Ethanol or Biodiesel: Futures or Dead Ends?

As ethanol begins to sprout major popularity in the U.S., new research shows another alternative fuel, soybean derived biodiesel, has a far greater energy yield. A new study that considers all of the energy needed to farm and process corn to make ethanol shows that the energy gain in producing corn-blended ethanol is far less than that of soybean- harvested biodiesel. In addition, the study shows that biodiesel in general releases far less of a greenhouse-gas producer than ethanol. The burning of ethanol results in a 12 percent less greenhouse-gas emission than the burning of gasoline. In terms of biodiesel, there is a 41 percent reduction compared with regular diesel. When accounting for the totality of production, the processing of corn and grain to make ethanol yields about 25% more energy than used. In contrast, the energy used in farming and processing soybeans to make biodiesel yields approximately 93% more energy than consumed- a significant difference when it comes to the ideals energy consciousness and ever-present desire to cut production costs that are present in our world’s business community.

Nevertheless, what do all of these facts mean? Surely, these figures point to biodiesel as the next alternative fuel to power our world into the future. Not quite. Though biodiesel has proved to be more efficient and eco-friendly than ethanol, its practicality of usage is not so positive. First, one must have a diesel vehicle, which is not too terrible of a requirement, but a requirement nonetheless. Next, one must spend upwards of $700 or more converting their diesel vehicle to be able to handle a biodiesel setup, such as the implication of new fuel lines, and a heated fuel tank. Though diesel vehicles were originally made to run on vegetable oil, they are not prepared to handle the alternative fuel. Have you ever noticed how grease in a pan, after cooling to room temperature, begins to solidify? Well, so does biodiesel. The problem of keeping the fuel up to temperature does not bode well for those in cooler climates, as they will have a gas tank full of solid contents when they go to start their car.

Though ethanol may not be as efficient as we like, and biodiesel may prove to be more efficient but lacks in practicality of implication, we are without a doubt destined to see new and exciting alternative fuels in the future.