The killer in ethanol production is the distillation process and the cost to transform the waste products into saleable form. The economic cost of the corn input stock is easy, just divide the market price by 2.7 gallon of ethanol per bushel of corn. I.e. $5.40 / 2.7 = $2.00 corn cost per gallon of ethanol. Figuring the actual energy cost of this portion is much harder. The first reference deals with this problem in a more or less satisfactory way.
The energy required for distillation is discussed in the second reference. These authors are saying that it takes about 85,000 Btu to completely process 1 gallon of ethanol from corn. However, they then add in 50,000 Btu as the value of the saleable byproducts. That leaves 35,000 Btu to cover the production of corn for 1 gallon of ethanol. If we carefully tweak these production methods it can come out to a positive energy balance by a small amount.
But if corn jumps to $8.10 per bushel, the input is $3.00 per gallon of ethanol and the economic balance is completely shot.
The last reference is just for giggles, as I don’t know as if they know what they are talking about.
I am not starting an argument here, only laying out what is known about ethanol. It is a really close call and if corn were $2.00 / bu it would be a no-brainier. Thankfully it is not, but now we are stuck with the stuff and I guess that’s just life!
How Much Energy Does It Take to Make a Gallon of Ethanol? https://www.ethanol.org/pdf/contentmgmt/ILSR_energy_balance.pdf
Energy analysis for ethanol http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/repositoryfiles/ca3406p9-72245.pdf
Ethanol Fuel Production http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2010/ph240/luk1/
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]
Today's Featured Article - Listening to Your Tractor - by Curtis Von Fange. Years ago there was a TV show about a talking car. Unless you are from another planet, physically or otherwise, I don’t think our internal combustion buddies will talk and tell us their problems. But, on the other hand, there is a secret language that our mechanical companions readily do speak. It is an interesting form of communication that involves all the senses of the listener. In this series we are going to investigate and learn the basic rudimentary skills of understanding this lingo.
... [Read Article]
Latest Ad:
2022 John Deere 5045E, 4wd, front end loader and 3rd function with grapple. 120 hrs, 55k new, must sell
[More Ads]
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
