Ethanol Corrodes Pipelines
API's (American Petroleum Institute) somewhat troubling policy statement on transporting ethanol in pipelines should not be missed. The statement's not-so-subtle message to pipeline operators is: "be wary of transporting ethanol in your pipelines". There's a slightly more balanced view provided by In the Pipe. Both of these pieces do not address the management tools pipeline operators have at their disposal to monitor and mitigate pipeline corrosion.
Tagging ethanol and other biofuels as a risk to pipeline operators will present transportation challenges for ethanol producers trying to get their product to filling stations. Without at doubt, limiting ethanol to truck or rail tanker transport will change the profitability of biofuel economics. At the same time, just about everything going through today's pipelines (e.g. the sulfur-rich heavy oil and sour gas) is more corrosive compared to the "sweeter" alternatives of years past.
On a different note...
The amount of press coverage ethanol and other biofuel alternatives have captured recetnly leads me to suspect that North America and Europe are on the cusp of a broad "biofuel awakening." I should add that even CSPAN has given ethanol substantial airtime (although I'm disappinted to report that no-one metntioned industrial hemp in the segment I watched)
NPR's story on Peak Oil. formally titled: "Experts Ponder Peak of Global Oil Production" provides a balanced view. In the piece, NPR cites the (optimistic) views of Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA). Given that CERA's track record is highly regarded in the industry, their perspective should not be readily discounted.