Former Vice President Al Gore says his support for corn-based ethanol subsidies was a mistake and had more to do with cultivating votes, than a better environment.
“It is not a good policy to have these massive subsidies for first-generation ethanol,” Gore said at a green energy conference, referring to the most basic, energy-intensive process of converting corn to ethanol for use as a motor vehicle fuel additive.
Federal ethanol subsidies reached $7.7 billion last year and the bio-fuel industry faced criticism in 2008 as food prices rose with ethanol consuming ever more of the corn crop and drawing down feedstocks.
Gore now favors second-generation ethanol, using farm waste and switchgrass to produce the fuel.
In opposition, Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis, representing ethanol producers, said:
“The contributions of first generation ethanol to our nation’s economy, environment and energy production are not a mistake, but a success story.”
Gore argues the energy conversion ratios — how much energy is produced in the process — “are at best very small.”
Better late than never!
At least he’s fessing up to letting votes sway his green judgement, but unfortunately, he’s not optimistic that Congress will pass a clean energy bill or climate legislation over the next two years with Republicans in control of the House of Representatives.
[Image via C.M. Wiggins/WENN.]
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