I just read this article in the SF Chronicle. http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/06/27/MNG1VDF6EM1.DTL
I would like to hear a discussion about the efficiency of ethanol as a fuel source. I was a little surprised when the article did not mention that during the production of ethanol, the yeast uses up most of the calories in the corn and the waste product of the yeast is ethanol and CO2. I remember learning somewhere that the yeast uses 90% of the calories in the corn substrate so that we can harvest the ethanol. The article mainly talks about the fossil fuel used during the production of ethanol. It appears that the use of ethanol for fuel is a waste no matter which way you look at it.
I would like to hear a discussion about the efficiency of ethanol as a fuel source. I was a little surprised when the article did not mention that during the production of ethanol, the yeast uses up most of the calories in the corn and the waste product of the yeast is ethanol and CO2. I remember learning somewhere that the yeast uses 90% of the calories in the corn substrate so that we can harvest the ethanol. The article mainly talks about the fossil fuel used during the production of ethanol. It appears that the use of ethanol for fuel is a waste no matter which way you look at it.
