Informational Topic:

Ethanol and its global impact on the environment

Project by Casey Bryan, Thad Lane, and Ken Jones

Introduction: As the need for alternative energy sources becomes apparent with growing environmental and economic concerns, ethanol is emerging as a possibility for a viable alternative. Ethanol shows promise in both areas if technology continues to improve.

Task 1 : Global warming. Recent data and trends indicate that the earth is experiencing a warming phenomena. Explore the internet to familiarize yourself with this topic. Specifically, explore carbon dioxide and other green house gases. Some helpful websites might be www.ncdc.noaa.gov/ol/climate/globalwarming.html#INTRO, or www.iitap.iastate.edu/gccourse/overview/overview_lecture.html. The following site shows trends in atmospheric CO2 concentrations in Mauna Loa, Hawaii. cdiac.esd.ornl.gov/trends/co2/sio-mlo.htm. Review these sites and any others you wish and comment on your thoughts about global warming and green house gases.

Task 2 : Now read the following two articles "When will we be Sure?" and "Unbalanced Treatment led to confusion about Climate Change." Has your opinion from Task 1 changed in any aspect? Why or why not?

Task 3 : Ethanol is widely regarded as a plausible alternative fuel source to fossil fuels because it reduces many of the measured emissions from cars. Investigate the effects of ethanol as a fuel additive or substitute. Some information can be found at www.greenfuels.org/ethindex.html. Review this site and give a response. Specifically, what are differences between U.S. and Canadian approaches to ethanol and its effects on emissions in these countries? What then is the net affect on the tropospheric ozone concentration? Find an additional web-site that deals with ethanol use and its effects on the environment. List your source and give at least a paragraph in summary.

Task 4 : Study the overall process of ethanol production. Some good sites are www.greenfuels.org/energybal.html or www.ethanol.org (go to ethanol studies). Using this information what is your opinion of ethanol as a fuel source. (realize that for a alternative fuel source to be effective it must produce [yield] more energy than is required for its production [excluding sunlight]) Why is this? Is ethanol still a valuable alternative to fossil fuels.

Task 5 : Read an excerpt from the book "Enzymatic Conversion of Biomass for Fuels Production." What are possible new technologies that could improve the current methods of producing ethanol and the overall efficiency of its use? Which advances do you find most applicable and interesting? Why are they so important?

Task 6 : With the information in Effects of Fuel Ethanol Use on Fuel-Cycle Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions (start reading at the heading; Bioconversion for Ethanol Production--Prognosis for Technology Improvement) or other literature comment on different production methods of ethanol and how and why they are different? Which do you think should be the main source for ethanol production, explain. (hint: wet vs. dry milling, woody/herbaceous vs. corn)

Task 7 : Some feel that the best way (and possibly the only way) to clean up our atmosphere is to remove the automobile altogether. Review the interesting site www.carfree.com along with everything you have learned on the previous seven tasks and in class. Comment on what you think is the best solution to battle the problems of cleaning up our atmosphere.