4 ms·
This statement is logically unsound. The addition of ethanol is as an additive to reduce emissions, just as other petroleum-based additives are used. There's
by jhayward 8y ago
This statement is logically unsound. The addition of ethanol is as an additive to reduce emissions, just as other petroleum-based additives are used. There's no constraint that such additives be net energy positive.
- imtringued 8y agoThe tractors and other farm equipment still run on fossil fuels and then there is the carbon cost of transporting the ethanol.
- merpnderp 8y agoThis is the first I've heard of ethanol being useful for reducing emissions. First off, the net effect is obviously more emissions since the fuel burned to create the ethanol is mostly diesel in farm equipment. Second the local reduction of emissions seems to be benzene, but is replaced with acetaldehyde, which sounds like a wash, or barely an improvement. The emissions argument seems like a complete loser for ethanol.
- jabl 8y agoIt can be used as an oxidizer, as in some places MTBE has been banned.
- jhayward 8y ago> This is the first I've heard of ethanol being useful for reducing emissions. Why would the EPA be involved, if not for emissions reasons? The argument about net-zero or negative energy life-cycle return isn't what is meant by "emissions". In automobiles the exhaust pipe is considered a point source, not the combined sum of the production process including a tractor being run a thousand miles away from downtown LA or Houston.
- merpnderp 8y agoI addressed this with my local emissions comment about benzene. Maybe you missed it.