Ethanol is not a cure-all for U.S. energy woes

Environmental drawbacks
Compared with gasoline, it produces 12 percent less "greenhouse" gasses linked to global warming, according to the study. But the researchers also said it has environmental drawbacks, including "markedly greater" releases of nitrogen, phosphorous and pesticides into waterways as runoff from corn fields. Ethanol, especially at higher concentrations in gasoline, also produce more smog-causing pollutants than gasoline per unit of energy burned, the researchers said.

"There's a lot of green in the money that's going into ethanol, but perhaps not so much green is coming out as far as the environment," said Hill, the lead author, in a telephone interview.

The ethanol industry says there's little new in the University of Minnesota study.

"Everyone in the industry recognizes that there is a limit on how much ethanol you can produce from corn," said Matt Hartwig, a spokesman for the Renewable Fuels Association, which represents ethanol producers.

"Nobody is saying that ethanol is the silver bullet that is going to solve all our energy problems. It's going to take a whole host of technologies. ... But ethanol and other biofuels play a very critical role."

He said the University of Minnesota study is only the latest to conclude that ethanol produces more energy than it consumes. "More importantly, there is a significant reduction in petroleum use with ethanol," he added.

Last year about 14 percent of the corn crop went to ethanol, compared with 11 percent four years ago. This year the amount of corn for ethanol could be nearly one in every five bushels grown, or 19 percent, according to Agriculture Department estimates.

The Corn Growers Association says that by 2015 a third of all the corn grown — or 5.5 billion bushels _ likely will be for ethanol. The Energy Department says it has a goal of 30 percent of the fuel used by motorists to be ethanol — both corn-based and cellulosic — by 2030.

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