Published: July 16, 2008 02:58 pm      

Ethanol Crisis

With the price of crude oil above $140 per barrel, people are scrambling to find new ways to power America’s vehicles. Enter the controversial fuel ethanol.

Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol, is a highly flammable colorless liquid usually found in alcoholic beverages and has found its way into the gas tanks of many American vehicles. The United States fuel ethanol industry is based largely on corn.

Proponents of ethanol cite the potential gains to the U.S. economy both from domestic fuel production and increased demand for corn. Optimistic calculations project that the United States is capable of producing enough ethanol to completely replace gasoline consumption.

In comparison, Brazil’s ethanol consumption today covers more than 50% of all energy used by vehicles in that country. Proponents also claim ethanol is much better for the environment and even though there is some controversy on whether car engines can run on an ethanol blend gasoline without suffering damage, it is believed newer cars are built to handle ethanol blends.

It is also believed a gas-powered engine can be designed to handle an 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline mix. The mixture, known as E-85, requires engines to be modified to accept higher concentrations of ethanol. Such flexible-fuel vehicles are designed to run on any mixture of gasoline or ethanol with up to 85 percent ethanol by volume.

Opponents claim that corn ethanol production does not result in a net energy gain or that the consequences of large scale ethanol production to the food industry and environment offset any potential gains from ethanol. It has been estimated that “if every bushel of U.S. corn, wheat, rice and soybean were used to produce ethanol, it would only cover about 4 percent of U.S. energy needs on a net basis.”

A Feb. 7, 2008 Associated Press article stated, “The widespread use of ethanol from corn could result in nearly twice the greenhouse gas emissions as the gasoline it would replace because of expected land-use changes, researchers concluded. The study challenges the rush to biofuels as a response to global warming.”

With alternative fuels in the spotlight, switchgrass is quietly being researched. President Bush has touted switchgrass as an efficient and environmentally friendly biofuel that could reduce the USA’s dependence on petroleum.

Opponents argue that ethanol made from switchgrass is no better than corn ethanol and say it requires 45 percent more fossil energy to create switchgrass into a biofuel than is produced. Some studies have countered these arguments, however, finding that for every unit of energy input to create a biofuel from switchgrass, four units of energy are yielded.

In the spring of 2008, 1,000 acres of switchgrass were planted near Guymon in the Oklahoma Panhandle to study the feasibility of utilizing the crop for biofuel. It is the largest stand ever planted for such purposes. The project is being spearheaded by the Oklahoma Bioenergy Center, a state project backed by Governor Brad Henry.

One thing is for sure, America can’t depend on oil alone for its future energy needs.