Ethanol might help save oil, but it could brutal for the water supply

[donsu]

http://www.atlantawatershortage.com/


(via Watercrunch) The National Academy of Sciences has just published a report titled “Water Implications of Biofuel Production in the United States“. The summary from the Watercrunch article:

The report basically states that if the projected increases in the use of corn for ethanol production occur, the harm to water quality could be considerable, and water supply problems at the regional and local levels could also escalate.

The Oil Drum has a much more in-depth look at the report, with many more charts and some great discussions. Their summary suggests that Ethanol might not be the right solution to the oil problem. From their site:

We CAN increase our internal production of transportation liquids. In addition to ethanol and biodiesel, we can use coal-to-liquids via Fischer Tropsch; we can drill the Arctic or Alaska Wildlife Refuge; we can expand land to dedicated energy crops, etc. A joint study of the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture concludes that the United States could produce 60 billion gallons of ethanol by 2030 through a combination of grain and cellulosic feedstocks, enough to replace 30% of projected U.S. gasoline demand. Scientists and policymakers should be asking them ‘at what cost’? When they reply XX billions, the comeback should be ‘we didn’t mean in $ terms-what are the costs in other scarce inputs needed by society?’. In robbing Peter to pay Paul, we have to realize that Paul is pretty insatiable. Who will we rob after Peter?

We have oil problems, so we’ll use more water to fix them. Then the water problems become more severe. What do we do next to try to fix those? It could be an ugly cycle.

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whatever happens will be beyond ugly

[AuntPatsy]

1. I completely agree, I find it strange that people ignore the obvious when putting out that ethanol

is the answer to our oncoming nightmares...

[MadHound]

2. Ethanol is not the answer for many reasons, this just being one

Like those high prices for meat, dairy and other foods? Thank ethanol. With the ethanol boom the price of corn has gone through the roof, therefore the prices for those food that directly or indirectly use corn have gone up. In addition, since more and more land is being used to grow corn, that means less land for other crops such as wheat and soybeans. Due to that scarcity, the price for those commodities goes up, and around and around it goes.

Ethanol isn't the answer, it is simply Bushco's way of paying off their buddies in Big Ag, like Monsanto and ADM.

[NNN0LHI]

3. I don't believe it is good for saving oil either

As far as I can tell it takes more energy from petroleum based products to produce the stuff than the energy recouped from the final product.

Its like a huge perpetual motion machine combined with a slick pyramid scheme designed to make some rich people richer.

Don

[donsu]

4. true

nt

[HCE SuiGeneris]

5. Cost per barrel of ethanol -- $120.00

Not exactly an efficient use of resources.