Ethanol from corn: Clean renewable fuel for the future, or drain on our resources and pockets?

Tad W. Patzek; S. M. Anti; R. Campos; K. W. Ha; J. Lee; B. Li; J. Padnick; S. A. Yee

doi:10.1007/s10668-004-7317-4

Ethanol from corn: Clean renewable fuel for the future, or drain on our resources and pockets?

Tad W. Patzek^*, S. M. Anti, R. Campos, K. W. Ha, J. Lee, B. Li, J. Padnick, S. A. Yee

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

41 Scopus citations

Abstract

It is shown here that one burns 1 gallon of gasoline equivalent in fossil fuels to produce 1 gallon of gasoline equivalent as ethanol from corn. When this corn ethanol is burned as a gasoline additive or fuel, its use amounts to burning the same amount of fuel twice to drive a car once. Therefore, the fuel efficiency of those cars that burn corn ethanol is halved. The widespread use of corn ethanol will cause manifold damage to air, surface water, soil and aquifers. The overall energy balance of corn conversion to ethanol demonstrates that 65% of the input energy is lost during the conversion. Carbon dioxide sequestration by corn is nullified when corn ethanol is burned, and there will be additional carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, and sulfur oxide emissions from the fossil fuels used to produce the ethanol.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	319-336
Number of pages	18
Journal	Environment, Development and Sustainability
Volume	7
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-004-7317-4
State	Published - Sep 2005
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Carbon dioxide
Corn
Energy balance
Ethanol
Fuel
Nitrate
Oxygenate
Pollution
Sequestration

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Geography, Planning and Development
Economics and Econometrics
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1007/s10668-004-7317-4

Cite this

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title = "Ethanol from corn: Clean renewable fuel for the future, or drain on our resources and pockets?",

abstract = "It is shown here that one burns 1 gallon of gasoline equivalent in fossil fuels to produce 1 gallon of gasoline equivalent as ethanol from corn. When this corn ethanol is burned as a gasoline additive or fuel, its use amounts to burning the same amount of fuel twice to drive a car once. Therefore, the fuel efficiency of those cars that burn corn ethanol is halved. The widespread use of corn ethanol will cause manifold damage to air, surface water, soil and aquifers. The overall energy balance of corn conversion to ethanol demonstrates that 65% of the input energy is lost during the conversion. Carbon dioxide sequestration by corn is nullified when corn ethanol is burned, and there will be additional carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, and sulfur oxide emissions from the fossil fuels used to produce the ethanol.",

keywords = "Carbon dioxide, Corn, Energy balance, Ethanol, Fuel, Nitrate, Oxygenate, Pollution, Sequestration",

author = "Patzek, {Tad W.} and Anti, {S. M.} and R. Campos and Ha, {K. W.} and J. Lee and B. Li and J. Padnick and Yee, {S. A.}",

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language = "English (US)",

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journal = "Environment, Development and Sustainability",

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T1 - Ethanol from corn

T2 - Clean renewable fuel for the future, or drain on our resources and pockets?

AU - Patzek, Tad W.

AU - Anti, S. M.

AU - Campos, R.

AU - Ha, K. W.

AU - Lee, J.

AU - Li, B.

AU - Padnick, J.

AU - Yee, S. A.

PY - 2005/9

Y1 - 2005/9

N2 - It is shown here that one burns 1 gallon of gasoline equivalent in fossil fuels to produce 1 gallon of gasoline equivalent as ethanol from corn. When this corn ethanol is burned as a gasoline additive or fuel, its use amounts to burning the same amount of fuel twice to drive a car once. Therefore, the fuel efficiency of those cars that burn corn ethanol is halved. The widespread use of corn ethanol will cause manifold damage to air, surface water, soil and aquifers. The overall energy balance of corn conversion to ethanol demonstrates that 65% of the input energy is lost during the conversion. Carbon dioxide sequestration by corn is nullified when corn ethanol is burned, and there will be additional carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, and sulfur oxide emissions from the fossil fuels used to produce the ethanol.

AB - It is shown here that one burns 1 gallon of gasoline equivalent in fossil fuels to produce 1 gallon of gasoline equivalent as ethanol from corn. When this corn ethanol is burned as a gasoline additive or fuel, its use amounts to burning the same amount of fuel twice to drive a car once. Therefore, the fuel efficiency of those cars that burn corn ethanol is halved. The widespread use of corn ethanol will cause manifold damage to air, surface water, soil and aquifers. The overall energy balance of corn conversion to ethanol demonstrates that 65% of the input energy is lost during the conversion. Carbon dioxide sequestration by corn is nullified when corn ethanol is burned, and there will be additional carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, and sulfur oxide emissions from the fossil fuels used to produce the ethanol.

KW - Carbon dioxide

KW - Corn

KW - Energy balance

KW - Ethanol

KW - Fuel

KW - Nitrate

KW - Oxygenate

KW - Pollution

KW - Sequestration

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DO - 10.1007/s10668-004-7317-4

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JO - Environment, Development and Sustainability

JF - Environment, Development and Sustainability

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ER -

Ethanol from corn: Clean renewable fuel for the future, or drain on our resources and pockets?

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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