17 comments on Spitzer Promotes Clean Energy, Minus Ethanol
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Glenn,
Great post.
Spitzer isn't talking ethanol because a lot of Pataki's policies were implemented and Spitzer can try other things. I followed the link where you talk about Pataki's plans and it says, "Gov. George E. Pataki wants to ... make ethanol and biodiesel, two controversial alternative fuels, available in the 27 service areas on the New York State Thruway and in 100 more stations throughout the state as early as this year, in a first small step toward reducing the state's petroleum consumption. The governor is also proposing incentives to bring refineries that produce ethanol into the state."
How did he do?
There are now 5 corn ethanol plants under construction in New York State and one cellulose-based plant. In total these plants will produce almost 500 million gallons a year. There are also around 100 million gallons of biodiesel production in the state.
He gets an A+ for refinery incentives.
He didn't do as well with the stations but there are 8 e85 gas stations and 8 biodiesel stations in the state.
Some of the other things that happened under his watch include the Port of Albany building capacity to move and store biofuels. Trains, trucking fleets all adjusted to move and use it. The research universities in the state including the Forestry Program at Syracuse developed research programs around cellulose ethanol with state funding. The corn farmers are finally getting paid real money for their crop and the air is cleaner. Lastly, Pataki successfully facilitated the transition from MTBE to ethanol in gasoline; no more MTBE in our water.
Pataki did a good job really. I hope Spitzer can continue the momentum.
If I understand the arguments correctly, oxygenates are no longer needed to meet emissions standards with modern vehicles. There is no need to substitute ethanol for MTBE when the MTBE could simply be removed.
I'm not saying that Pataki didn't do quite a bit on ethanol, but that he perhaps placed too much priority on it to the exclusion of other new renewable and conservation efforts.
Spitzer's environmental adviser clearly indicated that Spitzer is not talking about ethanol because he does not think it makes sense to push forward this particular fuel. To say that he is not talking about it because Pataki's policies were implemented ignores the fact that his failure to mention ethanol speaks volumes. Virtually every politician these days pushes ethanol as a cornerstore of their renewable energy policies. But not Spitzer. Spitzer is not mentioning it because he clearly doesn't feel is should be a significant part of his strategy.
Your spin on this is wishful thinking on your part.
Good round-up K.
I tend to agree with you for the simple reason that individual states are typically limited by the feedstock resource that they possess.
1st gen biofuel production is the low-fruit, the easiest milestone to reach but difficult to expand much further in a state that doesn't produce the required feedstock - Rendell in PA faces a similar dilemma.
That said, the one feedstock that is in abundance in NY is MSW and MSW as you know, can be converted thermo-chemically to liquid fuels like ethanol.
This 3rd gen biofuel process has great potential for both NY and PA but is of course still in the demonstration phase.
Translation: a lengthy and perhaps expensive endeavor that may or may not produce the all important, in term photo-op.
MSW? WTF? Google is your friend: Municipal solid waste!