Quote Originally Posted by berkshires View Post
I wonder if that's still true. If I'm reading it right, according to the USDA (https://www.usda.gov/oce/reports/ene...ornEthanol.pdf) "energy input for ethanol production declined to 9,007 BTU/gal." And the actual number of BTU in a gallon of ethanol is 76,100 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasoli...lon_equivalent)

So if you're just looking at energy in over energy out, it's 9/76 = 12%. This may be higher than some other fuels, but it's a far cry from "more energy to produce than it provides".

Gabe
Man, last I heard it took something like 1.1 units of energy to make 1.0 unites of ethanol energy. If that 12% is true, that is phenomenal. That said, I am skeptical and need to look into it. It seems too good to be true.

I think the bigger objection to ethanol is that you're taking what's essentially surplus food and using it to fuel cars. To many people, this just seems wrong, when there are people who are starving in the world.
Yes, yes, yes! This is the other half. It is a waste. Thank you for bringing it up.