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ethanol and greenhouse gases

There are a couple of good web sites about the energy balance of ethanol as a motor fuel- the net energy between burning ethanol as a fuel vs the energy required to make it.

However, what about the CO2 emissions? I cannot find such a site. Doesn't the burning of ethanol release slightly more CO2 than gasoline? Plus, during formentation the process emits quite a bit of CO2. I'd like to read something quantitative. Are we worsening one problem (global warming) in order to solve another (importation of petroleum)?

Reply to
Don Stauffer
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An article in the 1/10/06 WSJ p. B1 indicated that a Chev Monte Carlo emits 7.6 tons of "greenhouse gas" per year using regular gasoline but only 5.6 tons when fueled with E85. I guess they are assuming about

15000 miles per year but the number didn't jump out at me. Also, do we really have a global warming problem? Some data indicate the earth temperature has alway fluctuated, even before humans were around in significant numbers. Trying to control nature may be nice but beyond our capabilities.
Reply to
Jimbo

Well, my specialty before I retired was radiative heat transfer and optical systems. I do know how CO2 creates the greenhouse effect, and that is basic physics. The CO2 level in our atmosphere has been going up, and that must create SOME temperature increase. Now, while there may well be other sources of CO2, the increase seems to correlate quite well with increased use of fossil fuels. Could be a coincidence, but I doubt it.

Reply to
Don Stauffer

I doubt it too. Human activity has changed the balance of fixed carbon (coal, petroleum, etc) and atmospheric carbon compounds.

Some are arguing, a little lamely, that methane is also a big issue in the atmosphere.

But in any case, I cannot see that there will be no effect.

Reply to
<HLS

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