane. Sugar cane requires a tropical/warm climate.

And corn is an extremely poor choice because it requires enormous amounts of fertilizer (which is made from oil) and provides a relatively small yield. Only a very tiny portion of the plant is suitable for ethanol production.
We must therefore find a better alternative to grow here in North America. Some say switchgrass is the answer. It sure would be nice to find a solution -- quick -- that would make the U.S. energy-independent just as Brazil has become. ]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/76456-food-and-fuel-brazil-breaks-new-records?source=feed#comment-165131 165131 Fri, 09 May 2008 16:44:22 -0400 ethanol for 30 years...

ps. just look at the decrease in total energy [and water] required t make ethanol from cane vs corn...the next big move will be to sorgum
using even less water... ]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/76456-food-and-fuel-brazil-breaks-new-records?source=feed#comment-164922 164922 Fri, 09 May 2008 12:33:06 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/76456-food-and-fuel-brazil-breaks-new-records?source=feed#comment-164849 164849 Fri, 09 May 2008 11:14:00 -0400
I see McCain has come out against the ethanol mandate. That says a lot about his analytical capabilites and ability to dig for facts.

]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/76456-food-and-fuel-brazil-breaks-new-records?source=feed#comment-164784 164784 Fri, 09 May 2008 10:17:24 -0400
To do a full economic analysis of that problem, we would first need to determine how much rain forest is being destroyed to make room for new crops. Then you have to determine how much carbon is lost, net, as a result of that deforestation and, assuming you believe the market cost of carbon, factor that into the analysis.

Many would argue (with some reason at this point) that the carbon market doesn't really reflect the reality of the climate change problem. In that case you can at least assess whether biofuels are helping alleviate or are making worst that problem.

But, in the end, I guess that's a separate question and doesn't really effect the fuels or food debate. ]]>