Posted on: Thursday, September 23, 2004
EDITORIAL
Ethanol energy plan only a first half-step
It is interesting that some of the commentary on the new state law encouraging ethanol focuses on the concerns of local companies whose business it is to sell gasoline.
There's no doubt that mandated ethanol will hurt their business, by diluting the demand for petroleum-based gasoline.
In fact, it is possible that the ethanol plan might actually help cement our long-term dependence on petroleum-based fuel over alternatives such as hydrogen fuel cell technology.
That's because, bottom line, the ethanol effort is based on a platform of petroleum fuels. It supplements, rather than replaces, existing fuel options.
The science on ethanol is mixed, with some saying it would reduce fuel efficiency and over time add to costs for drivers.
Proponents argue that ethanol is a proven technology that, if encouraged, would diminish our dependence on imported oil and would provide a boost to local companies (such as sugar cane growers) who provide the raw material for ethanol.
As such, it is less an energy policy than an effort to protect or help a struggling local agricultural industry.
The new rules, signed recently by Gov. Linda Lingle, require that at least 85 percent of all gasoline sold in Hawai'i must contain at least 10 percent ethanol by 2006.
That's a relatively modest requirement.
It is true that the new ethanol requirement will reduce, slightly, our dependence on imported oil. But it will hardly eliminate that dependence.
It may be that lessening our dependence on imported oil and propping up a local industry may be worthy goals. But the story should not stop there.
The initiative should not become a barrier toward more fundamental reform of our energy economy.
Ultimately, truly new alternatives such as hydrogen fuel cell systems or electric vehicles drawing their energy from renewable sources such as ocean, wind or solar power should be our future.
We'd prefer to see the ethanol initiative as an interim step rather than a final solution.
