Letter to the Editor

Ethanol and energy

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Dear Editor,

Nice question (Stan Garretson) on the ethanol issue.  Here's what I found out.  Using NEV (Net Energy Valve) on a weighted average basis (both wet-mill and dry-mill processes), the energy input value to the Btu output value of ethanol has a net energy gain of 182,676 Btu for every bushel or corn used in the production of ethanol.  Thus, from a liquid fuel utilization perspective, ethanol can extend U.S. domestic crude reserves by a factor of 7 or similarly reduce U.S. imports by the same.

About 85 percent of the total energy to produce ethanol comes from non-liquid fuel (coal) and accounts for 137,750 Btu per bushel and natural gas and liquefied petroleum (LP) accounts for 28,547 Btu per bushel. The liquid fuels, which include gasoline, diesel, and fuel oil, account for 29,998 Btu per bushel.

Energy input values you mentioned are all included.  These include the NEV to produce the corn, NEV to transport the corn to the ethanol plant and the NEV to refine the material into ethanol.

Kirt Matson

McCook

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