Benefits of Ethanol - Environment
Ethanol's Positive Impact on the Environment
Using ethanol as a vehicle fuel provides local and global benefits - reducing emissions of harmful pollutants and greenhouse gasses. Ethanol is currently the only available solution to reduce GHG emissions from the current fleet of vehicles.
Ethanol Reduces Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions
According to the U.S. Energy information Administration, America discharges nearly 2 billion metric tons of CO2 a year into the Earth's atmosphere because we use oil for transportation. Carbon dioxide is the primary culprit in global warming. In 2006, the United States emitted 1,952.4 million metric tons of it into the atmosphere by using petroleum to power our transportation. Sixty percent of that (1,186.2 million metric tons) was produced by emissions from motor gasoline. The rest came from jet fuels, distillate fuels, residual fuel and lubricants.
Because ethanol is made from renewable, plant-based feedstock, the CO2 released during a vehicle's fuel combustion is "recycled" by the plant as it grows (photosynthesis). New technologies, additional feedstock, and higher blends of ethanol including E85 all promise greater CO2 reduction. A study performed by Argonne National Laboratory found that in 2007, ethanol use in the U.S. reduced CO2-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 10.1 million tons, equal to removing more than 1.5 million cars from America's roadways.
Ethanol has a Positive Net Energy Balance
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has determined that for every 100 units of energy used to make ethanol, 167 units of energy are created in the form of ethanol. Dozens of other studies have concluded that ethanol has a significantly positive energy balance. These studies take into account the energy required to plant, grow and harvest the corn - as well as the energy required to manufacture and distribute the ethanol.
In an apples-to-apples analysis of all the fossil fuel inputs for ethanol versus all of the fossil fuel inputs for gasoline, Dr. Bruce Dale of Michigan State University has found that ethanol has a +27 percent net energy value while gasoline has a -18 percent net energy value.
Argonne National Laboratory recently completed a study comparing ethanol plants built in 2006 versus 2001. Results prove that the industry is becoming more efficient with a 6.4 percent increase in ethanol yields; 21.8 percent reduction in energy use; and a 26.5 percent decrease in water consumption.
At POET, we are always looking for ways to make the ethanol production process more efficient and even more environmentally friendly. By utilizing our latest technology advancement, Waste Powered Ethanol Production, it is possible that we will completely eliminate the natural gas used at POET Biorefining - Chancellor.
|
