Homegrown Fuel Supply Helps Brazil Breathe Easy

[RedEarth]

SAO PAULO, Brazil — While Americans fume at high gasoline prices, Carolina Rossini is the essence of Brazilian cool at the pump. Like tens of thousands of her countrymen, she is running her zippy red Fiat on pure ethanol extracted from Brazilian sugar cane. On a recent morning in Brazil's largest city, the clear liquid was selling for less than half the price of gasoline, a sweet deal for the 26-year-old lawyer.

"You save money and you don't pollute as much," said Rossini, who paid about $18 to fill her nearly empty tank. "And it's a good thing that the product is made here."

Three decades after the first oil shock rocked its economy, Brazil has nearly shaken its dependence on foreign oil. More vulnerable than even the United States when the 1973 Middle East oil embargo sent gas prices soaring, Brazil vowed to kick its import habit. Now the country that once relied on outsiders to supply 80% of its crude is projected to be self-sufficient within a few years.

Developing its own oil reserves was crucial to Brazil's long-term strategy. Its domestic petroleum production has increased sevenfold since 1980. But the Western Hemisphere's second-largest economy also has embraced renewable energy with a vengeance.

Today about 40% of all the fuel that Brazilians pump into their vehicles is ethanol, known here as alcohol, compared with about 3% in the United States. No other nation is using ethanol on such a vast scale. The change wasn't easy or cheap. But 30 years later, Brazil is reaping the return on its investment in energy security while the U.S. writes checks for $50-a-barrel foreign oil.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/latimests/homegrownfuelsupplyhelpsbrazilbreatheeasy;_ylt=Au_dAh6Rg.QsgQlCLM6JSCa9IxIF;_ylu=X3oDMTBhcmN2azRyBHNlYwNjaWQ3MjE-

[meganmonkey]

1. Shhh...

you're not supposed to talk about things like this!

;)

[CottonBear]

2. Did any one see * (today) telling the congress to send him an energy bill

that would promote hydrogen based energy and then saying that no way would he support proposed legislation that would reduce oil usage by 7 million barrels a day? He has no intention to reduce oil use. He just want to spend even more money on hydrogen cars.
:wtf:

[DBoon]

4. and petroleum will be the source of the hydrogen

You did ever think they would generate H2 using solar energy, did you?

[Javaman]

3. You hate America for it's complete dependence on oil!

Oh wait, that didn't come out right...

You hate our freedom to burn as much oil as we feel entitled to...

wait again, still not right...

You hate us because we are gas guzzling dickwads!

There you go! Much better!

We won't break the oil habit till the oil sucker* is out of the WH.

I was going to muse about something along the lines of having an Oil Monkey on our backs, but it just didn't flow as well.

[consuming]

9. They love Freedom

[bleedingheart]

5. They cut down rainforests to grow their fuel....hmmmm...

let me think about this ...

[Chemical Bill]

11. Nobody's perfect.

They cut down rainforests for beef, too. Here in the US we cut most of our forests by the mid 1800s. At least they don't invade Iraq.

Bill

[Strelnikov_]

6. Sure Would Like To See An E85 Enabled Hybrid

Or even better, a true flex fuel hybrid capable of burning moonshine (180 proof) to 100% unleaded dino.

[Judi Lynn]

7. Wonderful! First I've heard about this from Brazil.Thanks, RedEarth. n/t

[ieoeja]

8. Framing It

While some people argued that any efforts to clean up the environment, or switch to renewable fuel sources would cost this country jobs and close down small businesses, Brazil spent the last 30 years doing just that. And now they are not just independant of foreign oil producers while saving their economy billions. They have positioned themselves to export huge supplies of alternative fuels as countries around the world accept the fact that this time around, oil prices ain't going to drop.

That is, of course, the inherent flaw in being too Conservative. If you oppose too much progress, don't be surprised to find yourself Left Behind.

[Chemical Bill]

10. At first the drivers didn't like it.

They were the "beta users" of ethanol, and had to live with the problems (vapor-lock caused hard starting). Sounds like they are convinced now. Sugar cane is a much better source of ethanol than our corn is. You get more per acre. I use biodiesel myself (I'm a "beta user").

Bill

[ecoalex]

13. It is a mix

of gasoline, and ethanol, not just straight ethanol. Diesel engines can run on straight ethanol, the VW Rabbit diesel engine was very easily converted to straight ethanol.The problems are corrosion , and lubrication of the injection pump, why the inclusion of part oil products.

[Massacure]

14. Ethanol and biodiesel are apples and oranges.

Biodiesel is probably the better choice. Algae can yield up to 15,000 gallons per acre per year. There are plenty of craters left over from nuclear weapons in the southwest dessert. Why not just irrigate them with ocean water and use California's cows to fertilize them?

Of course then you have to find a way to prevent the biodiesel from gumming up in the northern states during the winter.

[annabanana]

12. "Left Behind"... Oh hahahahaah

true, that.

[Miss Chybil]

15. Kick for a great story. nt

[warrens]

16. Pretty soon

Our kids are going to be going down there to work as nannies.

The Rethug philosophy is to burn down our economy, gut social security, and get a compliant work force who will not dare to unionize. That is what Bush is there for, among other things. They've lied and murdered hundreds of thousands of people for their little expedition. I say, fuck the rope, go straight to barbed wire for traitors.