2006-10-03 04:40:40 · 8 answers · asked by wayne_larter 1 in Environment
Sugar beets have a very high sugar content, nearly as high as sugar cane. For years, sugar beets supplied a large part of the US crystal sugar supply, until high fructose corn sryup came on the market in the mid-980's.
Ordinary eating beets (red, yellow and others) are not used for ethanol - they are too small and too valuable for that purpose.
The larger question for society is growing vegetables (corn, sugar beets) for use as a motor fuel (ethanol) a wise choice? Based on economics, morals or other factors.
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The US is building a number of corn-based ethanol plants in the Midwest states, and Brazil is becoming self-sufficient from its sugar-cane-based ethanol and domestic petroleum production. (We also subsidize corn for ethanol with a 50-cents/gallon tax credit, plus we have a 54-cents/gallon tariff on imported ethanol, say from Brazil, for even more protection to domestic producers. So much for 'free trade.')
Ethanol is very costly to produce when considering the diesel fuel, fertilizer, land required to grow, harvest and transport corn or sugar beets, plus the energy to extract the starch or sugar and distill the ethanol. According to Cornell Univ, it takes 72% more energy to produce 1 gallon of ethanol, than the 1 gallon contains in energy. Furthermore, ethanol only supplies about 70% of the BTUs compared to gasoline, so you have to buy 1.3 gallons of ethanol to drive the same number of miles. Net-net, 1 gallon of ethanol consumes 1.72 gallons of fossil fuel to produce, and replaces only 0.7 gallons of fossil fuel. That is not sustainable economics.
In sum, ethanol from corn or sugar beets is a bridge fuel, serving to slightly increase the US energy independence (and end our use of MTBE as a gasoline oxygenate.) Ethanol is not an end-all, be-all answer to imported petroelum. Fuel cells may be the best solution in the long run, for personal & commercial transportation.
Regards
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2006-10-03 04:54:08 · answer #1 · answered by Tom-SJ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Using beets, or any other crop or plant material to make fuel is a great idea - it means lower greenhouse gas emissions then using gasoline or diesel fuels, and the potential to grow your fuel locally. However, some of these 'biofuels' are better than others - the best ones come from crops produced with good farming practices (low fertiliser use etc) and with those crops processed in factories that use a small amount of energy. Sugar beet processes in general are quite good - you get a lot of fuel per acre of land, and the process doesn't use much energy if done correctly.
2006-10-03 12:42:09 · answer #2 · answered by saminyoh 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No as long as beet is not being grown at the expense of something else.
2006-10-03 12:07:25 · answer #3 · answered by ag_iitkgp 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, why would they be?
Beets are one of the most overlooked healthy foods in America! We should use them for our OWN fuel, too.
2006-10-03 11:49:20 · answer #4 · answered by NANCY K 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no. how can this be harmful?? it's a beet.
2006-10-03 11:50:09 · answer #5 · answered by thisisawasteoftime 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, I do not think there is any harm in it.
2006-10-03 11:44:13 · answer #6 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no i think this is a great thing to do.
2006-10-03 11:44:48 · answer #7 · answered by Mr.happy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no
2006-10-03 11:49:02 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