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Did you know that the corn we eat as a favorite summertime treat can also be used as an alternative fuel source called ethanol? Today 1 in 40 cars and trucks can run on E85, a fuel that is 85 percent corn-based ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.
Even without an E85 enabled ride, you can use ethanol in smaller percentages. You may already be using it. Ethanol is blended into nearly half of all U.S. gasoline.1 So with all the corn we have in the U.S. why are we still relying on foreign petroleum?
Simply put, there is A LOT of debate about corn-based ethanol. Here’s our breakdown:
PROS:
Ethanol is high octane, making it a cleaner burning fuel source. The high octane levels also clean your fuel system which can help lengthen the life of your vehicle. Think of it in terms of the fuel you put in your body: a glass of orange juice gives you more energy than a glass of orange soda, and leaves less crud behind. It’s the same for high octane versus low octane fuels.
So E85 is better for your car but that’s not all. It “reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 19% to 52%” 2 depending on the kind of energy used to produce the ethanol. So it’s efficient and enviro-friendly, you could even say it’s patriotic. Parts of the US government encourage the use of ethanol because it is a largely domestic source of fuel.
According to the DOE, relying on petroleum imports “puts the United States at risk for trade deficits, supply disruption, and price changes” 3 not to mention the uneasy relationship the U.S. has with many petroleum supplier countries (Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Russia).
CONS:
On the anti-ethanol side, opponents argue that ethanol is not really as energy efficient as petroleum. David Pimmental, a scientist at Cornell University, argues that when calculating the efficiency of ethanol, you have to consider the energy for all the labor and the machinery that goes into growing the corn, processing the fuel etc. He argues that when you include all that energy it takes more than a gallon of gasoline to produce a gallon of corn-based ethanol.
And then there is a social drawback too. Corn-based ethanol could create a food shortage. By creating a demand for ethanol we reduce the amount of land available for crops; that could raise the price of food globally. An economic consultant for an Alexandria, Virginia agribusiness firm explained to BTC that, “One tank of gas for an SUV (approx 25 gallons) requires 450 lbs. of corn. That’s enough corn to feed an average person for one year.”
LOOKING FORWARD:
Although most ethanol in the U.S. is from domestic corn crops, there are new efforts underway to make ethanol from non-food sources. This is called “cellulosic ethanol” and it comes from sugar cane, crop wastes, trees and grasses. Cellulosic ethanol produces even less pollution. It can potentially reduce emissions by 86% 4 compared to gasoline. Cellulosic ethanol is AWESOME because it takes less gasoline to process, and doesn’t have as much of an effect on the nation’s food supplies. The scientific community is largely behind research and development of cellulosic ethanol and slowly but surely the government is coming around as well.
BOTTOM LINE:
So that sums up the debate. But what does this mean for responsible citizens? Is ethanol fuel a ‘just cause?’ Here at B-theChange, we keep an open mind while arming you with the information you need to make sound, socially aware choices.
Ethanol doesn’t fall clearly into a good or bad category.
For our money WE WILL be making sure there is some ethanol in our gas to reduce our CO2 contribution and to improve the efficiency of our car engines. We WON’T be going out to buy an E85 vehicle just yet. We’re waiting to see what the scientists can do with our grass clippings.
TAKE ACTION:
Turn your knowledge into power and find out where to get ethanol, in this week’s “Tech and Tools”
Written by guest author: Shaun Conway
Did you know that the corn we eat as a favorite summertime treat can also be used as an alternative fuel source called ethanol? Today 1 in 40 cars and trucks can run on E85, a fuel that is 85 percent corn-based ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.
Even without an E85 enabled ride, you can use ethanol in smaller percentages. You may already be using it. Ethanol is blended into nearly half of all U.S. gasoline.1 So with all the corn we have in the U.S. why are we still relying on foreign petroleum?
Simply put, there is A LOT of debate about corn-based ethanol. Here’s our breakdown:
PROS:
Ethanol is high octane, making it a cleaner burning fuel source. The high octane levels also clean your fuel system which can help lengthen the life of your vehicle. Think of it in terms of the fuel you put in your body: a glass of orange juice gives you more energy than a glass of orange soda, and leaves less crud behind. It’s the same for high octane versus low octane fuels.
So E85 is better for your car but that’s not all. It “reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 19% to 52%” 2 depending on the kind of energy used to produce the ethanol. So it’s efficient and enviro-friendly, you could even say it’s patriotic. Parts of the US government encourage the use of ethanol because it is a largely domestic source of fuel.
According to the DOE, relying on petroleum imports “puts the United States at risk for trade deficits, supply disruption, and price changes” 3 not to mention the uneasy relationship the U.S. has with many petroleum supplier countries (Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Russia).
CONS:
On the anti-ethanol side, opponents argue that ethanol is not really as energy efficient as petroleum. David Pimmental, a scientist at Cornell University, argues that when calculating the efficiency of ethanol, you have to consider the energy for all the labor and the machinery that goes into growing the corn, processing the fuel etc. He argues that when you include all that energy it takes more than a gallon of gasoline to produce a gallon of corn-based ethanol.
And then there is a social drawback too. Corn-based ethanol could create a food shortage. By creating a demand for ethanol we reduce the amount of land available for crops; that could raise the price of food globally. An economic consultant for an Alexandria, Virginia agribusiness firm explained to BTC that, “One tank of gas for an SUV (approx 25 gallons) requires 450 lbs. of corn. That’s enough corn to feed an average person for one year.”
LOOKING FORWARD:
Although most ethanol in the U.S. is from domestic corn crops, there are new efforts underway to make ethanol from non-food sources. This is called “cellulosic ethanol” and it comes from sugar cane, crop wastes, trees and grasses. Cellulosic ethanol produces even less pollution. It can potentially reduce emissions by 86% 4 compared to gasoline. Cellulosic ethanol is AWESOME because it takes less gasoline to process, and doesn’t have as much of an effect on the nation’s food supplies. The scientific community is largely behind research and development of cellulosic ethanol and slowly but surely the government is coming around as well.
BOTTOM LINE:
So that sums up the debate. But what does this mean for responsible citizens? Is ethanol fuel a ‘just cause?’ Here at B-theChange, we keep an open mind while arming you with the information you need to make sound, socially aware choices.
Ethanol doesn’t fall clearly into a good or bad category.
For our money WE WILL be making sure there is some ethanol in our gas to reduce our CO2 contribution and to improve the efficiency of our car engines. We WON’T be going out to buy an E85 vehicle just yet. We’re waiting to see what the scientists can do with our grass clippings.
TAKE ACTION:
Turn your knowledge into power and find out where to get ethanol, in this week’s “Tech and Tools”
Written by guest author: Shaun Conway
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A friend of mine just emailed me one of your articles from a while back. I read that one a few more. Really enjoy your blog. Thanks
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