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livingontheland - Re: [Livingontheland] Ethanol a net energy loss

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Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Scott Berkey" <berkeyscott@hotmail.com>
  • To: "'Healthy soil and sustainable growing'" <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] Ethanol a net energy loss
  • Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2006 20:56:48 -0400

How much energy does it take to make one gallon of gasoline? First millions
of years ago you grow tremendous amounts of plants and animals, then they
sit in the ground under unimaginable pressure, then you have to drill, pump,
float across the ocean, refine, truck, and then finally pump it into your
car. What's the net energy loss there?

Every fuel you could conceivably use to power an automobile suffers net
energy loss. Electricity as a fuel. Now there's a waste. Take perfectly
good fossil fuel and use it to power a turbine at 80% efficiency then loose
another 15% to distribution loss. Oh, the horror! (End dripping sarcasm)

I can't believe some scientists are so dense.

The energy in ethanol comes from the sun - a little inefficiency ain't any
big deal. There's plenty to go around.

Ditch the government subsidies and let ethanol compete in the free market.
If it wins it wins. You can't fool the market.

Regards,

Scott

-----Original Message-----
From: livingontheland-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:livingontheland-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of
TradingPostPaul
Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 2:25 PM
To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [Livingontheland] Ethanol a net energy loss


Adding up the energy costs of corn production and its conversion into
ethanol, 131,000 BTUs are needed to make one gallon of ethanol. One gallon
of ethanol has an energy value of only 77,000 BTUS. Thus, 70 percent more
energy is required to produce ethanol than the energy that actually is in
it. Every time you make one gallon of ethanol, there is a net energy loss of
54,000 BTUs. . .

http://healthandenergy.com/ethanol.htm

paul, tradingpost@riseup.net
---------------
The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all our
most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it and to foster
its renewal is our only hope.
- Wendell Berry

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