Opion: Walton: U.S. has many good reasons to pursue ethanol research

LSJ.com
July 9, 2009 • From Lansing State Journal


MSU scientists are working on biofuel options

In response to Lou Kitchenmaster's op ed against corn ethanol (LSJ, July 3), there are several factors he overlooks.

First, every dollar spent on corn ethanol is one dollar more in the pockets of U.S. farmers and ethanol producers and one less dollar sent overseas to petroleum-pumping countries.

Second, corn ethanol should be seen not as an end in itself, but instead as a first step toward the development of biomass ethanol, which Kitchenmaster himself supports.

Many ethanol plants in the U.S. are already making the transition from 100 percent grain ethanol to ethanol made from corn cobs, stalks and other agricultural residues ("biomass").

Grain ethanol allows them to stay in business during the transition.

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