Is there enough fresh ground water to maintain enough ethanol production to power cars?

Question

I read a couple of articles today about the existing and expected shortage of water around the globe. One specifically attributed shortages of water to the demand for irrigation to grow good and biofuels. Are there any unintended consequences to our global water supply from using ethanol to power our cars instead of gasoline, a resource that we get from beneath the ground and is used for no other purpose?

Here's the Reuters article I referenced above: http://news.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=MTQQVUKE2ZQAKCRBAEKSFEY?type=reutersEdge&storyID=13512167

Answer 1

recently in the local paper there was an article about a new ethanol plant going in. the plant was going to produce 100 million gallons a year. but they are having trouble securing enough water rights to make the plant work. they need 550 million gallons of water a year. not a very good tradeoff if you ask me.

Answer 2

The jury is still out on the feasibility of producing cheap energy using ethanol.

But, I think that the solution is nuclear power. Nuclear power can be used to create cheap electricity which can then be used to produce hydrogen for fuel cells and to produce fresh water from sea water.

We, as a civilization need to look at nuclear power as the salvation of mankind rather than the possible devastation.

As an aside, I personally believe that the proliferation of nuclear power has turned out to be a deterrent to war and conflict rather than a reason.

For example, the United States will never attack Russia with a nuclear weapon because they know the consequences of that act. The Russians fear the United States for the same reason.

So, if all countries gain access to nuclear power, a nuclear conflagration seems less probable than it is now.

I know that what I just said is controversial and possibly dead wrong, but I think that If all countries are an equal nuclear level, they will begin to cooperate more.

Answer 3

Make no mistake the last wars will be fought over water.