The Socioeconomics of Growing Corn for
Ethanol Yatindra H. Patel
Chemical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering Carnegie Mellon University Class of 2014
June 6, 2012 Universidade Estadual de Campinas
General History
Samuel Morey discovers engine fuel as a use for ethanol
Henry Ford develops ethanol powered vehicle
MTBE is replaced by ethanol as an oxygenate additive
http://www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/showroom/1896/quad.html
Recent Facts and Figures
Corn Cultivation 332 million metric tons of total corn planted
Ethanol Production 130 million metric tons of corn grown for ethanol
49.2 billion liters of ethanol produced
http://www.treehugger.com/renewable-energy/corn-ethanol-back-in-the-game-under-new-epa-renewable-fuel-standard-rules.html
1. http://faostat.fao.org/site/567/DesktopDefault.aspx?PageID=567
2. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/12/business/12corn.html?_r=1
3. http://www.ethanolrfa.org/pages/statistics#E
Subsidies
Corn and Ethanol 4 billion dollars for corn alone
Nearly twice the amount for either soybeans or wheat
Profitability Farmers are operating on a loss without subsidies
$45 per acre
http://carnageandculture.blogspot.com.br/2010/12/tax-deals-corn-lobby-kickback.html
1. http://farm.ewg.org/progdetail.php?fips=00000&progcode=corn
2. King Corn
Economics of Food
Land Availability 309 million acres of total cropland
88 million acres of land dedicated to corn
Food Supply Farmers growing corn instead of staple foods
Food prices increased worldwide
http://mjperry.blogspot.com.br/2011/09/cartoon-of-day-western-fetish.html 1. http://www.ers.usda.gov/StateFacts/us.htm
2. http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/nass/Acre//2010s/2010/Acre-06-30-2010.pdf
Energy
Current Sources and Consumer Cost
Indirect costs make corn ethanol unfavorable
Source Energy Balance
Corn 1.3
Switchgrass 5.4
Sugarcane 8
1. http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2007/10/biofuels/biofuels-text
Livestock
Nutrition Fat content of meat increased
Vitamin and mineral content decreased
Infection Resistant E. coli more prevalent in corn-fed livestock
http://malaysia4biotech.blogspot.com.br/2010/03/phytase-corn-breakthrough-by-chinese.html
1. King Corn 2. Food, Inc.
GMOs
Genetically Modified Organism
First performed using E. coli and Salmonella
Current applications Pharmaceuticals
Agriculture
http://infinityfitnessgym.com/2012/02/hidden-dangers-to-your-children/
1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4594039
GM Corn
Production Increase from 119 bu/ac to 152 bu/ac
Prevalence 85% of total corn planted is GM
Vertical Integration GM corn requires pesticide/herbicide from same manufacturer
http://www.jeremyrhammond.com/2012/05/26/new-york-times-gm-foods-are-safe-we-dont-need-no-stinkin-labels/
1. http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/food_and_agriculture/failure-to-yield.pdf
2. http://www.gmo-compass.org/eng/agri_biotechnology/gmo_planting/341.genetically_modifid i l b l d lti ti ht l
Conclusions
The process of producing corn-based ethanol has negative consequences
Heavily subsidized
Disrupting the food supply
Energetically unfavorable
Corrupting the integrity of food
Aiding the formation of vertical monopolies
http://www.thereisaway.us/2007/10/
Biofuels
Good but not good enough 1st generation technologies were a good start
2nd generation technologies are promising
3rd generation technologies are ideal
Solar, wind, and ocean energies are better
Biofuels swap OBEC for OPEC
Conclusion: Biofuels are a great intermediary step to other sources of alternative energy