United States 1/2009 4 grain used in the production of automotive fuel
United States of Earth Policy Institute on January 21, 2009, the United States up to 1.7 million tons of grain is used to refine the ethanol as an automotive fuel. As the global average of food consumption level, the United States in 2009 for ethanol production in the food capacity equivalent to 3.3 billion annual food consumption, than the United States food annual output of 1/4. Currently, the United States has 4 hundred ethanol refining factory, food consumption from 2004 has been increased to 3 times.
United States in the world economy has a prominent position, is a global food exports of absolute leader, exports exceeded Argentina, Australia, Canada and Russia 4-country exports. The food in the globalization of the economy, the United States automobile on food demand growth to the world food supply additional pressure.
From the agricultural point of view, the vehicle on to food as the raw material is insatiable thirst for fuel. The Earth Policy Institute early warning people, even if the United States each year all the production of grain used in the production of fuel, we can only meet United States vehicle fuel, demand of 18%.
In late 2006 to 2008, when you need more corn to ethanol and the world food prices to all-time high, the low income food-importing countries people have withstood the most combat. Food prices reached an all-time peak of the result is that in 2009 the number of people affected by hunger in the world for the first time exceeded 10 billion. Although the food prices due to the economic downturn has dropped, but its still far away from the average price of grain-long.
Researchers said a SUVs fill a box of food ethanol consumes the equivalent of one year's food consumption. Global 9.4 billion car owner's average income is at least 20 million hungry people in the world, the average income of 10 times, in the automotive and hungry for food needs of competition, the car was destined to win.
In accordance with United States Federal Government in its renewable fuel standards act in future will have more food for the production of motor fuel, its results will only lead to more famine. In addition, through the ethanol production subsidies each year up to 60 billion, a United States taxpayer actually rising in domestic and foreign pay for food.
(Technology news)
[Edit: yiyangcai]