Ethanol is one of the primary alternative fuel sources available in the United States. It is important to understand the ethanol biofuel pros and cons to evaluate how this alternative fuel source could be beneficial to the economy.
Ethanol Basics
Ethanol is produced from plant matter. The plant matter is broken down into simple sugars and starches and then fermented and distilled into alcohol. Corn is the most commonly used plant matter for ethanol production in the United States.
Many large farms in the Midwest have planted all or part of their land area to take advantage of the government subsidies which are offered for corn production to supply the ethanol production needs. Ethanol companies are being established throughout the corn-producing areas of the Midwest.
Ethanol can be used in all cars in low concentrations, such as 10% ethanol. It can be used in specialized cars, trucks and minivans known as "flexible fuel vehicles" in concentrations up to 85% ethanol – commonly called "E85".
Fuel stations in the Midwest, Minnesota and Illinois are offering E85 fuel, often at lower prices per gallon than traditional unleaded fuel.
Ethanol Biofuel Pros and Cons
There is a lot of controversy on the ethanol biofuel pros and cons. The controversy centers on several issues:
- The cost of ethanol per mile for the consumer. Some experts contend that ethanol is more expensive per mile than a gallon of gasoline. Their opinion is based on two factors:
- Ethanol contains less energy per gallon than a gallon of gasoline. A car will not go as far on a gallon of ethanol as it would on a gallon of gasoline.
- Ethanol is often more expensive than gasoline if the ethanol is purchased outside of the Midwest.
- The amount of net emission savings. Some experts feel that emissions caused by the use of petroleum-based fuels to farm the corn and produce the ethanol may be greater than the emissions saved using ethanol as an alternative fuel. This controversy will remain until:
- There are more usage emission statistics in a wider geography.
- There are more statistics on production emissions.
- The usage and production emission statistics are recorded over a longer period of time.
Pros
- Renewable - Ethanol is a renewable fuel that comes from agricultural crops. It takes only six months to grow and harvest a crop such as corn which can be converted to ethanol.
- No special vehicle needed – Ethanol can be used by all gasoline vehicles in the United States in concentrations up to about 10%. With slight alterations, former gasoline vehicles can run on ethanol blends as high as 85%. Ethanol provides lower vehicle emissions without the need to purchase a hybrid vehicle.
- Reduces fossil fuel imports – The use of ethanol can reduce the use of gasoline. A reduction in the use of gasoline reduces some of the dependence on foreign powers for fossil fuels.
- Reduces air pollution - Ethanol reduces the amount of carbon monoxide and other ground-level toxic air pollutants as compared to conventional unleaded gasoline.
- Domestic – Crops such as corn can be grown and produced into ethanol in the United States.
- Cost-effective production – Ethanol is relatively inexpensive to process.
- Boosts effectiveness of gasoline – Ethanol can help prevent engine knocking, and it increases gasoline's lubricity.
- Supports rural economies – Ethanol production increases jobs due to plant construction, operations, and maintenance. Most ethanol plants are in rural communities.
Cons
- Price - Ethanol can be more expensive than conventional gasoline on the West Coast and East Coast.
- Energy level - Ethanol contains less energy than gasoline. A car won't go as far on a gallon of ethanol as it would on a gallon of conventional gasoline. The actual miles per gallon performance may vary depending on the vehicle.
- Availability – Ethanol does not have nationwide distribution. E85 is widely available only in the Midwest, with limited availability in other areas of the United States.
- Energy-intensive production – Corn farming and corn-based ethanol production can use nearly as much energy to produce as it supplies. New technologies are being introduced and are improving the efficiency of production.