CNN has interviewed a series of experts for their opinions on the viability and future of biofuels. Amongst the experts are economist Keith Wiebe of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the U.N.; Dr. Richard Pike, chief of the Royal Society of Chemistry; and environmentalist Deepak Rughani of Biofuelwatch.
The main takeways seem to be that:
A - Some biofuels will work well and others will not
B - "Bio" does not necessarily mean "clean"
B - Creating fuel from growing things takes a lot of land.
Showing posts with label ethanol. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ethanol. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Friday, January 12, 2007
High Demand Causes Surge in Corn Prices
As predicted by many, increasing demand for corn--driven largely by ethanol plants and foreign buyers--has driven corn prices to their highest level in more than a decade. Increased corn prices will have a ripple effect on many segments of the economy.
First, the obvious: higher prices on corn that we eat. And not just corn-on-the-cob and canned/frozen corn; prices will increase for corn tortillas and shells, corn chips, and anything that uses high-fructose corn syrup. Between them, that covers a huge array of products. But corn is also widely used as livestock feed, so higher prices for corn will also increase prices for meat.
As farmers and ranchers shift to using other grains--such as wheat, oats, and barley--for feeding their livestock, the increased demand for those grains will also increase prices for products based on those... flours, breads, oatmeal, beer, and countless other products are based on the grains grown in this country.
And I haven't even mentioned the ethanol itself yet. Higher prices for corn will obviously increase the input costs for ethanol production, making ethanol less economical than it currently is.
It is increasingly obvious that corn-based ethanol will never be the cure (or even a significant part of the cure) for our energy woes. A study conducted by the University of Minnesota has already demonstrated that if all corn grown in this country were converted to ethanol (leaving nothing for animal feed, human consumption, or as corn syrup for feeding our gluttunous desire for sugar), it would be able to offset 12% of our gasoline demand.
Until cellulosic ethanol techniques are perfected, trying to use ethanol as a fuel source is a "solution" that will only benefit the farmers who are enjoying the higher prices.
NOTE: Cross posted to my personal blog, where I tend to cover topics with more of an economic focus.
First, the obvious: higher prices on corn that we eat. And not just corn-on-the-cob and canned/frozen corn; prices will increase for corn tortillas and shells, corn chips, and anything that uses high-fructose corn syrup. Between them, that covers a huge array of products. But corn is also widely used as livestock feed, so higher prices for corn will also increase prices for meat.
As farmers and ranchers shift to using other grains--such as wheat, oats, and barley--for feeding their livestock, the increased demand for those grains will also increase prices for products based on those... flours, breads, oatmeal, beer, and countless other products are based on the grains grown in this country.
And I haven't even mentioned the ethanol itself yet. Higher prices for corn will obviously increase the input costs for ethanol production, making ethanol less economical than it currently is.
It is increasingly obvious that corn-based ethanol will never be the cure (or even a significant part of the cure) for our energy woes. A study conducted by the University of Minnesota has already demonstrated that if all corn grown in this country were converted to ethanol (leaving nothing for animal feed, human consumption, or as corn syrup for feeding our gluttunous desire for sugar), it would be able to offset 12% of our gasoline demand.
Until cellulosic ethanol techniques are perfected, trying to use ethanol as a fuel source is a "solution" that will only benefit the farmers who are enjoying the higher prices.
NOTE: Cross posted to my personal blog, where I tend to cover topics with more of an economic focus.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Researchers Working on System for Harvesting Corn Stover
A research team at Iowa State University is designing systems for simultaneous harvesting of grain and stover (the stalks, cobs and leaves) during corn harvesting, with the goal of providing the raw materials for cellulosic ethanol processing.
The researchers are developing stover attachments that can be used on standard combines. The result would be an additional cost to farmers of about $10,000 to $15,000 instead of the six figures it would take for a separate combine to harvest stover. The attachments would also allow farmers to harvest grain and stover with one pass through a field.
Although tests of the prototype machine have been successful, the researchers acknowledge that there is still much work to be done in terms of stover harvest capacity, transportation, storage, and soil composition.
Friday, December 8, 2006
Engineered Yeast Speeds Ethanol Production
Researchers at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research at MIT have engineered a new strain of yeast that can improve the speed and efficiency of ethanol production, a prospect that could do much to improve the viability of ethanol as a fuel source (or fuel additive).
The work involved modifying the expression of certain genes, allowing the yeast to survive in an environment with higher levels of glucose and ethanol. Normally, the yeast is killed by the very ethanol that it creates in the fermentation process. By strengthening the yeast to survive in the presence of ethanol and glucose, the yeast can continue to produce additional ethanol.
The end result of the new process is that the same amount of yeast can produce a larger amount of ethanol, and it can do it more quickly... 50% more quickly, according to the news release.
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