Honors 203/Chemistry 110: Ethanol Issue

Honors 203/Chemistry 110

Chemistry and Issues in the Environment

Ethanol Issue

Issue Summary

Ethanol, C₂H₅OH, is currently being promoted as a clean, high octane, renewable fuel. Supporters claim a number of benefits including increased energy independence, decreased global warming, cleaner air and economic benefits for the U.S. and its farming industry. Opponents question the energy balance (how much energy goes into production of ethanol compared to ethanols energy value as a fuel), are critical of ethanol subsidies, and question the clean air benefits.

Ethanol can be used in gasoline in concentrations up to 10% without any vehicle modifications. E85 - a mixture of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline is also being promoted as an alternative fuel, though modified vehicles are required.

Using the web based resources below, the text and any other resources you would like, investigate this issue to adequately represent your role in the simulation.

Web Resources

Sites For Ethanol in Fuel:

The National Corn Growers Association has a great deal of information on ethanol. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for links to articles under "of special interest".
Ethanolfacts.com - also from The National Corn Growers Association
Illinois Corn
The National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition promotes the use of E85 - a fuel that is 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline.
E85 Fleet Toolkit from the U.S. department of Energy
Governers' Ethanol Coalition - "to increase ethanol use, decrease imports, and improve the environment and the economy.
Corn Based Ethanol Does Indeed Achieve Energy Benefits - A study from Argonne National Lab.
Renewable Fuels Association is the "national trade association for the ethanol industry"

Sites Against Using Ethanol in Fuel:

David Pimentel, a scientist at Cornell University, is a strong critic of ethanol use in gasoline.
- Pimentel Study: here
- See the following Cornell new release: Cornell ecologist's study finds that producing ethanol and biodiesel from corn and other crops is not worth the energy
- Pimentel Interview: here
- CU scientist terms corn-based ethanol 'subsidized food burning'
Ethanol from Corn: Clean Renewable Fuel for the Future or Drain on Our Resources and Pockets? an article by Tad Patzek and his students at U.C. Berkeley.
The American Petroleum Institute used to have documents on its site against increased ethanol use. How has their position changed? See:
- http://www.api.org/aboutoilgas/otherfuels/index.cfm
- Economics, Reliability Should Drive Ethanol Demand
Fuel's Gold: Turning corn into ethanol may not be worth it - a freelance article written by Richard Lovett (Ph.D. in natural resource economics).
From the Cato Institute: Ethanol keeps ADM drunk on tax dollars (1997) or the more recent Energy Piracy (July 2005) and Alternative Fuel Nonsense
Energy Justice Network: Ethanol Biorefineries Fact Sheet

Other Sites of Interest and Sites Not Specifically Pro or Con

The Truth About Ethanol from the Union for Concerned Scientists.
Alcohol Fuel - from Wikipedia gives an overview of the use of ethanol and other alcohols as fuels (Wikipedia is open source and edited by users)
Startup Says It Can Make Ethanol for $1 a Gallon, and Without Corn
Sierra Club to Sue South Bend Ethanol Plant - about pollution from an Indianan ethanol plant. (not against ethanol, just the pollution caused by this plant).

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Questions should be directed to Dr. Kimberly Lawler-Sagarin: ksagarin@elmhurst.edu