What are Some Issues Surrounding Corn Ethanol Production?
Corn ethanol, a biofuel produced by fermenting and processing corn, has often been touted as an alternative to petroleum-based fuels. However, this wonder fuel has attracted considerable controversy, especially in the wake of its increased popularity, highlighting the fact that there is no simple solution to the need for energy. One of the key issues involved in producing any type of fuel is how efficient the production is; in other words, how much fuel is yielded per unit of the source. Gasoline may not be an ideal fuel in many ways, but it is extremely efficient, with a very high yield of usable gas per barrel of crude oil. This is not the case with corn; taking into account all of the steps involved in the process, corn ethanol production yields around 30% more energy than is consumed in the process of making the fuel, which is not very impressive. Corn in particular is less efficient than crops such as switchgrass, which has led some people to suggest that instead of focusing on co
