Corn Ethanol Disappointing Environmentalists

Corn ethanol has 1/3 the energy density of gasoline.  About 1/3 of the nation's corn production is used to produce the biofuel, which last year amounted to 1.5 % energy independence.  Arguably, corn ethanol is on the bubble on whether it produces less greenhouse gases than gasoline when the entire footprint of ethanol is considered. 

Golden state may rule corn ethanol no solution to climate change explains that the state of California is required to determine whether the entire CO2 footprint of ethanol production is is an improvement over gasoline.  Ethanol advocates are petitioning governor Schwarzenegger to delay the decision until they have an opportunity to refute the footprint model.  The primary problem - consuming a foodstuff for biofuel production requires conversion of other land such as rainforests for food production.

An independent study published in the National Academy of Sciences in February, found that the total environmental and health costs of gasoline are 71 cents a gallon, whereas corn ethanol ranges from 72 cents to $1.45 a gallon.  Also, the green state of Oregon may limit corn ethanol tells that lawmakers in that state are having second thoughts about the benefits of ethanol.

Controversies continue to swirl over corn ethanol tells that the industry's plants are operating at 80% of capacity, or 2 billions of ethanol a year less than last year.  Not only does ethanol have its environmental benefits questioned, but it also faces a consumption limited by the E-10 blend (10% ethanol) specified by Congress.  (They already have sufficient capacity for the projected U.S. consumption after the recession.)  Ethanol producers would like to elevate the blend percentage, but it damages engines and there is the lower energy density problem as well.