Ethanol Worst Form of Renewable Energy

aux.link.: Stanford University Study Shows Ethanol to be Worst Form of Renewable Energy

"Mark Jacobson, professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and director of the Atmosphere/Energy Program at Stanford University, recently conducted a study that ranked alternate energies from best to worst. Ethanol was put to the test against, "Solar-photovoltaic (PV), concentrated solar power (CSP), wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, wave, tidal, nuclear, and coal with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology." After looking at reports of air pollutants from energy types on climate and air quality, and comparing how well each energy type was able to power vehicles, the study showed that Ethanol came in dead last.

It seems that the report found that wind-powered battery electric vehicles as well as wind-powered hydrogen fuel cells were the greenest ways to go. The immediate problem now, is the fact that driving a wind-powered battery electric vehicle is horrendously expensive, let alone impractical. And for its part, Ethanol has already received huge support from the automotive industry and the U.S. government. Finding an appropriately sized role for ethanol, with adequate support for the greener of the new green-tech is easier said than done."