Ethanol Explained: Benefits & Costs

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the benefits and costs associated with ethanol as a fuel source, including its energy content compared to gasoline, economic implications, and agricultural considerations. Participants explore various aspects of ethanol production, its efficiency, and potential solutions to improve yield from crops used for ethanol production.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that while flex-fuel vehicles may not significantly increase costs for consumers, ethanol generally results in lower fuel efficiency compared to gasoline, leading to higher overall costs for drivers.
  • One participant highlights the substantial amount of arable land required for the UK to transition fully to ethanol, raising concerns about land use and agricultural capacity.
  • Another participant provides specific energy content values for gasoline, diesel, ethanol, and biodiesel, suggesting that biodiesel may be a more efficient alternative.
  • A suggestion is made regarding the potential of genetically engineered crops to increase ethanol yields, although uncertainty remains about the current research efforts in this area.
  • Brazil's use of ethanol for transportation and its role as an exporter is mentioned as a point of interest in the discussion.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the economic viability and efficiency of ethanol compared to gasoline and biodiesel. There is no consensus on the best approach to improve ethanol production or its overall benefits.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the dependence on specific agricultural practices, the variability in energy content across different fuel types, and the unresolved question of how much research is currently being dedicated to genetically engineered crops for ethanol production.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in renewable energy sources, agricultural technology, environmental science, and economic implications of fuel choices may find this discussion relevant.

scott1
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http://www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech/articles/060425/25ethanol_faq.htm?s_cid=rss:site1"
Most people know that it comes from crops and that it's been around for a while. But advertisements touting ethanol, sponsored by General Motors and others, leave out a lot of the basics. Here's what you need to know:
There is some Good news
Do flex-fuel vehicles cost more?

Not usually. Automakers have to install a sensor and a few additional components to produce a car that can run on both ethanol and gasoline, which adds about $100 to the cost. But typically they don't pass the cost on to consumers.
and bad news
So I'll save money if I use ethanol?

Actually, no. Ethanol contains less energy than gasoline, which means mileage is lower. In city driving, for example, the base model Chevy Silverado pickup truck gets 16 miles per gallon of gasoline, but just 12 miles per gallon of ethanol. During one year of typical driving, it would cost about $250 more to run the truck on ethanol than on gasoline.
Is this ture?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Engineering news on Phys.org
Broadly doesn't sound too far off the mark.

If you want eye-opening facts, research what area of arable farmland would be required to grow sufficient crops to enable the USA to switch from petrol to ethanol.
 
:eek:

"UK transport would require 100 Billion Litres/year requiring 200,000km^2 of arable land... Total UK land area 240,000km^2"

Still... I guess its still worth researching.
 
One thing I think could be a possible solution is genetically engineered crops. If we could change the growth rate characteristics and size of the crops used to produce ethanol, we could significantly increase the yields for the same land area utilized. I do not know how much effort is being put into that though. Brasil is a large country. 25% of their transportation uses Ethanol, and they even export Ethanol to other countries.
 

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