More ethanol usage may be bad for Earth

UPI.com
Published: March. 11, 2010 at 4:33 PM

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., March 11 (UPI) -- A Purdue University study suggests the increased use of corn ethanol might boost the Earth's greenhouse gas emissions.

Professor Thomas Hertel and his five co-authors said their new economic analysis of the effects of increasing use of corn-derived ethanol on greenhouse gas emissions confirms the corn-based biofuel is unlikely to reduce global production of carbon dioxide.

The study focused on how mandated increases in production of the biofuel in the United States will trigger land-use changes domestically and elsewhere. In response to increased demand for corn, the scientists said farmers convert additional land to crops. And that conversion can boost carbon dioxide emissions, the scientists said.

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