Punish the crooks, not the ethanol industry

I was in on the early stages of building the ethanol industry. Recently, I authored a book titled “The Science of Ethanol” that presents solutions for ethanol’s present inadequacies. Nobody likes (or will tolerate) the corruption noted in your April 2 editorial “Many failures of ethanol mandates.” I say punish the crooks not the ethanol industry.

Certainly, the corn industry benefits from being able to produce and sell corn. Corn provides feedstock for ethanol as a hedge against being subject to highs and lows of crop demand and pricing. Farming needs our continued vigilance and protection.

The Renewable Fuel Standard was put in to help a fledgling industry grow and become successful. The need for this is part of our future, as documented in a National Sciences Foundation report that I co-authored in 1985. It is too soon to phase out the RFS because we want the biotech industry to flourish in ethanol and other areas. Blending with gasoline would not have happened on its own unless there was an incentive. The government wisely created this incentive, since the petroleum industry would ignore ethanol without it.

The best remedy for ethanol’s present inadequacies is to carry out the research and development and make ethanol more valuable than it is. Make it less costly to produce. Make it burn better and less expensively so it is an improved fuel. Creatively reuse pollutants in the exhaust. Only then should we phase out the standard since parties will want to use ethanol due to its benefits.