The Ethanol Papers - Paperturn manuscript - Flipbook - Page 67
The Ethanol Dividend
"Unquestionably alcohol is the fuel of the future..."
Thomas Midgley, Jr., General Motors scientist, co-inventor of 'leaded' gasoline
Originally published August 6, 2011
A hundred years ago, ethanol (alcohol fuel) was the engine fuel of choice for
objective persons-in-the-know. This was true in America and anywhere in the
world that was starting to be impacted by that new-fangled invention, the automobile. For alcohol to be preferred over gasoline was quite amazing considering that it had to overcome the oil industry’s forty-year head start in developing
sophisticated production facilities and distribution outlets. Moreover, alcohol
had to overcome an onerous $2.08 tax on every gallon, as well as the significant
marketing war chest of John Rockefeller and Standard Oil.
Even the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (Prohibition), which was
funded by Rockefeller’s multi-million dollar “donations” to politicians, failed to
quench the thirst for ethanol in objective business and technology leaders who
knew its advantages.
