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Bioethanol: A drain on agricultural water resources
Issue date: 4/23/09
In the United States, about 9 billion gallons of bioethanol are produced each year. This bioethanol, derived from corn and other plants, is mixed into the gasoline supply to fuel cars and trucks across the nation.
As a clean-burning alternative to oil, gasoline and natural gas, bioethanol is widely seen as a necessary step in our nation's move to sustainable energy usage. It has been endorsed by Congress and the Obama Administration as part of a broader energy reform package.
However, a recent study from the University of Minnesota reports that, in some regions of the country, the amount of water needed to produce this biofuel may actually take a large toll on the environment, offsetting the potential benefits of this new technology.
The researchers found that a surprisingly large amount of water might be required for growing and harvesting the plants from which bioethanol is derived.
This finding raises a new controversy about whether bioethanol is worth the impacts on our water resources. The study appears in the April 15 issue of the journal Environmental Science and Technology.
According to the study, states with high irrigation needs can take up to 2,100 gallons of water to produce one gallon of ethanol, derived from corn. These are mostly states with dry, warm climates and arid soils that require pumping in large quantities of water for irrigation.
California, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming are among the top water users. However, the study identified other states where bioethanol was produced using only a fraction as much water.
Bioethanol is a much-touted alternative energy source supported by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) and many green advocates. Because of its chemical makeup, it burns much cleaner than oil and oil derivatives.
Advocates argue that energy harvested from plants will be cheaper and have less of an environmental impact than oil and other petroleum products, which are the dominant energy source in the United States today. They argue that plants are a fundamentally renewable resource unlike the Earth's rapidly dwindling petroleum reserves.
As a clean-burning alternative to oil, gasoline and natural gas, bioethanol is widely seen as a necessary step in our nation's move to sustainable energy usage. It has been endorsed by Congress and the Obama Administration as part of a broader energy reform package.
However, a recent study from the University of Minnesota reports that, in some regions of the country, the amount of water needed to produce this biofuel may actually take a large toll on the environment, offsetting the potential benefits of this new technology.
The researchers found that a surprisingly large amount of water might be required for growing and harvesting the plants from which bioethanol is derived.
This finding raises a new controversy about whether bioethanol is worth the impacts on our water resources. The study appears in the April 15 issue of the journal Environmental Science and Technology.
According to the study, states with high irrigation needs can take up to 2,100 gallons of water to produce one gallon of ethanol, derived from corn. These are mostly states with dry, warm climates and arid soils that require pumping in large quantities of water for irrigation.
California, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming are among the top water users. However, the study identified other states where bioethanol was produced using only a fraction as much water.
Bioethanol is a much-touted alternative energy source supported by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) and many green advocates. Because of its chemical makeup, it burns much cleaner than oil and oil derivatives.
Advocates argue that energy harvested from plants will be cheaper and have less of an environmental impact than oil and other petroleum products, which are the dominant energy source in the United States today. They argue that plants are a fundamentally renewable resource unlike the Earth's rapidly dwindling petroleum reserves.
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