WRAL Tech Wire

Fact checking has become all the rage in the past few days -- with the apparent exception of the Bloomberg editor. A number of misstatements hear bear correction. First, the Renewable Fuel Standard does not mandate ethanol use, it requires production and use of renewable fuel to replace foreign oil -- in part because the price is controlled by OPEC. Ethanol has been adopted by fuel blenders because it is widely available, low-cost and meets both the RFS and other needs for oxygenate and octane. Second, the rise in fuel prices and food prices have been directly caused by the rise in oil prices. No amount of misdirection and finger pointing can change that. Third, the production tax credit for ethanol expired last year. And fourth, when EPA measured ethanol's 20 percent reduction of GHG emissions relative to gasoline, it calculated all lifecycle inputs from field to fueltank. It is a blatant misrepresentation of fact to add those costs in again. Isn't an editor's job to fact check?

Racing cars are built to use it, consumer cars not so much. It's never been a great idea as a gasoline additive, but follow the money !

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