The Ethanol Papers - Paperturn manuscript - Flipbook - Page 454
Classic Era: This begins with the public interest in those great new inventions,
the automobile, and the airplane. The petroleum oil industry moves from kerosene as its cash cow to something called gasoline (as well as petroleum diesel
fuel). Kerosene was big business, but gasoline is the mother lode. Although the
oil industry was delivered a significant setback when the Free Alcohol Act was
passed in 1906, which removed the onerous federal taxes on ethanol production and allowed ethanol to compete in price with gasoline, the oil industry's new
hero rode in on a dull black horse called Prohibition. This act not only killed
ethanol as a fuel competitor, it ushered in the age of organized crime. Prohibition was aided by a sidekick, tetraethyl lead, which made the world's largest oil
producer, chemical company, and automaker far bigger and richer than ever
before (Standard Oil, DuPont, and General Motors, respectively).
Medieval Era: This era begins with the repeal of Prohibition and takes us
through the Second World War, which includes Standard Oil's collusion with the
Nazis to keep German alternative fuel technology hidden from the outside
world, as well as to secure Standard Oil's world dominance in the event of a
German victory. The era ends with the 1970's oil embargo fright and the dawning of a new rise in alternative fuel consciousness.
Modern Era: In addition to the 1970's oil embargo fright, the era begins with
the world acknowledging that tobacco products and tetraethyl lead are indeed
deadly. The U.S. government places restrictions on tobacco and issues a nearban on tetraethyl lead in gasoline. Ethanol and methanol are promoted as suitable octane replacements for TEL, but the oil industry is permitted to use its
own concoction (another poison), MTBE. Thankfully, MTBE's use is short and
ethanol raises its sweet smell once again - ethanol's bouquet is liked by everyone, except the petroleum oil industry that prefers the nauseating stench of
death.
I've written about the early eras on several occasions, in which I was aided
tremendously by the fantastic work done by William Kovarik (and his associates), David Blume (and his associates), Edward Black (and his associates),
Ted Chipner, Ron Lamberty, Tom Quinn, Bobby Likis, Adam Khan and Klassy
Evans, Anne Korin, Josh and Rebecca Tickell, Jamie Kitman, Robert Falco,
Michael Carolan, and many others.
In this paper I want to focus on the contemporary portion of the Modern Era of
ethanol opposition, that is since the mid-1990s and especially since 2005 with
the adoption of the Renewable Fuel Standard.
