Re: Energy Cost of Ethanol


Greg Hansen wrote:
cnctut wrote:
Greg Hansen wrote:

Reviving the topic of Habshi's subject line, and hoping to avoid the
topic of the content, what is the energy cost of producing ethanol?
Does anyone have some solid references?


Greg

Do you wish to start at--I just bought one bushel of shelled corn at
the elevator for $2 now let's make some ethanol--or here, plant these
seeds and grow a bushel of corn-- then we'll make some ethanol. ;-))

Tut


Starting with the seeds, of course. Bushels of shelled corn don't
appear out of nowhere.

OK--here's some data estimates in KCALS for one acre of corn
production--
Labor 49000
Machinery 420000
Gas 797000
Nitrogen 940800
Phosphorus 47100
Potassium 63000
Seeds 68000
Irrigation 34000
Incecticides 11000
Herbicides 11000
Drying 120000
Electricity 330000
Transportation 70000

Total Inputs 2,896,800 Kilocalories per acre

For ethonal production corn need not be dried/Iowa farmers don't
irrigate/electric fans unnecessary saving 484,000KCAL---bringing the
total inputs to 2,412,800KCAL per acre of corn.

To be continued

.

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