Corn Farmers, Biofuels Have More to Offer

Colorado, Farming/Growing, Feedstocks, Field/Orchard/Plantation Crops/Residues, Health Concerns/Benefits, Infrastructure, Opinions, Policy, Sustainability

July 20, 2017

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by Mark Sponsler (Colorado Corn/Journal-Advocate) … Oxygenating gasoline is required under Clean Air Act amendments, and ethanol — with its clean-burning qualities — has long been regarded as the best additive for that. For years, adding 10 percent ethanol to gasoline (or E10) has helped many cities achieve Clean Air requirements they otherwise could not. In fact, in 2016, ethanol was credited with lowering CO2-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions from transportation by 43.5 million metric tons — akin to removing 9.3 million cars from our roads.

Biofuels like ethanol also displace cancer-causing gasoline additives, like benzene — the same chemical found in cigarette smoke.

And while ethanol opponents continue using outdated farming practices and figures in attempt to show that ethanol production requires more energy than it produces, that’s simply not true. Ethanol actually has a positive energy balance — not negative. According to a comprehensive analysis from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), one unit of energy invested in corn ethanol creates 2.3 units of usable energy, and the process is becoming more efficient.

Furthermore, Gov. Hickenlooper talked about “affordable energy” during his recent speech, and again my thoughts turned to ethanol. The increase in overall fuel supplies from ethanol being blended with gasoline has helped lower prices at the pump, by anywhere from 50 cents to $1.50 per gallon.

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Reebok is now actually using corn to make the soles of its shoes.

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In regards to environmental progress, I like to point out the comprehensive 2012 Field to Market Report, which showed that U.S. corn farmers increased bushels per acre, or yields, by 64 percent from 1980 to 2011. Yet also during that same timespan, land use per bushel decreased by 30 percent; energy use per bushel fell 44 percent; water use per bushel dropped 53 percent; soil erosion per bushel went down 67 percent; and greenhouse gas emissions per bushel decreased 36 percent. READ MORE

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