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Ethanol Can Contribute to Energy and Environmental Goals
Alexander E. Farrell,1*Richard J. Plevin,1Brian T. Turner,1,2Andrew D. Jones,1Michael O'Hare,2Daniel M. Kammen1,2,3
To study the potential effects of increased biofuel use, weevaluated six representative analyses of fuel ethanol. Studiesthat reported negative net energy incorrectly ignored coproductsand used some obsolete data. All studies indicated that currentcorn ethanol technologies are much less petroleum-intensivethan gasoline but have greenhouse gas emissions similar to thoseof gasoline. However, many important environmental effects ofbiofuel production are poorly understood. New metrics that measurespecific resource inputs are developed, but further researchinto environmental metrics is needed. Nonetheless, it is alreadyclear that large-scale use of ethanol for fuel will almost certainlyrequire cellulosic technology.
1 Energy and Resources Group, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720–3050, USA. 2 Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720–3050, USA. 3 Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720–3050, USA.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: aef{at}berkeley.edu
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