ethanol
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I have recently been tasked with making a recomendation on the sustainability of using E85 to fuel part of our vehicle fleet. This is a topic that I have never heard discussed in the SHE community, althought it seems like it is a big question that may have a big impact on GHG emissions and the environmental perception of our universities. Anyone have any thoughts on this? I have found that it is difficult finding unbaised information on this issue. These are three of my top questions:
Environment: Is there still debate on if the net GHG emissions (per mile driven) for E85 is lower than gasoline?
Social: Does it really increase global food prices, thereby harming the poor in other countries?
Econoimc: Might the VEETC tax credit ($.45/gallon) might expire in 2011, making E85 not cost competitive?
Thanks for any advice or direction that you all can give.
Thank you for your response Vinodh. I started reading some of the articles, which look like they will be very useful.
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Mr. Crosby,
Not unlike several other 'solutions' to current problems, ethanol fuel is subject to viewpoints ranging from rosy optimism to outright cynicism. However, there are some clear cut observations we can make:
The social sustainability [of E 85] is under question essentially because the majority of feedstock used to produce it comes from mass produced [probably genetically modified] corn - where growers are incentivized to use chemical/ industrial agriculture techniques in order to gain profits. Since modern agricuture is dependent on crude oil, this should also explain why there is good reason to consider the debate about the net GHG emissions of E85.
Rising food prices are only natural in a profit-based economy, where supply-demand mathematics leave no space for ethics or emotions. In comparison, ethanol manufactured regionally from municipal waste and grass [lawn mowings, weeds, switchgrass] should not have effects on food prices, local or global. When such sources are used to produce E85, the concerns over GHG emissions and necessity for government tax credits could begin to become viable.
Here are the titles of some recent scientific research articles on Elsevier that discuss the sustainability of E85, and biofuels in general, that might shed more light on this topic:
"On the economic sustainability of ethanol E85"
"Comparative environmental performance of lignocellulosic ethanol from different feedstocks"
"Emissions from light duty gasoline vehicles operating on low blend ethanol gasoline and E85"
"Biofuels done right: Land Efficient Animal Feeds Enable Large Environmental and Energy Benefits"