tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post113601794923230446..comments2023-12-27T04:58:41.112-08:00Comments on BIOconversion Blog: Is Ethanol Energy-efficient?C. Scott Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-1136166391264393632006-01-01T17:46:00.000-08:002006-01-01T17:46:00.000-08:00Corn sugar fermentation - This is a "chicken or eg...Corn sugar fermentation - This is a "chicken or egg" situation. The farm world is dependent on fossil fuels precisely because fossil fuels have been the basis of the paradigm that has developed and dominated the last 100 years. Tractors, trucks, and fertilizers technology have been built on this paradigm during that time. To switch to ethanol will require a gradual phasing in of new fuels and C. Scott Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-1136163553706640332006-01-01T16:59:00.000-08:002006-01-01T16:59:00.000-08:00C. Scott Miller said, "I defer to the Argonne Nati...C. Scott Miller said, "I defer to the Argonne National Laboratory's research results which are very clear in their opinion that ethanol produced via sugar fermentation generates a net energy surplus (approx. 35% more than it consumes)."<BR/><BR/>I've read the Argonne study also.<BR/><BR/>But doesn't it strike you as being the least bit curious that if ethanol returns more energy than is invested Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-1136082105431333332005-12-31T18:21:00.000-08:002005-12-31T18:21:00.000-08:00I defer to the Argonne National Laboratory's resea...I defer to the Argonne National Laboratory's research results which are very clear in their opinion that ethanol produced via sugar fermentation generates a net energy surplus (approx. 35% more than it consumes).<BR/><BR/>In many states, ethanol is mandated as an oxygenate so its price or energy cost is almost a moot issue. <BR/><BR/>However, I am personally more optimistic about the syngas C. Scott Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04752517798894140353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14235725.post-1136079940672543342005-12-31T17:45:00.000-08:002005-12-31T17:45:00.000-08:00C. Scott Miller asked, "Simply put, is more energy...C. Scott Miller asked, "Simply put, is more energy used to grow and process the raw material into ethanol than is contained in the ethanol itself?"<BR/><BR/>The answer is almost as simple as the question.<BR/><BR/>The ethanol industry will have proved making ethanol -- especially corn ethanol -- returns more energy than its production consumes the day the ethanol industry doesn't need energy fromAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com