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Ethanol as Fuel
Some argue that it consumes more energy to make than
is derived from its burning. When derived from what would otherwise be
waste, then we have a net gain.
Contents:
DIY • Cellulosic
Ethanol • Applications • R&D
• Sources • Awards
• Pro Ethanol • Skeptics
• Directories • See
also
- Electronic
Bi-Fuel Converter - 'The Fuel Man' site provides instruction
on how to make your own ethanol and convert your fuel-injected or
carbureted car to run on homemade fuel.
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- America's First Cellulosic Ethanol Plant
- The cellulosic ethanol process produces ethanol from cellulose,
which all plants have, instead of from sugar, which is only abundant
in food crops. Corn ethanol only produces 1.3 units of energy for
every unit of energy that goes into growing the crop and converting
the sugar to ethanol. Cellulosic ethanol can produce as much as 16
units of energy for every one unit of energy put into the process. (EcoGeek;
July 12, 2007) (See Slashdot
discussion)
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- Major
Breakthrough in Biofuels - A new method developed by Honda and
the Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE)
allows large volumes of cellulosic ethanol to be produced from widely
available waste wood, rice straw, leaves and other so-called soft
biomass that is currently discarded. A microorganism developed by RITE
helps reduce interference in the fermentation process, allowing for
far more efficient ethanol production. (Impact Lab; Sept. 15,
2006)
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- Ethanol
more efficient than we think - Researchers say ethanol fuel is
more energy-efficient than some experts had realized. Better methods
now being investigated would use the woody parts of plants, using what
is known as cellulosic technology to break down the tough
fibers. (ABC.net.au; Jan. 27, 2006) (Also PhysOrg;
Feb. 1, 2006)
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- Bush
Says US Addicted to Oil, Must Make Changes - "The best
way to break this addiction is through technology." Sets
target of reducing US oil imports from the Middle East 75% by
2025. Plan focuses on cellulosic ethanol as fuel alternative. (FinFacts;
Feb. 1, 2006) (Also Reuters)
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Four-fuel
Fiat Sienna - Fiat has produced the world's first commercial
four-fuel vehicle. It runs on ethanol, gasoline, natural gas/CNG,
or gasahol. Made possible by an engine control unit (ECU) that
manages the different fuels equally well. (TreeHugger; Aug. 27,
2006)
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- Ford's
Hybrid: Now With Ethanol - Ford
Motor Company has created the first hybrid vehicle that runs on an
ethanol mix, the experimental
Escape Hybrid E85. The hybrid is able to run on a mix of gasoline and
up to 85 percent ethanol, a clean-burning, corn-based additive.
(e-Magazine; Feb. 8, 2006) (Ford)
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- Argentinean
Scientists Get Pure Hydrogen Through Ethanol - Scientists from the
Catalytic Processes Laboratory in Buenos Aires have improved the chemical
process of obtaining hydrogen from ethanol. (TreeHugger; May 16,
2005)
- Biomass
Plant to Convert Rice Straw to Ethanol - Colusa Biomass Energy, a
biomass-to-ethanol company, has engaged technical assistance consultants for
a production plant in the Sacramento Valley that will convert rice straw to
chemical products and ethanol. (Renewable Energy Access; Aug. 5,
2005)
- Turning
Corn Fiber Into Ethanol - Iowa State University researchers
have used mold to convert corn fiber into ethanol. The discovery could
turn byproducts of corn milling into another source of fuel. (ISU;
May 31, 2006)
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- Rivers
of unwanted wine to turn into biofuel - European vehicles will
be running on distilled French and Italian wine again this summer as
the upcoming season's surplus production from European vineyards is
turned into biofuel. (Edie News Center; June 8, 2006)
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- Indy 500 Goes From Gas to Green
(video)
- The Indy 500 is hardly the place you'd expect to find anything "green," outside the starting flag. The cars in the race average 220 mph and 2-3 miles per gallon. But this year, they'll be burning rubber on ethanol. (CBS
News; May 25, 2007)
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- Ethanol
Car Beats Fuel Cells to Win European Eco-marathon - French
High School students achieved the best fuel efficiency at the European
Shell Eco-marathon, with an energy consumption equivalent to traveling
2,885 kilometers on a single liter of gasoline (6,788 mpg). (Environment
News Service; May 22, 2006)
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- Ethanol
and Brazil - In Brazil, ethanol fuel is produced from sugar cane
which is a more efficient source of fermentable carbohydrates than corn as
well as much easier to grow and process. (Energy Business Daily; June
19, 2007)
- Methanol
-- Ethanol's Sister Product - Ethanol can be an even more
effective energy alternative to petroleum if the unused portion of the
crop are used to create methanol. (PESWiki; Feb. 26, 2006)
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- Ethanol
produces more energy than it takes to produce - Ethanol generates
35% more energy than it takes to produce, due to the use of solar energy to
grow the corn, according to a study by Argonne National Laboratory. (Refocus
Weekly; April 20, 2005)
- Argonne
National Laboratory Ethanol Study (2005)
[Assumes EtOH has same energy output at gasoline]
- "There is nothing I can add to the Argonne Lab report. It is
essentially the same as the 2002 and 2004 USDA reports. I have already
addressed these reports in my Corn Ethanol report."
