• Home
    • Watersheds
  • About Us
    • LWV UMRR Board
    • Background
    • Contact Us
  • LWV Positions on Water
  • Blog
  • Upcoming Events
    • LWV UMRR Calendar
    • Past Meeting Materials
  • Membership
  • Donate
  • Annual Meeting 2022
  • New Page
  LWV Upper Mississippi River Region

UMRR blog

Environmental outcomes of the US Renewable Fuel Standard - the impacts of corn ethanol on carbon levels

3/2/2022

0 Comments

 
PictureEthanol plant - photo from DTN
On Feb 14, 2022, a group of researchers from the Universities of Wisconsin, Kansas, Kentucky and California published a paper that examines the overall impact of the US Renewable Fuel Standard on carbon in our atmosphere.  Here's a link to that article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.  Based on  their analysis, the researchers showed that ethanol from corn and other biofuels actually add to green house gases.  

The researchers conclude that when considerations such as land use changes, increased fertilizer use, impacts of ethanol production and more, corn ethanol can actually be increasing green house gases.  Corn ethanol is the current cornerstone of renewable fuels. 

Corn ethanol was found to be worse for the environment than gasoline in this paper.  Researchers from other institutions will add their analyses as they test the hypotheses of this paper.  That is how science works, through testing and data, and rigorous discussion based on facts. 

Science has become politicized, and it is likely that there will be much bluster and ballyhoo about this research, too.  Depending on where you get your news, the interpretation will change.  It's good to look at the data that the conclusions are based on and keep an open mind when the research is discussed.   


This article, on the Civil Eats website, provides a good summary of the paper for non-scientific audiences from an environmental perspective.  Limited reading of the article is allowed before the paywall closes.   This article is from one of the authors of the paper, is a statement of findings in his own words on the UC Davis website.  It is also a good summary of the findings.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Categories

    All
    Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
    Climate Change
    Drinking Water
    Event
    Farm Bill
    Government Policy
    Groundwater
    LWV
    Mining
    MRRRI
    Nutrient Pollution
    Outreach And Engagement
    PFAS
    Pipelines
    Plastics

    RSS Feed

    DONATE
  • Home
    • Watersheds
  • About Us
    • LWV UMRR Board
    • Background
    • Contact Us
  • LWV Positions on Water
  • Blog
  • Upcoming Events
    • LWV UMRR Calendar
    • Past Meeting Materials
  • Membership
  • Donate
  • Annual Meeting 2022
  • New Page