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Morchella · 27th June 2005, 06:29 PM

I just read this article in the SF Chronicle. http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...NG1VDF6EM1.DTL
I would like to hear a discussion about the efficiency of ethanol as a fuel source. I was a little surprised when the article did not mention that during the production of ethanol, the yeast uses up most of the calories in the corn and the waste product of the yeast is ethanol and CO2. I remember learning somewhere that the yeast uses 90% of the calories in the corn substrate so that we can harvest the ethanol. The article mainly talks about the fossil fuel used during the production of ethanol. It appears that the use of ethanol for fuel is a waste no matter which way you look at it.

epepke · 27th June 2005, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Morchella
I just read this article in the SF Chronicle. http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...NG1VDF6EM1.DTL
I would like to hear a discussion about the efficiency of ethanol as a fuel source. I was a little surprised when the article did not mention that during the production of ethanol, the yeast uses up most of the calories in the corn and the waste product of the yeast is ethanol and CO2. I remember learning somewhere that the yeast uses 90% of the calories in the corn substrate so that we can harvest the ethanol.

From my beer brewing days, I seem to remember that it wasn't that bad. Maybe 60%.

27th June 2005, 06:29 PM	#1
Morchella Scholar Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Lake Tahoe Posts: 62	Ethanol in a pork barrel I just read this article in the SF Chronicle. http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...NG1VDF6EM1.DTL I would like to hear a discussion about the efficiency of ethanol as a fuel source. I was a little surprised when the article did not mention that during the production of ethanol, the yeast uses up most of the calories in the corn and the waste product of the yeast is ethanol and CO2. I remember learning somewhere that the yeast uses 90% of the calories in the corn substrate so that we can harvest the ethanol. The article mainly talks about the fossil fuel used during the production of ethanol. It appears that the use of ethanol for fuel is a waste no matter which way you look at it.
	__________________ Dog be with you.

27th June 2005, 09:34 PM	#2
epepke Philosopher Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,953	Re: Ethanol in a pork barrel Quote: Originally posted by Morchella I just read this article in the SF Chronicle. http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...NG1VDF6EM1.DTL I would like to hear a discussion about the efficiency of ethanol as a fuel source. I was a little surprised when the article did not mention that during the production of ethanol, the yeast uses up most of the calories in the corn and the waste product of the yeast is ethanol and CO2. I remember learning somewhere that the yeast uses 90% of the calories in the corn substrate so that we can harvest the ethanol. From my beer brewing days, I seem to remember that it wasn't that bad. Maybe 60%.
epepke Philosopher Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 7,953	__________________ "It probably came from a sticky dark planet far, far away." - Godzilla versus Hedora "There's no evidence that the 9-11 attacks (whoever did them) were deliberately attacking civilians. On the contrary the targets appear to have been chosen as military." -DavidByron