Ethanol Gets Spring Break: From Negative Media Campaign
Good Ethanol News Takes Root
After getting pounded for past 24 months by a what-the-hail storm of negative stories in the media -- in some cases claiming ethanol was even worse than fossil fuels or imported oil – good news finally blossomed. In the past months stories about the positive impact of ethanol have flourished and rained on the anti-ethanol parade. The new articles, reports, and even a new presidential biofuels directive show the depth and breath of research and support to continue to push for the advancement of ethanol technologies and the nation’s renewable fuel standard.
First.. a little context and perspective on the anti-ethanol campaign:
Can you think of another product that has…
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A stellar 30 year performance record...
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A market penetration of nearly 100% in some states an 80% nationally...
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Enough credible public policy merits to sustain the support of six presidents, twelve Congressional sessions...
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Been tested by nearly every federal agency...
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Been under full warranty for nearly 20 years by the manufacturers of products that use it (Chyryserl, Ford, GM)...
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Created over 500,000 jobs
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Saved billions of tax dollars when compared to the cost.
…yet there continues to be unprecedented onslaught of unfounded negative claims in the media – for thirty years? The competition must really be worried.
Research is Countering Myths About Ethanol
Food Vs. Fuel Myth: The End of An [addition] Error
Simply Stated and Proven: Yields are up, acres are down, and “Net” Corn Usage is on the Decline
Ethanol Has a Positive Energy Balance: Game/Set/Match
Since the days of moonshiner's ethanol critics have claimed ethanol has a negative energy balance (i.e., more used in the manufacturing than left in the product) . Since the fuel was first introduced into commerce 30 years the claims come by like annuals in a flower bed... Unlike coal which has at least a 33% negative energy balance, and where the U.S. gets over half of its electricity, ethanol has a positive energy balance. A recent report by the Clean Fuel Foundation’s Ethanol Across America education campaign stated ……
According to a new study released here today, the energy efficiency of ethanol plants is steadily improving, with modern ethanol plants using 20% less energy than just four years ago. Originally produced in 2004, this new edition looked at numerous studies and independent analyses of ethanol production facilities over the past decade. U.S. Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD), a member of the Ethanol Across America Advisory Board, noted that the study debunks outdated and erroneous information on ethanol plants that critics have used for the past 30 years. "The facts speak for themselves in that today's ethanol plants are producing more energy in the form of domestic transportation fuels and using considerably less energy to do so," said Senator Johnson. “Energy audits, independent studies, and government research all confirm that ethanol is a net energy producer and that we are constantly improving technology."
Farmers Produce Food, Fuel and Feed: With Minimal Price Impact
Congressional Budget Office Report on Ethanol Shows Limited Effect on Food Costs The report states that increased ethanol production caused a mere 0.5 and 0.8 percentage point increase in the price of food between April 2007 and April 2008.
“Over the same period [April 2007 to April 2008], certain other factors – for example, higher energy costs – had a greater effect on food prices than did the use of ethanol as a motor fuel.” Additionally, the CBO report noted that ethanol does reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to gasoline. In fact, recent research published in Yale’s Journal of Industrial Ecology found that ethanol canreduce GHG emissions compared to gasoline between 40 and 59%.
Ethanol Reduces Greenhouse Gases
New assaults from ethanol detractors claimed ethanol contributes to greenhouse gases. This was a natural evolution of the unfounded claim that ethanol had a negative energy balance. While on the other hand, there have been several studies showing ethanol reduces greenhouse gases by up to 80%. This was verified by a report recently commissioned by the International Energy Agency (IEA) Bioenergy Task 39.
The results were announced by the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA),the important conclusion was that GHG reductions will grow by over 100% from 1995 to 2015. “I think what the study has documented is the importance of time in life cycle assessment work,” said report author Don O’Connor. “This issue in general has been overlooked by people.” GRFA spokesperson Bliss Baker says the report clearly illustrates the improving environmental performance of ethanol compared to gasoline. “This report demonstrates that governments must develop energy policies that take into account the increasing efficiency of global ethanol production and do not rely on out-of-date data and out-dated straw man arguments,” said Baker.
Ethanol Does Not Have an Impact on Indirect Land Use Change
When the unfounded claims that ethanol was contributing to greenhouse gases were refuted, the next evolution of the attack on ethanol was to claim that it had a negative impact on “indirect land use.” Basically this theory, not science, blames the use of biofuels in the United States for tearing down the Amazon and need for planting crops in other countries.
Because the “indirect land use” issue plays a critical role in a low carbon fuel strategy, 100 scientists recently wrote the governor of California asking him to reconsider his state’s effort to include indirect land use. Today California responded by saying they would take it under advisement. Background:"Two studies posted last week on ScienceExpress -- an advance web version of Science Magazine -- and widely reported in the press, raise important issues but often read like conclusions looking for an underlying rationale. These two studies fundamentally misunderstand the local forces behind land use change issues and make no provision for mitigating impacts such as the slowdown in urbanization that a vibrant agricultural economy would bring. Further, these two studies somewhat conflict with one another, with one supporting cellulosic ethanol and the other one opposing it, except if produced from waste." U.S. Department of Energy, Argonne National Lab, National Renewable Energy Lab, Oak Ridge National Lab, Pacific Northwest Lab, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Clean Fuels Blog, March 28, 2008 (additional quotes and references).
Transparency, Replication & Controversy: From the Start to Now -- Searchinger does not make his model available, along with the parameters used, so that others can attempt to replicate the results. His work is therefore not susceptible to peer review, and it all raises serious questions about how the journal Science refereed it and accepted it for publication. On the other hand, there are several models globally that are peer reviewed. Over 100 of the nation's top scientists called on CARB to eliminate biases in the proposed Low Carbon Fuel Standard saying current proposal favors fossil fuels. The scientists acknowledged that all fuels have indirect carbon effects, but challenged the notion that they are well understood and are particularly critical of the plan to enforce indirect carbon effects on biofuels only. The letter is available at this link
But what makes their model truly discriminatory is the failure to account for the environmental impact of indirect activities, such as the military operations related to our oil use. Gal Luft, executive director of the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security - LA Times, April 16, 2009
Ethanol and Water Usage: Did you know that 96% of corn is not irrigated?
A recent study from the University of Minnesota claims that ethanol production is resulting in a dramatic increase in water use.However, the report fails to take into account numerous factors that must be part of the water use discussion. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates that 96 percent of all the corn used in ethanol production comes from non-irrigated acres. New technologies are making ethanol production more efficient. Since 2001, water use at ethanol biorefineries is down by more than 26%, with some plants experiencing even greater reductions. On the other hand, the water profile of petroleum, for instance, is getting dramatically worse as tar sands and other marginal sources of petroleum gain greater market share.Download Water Usage NEB.
National Commission on Energy Policy Report: Government Fuel Goals Will Require Higher Ethanol Blends
A new report on biofuels is urging that better infrastructure and more aggressive policies necessary if the nation is to meet its mandates for ethanol and other alternative fuels. The report, by the National Commission on Energy Policy, argues that the nation needs to increase the amount of ethanol blended into gasoline, as well as make it easier for biofuels plants and pipelines to get government permits and make it easier to transport ethanol.
And Leading the Spring Good News Parade... The Leader of the Free World...
Presidential Biofuels Directive
President Obama: $800 Million for Biofuels and Flex-Fuel Vehicles
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