On equal energy basis does ethanol produce less CO2 than gas?

Question

Combustion calculations show 8.33 percent reduction of CO2 when ethanol is burnt compared to Gasoline on equal energy basis. CO2 is also produced in the production of ethanol. If this is added to that obtained in burning, will it still be less than that produced in gasoline burning.

Answer 1

I assume that you are asking if the CO2 produced by ethanol distillation negates the CO2 benefits of using alcohol as a fuel when compared with gasoline.The answer to this question depends on who you ask and what fuel is used in the ethanol distillation process. If fossil fuels are used, I agree currently there may be no overall CO2 advantage to ethanol. However, I have heard that technology is becoming available which uses a more efficient distillation process and uses plants which convert more biologic material to ethanol as compared to corn or sugar cane.

Answer 2

Hydrocarbons are way less with ethanol. The CO2 produced at the ethanol plants is often reclaimed and used for other industries.

Answer 3

sturdy element. yet sugar isn't trouble-free to strengthen in our decrease 40 8 states... we could truly be greater powerful off utilising popple (poplar) wood as biomass to make ethanol; the popple-produced ethanol burns cleanser than that made with corn, & would not do away with a nutrition source. Popple is a renewable source that grows in maximum of our u . s . a .. regrettably, Rod Grams' suggestions have not caught on yet -- he ran for re-election in MN in '06 yet lost. i'm wondering whether it may desire to be through a mix of reluctance (of politicians) to sell a transformation, the romance of the gorgeous timber (there are a lot of tree-huggers yet fewer corn-huggers ), & the skepticism of the familiar public; plus, the Canadians have been utilising popple-based ethanol for a on a similar time as now with great achievement, yet they do no longer sell & promote it. So, the media are in part in charge, IMHO.