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Thumb of Michigan | Local and state property tax deals aren't exclusive to ethanol plants. Run the gamut from sports arenas to factories. I don't like them, I understand why a municipality might offer them, but they certainly aren't reserved for ethanol plants. Or even wind turbines.
Blenders credits may have been distasteful for some, but in the case of ethanol, I think the history behind the ethanol credits should be a model for all others. Get the product or service off the ground, let it mature to profitability, pull the credits. Pretty sure (although time will tell) that turbines won't get to that point. Only a guess.
$8 corn and pasture getting broke was a function of short crops. Ethanol production is more than it was 5 years ago, corn obviously isn't higher than 5 years ago.
Ethanol is less than gasoline if that comparison is to be made. Yes, there are many ways to calculate whether the cost per mile is cheaper or not. I believe it is. Can't think of any green electricity that gets to the grid thats lower cost than what its replacing.
In the big picture, there have been thousands of discussions here and elsewhere debating whether ethanol is a cost effective and positive product. Don't think either side has surrendered, so the battle goes on. The thing that most forget when it comes to ethanol, turbines, and solar panels is none of them have to make economic sense. The legislation that allows any of them to exist in large taxpayer subsidized scales don't say anywhere that they have to be fiscally responsible by almost any measure. Ethanol (at least in part in how it concerns the RFS) has to perform as an oxygenate and it has to be renewable. Does all that, so its a success according to those who wrote the law. Same thing with turbines and panels. If any of those aren't paying there way, its only because you and I elected people who either didn't think about that or don't care. Not nessecarily because the concept is wrong. I am of the belief that if calculated correctly- that is, without all the extra "stuff" that gets tacked on to the COP that shouldn't- ethanol can carry itself with no government intervention. Even w/o the RFS, I think that the lower price of gasoline with ethanol will be attraction enough to the consumer to keep the industry going. I think smaller solar installations will be similar soon. Maybe even large solar facilities. Not so sure about big wind, though. Not with the technology used today.
Edited by pat-michigan 9/1/2017 01:25
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Wind tower collapse
