[Greenbuilding] bio fuels and ethanol

[RONALD CASCIO]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rob Tom" <ArchiLogic at yahoo.ca>
To: <greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org>
Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2007 3:06 PM
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] bio fuels and ethanol


 ... it takes something like 3 units of energy (usually petro-derived) to
produce one unit of corn or soy derived energy.

=== * ===
Rob Tom
Kanata, Ontario, Canada

Rob,

That used to be true for corn derived biofuel but it is now a net gainer,
but it never was so for "oil" based biodiesel which are two different
processies. Ethanol extraction is highly energy intensive distillation
process whereas biodiesel processing is simply a chemical reaction with a
little heat added to aid in the reaction. I'm not sure of the energy return
ratio for ethanol these days but it's 1:3.7 for biodiesel, which is a net
energy gain of 2.7 BTUs, and that calculation includes farming inputs and
transportation. It's easy and often that the two distinct biofuels are
lumped together, but they are as different as night and day.

It would pay to do a little research.


Ron Cascio
Chestnut Creek
Design/Build/Consult/Develop
Maryland's Eastern Shore