Ethanol Gas

It truly only takes one person to open your eyes to something you knew little about. Hopefully while people put me on I can put you on. I truly did not know that Brazil does not rely on imports of oil for gas. Here is some background and information on Ethanol/Alcohol. Something we should push for in our country. We needn't be dependent on foreign oil to sustain ourselves. Keep in mind too that Brazil produces ethanol from sugarcane which is relativly easy to do, while in the US they are pushihng to produce ethanol from corn which is more costly and difficult. While on the topic of oil dependancy may I mention that if hemp also makes a viable energy sourse and has a production rate of up to 10 tons per acre, every four months. ( http://www.thehia.org/hempfacts.htm )

The U.S. imports 60% of its oil and barley produces 10%. While Brazil's efforts are being closely followed by countries with big fuel bills. India and China have sent a parade of top officials to see Brazil's program.

House Votes to Rescind Oil Drillers’ Tax Breaks: Looking to invest $ in alternative fuels
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/19/business/19royalty.html

Great Article Discussing this issue:
http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/display.article?id=6817

Brazil's National Program for Alcohol: a few facts

With the 1973 oil crisis the Brazilian government, then run by the general Emílio Garrastazu Médici, initiated in 1975 the Pró-Álcool program.

The Pró-Álcool or Programa Nacional do Álcool (National Alcohol Program) was a nation-wide program financed by the government to phase out all automobile fuels derived from fossil fuels (such as gasoline) in favour of ethanol. It began with the anhydrous alcohol to blend with the gasoline. This mixture has been used since then and is now done with 24% of alcohol and 76% gasoline. The program successfully reduced by 10 million the number of cars running on gasoline in Brazil, thereby reducing the country's dependence on oil imports.

The decision to produce ethanol from fermented sugarcane was based on the low cost of sugar at the time. Other sources of fermentable carbohydrates were tested such as the manioc.