Cool interactive on biofuels

Something cool that was brought to my attention online was in regards to a well-done interactive on biofuels by National Geographic. The interactive allows you to compare corn sourced ethanol and E85 with other biofuels in terms of CO2 emissions, energy balance and retail price.

Something that proponents of E85 are quick to point out is the fact that it tends to cost at least 10 percent less than petroleum-based gasoline. That is a little disingenuous because, while on the face of things E85 is cheaper, it is not when you consider that more E85 is required to produce the same amount of energy as gasoline. (That's why your gas mileage on flex fuel vehicles is less when the vehicle is running on E85!)

Accompanying the interactive on biofuels is an article about corn sourced ethanol and the toll that the harvesting takes on the environment. Here's the rub: producing that E85 that is being touted by our government as a possible solution to dependence on foriegn oil takes a toll on the environment. Growing the corn that is used to produce ethanol requires large applications of herbicides and nitrogen fertilizer so that it doesn't die. Farmers are complaining that the runoff from these corn crops is killing their other crops. In protecting the corn (which is currently at record high prices, due in no small part to this sudden appetite for E85), other crops are being killed off, negating the small profit being made by producing more corn for ethanol.

Here's something else to consider. This increased demand for corn-based ethanol is allowing farmers to not just raise the prices of corn products. Corn, as I said before, is at a record high price now. Feed prices have gone up; in turn the prices for beef, poultry and dairy have gone up.

I do not want to bash E85. It is a cleaner fuel than gasoline. It produces less CO2 emissions. Most of all, it does present a gateway of sorts into future conservation. It may not be the solution to the United States' dependency on foreign oil, but it is a start.

Something to think about:

I'd like to hear what you all think about this article. It's very controversial for a lot of people, not least our generation.




(Project update: I am still working on developing my idea further. Something that I found--and not just in reference to this class--is that talking to sources for a big project like this sometimes gives you a different focus. After talking to some sources, I am trying to adapt to what I am finding out, while still maintaining my focus statement for the project.)