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CarpenterNJ Champion Author New Jersey Posts:1,242 Points:512,765 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Sep 24, 2011 3:33:00 PM Ignore CarpenterNJ Report Abuse Adding up the energy costs of corn production and its conversion to ethanol, 138.21 mega joules are needed to make 1 gallon of ethanol. One gallon of ethanol has an energy value of only 81.24 mega joules. Put another way, about 60 percent more energy is required to produce the ethanol than the energy that is actually in it. Every time you make 1 gallon of ethanol, there is a net energy loss of 56.97 mega joules. Hardly economical using anybody's math. It just seems like a terrible waste when folks could be eating the corn… J

CarpenterNJ

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New Jersey

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Message Posted: Sep 24, 2011 3:33:00 PM

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Adding up the energy costs of corn production and its conversion to ethanol, 138.21 mega joules are needed to make 1 gallon of ethanol. One gallon of ethanol has an energy value of only 81.24 mega joules. Put another way, about 60 percent more energy is required to produce the ethanol than the energy that is actually in it. Every time you make 1 gallon of ethanol, there is a net energy loss of 56.97 mega joules.

Hardly economical using anybody's math.

It just seems like a terrible waste when folks could be eating the corn…

J

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goldseeker Champion Author West Virginia Posts:19,550 Points:2,719,790 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Sep 25, 2011 7:16:11 PM Ignore goldseeker Report Abuse SS, I wouldn't worry about Carpenter and his mega joules nonsense. At one time oil was cheap and could be had at just a few dollars a barrel. That is not the case anymore. Most forms of oil has become very expensive to produce, and that it long before it goes to the refinery. As time goes by ethanol production has become more and more efficient, whereas oil and gas production is and will become more expensive.
reb4 Champion Author Chicago Posts:19,122 Points:1,823,100 Joined:Sep 2004	Message Posted: Sep 25, 2011 5:53:37 PM Ignore reb4 Report Abuse pitbull1 - maybe you should stop buying suburbans and downsize to fuel efficient vehicles... made in usa of course... silverstreaker, odd that the link you provide shows sugarcane ane cellulosic is significantly less than corn as well... and a quote from that link... "30 percent of current gasoline consumption by 2030 on a sustainable basis " of course that changes with a significant weather event in the corn belt...
stickyvalves Champion Author Iowa Posts:5,280 Points:1,558,695 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Sep 25, 2011 5:15:34 PM Ignore stickyvalves Report Abuse There's been corn available every time I want some for the table. No shortage yet.
SilverStreaker Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:11,944 Points:2,217,515 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Sep 25, 2011 12:35:03 PM Ignore SilverStreaker Report Abuse CarpenterNJ, welcome to GasBuddy. Can you provide a source to your claim about the amount of energy needed to make ethanol? According to the US Dept. of Energy's Ethanol Myths and Facts website, it takes .74 BTU input/BTU output to make ethanol. Comparitively, it takes 1.23 BTU input/BTU output to make gasoline. By your logic, we should stop wasting energy making gasoline and instead make ethanol.
Pitbull1 Veteran Author Detroit Posts:395 Points:23,790 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Sep 25, 2011 11:42:01 AM Ignore Pitbull1 Report Abuse All that wonderful crap said, what are you going to do when there is less oil or no oil? At least using alternatives along side the proven oil,it will make our world reserves last longer. Time to wake up. After being taken advantage of since 1973 it is time to tell the Middle East where to put their oil! [Edited by: Pitbull1 at 9/25/2011 11:44:11 AM EST]
OceanArcher Champion Author Mississippi Posts:5,713 Points:1,329,350 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Sep 24, 2011 9:08:49 PM Ignore OceanArcher Report Abuse What's the five minute editing rule ??