A few years ago I tweeting out the math showing a similar conclusion to this study. @chrislhayes.bsky.social retweeted it and it ended up getting 4 million views overall. (My twitter history is no more) The math checks out. Growing corn for fuel is peak stupidity in 2025. - ThreadSky

justinmikulka.bsky.social • 59 days ago

A few years ago I tweeting out the math showing a similar conclusion to this study. @chrislhayes.bsky.social retweeted it and it ended up getting 4 million views overall. (My twitter history is no more)

The math checks out.

Growing corn for fuel is peak stupidity in 2025.

Comments

stringofnumbers.bsky.social•59 days ago

Filling a field with a monoculture crop instead of solar panels and native meadow Is not better for the environment

patacelsus.bsky.social•59 days ago

I mean the answer is basically to pay farmers to solar farm.

justinmikulka.bsky.social•59 days ago

I was at a solar farm in the middle of ethanol country last year. That is exactly what they were doing. Win win.

estebanjq.bsky.social•59 days ago

cc: @profsecchi.bsky.social

ninjamonkky.bsky.social•59 days ago

On the other hand, you can grow corn next to solar panels to benefit, just eat the corn.

stockfttp.bsky.social•59 days ago

If anything that link is seems quite conservative. Only inc sites within 3km seems low to me

bluesterb.bsky.social•59 days ago

https://bsky.app/profile/bluesterb.bsky.social/post/3lno6xq32v22c

bajakeweenaw.bsky.social•59 days ago

38 million acres of solar panels (to replace ethanol acres) is… a lot. (40% of 95 million acres planted)

Amount needed to power all of USA is estimate at 100 miles x 100 miles = 10,000mi2 = 6.4 million acres.

kaiabell.bsky.social•59 days ago

Now that I’ve been growing things for a while, I have a deeper appreciation for how ridiculous it is as a monoculture crop. It’s a fussy, needy plant that sucks the life out of soil if it isn’t balanced with nitrogen-fixers and takes up a ton of space. It’s insane we dedicate so much land to it.

russconser.com•59 days ago

... and maybe worth noting that building a 1000 mile pipeline to transport and bury the CO2 from the ethanol plants doesn't change the answer.

a-climate-refugee.bsky.social•59 days ago

This would be a good idea to put into action, but this administration is opposed to good ideas.

arterialz.bsky.social•59 days ago

The corn ethanol nonsense has always been about pork-barrel politics? Isn't it a made up industry supported by massive govt grants to keep Midwest farmers happy and voting for a Grassley?

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