A new, extensive report has been prepared for the International Energy Agency's Bioenergy Task Force on the greenhouse gas emissions profile of today's grain-based ethanol. The research finds that many analyses on ethanol's lifecycle emissions do not accurately factor in the improvements in both growing the feedstock and processing the feedstock in to ethanol.
The report analyzed GHG reductions from grain-based ethanol since 1995 and projected them out to 2015, concluding that ethanol's GHG reductions over that time period will grow by 100%.
The report stated: "The GHG emissions savings from ethanol production and use have more than doubled between 1995 and the projected level in 2015. This indicates the danger of making policy decisions based on historical data without taking into account learning experiences and the potential gains that can be expected as industries develop."
The research also found that ethanol's energy balance continues to improve as well.
For 2005, grain ethanol’s energy balance ratio was estimated at 1:1.42, meaning every unit of energy used to produce ethanol returned 1.42 units of usable energy to the consumer. By 2015, the energy balance ratio is expected to be 1:1.93, a 55% increase in energy efficiency in just 10 years. Both the GHG performance and energy balance of ethanol will continue to improve, standing in stark contrast to the profile of gasoline and petroleum which will get worse.
The entire report can be downloaded here: http://www.ethanol.org/pdf/contentmgmt/An_Examination_of_the_Potential_for_Improving_Carbon_Energy_Balance_of_Bioethanol.pdf
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