Pollution by ethanol?

Question

it's effect in india

Answer 1

Combustion of ethanol also produces CO2, cause of acid rains.

Answer 2

in terms of combusion, ethanol releases the same amount of C02 as was initially trapped from the atmosphere during the growth of the plant and can actually be net less as some of this carbon is natually sequestered into roots and stems that remain underground during harvesting.

I am not a proponet whatsoever of corn-based ethanol as i think it is a drain on farmland, raises the price of corn products, and unless done super efficiently (rare in the US) it can actually take as much or more fossil fuel inputs (planting, harvesting, fertilizers, watering, shipping) then is returned in ethanol outputbut; usually results in a 3:1 ratio which is not especially efficient.

When we talk about ethanol we need to talk about second generation ethanol, which is cellulosic ethanol.  Essentially cellulosic ethanol uses the cellulosic material vs. sugars and starches.  So going back to the example of corn, instead of just using the sugar filled kernel, cellulosic processes would use corn stover which is the stalk, the husks, the cobs, etc.  Corn is not the best option for growing cellulosic ethanol feedstocks as it is too thin and scrawny.  Better choices include natural grasses such as switchgrass, elephant grass, and other natural grasses and weeds, wood chips, forest waste, sawdust, recycled paper pulp, orange peels, and even types of landfill waste.

The cellulosic ethanol conversion process (using either enzymes or a thermo-chemical process) is not as of yet perfected but it is becoming more and more commercially viable and efficient every day (the first full-scale commercial plant is being designed and constructed now by BlueFire ethanol and is expected to produce in excess of 100 million gallons annually when up in running by 2009).  For more information about cellulosic ethanol i strongly recommend looking around on the web (Wikipedia is a great start).

So going back to the pollution question, it is difficult to sum up nicely because the ultimate product (ethanol) can be produced in drastically different ways.  It does emit C02, but no more than was initially taken in by the plant while it was growing so it is a net-green house gas emitter.  However it does not release the polluting and unhealthy carcinogens and other emissions that traditional gasoline does.  This has been confirmed by many studies over the past several years but I recommend you review the research for yourself.  There is one Stanford study that states otherwise but it has connections to Exxon/Mobil and is considered tainted by many.

Either way, by supporting celluslosic ethanol implementation it will help with the nation's energy security and enery independence while supporting good ol' American innovation and creating hundreds of thousands of jobs.

This was meant to be a quick answer but I got a little carried away.

Feel free to email me at [e-mail] and have a great green day.

-Matt

Answer 3

With all the starvation in the world doesn't it bother the envirowackos that we are putting food into cars rather than in starving peoples bellies? Or is it people=bad and nature=good?

Answer 4

Ethanol does not pollute to any degree.  You are simply recycling carbon, not adding more to the air like with oil.  Everytime you exhale you give off CO2.  Ethanol is clean and environmentally friendly.

Answer 5

ethanol = no pollutiuon

Answer 6

To produce ethanol you ususally need to produce and apply fertilizer, insecticides and herbacides.  Water generaly must be diverted to irrigate fields.  Also, habitat is destroyed when grasslands or wooded areas are cleared to grow crops.