118 —UwcastT Farming, Saturday, October 13,1979 Alcohol and gasohol: are they practical? “Alcohol can be manufactured from com stalks and from almost any vegetable matter capable of fermentation; growing crops, weeds~even the garbage from our cities. We need never fear the exhaustion of our present fuel supplies so long as we can produce an annual crop of alcohol.” That's what Alexander Graham Bell said before a iugh school graduating class in Washington, D.C in 1917. The idea is old and nearly universal. It appeared with me depression when fanners could not sell their products, and reappeared with each Micceeding recession and iall in gram prices. The logic made sense: the was there; .acohol was easily made by "ermenting gram or other plant material, and it could be used for fuel either alone or in combination with or ■linary gasoline. The mix ture (in a 90 percent gasoline, 10 percent alcohol combination) is gasohol. But gasoline was cheaper than alcohol, and readily available. And, Americans Jopted gasoline. Now, Americans don’t '■ave enough fuel In 1977, .move 113.7 million cars 112 trillion miles and burned 80 2 oiiiion gallons of gas and tne number of cars, miles, and gallons is rising every year. And once again, gasohol is a potential illation. The kcj word is potential Alcohol costs more to make than gasoline. Ethanol (alcohol which ■'an be made from grams ind other biomass) costs significantly more than gasoline, depending on the price of the gram It takes energy to make the change from plant matter to alcohol, and then to mm the alcohol with the gasoline. In addition, the production of alcohol to make gasohol for the U.S would require systems similar to those required to make gasoline transportation of raw materials and of alcohol, for example; and indirect costs: QWhy are Huskce Bill general purpose buildings so popular 9 They are versatile and economical Plus we offer you a A wide range of options multiple colors, big wide doors high eaves stress rated lumber skilled crews and Huskee Blit reliability If you need a machine storage building, hay shelter, animal shelter or repair shop, you’ve got it in the Huskee-Bilt General Purpose Building You’ll be surprised at the low square footage price r CotnKfcr * Caw*** Pr<*jk*fc* tterUThrlwi [wwfctr sytttam by HUSKEEBtLT mm om at 8* ft f MERVIN MILLER 7 keener road LITITZ PA 17543 PHONE (717)626-5204 ALSO dsk about Thrive Center r ntal Our TjMf Anme* C , rnrri* emi taxes, profit, interest on debt, and the costs associated with creating, transporting, and marketing a substance that is both flammable and federally controlled. And the costs of the physical plants would be considerable. To produce enough alcohol to make gasohol for the entire country, it would take 10 billion gallons of alcohol the combined production capacity of 500 facilities, each producing 20 million gallons per year. But with all of these costs, there are benefits. Distillers dried gram, a by-product of the ethanol producing process, is a fine, high protein animal feed. Ethanol enhances the octane rating of gasoline, and this alleviates the problem of engine knock. Gasohol reduces some carbon monoxide emissions and, according to some scientists, can produce better mileage than straight gasoline. And, with increased technology, some scientists are confident that methods can be developed to produce alcohol using no more energy than is contained in the alcohol. There are other unresolved areas: large quantities of grain, if diverted from the export market to produce alcohol, could affect the welfare of countries which depend on American agriculture for their food. a well-meaning but ineffective tax incentive system to promote gasohol Protein testing rule delayed A proposed rule that would provide protein testmg on a request basis for all classes of wheat except for mixed and unclassed wheats has been delayed. Leland E. Bartelt, ad ministrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Federal Grain Inspection Service, said the rule was originally planned to take effect m August, but a decision is now expected by Mayl. 'Ssif.: might benefit shrewd in vestors more than America’s farmers. Finally, if more energy from oil or natural gas were used in producing gasohol than is contained in the gasoline, farmers could end up spending more, not less, in increased costs for fer tilizer, feed or fuel. These are not problems yet. Still, gasohol is a multifaceted issue with each part inextricably related to the others. In addition, difficult decisions relating to the directions of future research are needed if technology is to advance. For example: How feasible is the idea of creating alcohol with the aid of solar energy? Could gasohol profitably be made from alcohol which has been made from coal? What about biomass could energy from this source economically change plant matter into alcohol’ Research into gasohol historically has taken many directions. But the prospect of readily usable technology, not past investment in gasohol research, must determine the direction this research will take in the future. Gasohol could potentially contribute to the solution of America's energy depen dence on foreign nations The challenge of gasohol is to help to create usable fuel where less existed before In meeting this challenge, on wheat He said the delay will provide the agency time to fully consider all the public comments that were received on the proposal. FGIS has been providing protein testing service for hard red spring wheats at export elevators since May 1978. Ask For Monroe Stoltzfus at: Route 1095 American agriculture faces a critical choice; it can proceed in one of two directions. The first direction is to pay the price entailed m seeking a way to make gasohol work for the American people. This money is like risk capital. The research needed to develop the scientific, technological, and economic expertise which might bring gasohol to fruition requires a PENN BERKS PRODUCTS Bethel, Pa. 19507 Phone 717-933-4101 serious, expensive com mitment on the part of American agriculture and the American people. And there is no guarantee of success. The second direction American agriculture could take is to do less than the research that would be required to learn just how valuable gasohol could be to America. This second choice involves the risk of missing the opportunity which vrv: If You Need Pipe For Agricultural Uses... CONCRETE PIPE CAN SAVE YOU MONEY! Do The Job For About Vi The Cost Of PVC In Almost All Cases. 4” Thru 12” Concrete Bell & Spigot \ Pipe In 4 Ft. Lengths Can Be Used For: :r Driveways • Manure Lagoon % ■rground Storm Systems ** TS * Irrigation & Drainage Ditches ★ ALSO GALVANIZED DRAINAGE PIPE AVAILABLE IN 20 FT. LENGTHS ■ , BFR^S^onnn < rTc e o^ l^o^o^r^e^*r^ o** 0 ** ■ PENN BERKS PRODUCTS. Rt 1095, Bethel, PA 19507 ■ Name " Address I City | Phone gasohol could represent. America could save the costs of research, of exploring ways that the system might be made to work. But if the potential does exist, and Americans fail to find it, then not only American agriculture but the entire country will be far more dependent on foreign nations than it would be otherwise. America can well afford the first risk. It absolutely cannot afford the second.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers