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Is Ethanol good for the environment?

168 messages,  Last post on Apr 08, 2010 at 5:17 PM

You are in the Ethanol - E85 FlexFuel Forum.

What is this discussion about? Alternative Fuels

Messages Page 17 of 17

#159 of 168 Energy Bill Passes by pf_flyer HOST

Dec 19, 2007 (7:21 am)

The energy bill passed the house and has been sent on to be signed. As always, the Devil In The Details factor remains.

#160 of 168 Sacrifice stinks sometimes! lol by blkbr0tha

Dec 21, 2007 (10:12 am)

From all of the articles I have read on Ethanol- A LOT.. things appear to be healthy for the environment. Especially when using the cellulosic method. Unlike corn ethanol- there are plenty of renewable resources such as switchgrass, paper sludge, and other biomasses. However, I think there are some main questions to ask about the legislation in the long term - not just for our environment but for our Economic Health as consumers.
What about vehicle prices? They are sure to sky rocket
What about the price of Ethanol? (it is already close to the current price of gas)
What about the BIG OLI companies? (Do you really think they are going to let
good ole Mr Clampett take over?
 
Yes, there are benefits to the plan- but at the cost of WHOM? Sacrifice is a mutha...

#161 of 168 Re: Sacrifice stinks sometimes! lol [blkbr0tha] by gagrice

Dec 21, 2007 (6:33 pm)

Replying to: blkbr0tha (Dec 21, 2007 10:12 am)
Yes, there are benefits to the plan- but at the cost of WHOM?
 
It looks to me like you already know the answer to that question. WE are going to pay for any energy plan the FEDS concoct. And pay dearly.

#162 of 168 Re: Energy Bill Passes [pf_flyer] by jeffyscott

Dec 22, 2007 (6:05 am)

Replying to: pf_flyer (Dec 19, 2007 7:21 am)
The question I have about corn ethanol subsidies is - are the subsidies helping or hindering the development of cellulosic ethanol?
 
I could see it helping in that a market and distrubution system will, perhaps, be deveoped, but I could also see it hindering as the subsidies make taking the safe path of producing corn ethanol profitable, thus reducing the incentive to take the risk of investing in development of cellulosic.

#164 of 168 GREEN ALTERNATIVE FUELS by galvang

May 29, 2008 (10:00 pm)

Some very interesting recent news regarding new fuels that are soon to be introduced. Now I do not know what type of volume they will produce however it is a good start.
 
The first starts with the "First Cellulosic Ethanol Demonstration-Scale Plant". Perfect for those anti-corn ethanol haters.
 
http://ir.verenium.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=81345&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1151140&highl- - ight=
 
Second is 91 octane gasoline made from algae. They can produce it at $1.35 a gallon. Talk about green.
 
http://www.sapphireenergy.com/mediacenter/press_release/1
 
Again all these anouncements are a good start but in order for them to make a significant contribution to the energy sector it would have to build huge facilities to support this countries needs.

#165 of 168 Re: GREEN ALTERNATIVE FUELS [galvang] by jeffyscott

Sep 24, 2008 (6:25 am)

Replying to: galvang (May 29, 2008 10:00 pm)
What's an "anti-corn ethanol hater"?

#166 of 168 Re: Is Ethanol good for the environment? [gagrice] by galonga

Apr 08, 2010 (4:07 pm)

Replying to: gagrice (Jul 28, 2004 11:01 pm)
ANY fuel that comes directly from a green feedstock HAS TO BE greener than gasoline, for the plant that originated it processed CO2 throughout its entire life, so the CO2 that will be produced from burning the fuel has ALREADY been "paid off"
 
In fact, it is THEORETICALLY possible that ethanol as ANY other biofuel be "carbon neutral" because of that.
 
That means that NO MATTER how much of it you burn, it will still be carbon neutral
 
So you can have an "ethanol guzzler" and not feel bad about it. In theory!

#167 of 168 Re: Is Ethanol good for the environment? [galonga] by gagrice

Apr 08, 2010 (5:17 pm)

Replying to: galonga (Apr 08, 2010 4:07 pm)
Yes in theory ethanol should be better than fossil fuel. In the USA we use just about as much fossil fuel to produce the corn and distill it as we get back in BTUs of energy. One study out of Brazil, if I remember correctly, stated it takes over 90 years of producing an ethanol crop to mitigate the GHG from burning the field originally. I don't know much about raising sugar cane in Brazil. I do know in Hawaii when they burn off the fields before they harvest the cane it puts out a lot of pollution. Almost all the sugar farms in Hawaii have been converted to other less polluting crops such as macadamia nuts and papayas. Do you really want to destroy your country so we can have more ethanol?

Messages Page 17 of 17

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