Why is corn the only crop being promoted for ethanol production?

Question

Before corn can produce the sugar that powers ethanol it's starch must be converted into a sugar. This process will no doubt be expensive and complicated. Why not utilize other crops, such as sugarcane, that don't need to be converted. With the sugarcane's sugar allready in place an expensive and unnecessary step could be skipped and ethanol produced.

Answer 1

besides hemp oil (which, along with peanut oil, the diesel engine was originally designed to run on) corn produces the most oil per acre of any other crop currently in large scale production throughout the world. Castor bean comes in at a close second. corn, also, is america's #1 cash crop (besides hemp) and is always looking for a great marketing campaign such as the proposed solution for "global warming"

Answer 2

There are many other materials that can be used for ethanol production (and are used in places outside the US). In fact, some other materials like cellulose actually are better than corn-based ethanol. My theory is that since the government subsidizes US farmers, the farmers and government benefit most from ethanol production while everyone else in the US suffer as the price of everything else increases (like milk). Corn-based ethanol is not a viable solution to our fuel crisis but many people sure seem to think so because it is an attractive solution. The truth is we are not paying any less for gas but we are paying more now for milk, meat, etc. because farmers can no longer afford feed that used to be very cheap.

Answer 3

Actually, converting corn to sugar is a cheap and uncomplicated process. High fructose sugar, used in most soft drinks and just about every other sweet junk food, is made from this sugar. Corn grows much better than sugarcane in Canada and the U.S. and is easier to harvest.

Answer 4

As far as I know there are a variety of crops that are being used for biofuels. I'm not sure why corn is getting all the headlines though - probably because we have so many corn farms up and running in the midwest that could be used for production. This would tie into our desired independence from foreign sources of gas.

Answer 5

The people who invented this issue(ADM)has a corner on the world corn supply and they have been working on this for several decades. But, there are others who have a lot of sugar and are copying what ADM has done. Its a good thing all the corn and sugar can't fill the need for much mroe than 4% of the energy needs of mankind. So there is a lot of space for both stupid ideas.

Answer 6

Corn just happened to be one of the first and most well known but there are a slew of new sources that have been developed for ethanol and other biofuels. I am aware of one that should be major when it hits the market - wood chips from pine trees. An efficient process has been developed at my alma mater, the Univ. of Georgia. I have linked a recent press release http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=48588

Answer 7

Burning food in our cars and trucks is immoral. And burning feed corn will raise the price of our food. The poor will suffer most from this morally bankrupt practice. And has anyone seen one of these air polluting, energy sucking, odor spewing, plants? They are terrible.

Answer 8

Right now, corn is the low cost option as far as processing is concerned. It's also grown in almost every state, and is high yielding.

Answer 9

I have heard that sugar beets are the best source to make ethanol and they are plentiful

Answer 10

There are many things being considered. Pay attention to the news. Switch grass, sugar cane, fruits, etc.