D.C. Watch

Ethanol: Fuel Duel

Some times I agree, sometimes times I agree to disagree, and then there are times when I take a second look, reevaluate the situation, research and reposition my stand on issues we face. As an activist, I tend to look at new technology with caution, but as an engineer, I embrace the very technology for its inbuilt benefits, such are the conflicts I face daily. This is one such issue. Ethanol. The question in contention “is ethanol produces from American farms eco-friendly?”

Proponents and detractors of ethanol have equally convincing arguments, but is there room for consensus?

Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol, is a flammable, colorless chemical compound, one of the alcohols that is most often found in alcoholic beverages. The largest single use of ethanol is as a motor fuel and fuel additive. In America, the use of ethanol based fuel is on the rise, with the introduction of E85, which is 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The production of ethanol is rather simple, and commercial scale production with alternatives like switch grass will make this venture lucrative.

Ethanol is a clean burning, high octane fuel, however it is best applied when used with a small percent of gasoline.

It is believed in some green circles that the production of ethanol takes up more energy than that derived from the end product, making ethanol an energy sink. But according to the US Department of Energy, distillation of ethanol results in surplus energy ranging anywhere between 35 and 65 percent. Also, the green house gas produced from burning ethanol started out from the atmosphere, making the net CO2 emmission zero. According to Dr. Michael S. Graboski (Colorado School of Mines) and Dr. John McClelland (National Corn Growers Association), only about 0.13 BTU of gasoline is used to produce 1 BTU of ethanol fuel. Numerous other researchers have concluded along the same lines.

On the flip side, a agricultural researcher from Cornell University has concluded that the economics of producing ethanol from corn “yields low-grade automobile fuels amounts to unsustainable subsidized food burning.” He adds that “adding up the energy costs of corn production and its conversion into ethanol, 131,000 BTUs are needed to make one gallon of ethanol. One gallon of ethanol has an energy value of only 77,000 BTUs. Thus, 70 percent more energy is required to produce ethanol than the energy that actually is in it. Every time you make one gallon of ethanol, there is a net energy loss of 54,000 BTUs.”

In conclusion, I remain agnostic just as I did when I started, but I am hopeful about this fuel. There is however one thing I would like to emphasise, the only true way to conserve energy is to minimize the use of fuel, period! Happy bicycling. 

Source: EERE DOE

Footnote: The Department of Energy’s overarching mission is to advance the national, economic, and energy security of the United States; to promote scientific and technological innovation in support of that mission; and to ensure the environmental cleanup of the national nuclear weapons complex. The Department has four strategic goals toward achieving the mission.

Photo Courtesy: Indymedia.org & flying-chilli.com

 

Tags: News, Ethanol, Alternative Fuel, Global Warming, EPA, Oil, Money, Hybrid, DOE, EERE

Posted by Moderator on June 12th, 2006 filed in Alternative Fuel, DOE, EERE, EPA, Ethanol, Global Warming, Hybrid, Money, News, Oil 3 Comments »