corn ethanol

S

swatiraohnlu

Swati Rao
Corn ethanol is ethanol produced from corn as a biomass through industrial fermentation, chemical processing and distillation. It is primarily used in the United States as an alternative to gasoline and petroleum (first-generation biofuel). Corn ethanol has been seen as an attractive option in recent years because it is a cleaner alternative to gasoline. Questions remain, however, regarding whether it should become a mainstay of international strategies to combat global warming.

Should corn ethanol be emphasized in the fight against global warming?
 
* Ethanol energy is a net CO2 polluter The primary concern here is the amount of fossil fuels that are burned in the process of producing corn ethanol, not just the emissions from the burning of corn ethanol alone. While corn ethanol could still be an improvement over gasoline in its net-C02 pollutions, the improvement may be so marginal that it could be considered statistically insignificant.

* Corn ethanol incentivizes deforestation, contributing to global warming Increasing demand for ethanol incentivizes the deforestation of rainforests and other areas to make way for corn crops. Because deforestation eliminates important carbon sinks that help combat global warming, corn ethanol, in so far as it leads to deforestation, worsens the global warming crisis.

* Corn ethanol cannot compete with oil: In terms of net energy gain, there is little comparison between corn ethanol and oil. Tad Patzek, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Cal Berkley says it would take three to six gallons of ethanol to achieve the same net energy gain as a gallon of oil.
 
* Corn ethanol energy produces a net energy gain Corn ethanol provides more energy for consumption than it takes to make the ethanol itself. This is important because if it takes more energy to actually make a fuel than energy is received out from that fuel, then what is the point of making the fuel in the first place? Numerous studies and camps support this claim that ethanol energy is a net energy gain. It would appear that more studies support this side of the argument, than the counter claim that ethanol is a net energy loss. See the list of supporting studies and claims in the argument page.

* Relative to gasoline, corn ethanol has a good net energy gain. The net energy balance of gas is 0.76, according to the National Defense Resource Council. This means the amount of energy in gasoline is %20 less than the energy put in to extract the resource. With corn ethanol, estimates range from it being a net energy gain of around 1.4 to a net energy loss of around .8. This means that, in general, it produces an even higher net energy gain than gasoline. On relative terms, corn ethanol stacks up well to its main competitor; gasoline.
 
* Expansion of corn ethanol industries is increasing its viability. Despite continuing doubts about whether corn ethanol provides a genuine energy savings, in the United States alone, at least 39 new ethanol plants are expected to be completed over the next 9 to 12 months. The new plants will add 1.4 billion gallons a year, a 30 percent increase over current production of 4.6 billion gallons, according to Dan Basse, president of AgResources, an economic forecasting firm in Chicago. By 2008, analysts predict ethanol output could reach 8 billion gallons a year.

* Ethanol is economically beneficial Corn ethanol is economically beneficial in numerous ways. In general, any new fuel is a valuable contribution to energy security and the price-competition between various energy sources. This generally benefits consumers. In addition, the new corn ethanol industry creates jobs in numerous industries, including biotechnology and chemistry sectors.

* Corn ethanol is competitive against high oil prices Ethanol is economically competitive against rising oil prices. In the long-run, with gasoline reserves running out and energy demand growing, gasoline prices are set to rise exponentially. Corn ethanol prices, on the other hand have a long-term trajectory of dropping. This is because corn ethanol supply will only increase in the coming decades as the industry expands.
 
* Ethanol is a means to reducing foreign oil dependencies As a modest alternative to oil, among other alternatives, corn ethanol will help reduce foreign dependencies on oil. This has many important oil price and national security benefits.

* Corn ethanol is a good local replacement for oil On farms and towns where corn is being produced, corn ethanol is a particularly attractive fuel option. Because it is locally grown, it avoids the process of transporting oil from long distances. This cuts transportation costs out of the equation and protects the environment from emissions and pollution that result from the long-distance transportation of oil.

* Corn ethanol is merely a part of the equation in replacing oil. Very few people argue that corn ethanol is THE replacement for oil and the solution to global warming. Rather, they argue that it is merely a part of the equation, or that it is an element of a diversified portfolio in both reducing foreign dependencies on oil and solving the problem of global warming. To argue that corn ethanol can't fully replace oil is to miss this point.

* Corn ethanol production is becoming more efficient relative to gasoline While the technology and production methods advance in support of corn ethanol and as adequate corn supply is developed, the price of corn ethanol will decrease. Oil, conversely, is becoming increasingly scarce and difficult to produce, making it inevitable that oil prices will increase over the 21st century.
 
* Corn ethanol has a positive effect on air quality The National Renewable Energy Laboratory tested a 1998 Ford Taurus FFV running on E85, reporting, "Emissions of total potency weighted toxics (including benzene, 1,3-butadiene, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde) for the FFV Taurus tested on E85 were 55% lower than that of the FFV tested on gasoline."

* Corn ethanol damages air quality and causes respiratory illnesses A health study by a Stanford professor indicates that emissions from the burning of corn ethanol production could have equal or worse air-quality and health effects as compared to the burning of gasoline. While corn ethanol emissions may be less problematic than gasoline to global warming, the impact on human health is certainly a significant issue to consider.
 
* Making ethanol from corn does not deprive the needy of food The primary issue with world famine is the difficulty of transporting existing food resources to the poor and needy. There is plenty of food in the world. Growing corn for ethanol does not deprive food supplies from the needy. In addition, the idea is to grow new corn crops to supply corn ethanol, rather than divert existing corn food crops to the production of corn ethanol. Indeed, as The Economist reckons, it is possible to make ethanol from cellulose, the abundant, inedible portion of most crops. "Using inedible inputs avoids fights about diverting food crops for fuel..." [The Economist, "Coming up empty", March 27th 2010]


* Corn ethanol increases the price of corn and related foods Corn ethanol increases the demand for corn, while it is difficult for supply to keep pace. This increases the price of corn in general for food and for ethanol. It subsequently increases the price of live stock and meats, because corn is used as feedstock.
 
* Modern engines have been made ethanol-compatible Over the past 20 years, engine manufacturers have made their engines compatible with corn ethanol fuels. There is no requirement in adopting corn ethanol to modify engines; they are already 100% compatible.

* Corn ethanol acts as an antifreeze in the wintertime As such, corn ethanol eliminates the need to use artificial anti-freeze.

* Ethanol-blended fuels are approved under many auto warranties This is largely because ethanol has been around for so long, and car manufacturers have been making their engines compatible for the past 20 years.
 
* Rural people have high hopes for corn ethanol There is a very high political appeal for corn ethanol development in rural, farmland areas with people that are involved in the corn industry or simply somehow exposed to it. This excitement should be harnessed.

* Many environmentalists oppose corn ethanol On the grounds that there are more efficient, more "green" energy alternatives than corn ethanol, many environmentalists oppose the further development of corn ethanol
 
The dry-grind process is the most common milling method used in corn ethanol production. In this case, the whole corn kernel is ground and turned into ethanol. It is considered more cost effective than wet-milling, which separates the fiber, germ and protein from the starch before being fermented into ethanol.
 
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