Ethanol Discussion Essay Example

Ethanol Discussion Essay Example Ethanol Discussion Paper Ethanol Discussion Paper Essay Topic: Discussion The author refers to the success story of Brazil where Ethanol produced from sugarcane is being extensively used as a fuel supplement. It should be clarified that, ethanol being produces from molasses; it is a by-product in the sugar production. As such, unlike ethanol production from corn, ethanol production from sugarcane hardly affects the production of sugar, and does not threaten the food security. When the author highlights the CBS’s 60 min Dan Rather show, I tend to agree with the point that ethanol production from corn may affect the food security adversely. However, if we are to consider the effect of bio-fuels in general and not confine to the usage of ethanol alone as a fuel supplement, the scenario changes altogether. With the increasing awareness and acceptance of Jatropha oil as a fuel supplement, there should no longer be a threat to food security from the production of bio-fuel. Jatropha, not being a food crop, would not affect the food security. Moreover, Jatropha being a crop that is cultivable in degraded and less fertile soils, most of the existing cultivated areas will not be affected, thus securing food security for one and all, and yet lessen the mankind’s dependence on fossil fuels like petroleum. Feedback Response – Use of Gasoline may be reduced in an experimental basis. It may be replaced with ethanol to a certain percentage, say 15 % for a target period of 5 years. With observations made on the experimentations and its resulting outcome, the future course of action may be decided. It will decide if the percentage of ethanol be increased, be fully used or eliminated depending on the reading available worldwide regarding, pollution level, emissions, increase or decrease of greenhouse effect, its cost efficiency etc. The question of availability of food is an important one. If agricultural produce is to be used for replacing gasoline, it is imperative that the issue of availability of food to people around the globe be taken care of. It also has to be made available at a price that is purchasable. Once an edible crop is to be used for extracting or converting to ethanol, the price of the crop will tend to increase manifold, thus depriving the poor people of food. While using crops like sugarcane, where the availability of sugar remains unaffected, this problem does not seem to arise. So, as a crop, sugarcane is more viable. In fact, if ethanol fetches more money, sugar prices may tend to come down. Yes, it is possible feeding the world as well as using crops for fuel, if the crop selected is not corn. Use of sugarcane instead of corn may well be able to solve the problem. If 7 millions tons of sugarcane can turn into 300 million liters of ethanol for Brazilian cars and 500 tons of sugar for Saudi Arabia; I think the answer is quite clear. Even the sugarcane waste ‘biogases’, when burnt, can generate heat and power (as alternative fuel). Besides, sugarcane ensures a higher return than corn in the ratio for energy generation. If the fuel efficiency of ethanol is proved, it might well be considered for replacing gasoline. Expert estimate says that, burning sugarcane ethanol generates 55 to 90 percent less carbon-did-oxide than gasoline. If the food element is taken out of ethanol and plant by-products are used to yield ethanol, the question of food scarcity does not arise. NREL laboratory has led a pilot project converting 1 ton of bio-mass to 70 gallons of ethanol in a week. Cellulose ethanol may greatly increase vehicle efficiency too. By considering a non food crop like Jatropha, that can be grown in abundance in waste and degraded lands, there should not be any adverse impact on the food security of the world.