Ethanol is a biofuel typically made from corn, and it is frequently added to gasoline, as it supposedly decreases GHG emissions from gas combustion. However, it has faced controversy about whether or not its addition is actually effective. Multiple studies have yielded contrasting results, with some finding that ethanol decreases emissions and others finding that it actually increases them.

This is of critical importance when regarding the enforcement of a national ethanol mandate, which has found opposition not only from the oil industry, but also food and agricultural industries concerned about the rising cost of corn and boat manufacturers worried about the effects of ethanol on engines. The ethanol lobby is composed largely of ethanol distributors and those involved in the corn industry, which have the financial incentive to support the mandate and therefore the sale of corn. The US government spends billions of dollars to subsidise corn for many reasons, including national food security. Maintaining US corn farms eases reliance on international sources for basic crops such as corn, especially in case of a crisis. As a result, prosperous times have found themselves with an abundance of corn in need of a purpose. Some debate that ethanol puts this corn to good use, while others argue that ethanol production raises food prices and increases land use.

There are many sources of debate when it comes to the addition of ethanol to fuel. Biofuels are often considered environmentally friendly, as the carbon released had been taken from the atmosphere as the plant grew, but ethanol opponents argue that emissions from cultivation, processing, and transportation nullify the perceived benefits of corn ethanol. A study published in 2022 concluded that the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), a federal ethanol mandate, caused changes in land use resulting in 24% or more carbon emissions from corn ethanol than gasoline. In addition, they claimed that the RFS resulted in a 30% increase in corn prices and a 20% increase in other crop prices, along with increased land and fertilizer use (Lark et al., 2022). Meanwhile, in 2017, the EPA analysed new research since 2010 across 11 emissions categories and concluded that “the current GHG profile of U.S. corn ethanol is, on average, 39 percent lower than gasoline,” and that industry trends and decisions could bring that figure to 47-70%. The uncertainty of the environmental and social impacts of ethanol make it a widely debated topic, making mandates and federal funding decisions controversial. However, there are a few aspects of ethanol in fuel that are generally agreed upon.

Ethanol contains about two thirds of the energy stored in gasoline, meaning it lowers fuel economy when mixed with gasoline. However, car experts say that combining ethanol with gasoline is beneficial for engines, as it increases gasoline’s relatively low octane number. Blends with a higher octane number prevent knocking, which is beneficial to typical cars.

Although scientific or political communities have not reached a comprehensive conclusion of the impact of ethanol addition in fuels, it is interesting to consider the possibilities. Even if a resounding answer is never given on ethanol additives, the increasing electrification of personal vehicles might render the argument obsolete.

I didn’t really know what ethanol was until my Food, Society, and Environment course I took over summer, and we spent like two weeks just talking about corn. Which is especially crazy because I took the accelerated version; other students would have been learning about corn for four weeks! It was in this class that I was exposed to the ethanol debate, and I really hoped that I’d be able to get to the bottom of it if I did some extra research. With GMOs, it didn’t take too long to dig past the surface and find that most of the scientific community supports them, but with ethanol, there’s a lot of evidence in both directions. No matter where you look, there are plenty of people who disagree on both sides of the debate, and I honestly don’t know what the “correct” solution is. I think a lot more research needs to be done for everyone to reach the same conclusion, and I honestly don’t know if it’s worth it. Considering the rising popularity of hybrid and electric vehicles, how long until we aren’t even thinking about ethanol anymore? I know it’s still early, but really, will this be an issue in 100 years? Would the time and money spent on this issue just be better spent on investing in EV infrastructure or something? I don’t know, but that’s what I’m wondering.

Well, if we do find a concrete answer to the ethanol debate, be certain that I’ll tell you about it! Stay tuned to learn with me!

Fuel Properties: https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/ethanol-fuel-basics

Corn subsidies: https://usafacts.org/articles/federal-farm-subsidies-what-data-says/

https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/usa-facts/ – USA Facts is known for a “very high” factual reporting.

Other sources cited in text:

https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2101084119https://www.usda.gov/oce/climate_change/mitigation_technologies/USDAEthanolReport_20170107.pdf