Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com - View Single Post - [Article] Better Fuel Economy with Ethanol?

solarguy · 12-26-2009, 04:05 PM

Well, am much as I dislike going down the rat-hole of a discussion about corn based ethanol's "renewable" status...

Most corn grown in the US contributes to significant topsoil loss, which is definitely not good for renewables. Ethanol from corn has, at best, a 1.3:1 EROEI, which is not that great. Many plausible critics of corn based ethanol put the EROEI at 1:1, which would be positively horrific. I think it is somewhere between those two numbers, and still not great. Neither one of those numbers accounts for topsoil erosion.

Finest regards,

troy

12-26-2009, 04:05 PM	#25 (permalink)
solarguy EcoModding Apprentice Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: up north Posts: 196 Thanks: 4 Thanked 34 Times in 26 Posts	Well, am much as I dislike going down the rat-hole of a discussion about corn based ethanol's "renewable" status... Most corn grown in the US contributes to significant topsoil loss, which is definitely not good for renewables. Ethanol from corn has, at best, a 1.3:1 EROEI, which is not that great. Many plausible critics of corn based ethanol put the EROEI at 1:1, which would be positively horrific. I think it is somewhere between those two numbers, and still not great. Neither one of those numbers accounts for topsoil erosion. Finest regards, troy __________________ 2004 VW TDI PD on bio want to build 150 mpg diesel streamliner.