How efficient is corn ethanol?
How efficient is corn ethanol?
Production of corn-ethanol is energy efficient, in that it yields 34 percent more energy than it takes to produce it, including growing the corn, harvesting it, transporting it, and distilling it into ethanol. Higher corn prices can result in reduced farm program payments.
How efficient is ethanol production?
USDA: Energy Efficiency of Corn-Ethanol Production Has Improved Significantly. Nationally, the average ratio of energy outputs to inputs for ethanol production is 2 to 1. The report methodically examines the energy used for corn ethanol production over a nearly 20 year period.
What is the energetic efficiency of corn bioethanol production?
Life cycle analysis (LCA) of ethanol production from corn grain has yielded a net energy ratio of 1.2 to 1.45 (Liska et al., 2009), which represents just a 20% to 45% positive energy balance in producing ethanol from corn.
How much ethanol can be made from an acre of corn?
Through research performed at Cornell University, we know that 1 acre of land can yield about 7,110 pounds (3,225 kg) of corn, which can be processed into 328 gallons (1240.61 liters) of ethanol. That is about 26.1 pounds (11.84 kg) of corn per gallon.
How is ethanol produced from corn?
The vast majority (≈80%) of corn ethanol in the United States is produced by dry milling. In the dry milling process, the entire corn kernel is ground into flour, or “mash,” which is then slurried by adding water. The ethanol is purified through a combination of distillation and dehydration to create fuel ethanol.
Should we use corn for ethanol?
New research is confirming that corn ethanol also has more greenhouse gas benefits than previously thought. A study we just published in the journal Biofuels found that the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from corn ethanol are about 39 percent lower than gasoline on energy equivalent basis.
Does corn produce ethanol?
Ethanol is a domestically produced alternative fuel most commonly made from corn. It is also made from cellulosic feedstocks, such as crop residues and wood—though this is not as common. U.S. ethanol plants are concentrated in the Midwest because of the proximity to corn production.
What is the efficiency of ethanol production from various biomass sources?
The maximum conversion efficiency of glucose into ethanol is 51% by mass.
What type of corn is used for ethanol?
Field corn
In fact, it’s sometime called “dent corn” because of the distinctive dent that forms on the kernel as the corn dries. Field corn has dozens of uses, but it is most commonly fed to animals or used to make renewable fuels like ethanol to power our cars and trucks.
What are some drawbacks to producing ethanol from corn?
List of the Disadvantages of Ethanol
- It isn’t as effective a fuel as traditional gasoline.
- It is a corrosive fuel.
- It requires a lot of cropland space.
- It is costly.
- Its use has resulted in a net emissions increase.
- It has altered food production principles.
- It is reliant on the quality of the growing season.
What corn is used for ethanol?
What are the advantages of corn ethanol?
List of Pros of Corn Ethanol
- Biodegradable.
- Improved Energy Balance.
- Lesser Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
- Great Oil Alternative.
- Effect on Fuel Consumption.
- Shipping and Exportation Issues.
- Environmental Hazards.
- Effect on Food Production.
Is corn ethanol energy efficient?
A new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, “2015 Energy Balance for the Corn-Ethanol Industry,” examines the energy efficiency of corn ethanol production. According to the findings, the energy balance of ethanol has improved significantly over the past two decades.
Why is ethanol production becoming more efficient?
The report calls out numerous factors that have led to the increased efficiency of ethanol production, including: closer proximity of farms to ethanol plants, new storage facilities that match increased corn production, and the rail shipment of ethanol to local and long distance markets (instead of truck shipment, which is less efficient).
What is the benchmark for the corn-based ethanol industry?
Since the corn-based ethanol industry is still rapidly evolving, the benchmark provided is based on standard plants (see Figure 1, above) that were designed in 2007 and constructed in 2008 based upon proven technologies.
How does corn ethanol affect inflation?
Corn ethanol dramatically raises the prices of eggs, beef, cereal, poultry, and pork. Corn ethanol prices can worsen inflation pressures at retail level. Even though Congress is aware of the problems, they predict that ethanol production will increase to 36 billion gallons by 2022.