Ethanol reduces energy inputs by 30 percent in past decade: report

Biofuels Digest
May 31, 2010 Jim Lane

In Washington, Growth Enegy hailed a study conclusing that ethanol requires 30 percent less energy in production than a decade ago.

“The amount of energy needed to produce a gallon of ethanol has decreased by an average of 30 percent within the past decade, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Energy Resources Center. Researchers surveyed the nation’s 150 “dry mill” ethanol plants which produce approximately 85 percent of the nation’s ethanol for energy use and received 90 responses accounting for 66 percent of annual U.S. ethanol production. Survey data found that plants use 28 percent less thermal energy — mostly natural gas, but some coal, biomass and landfill gas — and 32 percent less electricity to turn corn into ethanol. The savings are largely due to the use of more efficient equipment at new plants and energy efficiency retrofits at older facilities.”

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