T. Boone Pickens: "No question" that American ethanol is better than imported oil

[HoosierRon]

Ethanol is “Ugly Baby”

Ethanol is “an ugly baby but it’s ours and it will move cars,” according to billionaire oilman T. Boone Pickens.

Speaking at the Oil and Gas Investor’s Energy Capital Forum in Houston Tuesday, Boone emphasized that he prefers the less-than-perfect fuel over imported oil because there is “no question” that America must embrace alternate energy sources to alleviate the $700-billion transfer of wealth out of the country to oil imports.

Pickens says the United States is having an energy crisis and that should be the top campaign issue in the presidential election. “Energy is not a debate; it’s a crisis for this country,” Pickens said. “We cannot continue down the path were on. It’s that desperate.”

[ctaylorzl1]

An oil tycoon supporting Ethanol? Thats good I guess, did BP happen to buy a large stake in Ethanol yesterday or something???? Oh well either way, its good! I dont know If I would call it an "Ugly Baby", mabey just a baby. After we get Ethanol out of its infantile stages, it will be anything but a ugly baby!

[ForcedTQ]

I'll have to agree that Ethanol fermented from corn kernels in the traditional process is an "UGLY BABY", in the way that it has been used by the Anti-Ethanol propaganda to give Ethanol as a whole a bad name. I have talked, ok, tried to talk to many people about the necessity of alternative fuels for our current and even upcoming Internal Combustion engines. More often than not when I mention Ethanol as a viable fuel they look at me like I am crazy and ask if I have heard how Ethanol is inefficient, and the way it is increasing our food prices along with other ridiculous propaganda.

It is quite sad that a majority of our country just takes information that is spoon-fed to them as LAW, and do not research the subject. They just assume what is being told to them is correct.

So in this instance, very unfortunate at that, Ethanol is indeed an "UGLY BABY", given that we now have to change the populations view on how it is produced, what the most efficient feedstock is, and the many economic benefits of using Ethanol from the United States over importing oil to our shores.

[regfootball]

he's gotten older and saw how he has made enough money and now his internal voice is telling him its time to contribute to not having it bring the country down.

[stillen]

I dislike Ethanol in my two cycle mower it runs terrible with the Ethanol mix and spews out vapor and smoke.

In my vehicles they run but not as good as straight gas so I try to avoid it at almost all costs.

[Quickening]

Probably because your mower wasn't built to use Ethanol...And you shouldn't be putting Ethanol in your vehicle unless its a FlexFuel vehicle..

[logansowner]

Originally Posted by stillen

I dislike Ethanol in my two cycle mower it runs terrible with the Ethanol mix and spews out vapor and smoke.

In my vehicles they run but not as good as straight gas so I try to avoid it at almost all costs.

What level of ethanol are you using? If you are using a high alcohol content in an engine not designed for it, it will eat a lot of rubber fittings and such. No mower I am aware of was made for alcohol.

But as for a lower content 10-20%, all it should to is result in a couple % drop in economy and give an octane boost...you should not notice any difference except for MAYBE a slight power gain.

[LAMRONH]

Originally Posted by logansowner

What level of ethanol are you using? If you are using a high alcohol content in an engine not designed for it, it will eat a lot of rubber fittings and such. No mower I am aware of was made for alcohol.

But as for a lower content 10-20%, all it should to is result in a couple % drop in economy and give an octane boost...you should not notice any difference except for MAYBE a slight power gain.

Your hypothesis is interesting but it does not pan out in the real world.

All three cars we've run on E10-E15 have had anything from a 10% MPG drop to much greater MPG drop and serious power loss.

The real world is the real world, E10 is not a miracle drug and it is not without side effects.

[Ed Arcuri]

Why does Mr. Pickens' ties to the oil industry make his opinions suspect? Frankly, I think he has a lot of credibility on this subject.
Moving away from corn as a feedstock for ethanol production will improve the looks of this "baby."
I'd like to see GM make E-85 capability the norm for as many of their products as possible. I also agree with those who argue for increased E-85 availability. As much as I loathe government mandates, I would accept them here as I am bone-weary of the efforts of politicians to lay the entire burden of "energy independence" at the door of the automakers.
Cheers,
Ed Arcuri

[HoosierRon]

For crying out loud, folks, we are watching a $700,000,000,000 transfer of wealth out of this country every year, and all yo guys can come up with is "my two stroke lawnmower smokes" and "E15 [which is against federal law to sell] gives me 10% less mileage"?

Here are some tips: mix less oil in the 2 stroke fuel and it won't smoke, and buy legal fuel, not E15.

[crazywop112]

Slightly inferior gas at 1.90 dollars a gallon sounds good to me. Bring ethanol on.

[DemonKnightDK]

I still think it should be mandated that every gas station have at least one, E85 pump. And it would be awsome if a company would figure out a way to affordably retro-fit older cars to run on E-85. I am seriously considering trying to figure out a way to rebuild my firebirds 3.1l V6 to be E-85 compatabile (I live in missouri, my town has ONE E-85 pump, and its about 40-50 cents cheper per gallon.. but the higher octane would allow me to use a super or turbo with low boost, and get a power and maybe an economy bump. with out running 8:1 compression.) If they guy is an oil tycoon, he should start investing in Ethanol production (why didnt butanol catch on again?)

[supermoto]

Anything with a carburetor will have problems running ethanol unless the jets are changed. Two stroke oil doesn't mix well with ethanol and should be avoided no matter what anyone says.

Other than that ethanol is not the answer, but is part of the answer.

[ARCANGEL]

Ethanol would help our country in so many ways it's not even funny, monetary is the big one but so is not having to deal with the terrorist regimes that own the oil oh and not giving them 700 billion to use to kill us!! Who cars about the mpg loss if it's cheaper cleaner and has 105 octane!!!

[smith7629]

T. Boone Pickens is genuine with his words. He's building wind farms too. Check it out:
http://money.cnn.com/video/#/video/n....wind.cnnmoney