I’ve blogged about ethanol before (and I’m sure I will again). My last discussion was in response to the movie “Freedom”. (By the way, the filmmakers promised to send a reply and never did.) I believe we need to develop alternative sources for our energy needs- for balance of payments issues, for security issues, and for improving our economy (jobs).
And, ethanol works- up to a point. We need water to produce ethanol. And, these facilities need to be reusing their water, to reduce their consumption to reasonable levels. For example, there are about 21 plants producing ethanol in Minnesota. About half of them use municipal water, the others have dug wells for their needs. That’s a lot of water- water that will be drained from aquifers and will take a lifetime to refill. (Commendations to Al-Corn, a farmer coop venture, that has reduced its water demand from 4 to 2.5 gallons per gallon of ethanol via water reuse.)
Then, there’s the issue that marginal land is being used to grow the corn. This actually has been used to assuage critics that crop lands for food are being diverted for ethanol purposes. But, it means that more fertilizer is needed to grow the corn, which adds to our run-off pollution problems, which lowers the quality of water in the surrounding areas. About 25% of nitrogenous fertilizers that are applied to the soil end up in the nearby waters. And, that does not include the further damaging of soil quality because crop rotation is not the norm on these ethanol farms. (The bible is right- we need to rotate crops and let them lie fallow every seven years to insure productivity!)
We need to develop new pipelines for ethanol- ones that won’t allow water entry (not a problem for most normal pipelines) or the acquisition of impurities. That’s a much higher bar than the one we’ve used for our other pipelines. Until we do, it means that ethanol needs to be transported by rail or truck- or kept pretty local. (It’s why there are more choices for ethanol fuel in the midwest- transportation problems keeps it where it is made.)
As I reported in my blog mentioned above, there is the problem with ethanol fires. They burn hotter- and are not really handled by pouring water on them. Given that ethanol is transported via truck and rail, this is a critical concern.
Even given all these issues, it still is a worthwhile endeavor. We need more fuel- our own. But, we need to insure our future water supplies, too. (By the way, the petrochemical industry has its own problems- and that’s not including the new “fracking” (in every sense of the word) craze that is not being regulated properly.)
Nice photo! Also nice to know that Minnesota ethanol producers take pride in re-using natural resources.
Actually, they all claim that, PeggyLee- our job is to make sure they all DO it.
Thanks for the visit and your comments.
Roy
Great insight! Ethanol has it’s place but is NOT a complete substitute for fossil fuels. As far as using corn, while it’s an ok source for ethanol I’ve read that there are better options such as soy that have not gotten the same attention. As always – great stuff!
Thanks, Tor.
We should be considered using waste to generate our power. That solves two problems at once- fuel generation and waste disposal.
Roy
Really? They make the ethanol in Minnesota? Because after driving through Nebraska with all the corn fields one would assume that it would also be processed there. But that’s right Minnesota has all those lakes….thus, the water. I just had an aha moment mid-typing….
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You answered your own question, Marie. And, there’s plenty of winter wheat and grain in Minnesota, besides.
Thanks for the visit.
Roy
Alternatives are needed but maybe the alternatives are in a different way of thinking about consumption. It worries me sometimes that making more money outweighs safety and future well-being. Everything has a cost, but so often there are huge political agendas and lobbies around the alternatives. Keep blogging so others can learn Roy
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Thanks, Roberta, for your comments.
It’s safety and costs that we need to evaluate with each change.
Roy
I always learn something when I read what you have to say
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I am so glad you feel that way, Katrina!
That’s why I write.
Thanks for visiting.
Roy
What an interesting topic, Roy! I had no idea about the ethanol production having such effects on water supplies. It is great to learn something new every day. 🙂 You are a great resource, keep posting!
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Thank you SO much, Anna, for visiting and your comments.
I am thrilled you enjoyed the post- that’s why I write.
Roy
BTW- Loved YOUR post. And, everyone should visit- even if it’s just to see that photograph!
How long have we known about ethanol fuel? 20 years or so? Seems like there are always so many hurdles, so many groups of people, regulations, laws, environmental and so forth. But I will agree Roy, we certainly need more fuel, of our own!
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Oh, Lynn, we’ve known about ethanol fuel for years. That’s why chemists used alcohol lamps way back when.
But, ethanol for cars required better purification systems, modified engines (we can personally modify our engines to run on 15% ehtanol, if we so desire for under $ 300 with parts and labor), and the like. The issues for ethanol are the feedstock (corn does NOT make sense; waste or cellulosic materials do), transportation (ethanol sucks up water from the atmosphere and via leaks in the pipeline [humidity]), and combustion issues, as well as water needs for its production.
Thanks for the comments.
Roy
Hey Roy,
This issue is something I am pretty clueless about. I need to read more on this. Is this true for other parts of the world or specifically different according to location, availability and other factors?
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Solar energy can work wherever there is sunny days, Hajra. How much and what you can do with it depend upon the quality of the “collector” and the intended use.
For hot water, almost any system with insulation will work- and work better for smaller families, where the needs are less. Once you get to heating and air conditioning, you need more solar radiation. That’s when more analysis needs be done.
If we are talking about supplying power- then the site should be chosen to absorb sufficient energy to drive the power plant. Where you live, it’s ideal. But, oil- for now- is so cheap, there is little to no incentive.
Roy
It’s all about balance…as with everything. You make excellent points and, as always, you point out the pros and cons clearly. Yes, we need to stop reliance on oil and find alternatives…and I believe we can. Human beings have created incredible solutions to challenges historically. And we shall continue to do so.
Tambre Leighn/coaching by tambre recently posted..It Simply Must Be…
Ah, yes, Tambre. I learned long ago that there is no technology or innovation that only has an upside. We must balance what is best overall with our choices.
Thanks for dropping in and leaving your thoughts. I appreciate them.
Roy