-- Tad Patzek
- Congress
asked to up ethanol production - "An energy bill Republicans
are pushing through the House this week does not go far enough to replace
foreign oil with homegrown ethanol." (Pioneer
Press, Minnesota; April 19, 2005)
- Ethanol
Starting to Trade Like a World Commodity - Ethanol export contracts
from Brazil are looking more like contracts for other goods, such as sugar,
soy and oil -- a sign that the renewable fuel may be on its way to becoming
a world commodity. (Reuters; Sept. 29, 2005)
- Ethanol-blend
auto emissions no greener than gasoline - An unpublished federal
report appears to undermine the belief that commercially available
ethanol-blended fuel produces cleaner emissions than regular gasoline. The
study found no statistical difference between the greenhouse gas emissions
of regular unleaded fuel and 10 per cent ethanol blended fuel. (CBC.ca;
Mar. 30, 2007)
- Ethanol
won't solve energy problems - Ethanol is far from a cure-all
for the nation's energy problems. It's not as environmentally friendly
as some supporters claim and would supply only 12 percent of U.S.
motoring fuel - even if every acre of corn were used. (AP / PhysOrg;
July 11)
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- Green
Fuel's Dirty Secret - Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) is the
largest U.S. producer of ethanol, which plants, ironically, have
received numerous EPA crack-downs for excessive levels of carbon
monoxide, methanol, toluene, and volatile organic compounds, some of
which are known to cause cancer. (CorpWatch; June 1, 2006)
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- Carbon
Cloud over a Green Fuel - A plant in Goldfield, Iowa is
burning 300 tons of coal a day to turn corn into ethanol -- the first
US plant of its kind to use coal instead of cleaner natural gas. At
least three other such refineries are being built in Montana, North
Dakota, and Minnesota. (Christian Science Monitor; Mar. 23,
2006) (Thanks Renewable
Energy Access)
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- Pumpago.com -
America dependent on domestic fuel - New activist site
considers how America can reduce gasoline prices, gain independence
from OPEC, create a new energy industry based on the gassification of
coal. Considers the costs and benefits of biodiesel, ethanol,
hydrogen, and hybrid cars.
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- Fuel
ethanol cannot alleviate US dependence on petroleum - Researchers
assessed carbon dioxide emissions, cropland requirements, and other
environmental impacts of the use of fuel ethanol made from corn or sugarcane
in the United States and Brazil. The study, which evaluated the whole
production and usage cycle, indicates few environmental advantages of wider
use of fuel ethanol, and many disadvantages. (EurekAlert; June
30, 2005)
- Study:
Ethanol Production Consumes Six Units Of Energy To Produce Just One
- UC Berkeley geoengineering professor Tad W. Patzek, author of 50-page
study, says one must take into account the energy required to grow the crop
and convert it into ethanol. Corn is not free energy. (Science
Daily; April 1, 2005)
- Ethanol
production increasing erosion - Large-scale farming of sugar cane
and corn for ethanol fuel is increasing erosion and reducing biodiversity,
Washington State University researchers say. (PhysOrg; July 6, 2005)
- Ethanol
Stirs Eco-Debate - UC Berkeley press release about Patzek's studies.
(Berkeley.edu; Updated March 1, 2005)
- Ethanol
Mandates Counterindicated (doc) list of reasons why the push for
ethanol is not rational. by Taxpayers League of Minnesota.
Rebuttal
From: <Investment Program Management >
Sent: Thursday, July 07, 2005 5:50 PM
Subject: Contact PES Network Inc. Executive Director
I want to point out that those articles that indicate the use of biomass to make
fuels (ethanol) cost more in energy than they return in product.
It should be made obvious to every one that the data proposed only uses one
technology that is outdated.
Perhaps it is wise for people to know that there are other viable technologies
that do provide substantially more energy than they take to produce.
Generally speaking this misinformation tends to confuse the issue or promotes
the products offered by the announcer of these dynamic outcomes.
Best regards,
Quentin Thornton
- Biofuel
- Alternative
Fuels - Bio fuels, gas, alcohol, hydrogen, vegetable oil,
alternative methods of powering vehicles. Make your own fuel or fill up at
bio-diesel or E85 stations listed. (PESWiki)
- Biomass - Organic
waste to energy. (Let's not grow it to burn, but let's do make use of
what would otherwise go to waste.)
Page posted by Sterling
D. Allan, April 3, 2004
Last updated March 12, 2013
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