Ethanol

1. Ethanol

2. Carbon Levels • Before the Industrial Revolution the atmosphere contained about 280 parts per million of carbon dioxide. • The current level is around 380 parts per million.

3. Getting’ Hot in Here • The increased amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is accelerating global warming. • The earth has warmed about 1 degree Fahrenheit in the past century.

4. Our Savior? • Because of global warming, there has been much time, money, and energy poured into alternative fuel sources. • For example: Corn-derived ethanol.

5. Negative Effects

6. Effects Continued… • Deforestation is the number one source of greenhouse gases in Brazil. • Deforestation accounts for 20 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions worldwide.

7. Rate of Destruction • It is estimated that about 50 billion tons of CO2 are stored in the Amazon. • If deforestation continues at current rates, it is possible that over half of the Amazon will be completely annihilated by 2050. • This would release about 20.5 billion tons of CO2 in to earth’s atmosphere.

10. World Hunger • Ethanol pits 800 million people with cars against 800 million people with hunger problems. • Every acre of land that is used to generate fuel is an acre of land that can’t be used to generate the food needed to feed us or the carbon storage needed to save us.

11. Possible Increase In Poverty • Four years ago, two University of Minnesota researchers predicted the ranks of the world hungry would drop to 625 million by 2025; last year, after adjusting for inflationary effects of bio-fuels, they increased their prediction to 1.2 billion.

12. Different Approach • Dr. David Pimentel says, “Bio-fuels are a total waste and misleading us from getting at what we really need to do: conservation.”

13. Agribusiness boondoggle • The bottom line is that corn derived ethanol destroys our forests, drives up the cost of food, and pollutes our air. • John McCain referred to ethanol production as a,“ridiculous agribusiness boondoggle.”

14. Sugarcane has been cultivated in Brazil since 1532. Brazil received 35.4% of all African slaves, primarily they were to work on sugar cane plantations. Beginnings

15. In 1976 the Brazilian government made it mandatory to blend anhydrous ethanol with gasoline, fluctuating between 10% and 22% In 2007 the mandatory blend became 25% ethanol to 75% gasoline. Ethanol Blends

16. Ethanol from sugarcane is a renewable resource, and it releases less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than gasoline. Greenhouse Gases

17. Energy balance refers to the total amount of energy released during the creation of the ethanol compared to the amount released when it is burned.  Brazilian sugarcane based ethanol has a favorable energy balance, varying from 8.3 for average conditions to 10.2 for best practice production.  This means that for average conditions one unit of fossil-fuel energy is required to create 8.3 energy units from the resulting ethanol.  These findings have been confirmed by other studies.   Energy Balance

18. Sugarcane production has offered the poorest people of Brazil many jobs, above the minimum wage, and with benefits. The need for more sugarcane goes up each and every year this produces more and more career opportunities. Employment

19. Regarding social responsibility, the ethanol sector for sugarcane production keeps up over 600 schools, 200 nursery centers and 300 daycare centers. Legislation requires that 1% of the net sugar cane price and 2% of the net ethanol price must be devoted to medical, dental, pharmaceutical, sanitary, and educational services for sugar cane workers. Social Responsibility

20. Pure gasoline is no longer sold in Brazil due to the government making it mandatory to blend ethanol fuel with gasoline between 1972 and 1992. By the end of 2008, there were 35,000 ethanol filling stations throughout Brazil. Gasoline

21. Extracting ethanol from the entire plant instead of just the more edible parts of the plant. Just about any plant material could be used to produce plant material, such as wood chips and grasses. Cellulosic Ethanol

22. Greater yields of ethanol. potential to produce 1,000 gallons of ethanol per acre, compared to 665 gallons per acre of sugarcane and 400 gallons per acre of corn. Advantages

23. They can take advantage of waste from wood processing plants for example or just garbage that contains cellulose. This diverts huge amounts of waste from landfills as it is estimated that 37% of landfill waste contains waste paper which is largely made up of cellulose. Not just from crops…

24. Cellulosic ethanol crops, such as switch grass, are very hardy plants. They are drought and disease resistant. They can grow just about anywhere in the continental United States. They also help improve soil quality and prevent erosion because of their deep root system. Cellulosic Ethanol Crops

26. The crops grown to produce cellulosic ethanol are grown just for that purpose. Will not effect food prices to the extent of corn. Cellulosic Ethanol Continued

27. Cellulosic ethanol has a long way to go. It has not reach the cost advantage it needs to compete with corn ethanol or gasoline. Recent energy bill has put more money in research. Future