Ethanol

Why ethanol?

• Feasible for the near-, mid-, and far- future
• Minimal infrastructure change
• May be used in small percentages in current cars
• FFV’s are easily created
• Applicable in many fields

How is ethanol made? Image

• Like beer
  • Corn is ground up
  • Mixed with water and enzymes
  • Mixed with yeast
  • Brewed

Cellulosic methods

• “Anything-to-ethanol”
• Can use anything composed of cellulose
• Plants are about 2/3 cellulose
• Cellulose is locked up in complex carbohydrates
• Chains must be broken before use
• Fermented using microbes or fungi
• 540% more energy produced than used

Gasification

• Can use 100% of material
• Uses anything rich in Carbon
• Creates synthetic gas
• Heated
• Broken
• Reassembled
• Ethanol!

Benefits

• Energy security
• Local economic stability
• Toxin reduction
• GHG reductions

  $ 60 mil	Initial investment
  $110 mil	Expands local economy
  $ 19.6 mil	Household income
  $ 1.2 mil	Tax Revenue
  $ 70 mil	REVENUE

Challenges

• Does ethanol really have a net energy gain?
  • Yes! 25%!
• World food prices
  • Comprehensive policy framework
    • Energy Security
    • Climate change mitigation
    • Environmental sustainability
    • NOT negatively effecting food prices