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Net Energy of Ethanol - Report Resources

Here is a list of analysis regarding the net energy balance of ethanol:

• Ethanol Can Contribute to Energy and Environmental Goals and the ERG Biofuel Analysis Meta-Model and Report
  In the fall of 2005, the University of California at Berkeley independently reviewed six representative analyses of the ethanol life cycle efficiency of fuel ethanol. Their findings were published in the January 2006 issue of Science Magazine and conclude that ethanol is good for energy security and greenhouse gas emissions. The ERG Biofuel Analysis Meta-Model (EBAMM) was developed at UC Berkeley to accommodate a direct comparison of the existing data and assumptions. You can find links to the paper and the EBAMM model, as well as links to all the existing analyses Berkeley reviewed and supplemental information with detailed model descriptions at the UC Berkeley Web site.

• United States Department of Agriculture Reports and Papers
  This section of the USDA site contains reports and papers relating to the net energy balance of ethanol, costs to produce this fuel, and the economics related to producing biofuels.

• A Rebuttal to "Ethanol Fuels: Energy, Economics and Environmental Impacts"
  This is a summary and review of an article by Dr. David Pimentel, who argues that, ethanol from corn does take more energy to produce than is contained in the final ethanol product. The author of the rebuttal, however, disagrees; see the "Discussion" section for his point of view.

• Renewable Fuels Association's Position Paper: Ethanol's Positive Energy Balance

• Renewable Fuels Association's Energy Balance Resources

• Effects of Fuel Ethanol Use on Fuel-Cycle Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions (PDF 329 KB)
  This study shows that, for corn-based ethanol, E85 achieves about a 73-75% reduction in petroleum use (depending on whether dry or wet milling is the production technology) and a 35% reduction in fossil energy use. For GHG emissions, E85 produced by dry milling achieves a 19% reduction, and E85 produced by wet milling achieves a 14% reduction.

• Energy and Environmental Aspects of Using Corn Stover for Fuel Ethanol (PDF 1.7 MB) This paper discusses the celulosic ethanol energy balance and presents results based on a life-cycle model that incorporates results from individual models for soil carbon dynamics, soil erosion, agronomics of stover collection and transport, and bioconversion of stover to ethanol.

• Ethanol's Energy Return on Investment: A Survey of the Literature 1990 - Present (PDF 290 KB)
  An objective look at the disagreement on energy return on investment of ethanol manufacture that compares data sets from ten different studies.

• Ethanol: Separating Fact from Fiction (PDF 472 KB)

Source: Department of Energy

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ethanol?

Ethanol is an alcohol-based alternative fuel produced by fermenting and distilling starch crops that have been converted into simple sugars. Feedstocks for this fuel include corn, barley, and wheat. Ethanol can also be produced from "cellulosic biomass" such as trees and grasses and is called bioethanol. Ethanol is most commonly used to increase octane and improve the emissions quality of gasoline. Ethanol can be blended with gasoline to create E85, a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. E85 and blends with even higher concentrations of ethanol, E95, for example, qualify as alternative fuels under the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct). Vehicles that run on E85 are called flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) and are offered by several vehicle manufacturers. See the ethanol vehicles page for more information on FFVs. In some areas of the United States, lower concentrations of ethanol are blended with gasoline. The most common low concentration blend is E10 (10% ethanol and 90% gasoline). While it reduces emissions, E10 is not considered an alternative fuel under EPAct regulations. For more information on E10, see the ethanol blends page.

Source: Alternative Fuels Data Center

Links

Ethanol Promotion

• Choose Ethanol - NEW
• Clean Fuels Dev Coalition
• DometicFuel.org
• DrivingEthanol.org
• Governors Biofuels Coalition
• E85fuel.com (NEVC)
• Ethanol Across America
• Ethanol.org (ACE)
• Ethanol Conversations
• EthanolFacts.com
  
• EthanolRFA.org
• Fields to Fuel.org (Alternative Fuels Institute)
• Hawaii's New-Fuel.com
  
• IowaRFA.org
• Ethanol Producer Magazine
• Renewable Fuels Now.org
  

Energy

• US Department of Agriculture
  
• US Department of Energy
  

Auto Manufacturers

• LiveGreen GoYellow (General Motors)

Blogs (WeB Logs)

• Advanced Biofuels and Climate Change Information Center
  
• All Things BioDiesel
• American Fuels
• BIOconversion
• Clean Fuels Development Coalition Blog
  
• Corn Commentary
  
• DTN Ethanol Center
• Ethanol. Right. Now - NEW
  
• Farmers Matter.org
• Food Before Profit
  
• Food Price Truth
  
• GoodFuels
  
• MetroEnergy
• Nebraska Corn Kernels
  
• Renewable Fuels Association BLOG
• Rhapsody in Green (POET) Blog
• University of Illinois Center for Advanced BioEnergy Research

Other

• 25 x 25
  
• Alliance for Abundant Food & Energy
  
• American BioFuels Council
• Cause Matters Corp - Michele Payn-Knoper
  

Alternative Fuel

• Check out our Location list
• Check out our Biofuel Facility list
  

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Alerts - Take Action Now

Various Alerts

National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition
http://www.e85fuel.com

Ask YOUR Senators to Support the Growth of E85!

American Coalition for Ethanol
http://www.ethanol.org

• Support the Biofuels Security Act

  Urge your Senators to co-sponsor this bill

  The Biofuels Security Act places homegrown ethanol at the center of America's quest for energy independence. Contact your Senators to urge them to co-sponsor S. 23 today!
  Take Action Now

• S. 1106 extends ethanol's secondary offset tariff

  Please support domestic ethanol production

  S. 1106 extends the secondary offset tariff on imported ethanol, currently set to expire on December 31, 2008, for an additional two years. Please urge your Senators to co-sponsor this important bill that stands behind domestic ethanol production and the future of the U.S. ethanol industry.
  Take Action Now
  

• Support the SAFE Energy Act of 2007

• Urge your Senator to co-sponsor this bill
• Support the Alternative Energy Refueling Systems Act
  Urge your Senators to co-sponsor this bill

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Biofuel Plant Locations

Use these links to location biofuel facility locations

American Coalition for Ethanol - US Ethanol Facilities
http://www.ethanol.org/index.php?id=37&parentid=8#USEthanolFacilities

DTN Ethanol Center - Ethanol Plant Locations
http://www.dtnethanolcenter.com/index.cfm?show=10&mid=16&pid=5

Biodiesel Magazine - NEW

http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/plantmap/

Ethanol Producer Magazine
http://www.ethanolproducer.com/plantmap/

Renewable Fuels Association Plant Location Listing
http://www.ethanolrfa.org/industry/locations/

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