The following links are recordings of interviews that were conducted with experts in the field of Ethanol, its production, and the implications of expanding this industry.


Ms. Barbara Goodman

Director- Center for Transportation Technologies and Systems

National Renewable Energy Labs (NREL)

Full interview can be seen at the below link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqXr-sKBD16o1

Dr. Robert Wooley 

VP of Process Development - Gevo 

Previous Employment

Abengoa Bioenergy

2007 – 2011 (4 years)

Full interview can be seen at the below link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqXr-sKBD6o

John Sheehan

University of Minnesota

Initiative for Renewable Energy & the Environment
Global Landscapes Initiative

Full interview can be seen at the below link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqXr1-sKBD6o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFyHnUU56_s

Dr. Robert Wooley V.P. , Director of  process engineering, Gevo

This is a clip of Dr. Wooley when he was called to congress to inform members of the committee about the current state of Ethanol production in the United States. Dr. Wooley informs them that it is a very doable process that will need continued research. The research that needs to be conducted is to refine the production process to help the U.S. become less dependent on foreign oil.

About Us

We are a collective group of three students with the shared interest for the future of America's fuel economy. As college students, we are at the forefront in terms of future innovation in our economy and job market. Our group is composed of Joey Wooley, Benny Lu, and Danny Nguyen. Coming from various backgrounds of studies, we are united by a common passion for renewable resources. Without significant change to our current fuel industry, there is no doubt that natural fuels will become scarce resources in the near future.

Joey Wooley (center), our team leader, has been involved in the ethanol industry for years. He, along with his father, Dr. Robert Wooley of the renewable chemicals and advanced bio fuels company Gevo, worked to help inform the general public about the necessity for a reliable source for fuel. Both father and son have given us invaluable tools for our disposal.

Benny Lu (left), our hard working analyst, provides intuitive and in-depth explanations for the possibilities of renewable resources. Although not limited to ethanol, he has a great interest algae fuel and strongly supports the use of bio fuel as opposed to society's consistent use of fossil fuels. Through dedication and persistent effort, Benny provides informative benefits from alternative fuel on our current food and fuel economy.

Danny Nguyen (right), our other researcher, presents quantitative data on a macro and micro economic scale of the ethanol industry. During much of his time researching, there was much skewed and incorrectly information presented to the public. His desire for a larger bio fuel economy has helped to correct these unjustified claims with statistical data.

Throughout this project, each of us have become more knowledgeable about corn and its role as a fuel and a food. Discrepancies aside, our collective research aims to inform the population the true effects of ethanol as well as its impact on society. Not only have we grown as friends, but we have grown as academics. We hope that there will be a bright future for the bio fuel industry. Be it may food or fuel, may corn be with you. Cheerio.

Improvements on Corn Ethanol

A study on the life cycle energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) was conducted on corn ethanol by Adam J. Liska, Haishun S. Yang, Virgil R. Bremer, Terry J. Klopfenstein, Daniel T. Walters, Galen E. Erickson, and Kenneth G. Cassman. The paper was published in 2008 so it it fairly recent. The paper analyzes corn ethanol life cycle energy efficiency, similar to an output/input ratio, and also the reduction of GHG by corn ethanol production.

In the paper, the researchers look at various data and models including crop production data, ethanol biorefinery data, coproduct cattle feed, and GHG emissions. The findings are that due to recent improvements in technology, corn ethanol production has increased in efficiency and reduces even more GHG emissions. In previous studies, people found that corn ethanol had an output/input ratio of about 1.2-1.4 but this study finds it to have increased to about 1.5-1.8 and could improve to 2.2 in the near future. They also found that corn ethanol reduced 48-58% more GHG compared to gasoline.

The paper is pro corn ethanol and believes a cap and trade system for GHG emissions will lower costs for corn ethanol and increase its popularity. A cap and trade system is when the government sets a max amount that a firm can pollute GHG emissions and lets firms have the rights to trade/sell their rights to pollute to other firms that have high costs of cleanup or reducing GHG emissions. Because of this, corn ethanol producers can sell their rights to pollute increasing revenue and lowering costs and at the same time reducing GHG emissions.

Although this paper is fairly recent (2008), the data used and analyzed is still older. This comes back to the topic that we need an update on the efficiency and GHG reductions of corn ethanol. To help support corn ethanol, start by learning more about corn ethanol by reading this blog as well being more active. You can start by writing a letter to congress.

To read the full research paper:
http://www.ethanol.org/pdf/contentmgmt/Improvements_in_Life_Cycle_Energy_Efficiency_and_Greenhouse_Gas_Emissions_of_CornEthanol.pdf

To write a letter to congress:
http://letter2congress.rallycongress.com/698/

Corn Corn Corn

Interesting depiction of anti-corn ethanol. Go to link for full size image.

http://www.motherjones.com/files/images/the-ethanol-effect-630.jpg

Corn Ethanol GHG Update?

The Renewable Fuels Association on Dec 3, 2012, announced that they had sent a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) asking the EPA to review the corn and sugarcane greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). They claim that the current estimates for how much the lifecycle of corn and sugarcane ethanol production reduces GHG is understated. This is due to increasing technological advances which better measures and reduces GHG and also that no update has been issued in the past three years.

According to letter, there have been dozens of studies since the three years that show improvements with corn ethanol production. Most studies suggest that corn ethanol is more efficient these days and reduces even more GHG than previously thought to. On the other hand, the studies suggets Brazil's sugarcane ethanol is worse than previously predicted. They argue that is is important to update GHG to better inform the public and help in policy decision making.

To read the full letter:
http://ethanolrfa.3cdn.net/1224de70600ff74bb1_elm6ib8fp.pdf