My good buddy MJ over at Dyslexic Research forwarded me an article on how President Bush signed a bill to increase fuel efficiency standards to 35 MPG by the year 2020. Also lumped into the bill was a required ramp-up of the use of ethanol at refineries from about 6 billion gallons a year this year to 36 billion gallons by 2022 and additional mandates that by then at least 21 billion gallons are to come from feedstocks other than corn.

I like the fact that we’re raising fuel efficiency standards, finally. However I don’t think we’re exactly pushing technology with 35 MPG. Why don’t we shoot for something a little higher? Why not 40 MPG, or even better, 45 MPG?

We’re 12 years away from the new legislation being put into place, I’d like to think that the big three could ramp up R&D to meet a higher standard than 35 MPG in 12 years.

I like the push for ethanol, even though I think it’s still a farce. If we can figure out a way to produce ethanol with a net energy gain, I’m all for it. I also think it’s smart to require an increasingly larger percentage of ethanol be produced from something other than corn.

All in all, I like the concept, but I have to wonder how serious this move really is. Is the President signing this to appease Democrats and empower Republicans in an election year, or does he really think this is good for the United States, all politics aside.

Alternative Energy, Energy, Politics ethanol farce, fuel efficiency, fuel standards, MPG, President Bush