Forget the biofuels and go for a real oil price floor instead

Sir, what do you really mean with your editorial “Biofuels need not leave us hungry”, June 2. You start by mentioning that the US corn based is ethanol grown in Iowa is “eye-watering wasteful”, and there is no one to discuss you on that, but then, though you spell out the arguments of ethanol being only marginal less polluting than oil and that the marginal new production areas of sugar-cane based ethanol lies in the rainforests, you still conclude that EU should drop its tariffs on ethanol…with a dramatic “now before it is too late”

Days ago, May 23, you suggested (for the US) “A price floor for oil” but, since you proposed achieving that by imposing green taxes on gasoline, you were there actually suggesting a price floor for anything but oil. May I instead take you on the word and suggest you try a real price floor for oil, whereby Europe guarantees a take up of oil based on a minimum negotiated price? That would help to bring some real new oil production to the market and, if you then would want to impose some other green taxes on gasoline to finance the cost of that real price floor guarantee or just to further reduce its consumption, well be my guest.

Sir, why does Europe willingly to enter into long term take-up agreements for gas but not for oil?