"The average U.S. automobile, traveling 10,000 miles a year on pure ethanol would need about 852 gallons of the corn-based fuel...taking 11 acres to grow...this is the same amount of crop land required to feed seven Americans."
-Fuel Cannot Alleviate U.S. Dependence on Petroleum (Science Daily, American Institute of Biological Sciences, July 4, 2005)
Efficiency
Research suggests that corn-based ethanol biofuel is wasteful, inefficient, and a bad use of taxpayer money. Though it can be environmentally friendly at times, corn ethanol isn't the most efficient renewable fuel source.
Ethanol has less energy output than gasoline. One gallon of gasoline goes farther than a gallon of ethanol. Since ethanol is priced around the same place as gasoline, the fact that gasoline has 25% more energy than ethanol makes it more inefficient than it would without the factor of price. Ethanol also requires a 48% larger storage capacity than gasoline, and 41% larger storage capacity than biodiesel. The energy balance of corn ethanol is 1 to 1.3 (output to production input), making it only marginally positive. This doesn't displace gasoline by much.
Also, corn ethanol is used as a substitute for MTBE, a carcinogenic additive. Ethanol is better than MTBE because it biodegrades, and burns cleaner than MTBE. However, corn cannot be grown fast enough to replace MTBE and still have enough for E85. Also, ethanol can only be mixed to concentration of 10%, and MTBE can be mixed to a concentration of 15%.
One major issue with corn ethanol is the impact upon food prices. Corn ethanol dramatically raises the prices of eggs, beef, cereal, poultry, and pork. Corn ethanol prices can worsen inflation pressures at retail level. Even though Congress is aware of the problems, they predict that ethanol production will increase to 36 billion gallons by 2022.
Ethanol has less energy output than gasoline. One gallon of gasoline goes farther than a gallon of ethanol. Since ethanol is priced around the same place as gasoline, the fact that gasoline has 25% more energy than ethanol makes it more inefficient than it would without the factor of price. Ethanol also requires a 48% larger storage capacity than gasoline, and 41% larger storage capacity than biodiesel. The energy balance of corn ethanol is 1 to 1.3 (output to production input), making it only marginally positive. This doesn't displace gasoline by much.
Also, corn ethanol is used as a substitute for MTBE, a carcinogenic additive. Ethanol is better than MTBE because it biodegrades, and burns cleaner than MTBE. However, corn cannot be grown fast enough to replace MTBE and still have enough for E85. Also, ethanol can only be mixed to concentration of 10%, and MTBE can be mixed to a concentration of 15%.
One major issue with corn ethanol is the impact upon food prices. Corn ethanol dramatically raises the prices of eggs, beef, cereal, poultry, and pork. Corn ethanol prices can worsen inflation pressures at retail level. Even though Congress is aware of the problems, they predict that ethanol production will increase to 36 billion gallons by 2022.
Waste Disposal
Ethanol waste, also known as distillers grain, is used as a feed product or dietary supplement for cattle. For every 56 pound bushel of corn, 17 pounds of ethanol waste are produced. It is sold in various forms, the most common being distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), distillers dried solubles (DDS), and distillers dried grains (DDG). Distillers dried grains with solubles is the most common form of ethanol waste that is marketed to the animal feed industry. Ethanol waste is considered highly nutritious feed for cattle, poultry, and swine. It contains nutrients in concentrations up to three times higher than corn, and is seen as a valuable high-protein and high-energy supplement. Ethanol waste contains little starch, so it doesn't hinder a cow's digestion system.
Ethanol waste poses a health hazard to both humans and animals. Distillers grains fed to cows make them susceptible to E. coli 0157:H7. Experts equate this to the skyrocketing amount of meat recalls in the past year or so. Also, adding sulfur to ethanol machines, increases the amount of sulfur in the waste, which, when fed to cows, can cause sulfur toxicity. Cows can suffer from neurological damage that can lead to a higher morbidity/mortality rate.
However, if the waste product isn't sold, then the ethanol industry could disappear.
Ethanol waste poses a health hazard to both humans and animals. Distillers grains fed to cows make them susceptible to E. coli 0157:H7. Experts equate this to the skyrocketing amount of meat recalls in the past year or so. Also, adding sulfur to ethanol machines, increases the amount of sulfur in the waste, which, when fed to cows, can cause sulfur toxicity. Cows can suffer from neurological damage that can lead to a higher morbidity/mortality rate.
However, if the waste product isn't sold, then the ethanol industry could disappear.