While mildly covered in the article comments, I have personal experience and knowledge of ethanol effects on small engines and other vehicles. We had a small boat with an outboard engine. Gasoline with ethanol was the available fuel. Eventually it stopped working. I have significant mechanical engine experience, but called an outboard mechanic. He examined the boat and engine. Fuel tank (plastic) was softened, contaminated. Fuel lines(synthetic rubber) were softened, leeching chemicals into the fuel. Carburetor seals(sythetic rubber, cork, nitron) were eroded, and sometimes dissolved. Solution: replace every component of the fuel system, and rebuild the carburetor. Total bill was approximately $750, in 2010.
Next, my neighbor had a nice gasoline-powered boat, a Bertram, high quality construction. It was manufactured with fiberglass fuel tanks. Construction involved building a hull, installing the fuel tanks, then molding a fiberglass deck atop this. Repairs involved cutting the deck away, removing the partially disolved fiberglass tanks, mitigating the damage caused by leaking fuel, installing stainless steel tanks, overhauling the fuel systems, and replacing the deck. Economic impact: $42k, plus a full season of use missed.
Another boat I was considering to purchase, a smaller Bertram (28ft) had stainless steel tanks already. But the rest of the fuel system eroded causing damage to the twin V8 engines. Fuel system replacement, and overhaul of two engines. Approximately $22k.
Nobody in government, or in the ethanol lobby, or the ethanol production industry bore any cost for these damages.
What is the unsubsidized price per gallon? In the article, they state that ethanol is approximately the same price as gasoline, but, farmers receive subsidies, which would then lower the price at which they can produce corn profitably. Remove those subsidies, and what is the price per gallon?
Ethanol had problems early on because of the Prohibition sentiment as well as the foundational nature of distillery excise taxes in the federal revenue stream. "Whiskey Rebellion," anyone? Lawmakers assign outsized importance to it because of that precedent.
The security implications of "liquid fuel plants" come into play, too. No one in power wants there to be large numbers of unregulated, decentralized, small facilities for the concentration of energy into combat useful forms like that. Grandpa's still isn't a security threat; the fact that its operator can build another 100x as large quick is.
I didn't know about the history of MTBE until reading this, that bit was pretty interesting.
The thing that bothers me most about ethanol is that it is hygroscopic and ruins gasoline after sitting for relatively short periods of time in humid conditions (weeks to months).
As a consequence, it can also require expensive maintenance/repair to an engine that has such gasoline left in it, such as a lawnmower sitting idle over the winter season, or a portable gas-powered generator kept for use during power outages. Here in California, I can buy a gallon of real gasoline in a can for about $25 retail, to use for such devices in storage. (So, for example, after using the generator, I have to run it to empty to get all the ethanol out, then put a little of the real gasoline in the tank for storage purposes).
Around here in NC you can find ethanol-free gas at some particular gas stations for a reasonable price, usually maybe 20% markup over normal gas prices.
You can buy it in California too - less common due to their CARB requirements but places that service boats/offroad vehicles will have "recreational fuel" that's typically higher octane but ethanol-free.
Ethanol is corrosive while biodiesel usually cleans petroleum deposits out of fuel systems and lubricates well as it’s burned. The downside is particulate emissions, which can still cross into the bloodstream. The best combustion is no combustion unless you’ve got robust emissions controls on the exhaust system.
Next, my neighbor had a nice gasoline-powered boat, a Bertram, high quality construction. It was manufactured with fiberglass fuel tanks. Construction involved building a hull, installing the fuel tanks, then molding a fiberglass deck atop this. Repairs involved cutting the deck away, removing the partially disolved fiberglass tanks, mitigating the damage caused by leaking fuel, installing stainless steel tanks, overhauling the fuel systems, and replacing the deck. Economic impact: $42k, plus a full season of use missed.
Another boat I was considering to purchase, a smaller Bertram (28ft) had stainless steel tanks already. But the rest of the fuel system eroded causing damage to the twin V8 engines. Fuel system replacement, and overhaul of two engines. Approximately $22k.
Nobody in government, or in the ethanol lobby, or the ethanol production industry bore any cost for these damages.