Prices at the pump are so high these days, they have some consumers singing the blues. Those sky high fuel costs are pushing researchers to find alternatives. The higher the price of gasoline, it seems the more ideas emerge. There are some that are a little unusual and still make some sense.
One idea that's caught on is ethanol. By using corn for fuel, we're reducing our dependence on foreign oil and cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions.
Ethanol is advertised as a "cleaner" alternative to gasoline, but the definition of "clean" has changed. It used to mean fewer carbon monoxide emissions. Today, we talk about reducing green house gasses. When you factor in the energy demand to make ethanol, there's a lot of debate about whether the fuel is actually cleaner. There are a lot of emissions and energy uses on every step of the pathway, or "life cycle" of the ethanol. So it takes energy to make energy.
It also takes corn. The increased demand is causing many farmers to change their crops. Around the world, people are getting into the business. In South America, farmers are cutting down the rainforest to clear fields. That deforestation causes a whole host of other problems. You have to clear the forest. there's a lot of carbon emitted in that process. You put the land into agricultural use for the first time and there's a burst of carbon dioxide emissions that can result.
So, ethanol reduces greenhouse gasses, but creating it increases them. It takes over a hundred years to make up for that burst of carbon dioxide from clearing the land.
Aside from the questionable environmental benefits, much of the corn traditionally used for food is now being taken out of the market. it's a problem that's entered the spotlight as we face a global food crisis. Some say it just doesn't make sense to burn our lunch in our gas tank. The ethanol industry defends the fuel, saying our high food prices are due to bad weather, a weak dollar, chinese demand and the high price of oil.
Experts say the benefits don't necessarily outweigh the costs, but it's a step in the right direction, toward energy independence and a cleaner, greener world.
Researchers say the future of ethanol is cellulosic feed stocks such as wood chips and rice straw. Those use less water and fertalizer than corn and don't require coal, diesel fuel or natural gas to produce. Cellulosic fuels are still in the development stage, but they're expected to be widespread in the fuel market, within the next 10 to 20 years.
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